Quick Disconnect
Using standard orange ribbon, the area fashioned fencing much like that found at movie theaters and airports. One end is secured on a post and the other is a quick disconnect. To avoid the ice build-up at the disconnect end, the ribbon is doubled up and rolled onto a piece of square wood, which slides down a piece of 2-inch PVC with a slot down the side. The PVC and wood have holes drilled in the bottom for a bolt or hitch pin to secure the ribbon. Leave extra ribbon in each end in case it gets torn and needs to be repaired.
The slotted PVC pipe is secured to the fence post with three screws. Both ends can also be quick disconnects.
Getting a Feel For It
Skilift chairs have been converted to many things, but this clever swing is one of the best. Jack Shumar, chief mechanic at Mystic Mountain/Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, Pa., decided to give kids and first-timers a chance to experience the feeling of an actual load.
Chair height was carefully set at 19 inches above the ground in order to match the existing loading height of the lift. A restraint bar was added to heighten this experience. The swing set is mostly made of stainless steel pieces selected from a McMaster Carr supply book. Overall height is 10 feet, the spread is 9 feet and the width is 11 feet.
The frame has an intermediate cross member at 4 1/2 feet. The top tube holding the chair is a 1 1/2-inch pipe within a 3-inch pipe, for added support. A nylon bushing was custom made for the top of the chair bail and a chain added to keep the chair leveled, because without the grip, the center of gravity is off by a foot.
For more information, contact Jack Shumar at (724)-329-8555 ext. 6083.
A Sheave Time Saver
Nothing brightens the day more for a lift maintenance crew than to turn a 20-minute job into a mere 5-minute task. That is exactly what Paul White and John Larsen of Bretton Woods Ski Resort, N.H., did with this great idea.
White and Larsen were tired of the old hand-operated sheave liner press designed for older Doppelmayr lifts that was located in the shop. To speed things up, White and Larsen replaced the old bottle jack with a hydraulic piston, a valve bank, a pump and an electric motor—all items purchased from Northern Hydraulics. To make the rig versatile, they created a secondary frame so that they would also be able to service CTEC sheaves and use the press for general pressing of bushings, bearings, etc. An Enerpac hand pump was added for delicate pressing jobs. For portability, the whole power press was installed on the back of a Jeep.
Now sheave wheels can be serviced directly on the chairlift, saving time and money. Note: When working on a project like this, be sure to follow appropriate codes for electric specification and hydraulic pressure (for example, making sure to install the proper-sized relief valve). For more information, contact Paul White at (603)-278-3341.
