Electric Winch Lift
Purpose
FOP Community Member Blake Sherrod and his stepdad created this custom lift for Blake when other options didn’t work and he needed help getting out of bed.
Blake says ” I can no longer get out of bed ,because I’m fused I need to be gotten up in a standing position, so my stepdad is a welder and he said he just knew there had to be a way to make something, because Physical therapy tried but didn’t have any answers. It helps me to get out of bed and be able to walk around with the assistance of my quad cane .The fact that it gets me in standing position gives me more mobility, without this being designed it would really be difficult and mean less mobility for me. I believe this could really help others with FOP be more mobile.”
Description
How to make
Items Needed: Electric Wench, Metal or Steel, Rolling Wheels, Soft Fabric or cushion for the arm/body pads, Welding Tools
- My Stepdad bought an electric wench and made a frame out of steel with legs on it to roll up under my bed
- He drew up some plans on paper, then did some measurements of me and bed. It took couple of days to design.
***An electric winch is a powered mechanical device used to pull, lift, or tow heavy loads. It typically consists of a motor, a drum, and a cable or rope. When activated, the motor turns the drum, winding or unwinding the cable to move objects. It is commonly used for off-road vehicles (for self-recovery), boats (to raise anchors), construction (hoisting materials), and in garages or workshops. It is usually powered by a car battery (12V) or standard electric outlets.
This tool was created as part of the 2025 Ability Toolbox Homemade Tools Contest. More information about the contest can be found on the IFOPA Webpage. The IFOPA would like to thank The Radiant Hope Foundation for their generous financial support of this program.