On Tue, 16 Aug 2005 17:35:28 -0700, "SteveB"
wrote:

Okay. We've gotten off track again.

What brand of electric hoist do you like or recommend? I am going to use it
to pull engines.

LOL!

I'd use something that incorporates a "Weston brake". They're found
on boatlifts and chainhoists, among other things. It's a device
that prevents a load from falling if the handwheel, chain, motor or
whatever stops. On a boatlift, you must wind the load down as well
as up. If you let go of the handwheel, it just stops where it is.
That's no insurance against cable or structural breakage, so those
parts would need to have ample safety factor and perhaps some
redundancy in the design.