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Aluminum Trailer Hitch Mounted Skinning Pole
3/23/2012 10:38:36 PM
Has anybody built a hitch mounted skinning pole in aluminum? I was thinking about making a two piece skinning pole. My goal is to make it as small and light when I go hunting. Photos would be great.
3/24/2012 7:32:37 AM
I built this one out of steel and it's not that heavy. It's two pieces and swivels in the center. Aluminum is harder to weld.
3/24/2012 10:26:50 AM
How did you make square tube swivel? Piece of pipe that just fit inside? Do you have a "pin" to stop it from moving when you do not want it to?
3/24/2012 11:21:53 AM
Originally Posted By 1-Wolverine:
How did you make square tube swivel? Piece of pipe that just fit inside?
How did you make square tube swivel? Piece of pipe that just fit inside?
Exactly. Welded a piece of pipe inside the bottom piece that the top piece slides over that way it disassembles into two smaller pieces.
Do you have a "pin" to stop it from moving when you do not want it to?
Yes. After this picture was taken I just drilled a hole straight through and stuck a bolt in it but you could use a pin or whatever. The pipe actually fits so tight that it wasn't totally necessary but I did it just in case we ever have a need to use it on some uneven spot or something.
3/24/2012 12:08:45 PM
wow really cool idea if you're going to be cleaning a lot of animals. never seen one before.
ponyboy is definitely right about aluminum being harder to weld, unless you have access to a TIG welder. the aluminum rods for a standard SMAW welder run weird as hell.
ponyboy is definitely right about aluminum being harder to weld, unless you have access to a TIG welder. the aluminum rods for a standard SMAW welder run weird as hell.
3/24/2012 1:35:11 PM
Aluminum welds great with a spool gun and a mig. But I would go with steel, a 250 lb hog would really tax an aluminum hoist. If you kept them under 150 or gutted them first it might be ok. You could go with heavy wall aluminum but then the weight difference would be negligible. Just stick with 2" sq tube and you'll be happier.
3/24/2012 2:00:11 PM
Originally Posted By bldsmith:
Aluminum welds great with a spool gun and a mig. But I would go with steel, a 250 lb hog would really tax an aluminum hoist. If you kept them under 150 or gutted them first it might be ok. You could go with heavy wall aluminum but then the weight difference would be negligible. Just stick with 2" sq tube and you'll be happier.
Aluminum welds great with a spool gun and a mig. But I would go with steel, a 250 lb hog would really tax an aluminum hoist. If you kept them under 150 or gutted them first it might be ok. You could go with heavy wall aluminum but then the weight difference would be negligible. Just stick with 2" sq tube and you'll be happier.
I can tell you that ours held up to 420lbs for about a minute before the back weld for the pipe where it swivels broke. I didn't use much more than spot welds when I initially built it. I've since gone back and welded up that area much better. I don't have a doubt that it would do 500 now.
3/25/2012 12:00:51 AM
Originally Posted By Ponyboy:
I can tell you that ours held up to 420lbs for about a minute before the back weld for the pipe where it swivels broke. I didn't use much more than spot welds when I initially built it. I've since gone back and welded up that area much better. I don't have a doubt that it would do 500 now.
Originally Posted By bldsmith:
Aluminum welds great with a spool gun and a mig. But I would go with steel, a 250 lb hog would really tax an aluminum hoist. If you kept them under 150 or gutted them first it might be ok. You could go with heavy wall aluminum but then the weight difference would be negligible. Just stick with 2" sq tube and you'll be happier.
Aluminum welds great with a spool gun and a mig. But I would go with steel, a 250 lb hog would really tax an aluminum hoist. If you kept them under 150 or gutted them first it might be ok. You could go with heavy wall aluminum but then the weight difference would be negligible. Just stick with 2" sq tube and you'll be happier.
I can tell you that ours held up to 420lbs for about a minute before the back weld for the pipe where it swivels broke. I didn't use much more than spot welds when I initially built it. I've since gone back and welded up that area much better. I don't have a doubt that it would do 500 now.
Thanks Pony boy. How tall is that thing and where did you get that manual winch and pulleys?
3/25/2012 9:59:17 AM
Originally Posted By CORNHOLIO1:
Thanks Pony boy. How tall is that thing and where did you get that manual winch and pulleys?
Thanks Pony boy. How tall is that thing and where did you get that manual winch and pulleys?
I wanna say it's 7'. I can't exactly remember and it's over at David's house so I can't go outside and measure it right now but 7 or maybe 7.5' sounds right.
The winch is a boat trailer hand crank and the pulleys just came from Home Depot.
3/25/2012 10:12:42 AM
Wallly world has the boat winch for less than thirty bucks, they have the pulleys also. Any place that has boat supplies will have the winch, any place that has hardware will have the cable and pulleys.
The one I built used a 2'' nylon boat strap (someone must have needed it more than I did, disappeared from the hunting club), the next one I will probably just use 1/4'' cable.
The vertical on the one I built was 6', but the truck I was using it on had 33,s and a 4'' lift. I think 7' will work better on my stock height z71.
The one I built used a 2'' nylon boat strap (someone must have needed it more than I did, disappeared from the hunting club), the next one I will probably just use 1/4'' cable.
The vertical on the one I built was 6', but the truck I was using it on had 33,s and a 4'' lift. I think 7' will work better on my stock height z71.
3/25/2012 10:49:31 PM
You can always do it on the cheap with one of these Gambrel Rated for 600lbs
Just put a cleat on the pole to hook the rope to.
Just put a cleat on the pole to hook the rope to.
3/26/2012 12:00:44 AM
Originally Posted By bldsmith:
You can always do it on the cheap with one of these Gambrel Rated for 600lbs
Just put a cleat on the pole to hook the rope to.
You can always do it on the cheap with one of these Gambrel Rated for 600lbs
Just put a cleat on the pole to hook the rope to.
The boat winch cost me $20, the pulleys were two or three dollars each, the snap hook was three or four bucks and the gambrel we had laying around. We can also attach a scale between the snap hook and the gambrel to weigh animals. The entire setup including the square tubing and paint was less than $60 to build. Can't get a lot cheaper than that for something that handy.
3/26/2012 1:14:49 AM
Originally Posted By Ponyboy:
The boat winch cost me $20, the pulleys were two or three dollars each, the snap hook was three or four bucks and the gambrel we had laying around. We can also attach a scale between the snap hook and the gambrel to weigh animals. The entire setup including the square tubing and paint was less than $60 to build. Can't get a lot cheaper than that for something that handy.
Originally Posted By bldsmith:
You can always do it on the cheap with one of these Gambrel Rated for 600lbs
Just put a cleat on the pole to hook the rope to.
You can always do it on the cheap with one of these Gambrel Rated for 600lbs
Just put a cleat on the pole to hook the rope to.
The boat winch cost me $20, the pulleys were two or three dollars each, the snap hook was three or four bucks and the gambrel we had laying around. We can also attach a scale between the snap hook and the gambrel to weigh animals. The entire setup including the square tubing and paint was less than $60 to build. Can't get a lot cheaper than that for something that handy.
Thanks Ponyboy. Thats probably my next project.
3/26/2012 2:18:02 PM
Originally Posted By Ponyboy:
Exactly. Welded a piece of pipe inside the bottom piece that the top piece slides over that way it disassembles into two smaller pieces.
Yes. After this picture was taken I just drilled a hole straight through and stuck a bolt in it but you could use a pin or whatever. The pipe actually fits so tight that it wasn't totally necessary but I did it just in case we ever have a need to use it on some uneven spot or something.
Originally Posted By 1-Wolverine:
How did you make square tube swivel? Piece of pipe that just fit inside?
How did you make square tube swivel? Piece of pipe that just fit inside?
Exactly. Welded a piece of pipe inside the bottom piece that the top piece slides over that way it disassembles into two smaller pieces.
Do you have a "pin" to stop it from moving when you do not want it to?
Yes. After this picture was taken I just drilled a hole straight through and stuck a bolt in it but you could use a pin or whatever. The pipe actually fits so tight that it wasn't totally necessary but I did it just in case we ever have a need to use it on some uneven spot or something.
Is the point of separation right below the winch?
3/26/2012 9:39:45 PM
Looks like the separation is right where the handle of the crank is hanging.
Wait a minute, what is that white stuff on the ground? did it snow in TX this winter? Last winter we had six snows in Bama, but none this winter.
Wait a minute, what is that white stuff on the ground? did it snow in TX this winter? Last winter we had six snows in Bama, but none this winter.
3/28/2012 1:25:53 PM
Originally Posted By 1-Wolverine:
Looks like the separation is right where the handle of the crank is hanging.
Looks like the separation is right where the handle of the crank is hanging.
That's correct. So that when it comes apart the crank and everything is on the same piece.
Wait a minute, what is that white stuff on the ground? did it snow in TX this winter? Last winter we had six snows in Bama, but none this winter.
It did snow a little this winter but it wasn't much and it was really early, like November or something. But this picture was taken last winter when we got quite a bit of snow. I couldn't find any other good pictures that showed the skinning pole very well.
4/10/2012 8:53:34 AM
Since I am gettting older and older and it is getting difficult to load deer or hogs on my atv I made a similar unit for the front of my atv.Now I can crank up the animal with one hand and then swing it onto the front rack. He has a great idea
