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Always take your come-along along

by Delbert Trew
Delbert Trew

Though some might look down on the common working man, he is actually an ingenious person. If you don't believe me search the U.S. Patent office files and find millions of tools, most invented by a working man to make his work easier or faster. In fact, realistically, the progress of the world is paced by the development of its tools.

I firmly believe the two most important things to aid most manual labor is understanding gravity and leverage. Almost everything a rural worker does in a day involves these items.

For a cowboy understanding gravity is easy. If you get bucked off your horse gravity puts you down hard on the ground. For the farmer or construction worker, when you find something too heavy to lift, go find a jack or a crowbar to attain a little more leverage.

Since I am known as a "junker" who can eventually find a use for almost anything, people give me things for my personal use or to use down at one of the museums. When it comes to gifts, I tell prospective donors, "I can lift anything that is free." Nothing increases my adrenaline quite like being offered something I can see a use for.

As far as I am concerned the greatest invention of all time is the winch. This geared contrivance is thousands of years old, made in any size from ounces to tons, can move any object no matter how large and is so simple and cheap everyone should have one or two to meet their needs. My work on the ranch would simply come to a halt without the use of my winches.

Please watch the spelling. I don't mean wench, I mean winch. I knew of a cattle buyer who always took his wench along on buying trips. He is now 2 inches taller after his wife used a winch to cure his wench problems.

I guess I have at least a dozen sizes of winches from a truck mounted winch with gin poles, walking boomers which are actually small winches and wide nylon belts with small winches built on them. All of these belts were picked up along Interstate 40 where they fell off the big trucks.

My most used winch is a small hand tool I call a "come-along." To the uninitiated, the come-along is simply a small winch using a steel cable and frame. When anchored to a firm base, merely jack the handle back and forth and whatever is attached to the other end usually "comes along."

Talk about versatile, I use my come-along for pulling everything from barbed wire, a balky cow or animal, a stuck vehicle, a piece of junk, loading equipment, holding down loads, pulling up posts and lifting anything heavy.

If it can be moved, a little ingenuity can utilize a come-along and do whatever needs to be done. Sometimes a larger come-along may be needed.

So, my advice to all, no matter your destination, the reason, the job, the gain or loss, or whether you are weak or strong, you can't go wrong taking your come-along along.


© Delbert Trew
"It's All Trew"
January 4 , 2011 column
Delbert Trew is a freelance writer and retired rancher. He can be reached at 806-779-3164, by mail at Box A, Alanreed, TX 79002, or by e-mail at trewblue@centramedia.net. For books see DelbertTrew.com. His column appears weekly.

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This page last modified: January 4, 2011