portafold.co.uk

Hi all,

I've made a lifting-frame with a small hand-winch on, to help me put our caravan up. Our Ansfold roof is heavier than the Portafold, because of its double-skinned construction. When we first had our van, I could just-about manage to put it up without assistance. I'm only just tall enough though at 5' 8", & nowadays even with my wife's help & standing on steps, it's becoming harder. As we want to be able to carry on Ansfolding into old age, & neither of us enjoy back-pain, NOW seemed as good a time as any to do this.
The frame is made from car exhaust-tube stock, sold in several different diameters by motor factors. The winch came from a boat-chandler, it has 5cwt 'pull' & is sold for hauling small boats out of water onto trailers. It cost £14.94 + VAT. The cable is sash-window cord, 1/4" hemp, from a local ironmongers. The hook is 1" x 1/4" flat strip, bent cold in the vice round a socket. All the rest of the sheet-steel is old Dexion from factory skips. I did "cheat" by turning the top pulley from solid in my own lathe, but this could doubtless be a suitable wheel rescued from an old trolley or child's toy & divested of its tyre.
My lifting-frame locates on the top of the bottle-box which is also made from Dexion shelving. At the moment I can only lift the front (the second end, for me). When the time comes that I need help to lift both ends, I'll make extensions for the legs so the frame stands on the ground.
It isn't quite finished yet. The pictures show it being tested on the van in my garage, propped outside & dismantled to fit in the Minor's boot.

Steve Lord

That's a brilliant idea.

I can't erect the Portafold on my own and feel like a wimp with the you tube posts which pop up now and again. I can just about lift the roof - although I nearly dropped that on my Uncle's head after spending the weekend polishing the thing (my excuse for wearing out my arms!), which turned out to be a waste of time as after 5 minutes errected back at home it looks nearly as bad as I live in a high polution area

My cunning plan is simple - when travelling alone hope to turn up where there are people I know and that someone is in a good mood and will help (Hint hint!)

A fantastic device Sir! If you go into production, could I order one please? It really is exactly what we're looking for as we both struggle putting the roof on our Portafold. And we must be wimps because our roof is lighter than yours! I've tried the Spinach thing but I'm that weak, I can't get the tin open!

Credit to you Steve.

Billy.

What a brilliant idea, well done!!

Hi Steve. Just to say...you Sir, are a complete and utter STAR!!! Thanks to you and your time, help and patience, Shelly can now erect her Portafold on her own and will be off Portafolding very soon!

Thanks again Steve. Very much appreciated. Billy.

RockabillyBilly wrote:Hi Steve. Just to say...you Sir, are a complete and utter STAR!!!

Don't tell him that, his head will get too big to fit in his Ansfold!

Aw shucks; (blush), thank you very much! I'm only doing what, to me, comes naturally. When I have a problem, like lacking the strength to reliably use one of my toys, I enjoy solving it. And if someone asks about the solution, I enjoy telling how I did it. That's all really.

Now then; where can I get that wider Ansfold door from?!

Cheers!

Steve Lord

As Billy said earlier, I am sooooooo pleased to be able to put up the Portafold all by myself.......whoooppeeeee.

But.....it wouldn't have been possible without all the help and information sent to me by Steve. I really really can't thank you enough. Our lifting mechanism is not quite as grand as yours Steve but it works like a dream. I will send you some pics soon, I'm going to have a practice later and will get Billy to take some shots of me in action, so to speak.

Once again, A GREAT BIG THANK YOU

All the very best

A very excited Shelly

Pics of Shelly's roof lifter as mentioned above:




Steve, as you have the knowledge I think you might have to make a batch of lifters. Or at least price them up. You could help out a lot of vertically challenged owners...

Demonstrations of Steve's roof lifter will be exclusively at the National Gathering this coming weekend. viewtopic.php?f=7&t=361

Now if that isn't a reason to come I don't know what is!

Steve, no offence, but if you do go into production, get Shelly to be your demonstrator/sales woman

Thanks for putting the pics on and thanks again to Steve for all his help.

Cheers

Shelly