Rigging With a Crane-Preferred Equipment?

alskdjfhg · Feb 10, 2016

Going to need to get a crane "tooled up".

Fair amount of experience rigging with forklift and related "egyptian" methods, not so much with cranes.

Wouldn't be moving anything super heavy, 50k lbs or under I'd think.

What do ya'll like in terms slings? What size/length are handiest? I imagine this is like tooling, you just end up with at-least one of everything and in everysize, but what would be a good starter "set".

Also what is the favored method to go about lifting long bed lathes, in my mind they would be about the hardest to sling/rig.

Thanks for any and all info as usual.

WILLEO6709 · Feb 10, 2016

spreader bar....... most time you won't be able to lift a machine with a single attach point. Most guys around here have nylon continuos slings for general purpose stuff, spreaders with load rated chain or cable for the 4 point picks. whatever you do make sure ifts lift rated chain,,,, not something out of the back of the tractor.

tdmidget · Feb 10, 2016

To 50K lbs? Shackles to 1", 4 of each size starting at 3/8". Synthetic slings capable of 15000 lbs in a straight pull, 4 each in various lengths . At least 2 chain falls with at least 10 ton capacity. A short 2-3 ft sling capable of 50k lbs in a basket hitch for a pendant. A shackle capable of 50k for a master link , at least 1 1/2 inch. Softeners, at least 8. 4 each swivel lifting eyes from 3/8 to 1 1/4" 4 each size.
Do not buy cheap shit. Do not buy Chinese. Watch for counterfeit hardware, Crosby has been counterfeited and they will fail at about 30% of alleged rated capacity.
I'd say you are looking at about 20 large at least. Cheaper and easier to buy it as you need it. In your neck of the woods there should be no shortage of rigging suppliers. Check with locals who use this stuff to make sure you do not overpay, we are talking serious gelt here.

I would avoid wire rope and chain. The wire rope may be cheaper to start with but it gets kinked and birds nested and is useless before it should be. Chain, unless bought new, has an unknown history and is hard to inspect. It is mostly used for very rough stuff where a few scars will not matter or elevated temperatures, where is is derated.
Now your learning why people rent cranes and rigging.

DanielG · Feb 10, 2016

Crosby hardware is the gold standard, but it's very expensive. I like Actek when the customer doesn't require Crosby. High-quality, made in the US, and you're not paying extra for the red color.

you'll want rope for tag lines.

bridgedog · Feb 10, 2016

I would suggest enrolling in a rigging class.Crosby among others offer a one day basic class. I use these as a basic starter class
mandatory For any employees working under the hook. A lot of it is basic common sense but many don't know how to figure sling angles
for decreased capacity ratings. It is real easy to overload rigging when angles and hitch type are not figured in. I could spend hours talking about Dd factors alone but a short course will let you know what you need to learn.

alskdjfhg · Feb 10, 2016

tdmidget said:
Do not buy cheap shit.

Thanks for the list, that what I'm looking for.

Through previous hording, I've got a few nice shackles, most around 1" but I've got one 2"-er.

Your right about the cost and not to go cheap, I got the crane for nothing (it's not worth much to begin with), so I feel ok investing in some good stuff. I've got to keep reminding myself that because in the Richie Bros auction tomorrow there are literally pallets of "new" import rigging stuff that will sell for nothing.

I thought about buying parts (rings, chain, hooks, etc) and making my own slings? I read somewhere (I think here) that this was ok, true or false economy?

tdmidget · Feb 11, 2016

If you buy quality stuff to make a chain sling you will almost certainly wind up paying more and importantly it won't have a tag. Rigging is required to have a tag with the manufacturer's name and the capacity. If the tag is missing or illegible then it is scrapped.

gbent · Feb 11, 2016

If you got the crane for nothing how good is the cable? It makes no sense to hang good rigging under a cable with more whiskers than Santa Claus. Hopefully somebody will discuss the inspection requirements for the crane but I think its yearly.

ewlsey · Feb 11, 2016

tdmidget said:
If you buy quality stuff to make a chain sling you will almost certainly wind up paying more and importantly it won't have a tag. Rigging is required to have a tag with the manufacturer's name and the capacity. If the tag is missing or illegible then it is scrapped.

You can make your own tag. It's not some secret document you can only get from the Freemasons. Just use grade 80 or better chain and make the tag for the capacity of the weakest component in the sling. Anyone can do it.

dkmc · Feb 11, 2016

alskdjfhg said:
I got the crane for nothing (it's not worth much to begin with)

PICTURES or you're makin it up.....

moonlight machine · Feb 11, 2016

Have you ever run a crane? I didn't think so. Do you have a mentor that is an experienced operator? There are a lot of ways to run into trouble with a crane, easy to hurt yourself or kill someone else. It's not something that should be learned by trial and error as the errors tend to be disasters. You need to get max. lift load / boom angle information from the manufacturer and pay attention to it. There are plenty of crane wrecks on U Tube, easy to see what happens when someone screws up.

WILLEO6709 · Feb 11, 2016

Make sure you understand the capacity chart. A lot of times you see guys just sling cable and roll in light pics. Get close to capacity and thats when you see the other side of crane operation. I have a stamping press, a pretty fair sized one for my area. It weighs in at a svelte 98,000 lbs. I was hiring a crane to put it up in place before I assembled the building around it. Had one place pretty much hired.... salesman: no problem man, its a 95 ton crane. Operator swings by for a look, BIG problem. The reach and boom angle coupled with a 50 ton load their big ass crane could not safely make the pic alone. They ended up bailing. Hired an 80 ton guy and got the neighbor's 60 ton P & H to do a tail lift. between the 2 they moved that 50 tons of iron right into place, but the 95 alone would not safely make the pick. The operators had 2 way cab to cab, the liftmaster was measuring everything out.... and referring to the cab chart often. the 2 main things in portable cranes: make sure the feet are on something solid, have some way to tell how much she's lifting.

Richard King · Feb 11, 2016

I believe you would be best to have an experienced professional rigger there to show you how. There are always things you can learn. Wood planks under the extension feet, keeping the cable straight, checking the cable as Glen mentions, the clutches...knowing how to swing the crane over the weight when the load starts to swing. knowing how long and what span your cable or strap needs to be, a safety chain wrapped around the pieces so the cables or straps don't slip, how to choke a cable, etc. etc.
"Live and learn" is a cheap lesson then toppling a crane or killing someone. Rich

E.F. Thumann · Feb 11, 2016

Not to derail the thread: WILLEO what brand/type of stamping press? Pics? Ps Matt, as others have said watch your rigging sling angles. I came back to a shop floor where 2 morons had tried to lift a furnace section by strapping a chain tightly over the roof, down to the wheels. They then proceeded to try to pick it from the center of the tightened/flat chain on the roof. Blew apart a 7/8" thick shackle, and dropped tge furnace when it was about 5ft in the air moving with a bridge crane. Be careful.

WILLEO6709 · Feb 11, 2016

thurman:
300 ton Minster E2 Hevistamper
8 inch stroke, 42 x 72 bolster
20-60 strokes per minute with coil line

Superior Arms Inc. - Gallery

bridgedog · Feb 11, 2016

So inquiring minds want to know. Is it an old squirt boom or friction rig.
after reading some of your "finds" I can see you dragging an old Lima home or maybe even a Bay City.

tdmidget · Feb 11, 2016

Lots of moderately bad advice here. Moderately because you might get away with it, bad because it could even send you to prison. Big headline crane accidents in places like New York have drawn a lot of attention. The stuff you can get away with on the farm won't cut it off your property when some one gets killed.
[h=3]STREET CRANE COLLAPSE - NYC.gov[/h]
Notice that the maintenance man, Varganyi, was ordered to accept the Chinese bid even though he was advised by the bidder that they could not do it. He is in prison.
This is a serious business. We who work in it are well aware of that. Operators are being held liable for decisions made on the ground. Do not underestimate the liability in rigging and lifting.

E.F. Thumann · Feb 11, 2016

Awesome, that thing is a monster!

tdmidget · Feb 11, 2016

bridgedog said:
So inquiring minds want to know. Is it an old squirt boom or friction rig.
after reading some of your "finds" I can see you dragging an old Lima home or maybe even a Bay City.

I have run and liked 'em both!

But I would likely not make even 1/.4 a critical lift with one nowadays. Too much at stake.

alskdjfhg · Feb 11, 2016

bridgedog said:
So inquiring minds want to know. Is it an old squirt boom or friction rig.
after reading some of your "finds" I can see you dragging an old Lima home or maybe even a Bay City.

Nope, not quite that bad. It's '79 P&H 440TC, still a friction machine, but a fairly new one. But I do know where there is about a 100ton crawler that is old. It's sitting in the weeds next to the highway with a bunch of junk, looks pretty sad, been meaning to stop by for months now.

Didn't get the upper to start, but the lower started on a cold morning with zero hesitation and just purred as sweet as could be, it drives and the brakes work. The cables aren't frayed, it just looks like the machine got too old and was retired, it was certified up until 2010.

I'll know more once the machine gets to the farm and I can start going though it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKrZj8UIMDY
Crappy video but you get the idea.

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