Tripod Hoist

NorthSouth

Does anyone know how he moved and put up the hoists? They're made from wood so, you know, where do the magnets go to move those giant telephone poles around?

poughkeepsieblue

Ed didn't use magnets to lift his poles. He probably used some old techniques he picked up while working in Oregon as a logger. He was an axehandle manufacturer, so he probably watched how poles were erected and got tips from the other workers.
I know we all want to think and believe used magnets to build everything and antigravity devices, but the reality is there is film proof of Ed using log rollers, and a ratcheting sled, anchored to the ground, to move many of his stones.
I don't know for sure, but I suspect Ed laid his poles on the ground, lashed the top ends of 2 poles together, then lifted the top end up appx 4-5 feet, with Jacks. Then he excavated a hole at the bottom end of the poles, that served as a place to foot, or hold the bottoms, while he used his ratcheting sled, anchored to the ground, to lift the poles. Using another rope or cable, he could secure them in an upright position, then use those standing poles, to lift the third pole into position to lash together.
Due to his time as a logger, and coming from a family of loggers and tree men, myself, I know for a fact, that with the right rigging, ropes, and pulls, you can manipulate very heavy logs, to move wherever you want. I suspect, that since Florida is so flat, Ed had to be creative. I think Ed spent time as a logger, in order to learn some of the methods loggers used to move large logs, similar to how he would move large stones. He likely learned about Jacks, leverage, pullys and ropes, and even hydraulics possibly. Ed exploited all of this knowledge, and used it to his advantage.
Orval Irwin, Ed's friend, who wrote "Mr can't is dead", documents many of Ed's methods, even though it's rumored no one ever saw Ed work, that is a myth. Irwin talks about how Ed used multiple telephone poles, as giant levers, and how he used ratcheting tools, log rollers, pullys, ropes and cables, wedges, and other methods to do what he did. I highly recommend reading Irwins book, but be warned, it may take some of the magic away from what you might perceive Ed did.
I still believe Ed was a visionary scientist, who may have discovered and exploited some of the most advanced and ancient building techniques.
I also believe Ed was a cipher breaker, and a code reader, and he utilized a ww2 German enigma machine, and worked in bletchley parks station x.
But when it comes to building coral castle, or rock gate, it's already been documented, and witnessed that Ed used the methods described above, to move many of his stones, that he could easily move this way. I think Ed worked alone, because any distraction, while lifting an 8 ton stone, could be fatal. And I think he worked at night, because he was a Latvian man, and the heat of the Florida sun, would make anyone exhausted. Plus, he was giving tours of his place to make an income during the day, which only left him after hours time, to do personal work, and add to rock gate.
I don't exactly know, but I suspect this isn't as much of a mystery as you may think.
Ask yourself, how did they raise utility poles, in the 19th century? And if you can answer this, you can probably answer the mystery of how Ed raised his tripod poles.
Be safe
Poughkeepsieblue

DrWho

see if you can follow me on this one....

You lay out the tripod flat on the ground like it got squashed. The 3 poles are tied together where they meet in the middle with a cable or chain that runs through each pole. A much smaller tripod is used to initially get the center of the big tripod up and something underneath to support it.

Once the center of the big tripod is at a favorable angle, a come along is used to slowly work the poles together, thereby raising the tripod bit by bit. Once standing, it can be slowly moved around by moving each leg a few feet in the direction you want to head in.

Magneticus_Attractus

Yup it's not hard if you have the rigging.

Pretty much @DrWho

MikeI

Erecting poles has some challenges. Yet, my question is: Why lifting the stones if Ed knew how to mitigate gravitation? So I turn to the tripod as the (geometric or mechanical) construct helping Ed to make the stone weightless. The magnetic currents (with some unique geometric profile) had to be steered into the stone via the tripod.

Magneticus_Attractus

This video reminds me of years ago a friend told me a little electric motor could not move my jeep Cherokee up a hill with a steep grade.

I am aware Edward didn't have a Caterpillar to move things around. The gearing works the same.

Just like the chain hoist he shows off.

I could show you how magnets moved my jeep uphill.

poughkeepsieblue

Yeah, gear ratios matter.
Its what makes your car go faster, or your 4x4 crawl through mud, or your bicycle carry you more than your legs can.
And your electric Warn winch, pull your jeep with only 12 volts DC.
Ed worked smarter, not harder.

Magneticus_Attractus

Basic training for beginners.

The wheels on the bluebird go round and round.