Impact's "Things Done at Work"

Had a simple two hour job Wednesday with the 165T. Load a round cylindrical vessel onto a flat bed. 11’ x 40’ 30,000 pounds. Was told could get right beside it. At least that part was right. 60T wouldwork, but it was booked elsewhere. We keep a single sheave block on the unit. Normally it has a 2 part line, good for 31,000 or so. I 3 parted it before making the lift. Start lifting. Get 30,000 on it, 35, 40, at 48’000 it alarms and winch stops. Boom up a bit till there is 51,000 on it, and stop. I have a 5 sheave block, but, not with me. We regrouped, and rerigged with a 30,000# lift truck on one end, me on the other. Get it lifted, then the driver says he cant haul it. More delays and phone calls. In the end (about 4 in the afternoon) we used the big block, and set it on his trailer. He had another tag axle coming for the rear tandems. It was a stretchable detach trailer stretched out as far as it would go. When we set the load on it, the frame touched the ground in the middle. Driver was lost. I eventually talked him to 3 chains and boomers over the top lifting the frame beams. Cleared the ground 6”. I hope he made it to PA.

Oh and while there (a nasty dirty rendering plant) I washed my hands with GoJo. Ended up loosing my wedding band. Didnt notice for 2 days. Luckily remembered the GoJo. Called the plant and they had found it.

Out for a little tour with my son this weekend

For you Harley guys !
Where this picture is taken is called the deer trail loop it’s about 150 km. Of twists hills a river valley and a whole lot of rock faces and only a couple building near the end. They say speed kills, but what a way to go. My pegs are to high to scape but I sure tried!!!

Havent posted here in quite some time. Sorry no photos. I was forced to take the 190 out a couple times this week.

First job was a freebie for family. Lifted a 1800# boiler through the roof. 30’ radius. Took zero c/w and didnt use any pads under the riggers. That always makes me nervous. All theother cranes were busy on other jobs.

Second job would have been perfect for the 60 ton, but again everything was booked so took the 190 again. Got paid for the 60 ton. If the 60 ton was used would have been a 100’ radius. But couldnt get the 190 in that hole. Was a 135’ radius with the 190. Pads of courseand 60,000# of c/w. 1500# roof over a floating dock.

Been learning to fly lately. Flying a cherokee 140. 12 hours training so far. Can almost land w/o killing myself.

Good to hear you're doing well Impact. I had similar happen to me before, sign company requested a boom truck to set a light weight sign, all rigs were out except a T750 P&H so off I go. When I rolled up in that 75 ton the guy's eyes popped out. "Don't worry...you're just paying for a boom truck". And yeah, didn't bother with cribbing under the pads either.

This is not the worst type of two blocking. Because the block was only pulled by rope and not by hydraulic Force or hoisting.

Cherokees are great little planes to learn to fly in. I owned one for 13years. once you get going don't stop till you get your license. its way easier to just grind it out and get it done than start and stop. best of luck.

Impact said:

Been learning to fly lately. Flying a cherokee 140. 12 hours training so far. Can almost land w/o killing myself.

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I've been thinking about doing that also- it was my dream as a kid to be a fighter pilot. Model planes, all my doodling in school was plane battles. My eyesight meant no airforce, but I've never really gotten the bug out of my system.

My concern- I've set up too many planes for guys that learned late, and its easy for us to get distracted with other issues. I know personally of 3 good businessmen, who when they finally had the means to get their plane, got in a hurry and didn't make it.

I've also set up quite a few planes at our little runway here in town, no deaths on the ones I've set up, but it still makes you pause.

It doesn't mean I haven't quit kind of shopping for a plane on the side. Glad you're having fun learning impact. When you get ready, fly on over here and I'll get you at the airport for lunch.

Right now fighting my way through the FAA medical process. Gotta prove I am healthy as a 40 y/o. I am 61. Haha

Since the plane I fly, and the kind of flying I prefer, due mostly to my home strip's challanges, is elgible for the LSA (light sport) catagory, and even though I had held a full blown private pilot single engine land/SEL ticket for a lot of years, I switched over to the LSA system. NO physicals, ever! I still have a plane I can cruise at 100 mph in (though rarely do, mostly 85), that has a 6-700 mile range, that can carry one passenger and a small amount of gear (or just me and a LOT of gear). I can't night fly (don't want to anyway), or have a plane that grosses out at more then 1320 lbs., or fly faster then 138 mph. The thing is, if you fail a 3 rd class medical, it is a pain to get it back. And if you do fail one, it then TOO LATE to go LSA. So realizing my kind of flying, low and slow, was the way I wanted to aviate long term, I opted out before any health issues. If I for some reason want to trade on up to a Bonanza or any plane that requires a SEL, I can still do so, I'm not locked in the LSA catagory forever.

I did this the same year Idaho changed the CDL physical check up requirements, for some years I was having to get a phys for the FAA, AND one for the CDL! In Idaho anyway, there are many rigs that require a CDL, but not a bi annual physical:farm trucks, tow trucks, big well drilling rigs, etc., boom trucks or cranes were not specifically listed, but I managed to get them to add them to the phys exempt ruling.

I had a MRI brain scan and a stress test Thursday. MRI was to prove I don’t have cancer in the brain, due to the Melanoma that was removed last year. No cancer, but they said I have a pea sized brain. Lol. The stress test..I couldnt finish it. Could be the end of my chances to get a medical. I’m not sure. Going to follow up with a cardiologist 1-2-19.

Natman, I considered that route (LSA) but doesn’t really fulfill my goal which is to fly longer distances quicker.

Craneop, we’ll do that lunch whether I get my PPL or not.

Sorry to hear about the stress test. Maybe they caught something early, could be a blessing in disguise.

And if lunch doesn't work, I'm always up for some ribs for supper!

Impact, Hope the stress test helps find something they can fix. If I was going for a brain scan I might have to make appointment with a Proctologist!

Good luck!

Dang I need to find a reason to visit crane operator if he's buying supper!

kshansen said:

Dang I need to find a reason to visit crane operator if he's buying supper!

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Specially if it's Ribs!!!

Happy New Years to my friends at Heavy Equipment Forums!

No pictures, sorry. I wasn't even on the site. Got a call from a grain elevator and they had a loaded rail car derail. They tried to pull it back onto the tracks unsuccessfully. We took the 190 down, and lifted one end of the car back onto the tracks. The rail company chained the axles to the car for us. they guesstimated the weight of the entire loaded car at 270,000# making one end roughly 135,000#. We rigged the crane for 11 parts of line and were good for right at 200,000#. The 135,000# was right on target. But we ended up having to raise the end higher than level and it increased the weight to 162,000#. To my knowledge, that is the heaviest thing we've ever lifted.

I've got a good one for ya'll. Sorry No pics. We're taking a bucket elevator down in Tennessee. It's 130' or so tall, but, we're having to reach 125' or so because it's surrounded by other structures. We're running our LTM-1080-1L crane, a 100 AT crane. It has a 157' main. We have the 62' jib installed offset to reach up and over. Operator tells me all of a sudden it starts giving error messages and bells whistles and alarms going off. And it caught on fire. Seems a wiring harness that controls the engine arced off against an oil line, and oil was squirting everywhere hence how the fire started. We managed to disconnect the batteries and get the fire out pretty quick. No fire damage that we can tell, but the wiring harness is toast. I'm told the harness is as big around as my wrist and full of severed wires. There is no splicing it back in. This happened Tuesday morning. Luckily there was no load on the hook. Main boom is up about 75 degrees. Counter weights are over the engine compartment. As of this morning the boom is still up. We ordered a new harness and expect it to be in our hands Tuesday. I expect 2-3 days to get it rewired and all sorted out.

I've talked to Liebherr technicians and other AT crane mechanics. While yes it is possible to power the hydraulics from a 2nd crane, it's a very complex and length procedure. Pin and latch boom system. Talked with crane operator and he mentioned taking a large crane, cracking the luffing boom cylinder valves and laying the boom on the ground. We're surrounded by other structures and high voltage power lines so that isn't practical. I've decided to just leave the boom up until we get the crane running under it's own power. Was hoping good weather would continue but it appears a system is moving through this weekend and Sunday's winds could be pretty high. I'm simply going to keep my fingers crossed and hope for the best.

What a fiasco