Just some work pics

[crane operator]

It was a little crowded, but everything fit.







For the weight, I really wanted the 70 ton to have a little more chart. I just couldn't come up with the room for it. I must have measured for 2-3 hours on the site, trying to figure out what to bring for equipment to set it. There just wasn't much room for everything.

It all ended up working great.

 

[crane operator]

Fiberglass structure, covering some above ground pipes at a sewer lift station. 1,700 lbs

 

[crane operator]

Manbasket work with the rt




Took it so we wouldn't have to do jib or deadstick down in the trees.



Buddy has had his peterbilt stuck for 2 weeks now, I finally got over there today to give it a little tug.



He doesn't use it much, it was just parked with the front end in a little bit of a low spot, he came out and it had the front axle beam setting on the ground. It's 3406 is kind of heavy.



He wanted to thread some straps between the hood and bumper, I talked him into unbolting the bumper, I could just see us destroying the hood otherwise.

Got by just throwing down the wheel chocks and putting my foot on the brake. Didn't chain up the chocks like I usually do.

 

[crane operator]

Little shop project. rto 9513- Driver came back from a job- said "it won't shift"

I fired it up in the shop- he had left the upper throttle opened up a little so it wouldn't idle back down all the way. His hearing isn't the best, and I think he tried to make the range shifts and drove it around a little while, with it not shifting.:Banghead

Dropped trans., it had popped a snap ring off, and had a bearing chewed some, and the syncro/ sliding clutch has some pretty rounded off teeth. I found a used trans for $800, we popped it apart and are going to make one out of two with a few new parts thrown in.



The table is from a old boat dock fabrication shop. The holes in it were used for jigs, welding frames. It's kind of handy for disassembly.

 

[Tradesman]

Thanks for the great pictures crane op. Not much from me this week, just a set of trusses in a subdivision and one of our own jobs, a 60 x 150 cattle barn, we build the walls on the ground and I crane them up, then a 144 ft. Beam line. No pictures on our own jobs I'm too busy to even think of pictures.

 

[crane operator]

Not a great night last night. Broke into my shop- Stole ford pickup, loaded lincoln 3 phase mig welder, 2 toolboxes and most of the good tools out of the other toolboxes on the truck, then smashed the gate when leaving. Used my forklift to load the tool boxes and welder. Took about 300 gallons of fuel too, so they had to have a way to move the fuel. Used my truck and a chain to bust the padlocked door.


They did shut off the forklift and closed the doors when they left. They didn't vandalize anything either.

I don't think the cops will be any help- mostly my fault- I don't have camera's up. As far as securing the building, if they can get the equipment running, they could just bust down the overhead doors, I don't want them to destroy the whole building getting in.

 

[Knepptune]

Dang man. Day after thanksgiving too. Is your shop out in the country fairly isolated? Sad as it is, it seems that if you have a business and some assets you will be robbed. Someone got us about 7-8 years ago.

Hope those SOB's get caught.

 

[lantraxco]

Sorry to hear that, really sucks when some SOB's steal what you worked hard to build up.

I don't have all that much worth stealing in my shop, but if I had to replace it, it would break me, can't afford insurance. Because my shop is leased and about five minutes from my house I do have a Simplisafe alarm, which you can now add cameras to, set up on silent. These alarm systems are inexpensive and monitoring starts at $15 a month. I have door switches and motion sensors, when one is tripped I get a text, an email, and a call from the monitoring station asking if I want police dispatched (you do need to get the permit from the local PD so they know your alarm company might call) I chose to silence the siren because I want the bastids caught, not scared off.

The alarm base station has a cell SIM card in it, and batteries supposedly good for eight hours if power is lost (you also get a text message if power is lost or restored) so the thieves can cut power and phone lines, the alarm still works. All the switches and sensors are wireless too, no need to string wires all over the place. Haven't had any break ins, but I have tripped it myself, forgetting to punch in the code, and sometimes when the wind blows one of the motion sensors will trip must be something in there moving with the wind, so I know it's working. Not 100% security but I feel better knowing it's there. My keypad is on a wall at the back of a shelf with a box in front of it, it's wireless also, I didn't want it obvious, again I want anyone breaking in caught, not scared off. YMMV.

 

[crane operator]

Thanks guys. Shop is kind of isolated, can't see it from the road unless your really looking. They took their time once they were there. I'll look into the simplisafe alarm. I've heard game camera's may help, but usually they just steal those too.

The stuff is insured, but with a 5,000 deductable. I don't want a claim on my insurance either. We had a expensive claim 4-5 years ago, the adjuster said we were lucky the ins. company didn't just drop us. If I get dropped, no more crane work.

It's probably 10k+ worth of tools, and the truck, if I had to buy all new. It wasn't new when I bought it, but I hate to buy it twice. They didn't take all the tools, they kind of picked the good stuff/ pawn shopable.

I did have a few old tools from one of my grandpa's. They don't sell those on amazon either.

I'd like to post up a cash reward, but if they get too big a price on their head, they may come back and really damage some expensive equipment. That's the worst thing, no one could stop them if they're mad, and just torch the whole thing. Alarm or no alarm.

 

[td25c]

That's a bad deal crane op on the break in & theft .

File police report .

Might not hurt to put a word out to local pawn shops & watch craigslist .

Chances are good you have seen the crooks in the daylight or one of there minions while they drop in & eyeball a place .

They will eyeball in the day & shop after dark .

It's frustrating as more than likely someone you know is involved in it or has a buddy with sticky fingers .

 

[Impact]

Argh. Sorry for the bad luck.

 

[Tradesman]

That's sucks, we lost about 7,000 worth of tools out of our job trailer a few years ago. First I git robbed by thieves then raped by the insurance company. We just have to keep our heads down and keep doing what we do, somebody has to feed the rest.

 

[BobCatBob]

I'm sorry to hear about your loss Crane Op. I'd like to help if I can....as I'm a hobbyist, been rebuilding my crane for almost 4 years, and have received a lot of help along the way.

Bob

Rdavit@comcast.net

 

[crane operator]

Thanks, everyone for your kind responses.. It's really hard to feel very secure.

Tomorrow is another day, so I guess I'll strap my boots on and head back to work.

It's really hard to make a list of what all was in your toolbox and on your shelves when its gone.

 

[FSERVICE]

crane op I feel for you on your loss!!! I had my shop broke into had the guys on camera there taking my stuff. I KNEW THE GUY SINCE HE WAS A BORN!!!! went to the local scrap yard told the owner some of the things I was looking for & the guy that would have brought it in.. yep sure enough on camera again. called the local police dept, officer showed up told him the story & my stuff there showed him the video, HIS EXACT WORDS TO ME " I cant go arrest him because its not proof enough!!!" I was in shock.. they did go get him before I got done with service calls that day.. I told them where he lived worked & where his mom lived & provided them his cell number!!! (he worked for a friend of mine) the guy got off without so much as a slap on the wrist. cause he turned in a family member for selling drugs.. I got most of my stuff back cause of the friends that I have around here. but Im still out 200' of heavy welding lead a customers radiator out of a cat 375, a shop door & I just figured out last week my dads old set of snap on square point sockets I had put up in a cabinet... when it was all said & done the officer came by & told me it was nice working with me & he didn't know how I got so much info on where my stuff was!!! I looked at him & told him I just wish they would do their job & I was busy trying to make a living!!! its really sad this is what we have to deal with everyday!!!! sorry for the rant but I invested in a really nice guard dog

 

[crane operator]

It was a great day today for the good guys. I've just finished unloading most of my tools back in my shop.

I just wrote the whole story out, then deleted it, I'm so paranoid right now. Internet is a amazing/ scary thing.

I kept bugging the cops, and all the places where stolen stuff gets taken or sold (online and off), and we got a arrest this afternoon. They lived about a mile from my shop (I didn't know them). Had priors, thefts and drugs.

I'm still missing a ford flatbed, with a fuel tank and 12v pump, and 3-400 gal of fuel, truck is probably hidden in the woods somewhere. Don't know yet how they transported the extra fuel, or where it went.

Got back 95% of my tools, and I'm hitting the pawnshops tomorrow with a lot shorter list.

Tomorrow. Need to bask in a little happiness today.

(I know- they're probably going to be right back out- let me have a little joy today)

Also simplisafe is on the way- thanks lantraxco- I think it will do just what I need.

 

[lantraxco]

Right on! :thumbsup

 

[Impact]

Awesome!

 

[kenh]

Good news indeed!
Maybe the cops can sweat them a bit and find the truck.

 

[crane operator]

Well the robbers have all been through the drill before, they won't say a word and want their lawyers. (probably paid for by taxpayers). I've probably got back all I'm getting back.

The truck was a 1992 ford f-450/ superduty, regular cab. Flatbed, fuel tank, 460 gas, 5 speed, 2wd. No rust, 140,000 miles or so, new tires. Aside from horrible fuel milage, I loved the truck. Pull gooseneck, haul manbasket/ spreader bars. 4.11 rears and walked hills pretty good. Had the driveline parking brake, and that sucker held.

My other pickup is a 2001 dodge cummins, extended cab, flatbed. 6-speed, 4 wheel drive. Great milage, poor truck. Pulls like a train, but eats tires (have rebuilt the front end) , parking brake never works (rebuilt everything, just won't hold with trailer). Always seals somewhere leaking. I think the truck will eventually fall apart around the motor.

Truck shopping now- 1995-2001 diesels, cost more than some 2008's. Ford 6.0-6.4-6.7, most guys are telling me to avoid, unless I spend 3-5k deleting egr etc.

I really like my cummins, but my dodge is no great truck. Found a 2003 dodge regular cab 4 wheel drive with a flatbed its $11,000, with 200,000 miles on it.

None of the new engine bays look particularly mechanic friendly either. I'm thinking old square body ford with a 7.3 if I can find one, gasser again if I can't. Older dodge's are around, I may try that route.

I really just want my old truck back.