FAQ about hand winches

A hand winch is a tool for moving a load both horizontally and vertically. The load is connected to the hand winch by a steel cable or a synthetic rope. A hand winch consists of a drum, a transmission, a brake, a crank and a metal structure. In a hand winch, muscle power must be used to get the drum into a circular motion with the help of a crank. The cable is wound up or down on the drum of the winch by the circular motion, causing the load to move horizontally or vertically.

A Gebuwin hand winch consists of a crank, a transmission, a drum, a cable, a brake and the housing. The following article describes each part in detail.

• A hand winch is quite compact and thus light since no motor is needed.
• A hand winch has a crank to move the load with. The pendulum force in Gebuwin hand winches never exceeds 15 kg, which means that anyone can lift a heavy load up to 7500 kg by hand!
• A hand winch always performs, so this makes it very suitable as a backup system for a motorized application, for example.
• A hand winch is relatively inexpensive.
• A hand winch is very robust.

A hand winch can be used to move a load both horizontally and vertically, i.e. lifting or pulling. A winch is also used to initiate a pivoting motion or to tension loads, below are some examples:

• Lifting: lifting and lowering pumps, locks, art, anchors, parts of machines, gangways, mast on ships, large doors, trusses in theaters and goods
• Pulling: pulling trolleys, trains, hangar doors, moving (canopy) constuctions, pulling boats onto trailers
• Tilting: opening a hatch, valve or bridge
• Tension: tensioning conveyor belts, nets for sports like golf or volleybal or net over crops

A hand winch is generally used for 3 applications : as a back up system for a motorized drive/winch for example or at a location where no electricity or other facilities are available. Lastly, a hand winch is used in locations where the frequency of use is low. In this case, the user is looking for a solution with a “low” price, i.e. a hand winch.

Hand winches have no overload protection since the limiting factor is muscle power. For the WW1000, it has been calculated that one must deliver 13 daN (13 kg) to hoist a load of 1,000 kg. It is therefore not possible to hoist, for example, 10,000 kg with the winch since it requires too high a force. All hand winches from Gebuwin have a safety factor of 4.

The speed of the hand here is initially measured by the number of crank rotations. This depends on various factors such as the size of the capacity of the winch diameter, the gear ratio, the diameter of the cable, the length of the crank, and the speed of the crank.

We take into account approximately 60 rotations per minute, which a person can handle. This translates to an average speed of a hand winch between 0.4 meters per minute and 3 meters per minute. Generally, the average lies around 1 meter per minute.

The speed of a hand winch cannot be adjusted in principle.
It is determined by the number of crank rotations per minute that a person can perform.
We consider about 60 rotations per minute, resulting in a speed of approximately between 0.8 meters per minute and 3 meters per minute. If someone wants to change the speed of a hand winch, they can either rotate faster or slower.

Of course, there is a limit to the speed a person can rotate, and thus also to the winch speed. There are possibilities to adjust the speed nonetheless, but this requires modifying the winch. For example, we can choose to increase the diameter of the drum, thereby increasing the circumference and thus the speed. Additionally, the crank can be adjusted to enable a person to rotate faster.

A hand winch can operate in both directions, clockwise and counterclockwise. Gebuwin hand winches turn clockwise to lift the load. When you turn counterclockwise, you lower the load. An important aspect of Gebuwin hand winches is that there is always a brake present.
This brake ensures that when you release the handle, the load remains in the same position. By turning the handle counterclockwise, the load is released and will come to a stop again.
To lift again, you need to turn the handle clockwise.

Every Gebuwin hand winch has a safety factor of 4, as described in the European standard EN 13157. This standard contains numerous other safety regulations. The safety factor of a winch is crucial because it ensures that the winch does not break down quickly. It is essential that the load on the winch never exceeds the specified maximum lifting capacity.

The maximum cable storage capacity on a Gebuwin hand winch can vary and depends on the diameter and width of the drum. Generally, the average cable storage capacity of a hand winch ranges between 30 and 100 meters.
The diameter of the cable plays a crucial role in the total cable capacity of the winch.

For example, consider our Worm Gear hand winch WW1000, which has a lifting capacity of 1000 kg. The cable required for this should be a minimum of 8 mm. With an 8 mm cable, the WW1000 has a cable storage capacity of 63 meters. However, if you use the WW1000 to lift a load of 500 kg, you would need a 4 mm cable instead of 8 mm. In that case, your cable storage capacity increases from 63 to 135 meters.
It is therefore essential to determine which cable diameter you will use.

In summary, while a hand winch operates manually at a speed suitable for such use, using a drill on a hand winch can lead to various problems due to the much higher speed. These include issues with lubrication, transmission damage, and bearing problems. Therefore, a hand winch is not suitable for use with a drill.
However, we offer the DW1000 drill winch, specially designed to be used manually or with a drill. It features an automatic lubrication system, a flexible coupling to absorb vibrations, and an extra gearing mechanism to reduce speed, making it a versatile option for different applications.

To read more about this please read our blog.

The winch should be mounted using the bolts shown in the overview below:

WW250: 4xM12 – class 8.8
WW500: 4xM12 – class 8.8
WW1000: 4xM16 – class 8.8
WW1500: 4xM16 – class 8.8
WW2000–WW7500: 4xM20 – class 8.8
MR500: 4x M12 SST316 – class 8.8
MR1500: 4x M16 SST316 – class 8.8

All nuts of the mounting bolts must be tightened equally.

To prevent the occurrence of stresses in the winch housing, attention should be paid to:

• a flat surface at the location of the mounting bolts.
• whether the load-bearing capacity of a wall or other structure is sufficient.
• to ensure proper cable routing, the winch must be mounted level.

One of the most important components of the hand winch is the brake. Heavy loads are lifted and or pulled with hand winches. The brake ensures that when the crank is released the load … Read blog and watch video

When you release the handle during hoisting a load with a hand winch, the brake will engage, and the load will remain stationary. This is because every hand winch from Gebuwin is equipped with a load pressure brake. This load pressure brake is activated when a load is attached to the winch, so in every situation.

If you accidentally or intentionally release the handle while hoisting a load, the load will stay in position.
If you want to lower the load again, you turn the handle counterclockwise, thus downwards. In this way, you actually bypass the brake and can lower the load.

Hand winches come in many different shapes and sizes. Gebuwin has a complete range of hand winches that start at a lifting capacity of 150 kg (TL150) and go up to a maximum of 7500 kg (WW7500).

In summary, when using hand or electric winches, a cable is essential. We offer three types of cables with various diameters and options for hooks. Sheave blocks are also available to properly guide the cable during installation, ensuring it is positioned directly above the load. Our sheave blocks come in two versions and various capacities. Additionally, we offer auxiliary motors for practical operation, available in pneumatic or 230V electric versions, suitable for our worm gear hand winches starting from 1000 kg.

For more detailed information about our accessory options read our blog.

In summary, there are several finishing options available for the housing of the hand winch. The standard finish includes a layer of paint, while additional options include electrolytic zinc-coating or applying two layers of paint for enhanced protection against corrosion. For further corrosion resistance, options include using stainless steel 304 or opting for coatings suitable for environments near seawater, such as the C5 offshore coating or fully stainless steel 316.

To read more about our house finishes, please read our blog.