As with many projects like this one, execution is everything:
1. For people with weaker hands, using a large diameter rope - larger than needed for the load - gives a more secure and comfortable grip on it.
2. I've seen a similar design in a house that had a very high ceiling above an entrance due to the staircase leading up from it. This was a perfect spot for this system, because once it was raised, it was high
enough that people didn't have to duck!
3. If you've got the height I described in item 2, consider making a very solid frame and then using thin rope wound back and forth across the frame and using regular clothes pins to hang the wet clothing - same amount of clothing, but now it's not hung wet against wet and will have more air-space for drying.
4. I have a floor rack and I learned to avoid hanging clothing over a single bar if possible. Granted, I live in a damp environment which isn't that conducive to clothes drying many days of the year! However, the more air flow I get, the better things dry, so hanging an item over two bars is an asset.
5. For large things like a double bed sheet, I have two lines in front of my fireplace (with insert). I hang one edge of the bedsheet to one line, loop it down towards the ground, then back up and pin the second edge to the second line (they're about 15 inches apart). This is the same principle again. None of the fabric is near touching a second layer - more air movement, faster drying! Designing a specific pulley rack system for long items like that would be an interesting challenge!
6. If you have the electrical
energy to spare, a small fan to keep the air moving is still far less energy than an electric
dryer would use.
However, so far as building mostly with what was available to hand, this pulley rack
should work well for a very long time - well done!
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