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Working the National 1300A

Natman

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Dec 19, 2016
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Always back the shackle off a 1/4 turn, if you don't , the weight of the load will cause the choker to act like a pipe wrench on the pin, and you're going to have fun getting it back loose.
That's the first thing I look for when working with a new crew, it's a good indicator as to how much time they've spent around a crane. Like loading the shackle "sideways," or putting the tag line on the downwind side, or all three at once!
 

Natman

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They told me to bill them, giving me the impression I won't be called back, which didn't hurt my feelings at all.

Weird job, a bit odd, anyway, from the start: I got 2 or 3 calls from "Dave", when I stopped by in my car to eyeballs things a guy walked up, "you Dave?" I was told no, he was in the jobsite trailer, but he'd tell him I was onsite. After waiting a bit I started talking it over with the nail benders I'd be working with, Dave never appeared, and I had other things to do so I left. Day of the lift, still no Dave..., finally while I was putting my rigging away, I noticed an older guy lurking around but keeping his distance, I guess that was Dave? Still don't know.... Last I heard, via text, the reason "Dave" gave me for wanting to a single pick was that the "owner" (not the project engineer, head honcho, Bossman, or other commonly used terms on a job to denote the top man, but "the owner") wanted to challenge the carpenters. OK...., he acomplished that! The site is in the middle of town, easy for me to drive by in the car, or fly over, and hopefully I get to see how it all works out.
 

Natman

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Cleaning up my desktop, some pics from last summer: the big concrete water tank job I was on, lifting formwork out thru a 4' sq hatch, including sheets of form ply. The guys in the tank had to rig the loads so they hung almost vertical in order to fit thru the opening. Working 65' away, the camera came in handy, again.

Bean warehouse, 35' tall truss assemblies.
 

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Natman

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With that "we want to set it in one pick" job just a couple blocks off the main drag as I mentioned, today while in town picking up my taxes (my accountant agreed, my fuel bill was a lot higher last year) I swung by in my car and took this shot. I have a very full day tomorrow, on a real job, if I didn't I'd make some popcorn and a thermos of coffee and sit in the car and watch. I've decided, that if I drive by at the end of the day and see its all good, I'm going to text old Dave and (not caring if they ever call me again) and ask how it went, and if the crane bill was less than my bill. I have no doubt it can be safely lifted, question is how long it will take and how much it costs.
 

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Natman

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I did an HVAC job a couple blocks away yesterday, and did a drive by afterwards and saw they had got it up. In talking to the carpenter, I was told they did it with a forklift! I was amazed and told him so, but then he said NOT in one lift, but two, and with their forklift. More power to them, that makes a lot more sense that trying to lift it as a single unit, with a bigger crane, an hour's drive away. I kind of like seeing the crews that get max utility out of their reach forklifts, it takes them a bit longer but saves them some crane $$ probably. Mainly..., I prefer seeing it done that way rather than one of my competitors getting the work!
 

Natman

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A Sawzall! Once it was guesstimated where to rig, patched later I imagine. Crude but effective enough I guess.
 

Natman

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Two unrelated jobs, miles apart, but both needed 18-20' high 8" LVL walls stood up. The unsheeted one was further than I could reach, but as I was tilting it towards me I rigged it that way to make it easier for the crew, thinking they would be fighting the headache ball otherwise. It wasn't needed, I end up closer to the top plate than I figured. I told them to block the bottom plate to something solid so it would just pivot up and not slide as I was tiliting it. The camera came in handy as I could sight down the load line and know when it was plumb. We have a great plumb bob on every job!

Second is a monster house, and this had to be picked up but I was close enough. This place has a 10 or maybe 12 car garage, depending on their size, it took two trips (just 3 hrs. each) just to set the trusses, for the garage! I'll be setting the house this week.
 

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Natman

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I usually ask that first thing, didn't yet on this job. When I do, to my surprise, most are more or less local. I think this place may be what we call "spud money." The rich farmers here, who love to poor boy it, like their big houses!
 

joe--h

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Seems everything in the grocery store has doubled or tripled, but I didn't notice and golden potatoes.

Have to ask DW, she talks about meat and eggs but spuds have not made the list that I know of.

Joe H
 

joe--h

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That was supposed to be "I didn't notice any golden potatoes."

Although what they get now for an order of fries at McDonalds or the rest maybe there really are gold potatoes.

Joe H
 

Natman

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I got a call from a homeowner, seems the tub company recommended me to set his lap pool. A 1 hour drive away, I quized him pretty good as to my access, where it was going, etc. The minute I got there, I about turned around and just drove off, it was going under a deck roof, no way for my loadline to get past the overhang. But..., the wheels started turning, and I figured if I could not set it right where it needed to be, I could at least get it a heck of a lot closer. I had noticed there was a fair bit of lumber around, and after sending the homeowner's kid to get some more plus some nails, I made a support for it so I could get it up on the deck and unrigged. Some 1'' PVC pipe was laid down on the supports, and after I got unhooked it was easy enough to push it (2000 pounds) sideways. BUT, it still needs to be lowered about 3' into it's hole, and I told the homeowner a good carpenter could figure out how to do that, using the trusses above, some beams to spread the load, some comalongs. Or a temp bridge crane could be erected over it. Either way, he could kiss the tub companies rigging goodby, it was going to be trapped. They of course should have planted the lap pool before the addition's roof went on, what we had here was a failure to communicate, but it "wasn't my problem," and the homeowner was happy with my solution to at least get it off the lawn and over the hole, a Saturday job no less.
 

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Natman

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Last picture from the hot tub under the roof set: no spreader bar, my usual way to lift these, this was quick and dirty, IMG_20230520_121251864.jpgIMG_20230524_104136980_HDR.jpgwith the pipe on the temp supports underneath, I had the homeowner and his kid push it in while I cabled down, with the rigging tight against the roof overhang. That got it in far enough, way past it's balance point, to where I could unhook, and get the heck out of there.

Next day, a big pool, easy, and I got my biggest tip ever $95.00, cash!
 

Natman

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I got ANOTHER big tip , somewhere between 150 and 500 bucks, depending on how I figure it.
A half hour drive, to unload a container off a trailer, they were late, it was almost dark, plus thunder and lightening all around, when I pulled up. We all agreed it wasn't going to happen, I asked if they had a car I could borrow, if so I'd leave the crane there and come back in the AM, that'd be a Saturday. So, I made the 45 minute drive (further to home), and was due to be back on site at 5:30, so I got up at 4. Right before I walk out the door, at 4;30, I got a text, they had pulled it off with a loader, as they were tight on time and had already headed back to SLC to pick another one up. I had other work so needed to pick my rig up. They told me to leave the car in the garage, and check the inside door for a note: pinned on it was 500, cash. I had told them $350.00, (yeah, we're low out here) so, anyway you slice it pretty generous., especially considering I never picked it just drove there and back. Went back a day later, unloaded the next one, and without me saying anything they handed over $375.00, no mention of a discont because of the earlier payment, that just never happens!
 
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