~ What Is This Winder For? ~

I believe we've pretty well determined the function. I do have a hardware store winding/unwinding reel complete with meter.

What makes this one different is it's portability. The crossbuck part folds flat. (It even looks like an old packframe.) The reel mechanism collapses to a fairly compact piece as well. This one was designed for handling wire in the field, not a store.

 

If not used for phone wire it could wind up and store electric fences.

 

the frame it is mounted to could be from repurposing for use on the farm