Just some work pics

[crane operator]

Nice rainy day yesterday, so I quit dragging my feet and finished the trailer re-deck. I even had some wood left over, I think that makes up for ordering extra screws twice. I was down to the last three small sections when I broke my last new drill bit, so I had to sort through the trash for the best of the bad to finish.

I did over half the trailer with two bits, and then I had troubles at the rear of the trailer where its been redone several times, I had a hard time not hitting old screws and that snaps bits in a hurry. That or I was just worn out and not doing as good of a job.

 

[Tradesman]

Nice rainy day yesterday, so I quit dragging my feet and finished the trailer re-deck. I even had some wood left over, I think that makes up for ordering extra screws twice. I was down to the last three small sections when I broke my last new drill bit, so I had to sort through the trash for the best of the bad to finish.

I did over half the trailer with two bits, and then I had troubles at the rear of the trailer where its been redone several times, I had a hard time not hitting old screws and that snaps bits in a hurry. That or I was just worn out and not doing as good of a job.

View attachment 195359 View attachment 195360

Looks like a nice tidy job on the decking. Better be careful not to get sawdust in your blood or you’ll be selling the cranes and start “ bending nails “ for a living. Is that a barbecue on the front of the float ?

 

[terex herder]

He eyes did get big when she set her park brakes and it just started sliding down the hill on the grass. We chocked the trailer and the truck.

There is always a little pucker factor, especially the first time, when you realize you are mostly a passenger in a 40 ton sled.

 

[crane operator]

Looks like a nice tidy job on the decking. Better be careful not to get sawdust in your blood or you’ll be selling the cranes and start “ bending nails “ for a living. Is that a barbecue on the front of the float ?

Yeah, I don't know where the grill came from, I think one of the guys drug it in. The trailer still needs parked out back and a good layer of used oil rolled into the wood, but I'd rather not have that mess in the shop. It was kind of fun to drag out the table saw and miter box, I haven't used them much in the last 15 years. I used to have a nice little woodshop in the basement of the house we used to have, but that was before kids.

There is always a little pucker factor, especially the first time, when you realize you are mostly a passenger in a 40 ton sled.

The lady driver was a hoot. I went and picked her up at the menards down the hill where she was parked. "Oh my, up there? what kind of a grade is that road?"

"Pretty steep, but I got the crane in there."

"Around here in the grass? And then back down through the trees down there?"

"Yep, right down there by the crane."

"THIS is going to take a while. You'll have to be a little patient while I back down there."

"If you don't mind, I'll just stay in front of the truck and point which way to turn the wheel, once we start backing down there."

"Oh my, that's the best thing I've heard all day. You wouldn't believe the places they want me to take this truck, the other day, they wanted me to DRIVE right through a ditch. My boss says to get the truck wherever the customer wants it, but don't tear up the truck. (which is the most boss like statement, do everything up to the point you tear something up, )"

We were laughing the whole time and it was great fun.

 

[Hank R]

Crane operator do you usually work 6 days a week or try for less??? but your the best so work comes first????

 

[crane operator]

Crane operator do you usually work 6 days a week or try for less??? but your the best so work comes first????

I'm pretty lucky hank, I enjoy my work. If someone would pay my bills, I'd do it for nothing. I'll run crane any day that a customer will pay me to.

I do work most saturdays, its the easiest day for me to get something done without anyone bothering me. I've got some great employee's too, and that helps get things done during the week also. Sunday afternoon I usually have to work a hour or two to get things ready for the week. It helps the shop is less than 5 minutes from the house, to just run down there and put some equipment in the shop or load something up quick.

I try not to work much past 5-6pm most days, unless I'm on a job. I spent probably 6+ years commuting to two different jobs over a hour away from the house when I was younger, and that racks up the hours gone in the week. I get more done in less time now.

 

[crane operator]

And in case you didn't notice in the pictures, I don't spend a ton of time on shop clean up. I'm so jealous of some guy's spotless shops, I'm just too lazy. It seems like I'm fired up to go to my next project, and I'm never willing to take the time to clean up.

My mechanic was off most of this winter with some health issues. I kind of created my own version of a toolbox, its a piece of plywood on a furniture dolly. I just move it from project to project, and add and subtract as necessary. It's slimmed down a little, I had to move some of the stuff to the bench after I dumped it all.

My mechanic is still romping and stomping around the shop looking for tools and such and cranking around about everything being scattered and disorganized.


The toolbox of shame:



also- I can't be that busy, I still have time to post up pictures here.

 

[petepilot]

And in case you didn't notice in the pictures, I don't spend a ton of time on shop clean up. I'm so jealous of some guy's spotless shops, I'm just too lazy. It seems like I'm fired up to go to my next project, and I'm never willing to take the time to clean up.

My mechanic was off most of this winter with some health issues. I kind of created my own version of a toolbox, its a piece of plywood on a furniture dolly. I just move it from project to project, and add and subtract as necessary. It's slimmed down a little, I had to move some of the stuff to the bench after I dumped it all.

My mechanic is still romping and stomping around the shop looking for tools and such and cranking around about everything being scattered and disorganized.


The toolbox of shame:

View attachment 195432

also- I can't be that busy, I still have time to post up pictures here.

if it gits the tools to where ya need em

 

[Natman]

I saw the biggest SnapOn tool box today, ever. At a large heavy equipment, mostly cranes, repair/maintenance facility in SLC. It was over 6' tall and at least 8' long, and assuming it was full of SnapOn tools, the whole shebang was probably worth 50K? Maybe more? The shop's labor rate is $135.00 per hour by the way. I've got a homemade roll around bench, the same height as my main workbench, and a mix of tools, maybe one or two SnapOn's, real nice stuff but I'm no pro and their price is hard to take.

 

[Welder Dave]

A full Snap-On box full of Snap-On tools could easily be over 100K. The box alone could be 15K. I know a guy who probably had 100K worth of Snap-On tools and had most of them stolen from his former chicken farm when he decided to take some time off and go to Sturgis and just get away for awhile after selling all his chicken quota. He used to own an auto wrecking shop and then a busy mechanic shop. I don't think he had insurance on his tools at the farm. I think they were stolen by someone who knew he was away. I haven't talked to him in years but another friend says he doesn't like to talk about it. He also never bothered to winterize anything and had his pipes in the house burst. Broke up with his wife because she cheated on him (he didn't treat her very good), then a new much younger girlfriend got homesick and moved back to her home town in another province. I think he regrets breaking up with his wife.

 

[kshansen]

I know a guy...................

All I can sy is the guy sure does have a problem with making poor choices in life!

 

[kenh]

At least he is consistent in his decision making

 

[crane operator]

Got the head built for the billboard. It was kinda muddy after the rain, so I just took the galion down there.

 

[crane operator]

Couple of units to set at the local mall. No room to swing jib in there, so we swung jib out in the parking lot, then down the center with jib over the nose. Pulled the stinger out on the jib once we got in there. Its tough this time of year, it doesn't get light real early, and you have to be in and out of there before 9:30 in the morning. About the time I get in there and set up, all I can think about is hurrying up and tearing down and getting back out again.

About 100' over there to where the units set.

 

[crane operator]

 

[crane operator]

Roofing steel at the lumberyard sales center we put the trusses on a while back.

 

[crane operator]

Had to skate this generator out from under the power lines. Couldn't pull the cover off without being in the lines, so we jacked up the cover, and put it on top of the skid and skated the whole thing.

Winch truck is nice and slow for the tugging. I think they said it weighed 22-24,000lbs when they loaded it out the next day.

Big v-16 cummins in the generator. All run off one PT fuel pump. 1470HP. Don't think I could shoehorn it into my 35 ton grove.

 

[petepilot]

nice bar setup
don`t believe that cummins would fit my pete either

 

[crane operator]

Stacked up the last of a conex wall this morning. One of the other guys built the first three rows a week or two ago, the last three just came in.

I took my raincoat with me when I left the shop, because then it usually stops raining, but instead I still got cold and wet. Not terrible, I still have a cab, but I never put on rain pants so it just runs off the coat onto my pants. I was at least thinking ahead enough to put block in yesterday afternoon while it was still dry.

 

[f311fr1]

What are they going to do with the conex wall?