crane

[jmack]

any suggestion on learning how to operate a crane books vids training centers

 

[mikecross23]

you trying to operate a crane or use a crane w/ an operator to remove a tree?

If you are trying to get into crane removals go watch another company do one or two. Find and hire the crane operator in your area with the most experience with tree removals. Don't be scared to call around to your competitors for advice on who to use and who not to. I found that in my area the large well established company owners didn't mind helping me out w/ advice because I wasn't much of a threat to them.

Crane work is not all that hard. Set up usually takes as much time as getting the trees down. Let 'er rip!

-Mike-

 

[clearance]

Crane work is not all that hard. Set up usually takes as much time as getting the trees down. Let 'er rip!

-Mike-

Wow, that is easily the dumbest statement I have seen posted here. After having worked with hiabs, stingers, big Demags, hammerhead cranes on towers, etc., rigging, I know that cranes are no simple matter. There are so many factors to consider setting up the crane never mind hoisting loads that it fills up a book. Crane use by untrained people or trained people exceeding load limits kills people every year. Crane accidents tend towards what is called "catastrophic failure", this can be totall mayhem. You can't learn it by reading books or watching tv, this will just give you some inklings, it takes about ten inklings to make one clue. Maybe call the operating engineers union.

 

[treeman82]

Jim, if you are looking into buying a crane, or are interested in learning how to use one, I have my crane guy who is certified. I have to speak with him in the next week or two anyways, so I'll ask him a few questions if you want.

 

[mikecross23]

you are right again Clearance. Man you are soooo good. Always right.

Jmack, a little common sense and some experienced help and you'll do just fine.

-Mike-
AKA Dumb A@@

 

[clearance]

you are right again Clearance. Man you are soooo good. Always right.

Jmack, a little common sense and some experienced help and you'll do just fine.

-Mike-
AKA Dumb A@@

You said it, Jmack hopefully it will be the crane guy with the experience and you will be the help. It is deadly serious to work with a crane, don't let any jokers tell you otherwise.

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

Wow, that is easily the dumbest statement I have seen posted here. ...

You can't learn it by reading books or watching tv, this will just give you some inklings, it takes about ten inklings to make one clue. Maybe call the operating engineers union.

Clearance! You said something that made sense!

"it takes about ten inklings to make one clue" That was actually good!

 

[P_woozel]

Here ya go Clearance I got your back. He's right, many tree guys trivialize the nature of crane work. There is a lot that goes into setup, loading etc. To think that you'll get enough info to run a crane from a book is really funny. If you are serious go to the operators union and get started. There is a lot to know. Some states only allow you to hold certification for one type of crane, and if you can run more than one it can be difficult due to the number of hours you need to stay certified. Also the often haphazard setup on a tree job is way different than the planning that goes into setup on a construction site. Both are extreme examples. Cranes do make sense for tree work and should be used anytime possible.

 

[jmack]

thankyou

Here ya go Clearance I got your back. He's right, many tree guys trivialize the nature of crane work. There is a lot that goes into setup, loading etc. To think that you'll get enough info to run a crane from a book is really funny. If you are serious go to the operators union and get started. There is a lot to know. Some states only allow you to hold certification for one type of crane, and if you can run more than one it can be difficult due to the number of hours you need to stay certified. Also the often haphazard setup on a tree job is way different than the planning that goes into setup on a construction site. Both are extreme examples. Cranes do make sense for tree work and should be used anytime possible.

thanks people, yeah i dont think it will be easy at all! tv books vids i got to start with something but right now i have just watched many crane removals and i would like to learn more, the ops union is a good suggestion and licensing is the stuff i was looking for, treeman i'll take you up on the offer of speaking with yor bud thanks again guys

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

There's no harm in learning all you CAN from books and videos, as long as you don't think those will make you qualified. But if you can read a book or watch a video before you get real training, that will help everything sink in better. Sort of like priming the pump.

 

[jmack]

agree

There's no harm in learning all you CAN from books and videos, as long as you don't think those will make you qualified. But if you can read a book or watch a video before you get real training, that will help everything sink in better. Sort of like priming the pump.

oh yeah i definatly agree with everybody on that one, but right now any and all info will hopefully start me at the very least the right direction

 

[Sirpouralot]

I operate a 21ton National 990boom truck with a 24ft flatbed with 4ft steel stanchions. It has 100 ft of hydraulic reach. We never once have had to use the 40 ft jib. We took that off after the first year and It is just rusting away behind the barn. I will try to run down a few things that you want to pay attention too.

1 Buy the right crane. The size and height will depend on where your located and the general size of the trees. 14 ton is the minimum. Find one with radio remote control, rather than the Fiber-optic wire and real style. The latter are not well suited for working around trees and can cause a lot of aggravation.

2 After your purchase, learn and follow maintenance and do regular inspections.

3.Learn the load charts. Memorize them just like when you learned your multiplication table when you were a kid.

4.Make sure crane is level and that the ground is stable under all outriggers.(grave sites, septic tanks, etc.) Use strong outrigger pads.

5 Don't ever work near high voltage lines until you have at least 1 year actual experience working with said crane, and then always maintain at least 10ft from all over head conductors at a minimum. Watch for and anticipate swing of load especially around conductors.

6 Learn about 2 blocking and how to prevent it. There should be some safety device installed to prevent it. But always being alert and watching is your best means of prevention.

7 You will learn much quicker if you have a load indicator. These come on all the new cranes. This is the single best tool for learning to operate a crane safely in the tree industry . You will learn that there is a big difference between the weight of wood between one tree and another. I once pulled 12ft of a White Oak that was no more than 24in in diameter that weighed close to 4000lbs. Often the last 15ft of trunk wood can weigh nearly double of the 15ft piece just above it, even if there is little difference in the circumference.Also learn the difference between static loads and dynamic ones.

Now that you know enough not to tip your crane over, now it is time to move on to making things safe for your climber in the tree.

8 Use good communication. Hopefully your climber has had some experience with using a crane so both are not learning together. Taking a tree down with a crane is all together different for the man in the tree, and thats true no matter how many years experience he has had. Your aim here is to lift the piece up and off as cleanly as possible with no shake to tree or crane. This you can accomplish by guesstimating the weight of the piece and preloading the line before he makes his cut. Your load indicator will help you again here until you gain experience. Too much pressure on the line, and it will pop off and shake wildly, not enough pressure, and the load will end up in his lap. There are allot of options, but try to avoid any that involve the load being dropped on the crane. The line should almost always be at least snug.

9. Purchase several tow strap style slings of different lengths and learn to use them. There are numerous possibilities, too many to mention.

10. Always make sure that you keep some pressure on the load line at all times. Running the wench out when the crane ball is on the ground for example will result in a real birds nest.

There are many more things to say about this subject, but the post is already too long. But one more thing I better say, is be very careful moving the turntable left to right when your boom stick is out beyond 60 feet and you are at under 45. degrees on your angle. You can easily strip the planetary gears on your crane. Big bucks! Also the same can happen if you are trying to pull a load like that with the turn table. A crane is very strong lifting toward you with main boom or wench, but very weak when trying to pull using the turn table.

 

[doggonetrees]

In Miss. there is an operators union that has heavy equipment classes. This will cost you for the permit( book ), and then the current price for the class. The less equipment you wish to be trained on the better. You can purchase an oilers book and work on several jobs, then apply for the school. Or, you can go to work offshore and MAYBE get lucky enough to get the company to send you to one of the crane oper. classes in south La. Never heard of anyone being hired as a crane operator with only book learning.

 

[darkstar]

I operate a 21ton National 990boom truck with a 24ft flatbed with 4ft steel stanchions. It has 100 ft of hydraulic reach. We never once have had to use the 40 ft jib. We took that off after the first year and It is just rusting away behind the barn. I will try to run down a few things that you want to pay attention too.

1 Buy the right crane. The size and height will depend on where your located and the general size of the trees. 14 ton is the minimum. Find one with radio remote control, rather than the Fiber-optic wire and real style. The latter are not well suited for working around trees and can cause a lot of aggravation.

2 After your purchase, learn and follow maintenance and do regular inspections.

3.Learn the load charts. Memorize them just like when you learned your multiplication table when you were a kid.

4.Make sure crane is level and that the ground is stable under all outriggers.(grave sites, septic tanks, etc.) Use strong outrigger pads.

5 Don't ever work near high voltage lines until you have at least 1 year actual experience working with said crane, and then always maintain at least 10ft from all over head conductors at a minimum. Watch for and anticipate swing of load especially around conductors.

6 Learn about 2 blocking and how to prevent it. There should be some safety device installed to prevent it. But always being alert and watching is your best means of prevention.

7 You will learn much quicker if you have a load indicator. These come on all the new cranes. This is the single best tool for learning to operate a crane safely in the tree industry . You will learn that there is a big difference between the weight of wood between one tree and another. I once pulled 12ft of a White Oak that was no more than 24in in diameter that weighed close to 4000lbs. Often the last 15ft of trunk wood can weigh nearly double of the 15ft piece just above it, even if there is little difference in the circumference.Also learn the difference between static loads and dynamic ones.

Now that you know enough not to tip your crane over, now it is time to move on to making things safe for your climber in the tree.

8 Use good communication. Hopefully your climber has had some experience with using a crane so both are not learning together. Taking a tree down with a crane is all together different for the man in the tree, and thats true no matter how many years experience he has had. Your aim here is to lift the piece up and off as cleanly as possible with no shake to tree or crane. This you can accomplish by guesstimating the weight of the piece and preloading the line before he makes his cut. Your load indicator will help you again here until you gain experience. Too much pressure on the line, and it will pop off and shake wildly, not enough pressure, and the load will end up in his lap. There are allot of options, but try to avoid any that involve the load being dropped on the crane. The line should almost always be at least snug.

9. Purchase several tow strap style slings of different lengths and learn to use them. There are numerous possibilities, too many to mention.

10. Always make sure that you keep some pressure on the load line at all times. Running the wench out when the crane ball is on the ground for example will result in a real birds nest.

There are many more things to say about this subject, but the post is already too long. But one more thing I better say, is be very careful moving the turntable left to right when your boom stick is out beyond 60 feet and you are at under 45. degrees on your angle. You can easily strip the planetary gears on your crane. Big bucks! Also the same can happen if you are trying to pull a load like that with the turn table. A crane is very strong lifting toward you with main boom or wench, but very weak when trying to pull using the turn table.

Thats one of the best post ive ever seen at AS Thanx Darkstar

 

[Tom Dunlap]

A good way to learn how to setup the limbs for crane removal is to start low and slow like anything. Find a small tree that's out in the open. Set up your rigging point in the tree and think of that as the tip of the crane. Don't use a natural crotch, use a sling and pulley. Tie off to a limb that is small enough to cut with a handsaw. Decide how you're going to hinge the limb and have your groundie pull on the rigging line when you need a hoist. Study closely how the hinge functions when the 'crane' lifts the limb. Keep cutting and studying using mini pieces.

Once you can make the small limbs move the way you want, make cuts that are a bit heavier. As you move to heavier pieces you're going to need to use a bollard or lowering device. The groundie can still get lots of lift by sweating up the rope. Sweating up is done by holding tension on the rope where it exits the bollard. With the other hand, pull on the leg of rope that exits the bollard and goes up to the rigging point. Then feed the slack through the bollard. Spydey has illustrations of this on his website.

You can rig mechanical advantage or use a Hobbs or GRCS when you have things working really well.

 

[xtremetrees]

Dont test it on a truck thats stuck in the mud cause you could bend/break the boom from the suction. Luckily dudes insurance covered his mistake. I drove it daily for a year in Biltmore Forest where limbs start @ 60 feet.

 

[jmack]

I operate a 21ton National 990boom truck with a 24ft flatbed with 4ft steel stanchions. It has 100 ft of hydraulic reach. We never once have had to use the 40 ft jib. We took that off after the first year and It is just rusting away behind the barn. I will try to run down a few things that you want to pay attention too.

1 Buy the right crane. The size and height will depend on where your located and the general size of the trees. 14 ton is the minimum. Find one with radio remote control, rather than the Fiber-optic wire and real style. The latter are not well suited for working around trees and can cause a lot of aggravation.

2 After your purchase, learn and follow maintenance and do regular inspections.

3.Learn the load charts. Memorize them just like when you learned your multiplication table when you were a kid.

4.Make sure crane is level and that the ground is stable under all outriggers.(grave sites, septic tanks, etc.) Use strong outrigger pads.

5 Don't ever work near high voltage lines until you have at least 1 year actual experience working with said crane, and then always maintain at least 10ft from all over head conductors at a minimum. Watch for and anticipate swing of load especially around conductors.

6 Learn about 2 blocking and how to prevent it. There should be some safety device installed to prevent it. But always being alert and watching is your best means of prevention.

7 You will learn much quicker if you have a load indicator. These come on all the new cranes. This is the single best tool for learning to operate a crane safely in the tree industry . You will learn that there is a big difference between the weight of wood between one tree and another. I once pulled 12ft of a White Oak that was no more than 24in in diameter that weighed close to 4000lbs. Often the last 15ft of trunk wood can weigh nearly double of the 15ft piece just above it, even if there is little difference in the circumference.Also learn the difference between static loads and dynamic ones.

Now that you know enough not to tip your crane over, now it is time to move on to making things safe for your climber in the tree.

8 Use good communication. Hopefully your climber has had some experience with using a crane so both are not learning together. Taking a tree down with a crane is all together different for the man in the tree, and thats true no matter how many years experience he has had. Your aim here is to lift the piece up and off as cleanly as possible with no shake to tree or crane. This you can accomplish by guesstimating the weight of the piece and preloading the line before he makes his cut. Your load indicator will help you again here until you gain experience. Too much pressure on the line, and it will pop off and shake wildly, not enough pressure, and the load will end up in his lap. There are allot of options, but try to avoid any that involve the load being dropped on the crane. The line should almost always be at least snug.

9. Purchase several tow strap style slings of different lengths and learn to use them. There are numerous possibilities, too many to mention.

10. Always make sure that you keep some pressure on the load line at all times. Running the wench out when the crane ball is on the ground for example will result in a real birds nest.

There are many more things to say about this subject, but the post is already too long. But one more thing I better say, is be very careful moving the turntable left to right when your boom stick is out beyond 60 feet and you are at under 45. degrees on your angle. You can easily strip the planetary gears on your crane. Big bucks! Also the same can happen if you are trying to pull a load like that with the turn table. A crane is very strong lifting toward you with main boom or wench, but very weak when trying to pull using the turn table.

righteous much appeciation thanks sirpouralot and not too much info at all thanks again

 

[jmack]

Dont test it on a truck thats stuck in the mud cause you could bend/break the boom from the suction. Luckily dudes insurance covered his mistake. I drove it daily for a year in Biltmore Forest where limbs start @ 60 feet.

yeah i think the only testing ill be doing is awawy from everything picking up and moving stuff on the ground, did the guys boom break?

 

[xtremetrees]

It did not break completely off but it did crumble/crimple to a 30 degree angle.
Cranes are the cats meow if you can get it to the tree. Some use small 10 tonners for the price of a used chipper I can imagine how effective it is. One day I will own one. Now that my Army life is over for good.