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Cottage Grove, MN

I have four 4"x25' tow straps, looped on both ends. I know the four inch wide is overkill, but it's what I have to work with. If I double the straps over and run rope through the loops on the bottom of the pumpkin and knot the top of the straps together, is it really needed to have an accual ring to keep the pressure off the sides of the pumpkin consider the length of the straps? Ott of around 300".

10/8/2007 3:21:36 PM

Pocatello ([email protected])

I'd feel a lot better in cutting those 25 foot straps into 8 12.5 foot straps. You don't want to risk the fruit slipping out one side, and 25 feet is too long anyway unless your tripod is more than... well, at least 25 feet tall!

I'm using a strap lifter with no ring, and it's fine.

10/8/2007 5:41:29 PM

Cottage Grove, MN

Thanks Cliff. The 25' would be folded in half, i.e. the looped ends on one strap would go from one side of the punk, up, then back down again to the otherside with all the 'up' part of the straps knotted together. So more like 12'from base to knot, no ring.

10/8/2007 5:51:37 PM

Wi

I'd be nervous with only 4 straps also...

10/8/2007 6:02:42 PM

Pocatello ([email protected])

Yeah, that should be fine. I just wanted to elaborate a bit on the concept of a strap lifter. When you're using a strap lifter without a ring, the idea is that there might be too much tension around the sides of the fruit. But I think this amount of tension is really small and almost negligible compared to the entire system.

Think of it another way... How big is the ring? Unless the ring is equal to or larger than the width of the fruit it also will generate these compression stresses. Now with the strap lifter, if you go buy a clevis pin to gather the straps at the top which you should be doing anyway, there is what... a few inches of difference? Essentially, there is no significant difference at all.

What a lifting ring excels at is keeping all of the straps separated and organized when you are trying to load and unload fruit. If you're in a busy weighoff, taking fruit in and out, then this is a benefit. If you're just loading your own fruit for weighoff then it really doesn't matter.

Just my two cents. ;-)

10/8/2007 6:08:46 PM

Ohio

My ott was similar. I used eight 1" straps from the discount hardware store, and cut the hardware off the end with a bolt cutter, so that I had loops to thread my rope through. (actually, I just used another 1" strap) I used an old flat doughnut for the ring. There's a picture in my diary.

10/8/2007 6:17:15 PM

Dalton Ma.

I used old seat belts, cut-off the steel. The end is looped so it fits a 5/8 nylon rope. 6 lifted a 687 lb. Milled three slots 5/16 by 2.5 in 4 by 3 plate. Laced them through double.

10/9/2007 8:58:02 AM

Dalton Ma.

Lifter Pic's at http://flickr.com/photos/zinger/

10/9/2007 11:10:54 AM

Minnesota

If the OTT is only 300" I'm sure Fogsurfer and Shannon could lift it into the truck for you!
I bought an Amish made strap lifter from P&P Seeds and it has worked like a charm.. Has 8 - 2" Seatbelts I think.. Add Bobcat and lift onto pallet, The pallet into Truck... Tada.. My Pumpkin is currently stuck in the back of my pickup until I can find someone closer to home with a Forklift!!!

10/9/2007 3:22:32 PM

Cottage Grove, MN

Yeah, I'd go the tarp route if it wasn't 5' up in a terrace. Its actually growing in less than 210sqft, gets a little crowded with 4-5 guys and a tarp and makes for a heck of a bad landing for pumpkin and guys alike. Did I say 300"ott? Or AROUND 300" ott? Hummm. I'll have a skid all this weekend on a trailer fyi.

10/9/2007 5:16:28 PM

Cornell, Wi

I just bought straps at the store and cut 3 at 12 feet, cats pawed them to a clevas and tied loops at bottom, run big rope through the loops and walla, end up with 6 straps hanging down, even with the tension you can still slide the rope through the loops, picked up 800 lbs.

10/9/2007 6:48:05 PM

Greensburg Pa

I purchased a lifter form Marv Hics. PGPGA. Worked great with a back hoe.

10/9/2007 7:50:00 PM

Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

oooohhhh ohhhh lifting straps....

10/9/2007 9:25:02 PM

Pocatello ([email protected])

Here is my setup:

http://cliffwarren.byethost5.com/2007/september/index.html

10/9/2007 9:37:25 PM

Cottage Grove, MN

No worries Shannon, just bigger than I'm used to, and you've seen picts of the backyard. Pretty too, hope Doug is all done in that respect, he grows 'em pretty. Shannon, this may be your offspring, we'll talk Sat? Cooking the meat, should be perfect by then, need to borrow a cooker from Church this time around, too much for a regular crock. Let's chow, drink, be merry, and see who drives in with what. I'm worried about the late comers that day, namely you, BF, D14, Chris...etc. Safe is lying me thinks. Heck, we're all lying at this point, I just want to place and get more money than the bottle of champaigne the twins bought BF last year, darn traitor kids o' mine. Long weekend coming quick!

10/9/2007 9:42:16 PM

Cottage Grove, MN

I failed to mention thanks to everyone on the strap topic, I think this will work. That said, feel free to stop by this Friday to see if it works, pumpkin raising party here at our place, food, drink, etc. Should be an interesting mix, neighbors (just met the ones from Liberia, wow, was that a party last weekend!), friends (don't have many, the ones we do are as goofy as we are), work crew (may not have a job after this, the gay guys are the best), family (which is basically messed up), and whoever else shows. The local press will be here (thanks Judy), along with the local cops (love ya, Don). Let me know if you want directions!

10/9/2007 9:56:34 PM

Cottage Grove, MN

Ok, back on topic. If I can't get a perfect vertical lift via the straps and the fork, is it ok to drag it a few feet to the front of the terrace? Problem is that I can't get the skid in the terrace as there is a 4 ft wall (the terrace). The fruit is around 4ft back in the terrace, I need to get the fruit to the front to lift it vertical on to a pallet. In other words, I don't know if the skid forks will reach back that far to get it off the ground via the straps. Thanks again for everyone's help on this. Cool set up Cliff, wish I could just back the truck into the terrace! I'll place a pict in the Gallery.

10/10/2007 6:41:53 PM

Cottage Grove, MN

Pict up....

10/10/2007 8:47:21 PM

Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

slide that puppy down the terrace....come on Bob. I hope some one is bringing some Good Buns on Saturday and something besides meat. I have a huge crock pot full of BBQ Pork.

10/10/2007 11:08:11 PM

Carrollton, Ga.

Check this pic out of Pete Glasier's 1500+ being lifted with straps and no spreader ring. If your straps are long enough you don't have to worry about putting too much pressure on the sides of the pumpkin.

http://bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=75776

doug
Jn. 3:16

10/11/2007 5:33:14 AM

ohio

Go to ovgpg.com and look at their lifting straps

10/11/2007 8:17:35 AM

Cottage Grove, MN

Heck with it, I'm just going back the truck up to the slope in the yard and roll it in. Shannon, I've got around 15lbs of the same! I'll bring buns (how many?) and anything left over from the party Fri night. Thanks all.

10/11/2007 11:36:28 AM

Wi

Ummmm....I see my name mentioned above as a possible sandbagger. Not going to happen in 2007. Man I wanna be a sandbagger when I grow up :(

10/11/2007 11:56:33 AM

Cottage Grove, MN

Sand bagging at it's best, great example Chris!

10/11/2007 12:50:25 PM