Growing up I regularly skied a private club hill in upstate New York built by a couple guys from the 10th mountain division of the US army. They built many small hills all over the country after WWII. It had a rope tow just like this. The return was old phone poles, with car spindles and wheels and it was powered by a 4 cylinder Lee Roi tractor engine and transmission. The hill was steep with I believe about a 500 foot vertical and you had to be pretty strong to make the top of the hill on the tow. It would wear out a good pair of leather mittens in a weekend. We always kept a roll of tape on hand to fix blown out gloves. The place ceased operations in the late 70s after a local kid burned down the clubhouse. The old chimney from the clubhouse still stands today and the power shack and engine for the tow was still at the top of the hill when I was last up there 10 years ago. The memories that came back from watching this great video. I live in Florida since 93 and I haven't thought about the old Mountain Ten ski area in decades. Thanks for this video.
I love this. Someone could spend a lot of money making such a thing out of a pile of brand new parts, but you hack something together that works out of a pile of rust and junk. You would have done well on the old British TV show "Junkyard Wars"
Just found your channel, genuinely one of the best to actually learn about hobbyist machining. Not one of the Titan of CNC kind of channels. Been dreaming of making a rope tow like this for years, can't tell you how much of a new year surprise it was to see you make one and post it. Thanks a lot Jeremy!
Oh man, dad of the year! I recently discovered your channel and I'm shocked that you don't have at least 250k subscribers. In time! Anyway, you have one more now!!
Man I would have loved to have had a backyard ski trail with a rope tow as a kid! Your son is a lucky boy for sure. Plus you are getting "cool Dad" points for building it, I'm sure. Now you just need to wire up and string some solar battery charged night LED lights so you guy can do some night time skin runs.
Welding tip. Focus the weld on the flat surface and allow the metal to flow to the piece you are attaching and practice all the different angles and directions to get the best results on some scraps and before you know it your welds will look better.
Welds aren’t bad. Push instead of pull. Go slower when base metal is 1/4” or more. You’re getting decent results for that style machine. And those welds are unlikely to fail. MIG with solid wire and shielding gas will feel like cheating when you upgrade. Dual shield is even nicer.
For a safety, it would not be a bad idea to incorporate a remote key fob remote shut-off, the fob can be attached to a glove, around the wrist, and shut off from 100-300 yards or something, I'd keep the in place shut-off also, Incase a bystanders need to shut it off, it's basically just a remote control relay! Cool idea this thing is awesome!
I had this vision of a perfect shot of the spool rolling down the hill and right by the camera… once it finally got going the right direction, it was headed right at the camera!
Seeing you rolling the roll of rope down the hill, in hope it would go where you wanted and chasing it when it didn't, made me laugh in recognition. That's how I do it too, except with my whole life. Nowadays, I try not to, but still backslide to that behavior a lot :)
Love the video,and the fuck it just try/do it attitude👍 good stuff keep it simple and fun! Your stuffs good! Keep doing your own thing. Don’t try to be a ToT jr👍
That is a pretty awesome pour result. honestly not sure how that went that well. When I try to pull stuff out of my ass like that it always costs me later lol.
I would have loved this as a kid, and I'd love to build it as an adult, but - no snow, no property here. Didn't lessen my enjoyment for a moment though.
Growing up I regularly skied a private club hill in upstate New York built by a couple guys from the 10th mountain division of the US army. They built many small hills all over the country after WWII. It had a rope tow just like this. The return was old phone poles, with car spindles and wheels and it was powered by a 4 cylinder Lee Roi tractor engine and transmission. The hill was steep with I believe about a 500 foot vertical and you had to be pretty strong to make the top of the hill on the tow. It would wear out a good pair of leather mittens in a weekend. We always kept a roll of tape on hand to fix blown out gloves. The place ceased operations in the late 70s after a local kid burned down the clubhouse. The old chimney from the clubhouse still stands today and the power shack and engine for the tow was still at the top of the hill when I was last up there 10 years ago. The memories that came back from watching this great video. I live in Florida since 93 and I haven't thought about the old Mountain Ten ski area in decades. Thanks for this video.
I love this. Someone could spend a lot of money making such a thing out of a pile of brand new parts, but you hack something together that works out of a pile of rust and junk. You would have done well on the old British TV show "Junkyard Wars"
I loved that show!
Just found your channel, genuinely one of the best to actually learn about hobbyist machining. Not one of the Titan of CNC kind of channels.
Been dreaming of making a rope tow like this for years, can't tell you how much of a new year surprise it was to see you make one and post it.
Thanks a lot Jeremy!
Absolutely fantastic work man your an awesome dad
Oh man, dad of the year! I recently discovered your channel and I'm shocked that you don't have at least 250k subscribers. In time! Anyway, you have one more now!!
I took the early advice and "just watched the video"..... enjoyed every minute👍
one smile of your kids and everything was worth to do it.
Well done
Thats a solid smile and a nod there, Jeremy.
Great job.
Your a great dad!
Man I would have loved to have had a backyard ski trail with a rope tow as a kid! Your son is a lucky boy for sure. Plus you are getting "cool Dad" points for building it, I'm sure. Now you just need to wire up and string some solar battery charged night LED lights so you guy can do some night time skin runs.
Cool project. Lucky kid!
Keep on Junkin I love it that’s the whole point of homemade projects make it out of whatever you have!!!
Great to see it working again.
Welding tip. Focus the weld on the flat surface and allow the metal to flow to the piece you are attaching and practice all the different angles and directions to get the best results on some scraps and before you know it your welds will look better.
Living in Southern England I don't need a lift, but at least now I know how to build one.
Interesting concept. And even with the suspect unusual construction, it seems to do the job. So that is a project that works.
The things you find in your backyard resembles the things i can find in mine :)
RotarySMP sent me here!
Subscribed!
I love your videos. You make cool things without the need for over-the-top video graphics or machines no one can afford. :)
2 frying pans back to back make a great pully ..... try to make a pinch groove pully for the driver .. thats a deep V with no bottom
Ooooh, the pinch groove pulley sounds like a really good idea, probably better than what I did. I’ll try it next time.
Welds aren’t bad. Push instead of pull. Go slower when base metal is 1/4” or more. You’re getting decent results for that style machine. And those welds are unlikely to fail. MIG with solid wire and shielding gas will feel like cheating when you upgrade. Dual shield is even nicer.
lucky you... you have snow. +15 Celsius in UK
This is absolutely rad, what a kinetic project! That base is absolutely massive, you can't fake mass like that.
Bloody Fantastic Jeremy. I love it.
For a safety, it would not be a bad idea to incorporate a remote key fob remote shut-off, the fob can be attached to a glove, around the wrist, and shut off from 100-300 yards or something, I'd keep the in place shut-off also, Incase a bystanders need to shut it off, it's basically just a remote control relay! Cool idea this thing is awesome!
Lucky kids! awesome fabricating!
Thanks for putting in the failed attempts at rolling the rope down the hill. that provided a good laugh. I know the pain
I had this vision of a perfect shot of the spool rolling down the hill and right by the camera… once it finally got going the right direction, it was headed right at the camera!
That's alsome man, gotta take care of our kiddos, great video, keep'um coming..
I love how you just whip up your own vacuum chamber like nbd. Ha ha Really cool project.
Seeing you rolling the roll of rope down the hill, in hope it would go where you wanted and chasing it when it didn't, made me laugh in recognition. That's how I do it too, except with my whole life. Nowadays, I try not to, but still backslide to that behavior a lot :)
I had this vision a perfect shot of the spool rolling past the camera, it didn’t want to go that way…until it went STRAIGHT AT the camera.
Works awesome 👌 👏
Awesome!
Your son grabbed on for another go like he's done it a million times; that might be an exaggeration but give it a season or two!
good video jeremy
Nice
Pretty cool.
Mont Saint Blackfly!
Have I mentioned we’ve been working on Mont Blackfly mountain bike trails? Not sure how the rope tow would work on a bike though.
good !
Nice!
One option would be to add a pinch roller to the drive wheel.
What i wouldnt give to spend a month learning from you.
Love the video,and the fuck it just try/do it attitude👍 good stuff keep it simple and fun! Your stuffs good! Keep doing your own thing. Don’t try to be a ToT jr👍
That is a pretty awesome pour result. honestly not sure how that went that well. When I try to pull stuff out of my ass like that it always costs me later lol.
I would have loved this as a kid, and I'd love to build it as an adult, but - no snow, no property here. Didn't lessen my enjoyment for a moment though.
Hi Jeremy, I have something I would like to send you. What is the best way we can get in contact?
Jeremymakesthings (at) gmail.com
Junk Master
My inner boater noticed the pyranha foam vaccum chamber seal and the cam straps fastening the motor to the tree
How do normal people get by without minicel and cam straps?
@@JeremyMakesThings I ask myself this all the time!
Awesome!