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Iffy lift of the day... 16,000 lb (weight) forklift with 15,000 (capacity) forklift....

Way back in the 80s, Fred bought a 13k lb. horizontal mill. On the day it arrived the only lift he could borrow was rated at 11k. For unknown reasons, I was always the designated driver when it came to these iffy lifts. It took full back tilt and four human counterweights (including Fred) to get it high enough to pull the truck out from under. As I began ever-so-gently lowering the mill, Fred told one of the counterweights to jump off and put some timbers under it. The combination of the changing CG and loss of 120 lbs on the back was enough. As the back wheels came up I hit full down on the mast, to no avail. The mill crashed to the concrete then tipped to one side, landing on the end of the table. This freed the forks, which bounced back up and flipped over into the transport position, vibrating like tuning forks with me right between them. Once I got off the lift, it was an hour before I could stand without help.
Who needs questionable carny rides when you can get all that excitement for free? .....................Actually you were on the clock so you got paid for that joy ride...............lucky
 
Some time back we purchased a brand-new Mazak mill from a machinery dealer for parts, dirt cheap. Seems the customer they sold it too slid it off the forks from about what I was told 14 inches from the ground. I understand it cracked 8-inch-thick concrete. Their customer decided to install it themselves with a rental lift that was under rated for the mill.

I had riggers out for a day pulling two machines out I sold last summer and the estimator guy hung around a bit to make sure his guys were doing OK. He told me they just had to fire their top guy for dropping a mil+ machine. He told me the guy was good, but sometimes would get cocky and show off. It was a bigger, 40k lb++ machine (don't remember what, just god damned expensive). It was on a brand new lowboy. He came in from the wrong side with the versalift to show off. He thought he had the machine in the air, no spotter, and started backing up while turning. Thing was the ends of the forks were still on the trailer deck. When the first fork dropped off the deck the machine basically did a flip back onto the trailer because the heavy side was out. totally fucking destroyed the machine and the lowboy trailer.

This was in the parking lot at the machine dealer. That rigger lost their work FOREVER that day. They also got a huge raise in insurance premiums over it and insurance required they fire the employee that did it.
 
Way back in the 80s, Fred bought a 13k lb. horizontal mill. On the day it arrived the only lift he could borrow was rated at 11k. For unknown reasons, I was always the designated driver when it came to these iffy lifts. It took full back tilt and four human counterweights (including Fred) to get it high enough to pull the truck out from under. As I began ever-so-gently lowering the mill, Fred told one of the counterweights to jump off and put some timbers under it. The combination of the changing CG and loss of 120 lbs on the back was enough. As the back wheels came up I hit full down on the mast, to no avail. The mill crashed to the concrete then tipped to one side, landing on the end of the table. This freed the forks, which bounced back up and flipped over into the transport position, vibrating like tuning forks with me right between them. Once I got off the lift, it was an hour before I could stand without help.
And from that day forward, you've been known as Mr Whoopee.
 








 
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