Just some work pics

[crane operator]

Buyer asked me "what will likely go wrong with it?" Well ****- its a 1976 anything could go wrong with it, but realistically, I couldn't really say there's anything to go wrong. They are just a simple strong machine. There's no complicated canbus/ electrical/ computer B.S.

I don't think I've ever run anything that has more hours on it. I used it daily for years, and that was far from its first go around. Its still a smooth running crane from the upper. The carrier steering is shot.

The Rt has a swivel that leaks (minor drips) , and the buyer knew about it. He wanted me to fix it, and I just don't have time. As is Where is.

 

[Junkyard]

Nice! you sold the 25 ton temptation

Saved me from it too lol

 

[crane operator]

Ha, I still got a mack with a national on it for skyking, and a 6v92 70 ton for junkyard. No shortage of old iron around here. Get to checking under mattresses for stray $100 bills. I'm in a selling mood.

 

[Manistar]

Does Grove even make a newer comparable RT? I'm not an RT guy but looks like a rt540e has a pretty scaled back chart from a rt640c. A rt650e has a more comparable chart but it's a 50ton and weighs closer to 80,000lbs. I see another link-belt joining your fleet in the near future.

 

[skyking1]

I got some S&H Green stamps around here somewhere.......

 

[Junkyard]

70 ton for 25 ton price…….?

 

[crane operator]

Does Grove even make a newer comparable RT? I'm not an RT guy but looks like a rt540e has a pretty scaled back chart from a rt640c. A rt650e has a more comparable chart but it's a 50ton and weighs closer to 80,000lbs. I see another link-belt joining your fleet in the near future.

My RT was a 700b model. I think its around 72,000lbs rig. 650e models are just a 105' main, and I'd rather have a 110' like my 700b.

I've looked at a 760e model- it had the optional hyd. removable counterweight (12,500). But then I've got to send a extra truck with the counterweight, its 1' wider, etc. But its only 76,000 with counterweight off.

A link belt rtc8050 is just under 80,000. And I think that's the top end of what I want on my current truck and trailer.

The biggest problem is the Rough terrain market has really gone away from the 40,50,60 ton cranes. All the renters want a 75-90 ton crane. The renters don't have to worry about hauling it, and just want a bigger crane. It means fewer smaller ones for sale, but it helps - the prices are pretty depressed for that size of a machine.

If I'm bringing a 90 ton around here, its coming on its own wheels- not a trailer.

 

[crane operator]

70 ton for 25 ton price…….?

Can't say "no" until I've seen green setting on a hood. It hasn't moved in my yard for a couple years, and I'm sick of looking at it.

You'll notice I haven't mentioned my tms300. I've got visions of where I want it to sit in my back yard, and become my yard crane for loading bars and swapping counterweights and mats. Just need to get rid of some more stuff, and a little time.

 

[crane operator]

I got some S&H Green stamps around here somewhere.......

Ha- you just need to sell some of that beach property and get your retirement gig going. Couple hours a day setting trusses or a HVAC unit, supplement that new house build, and a little cash in the bank.

 

[Manistar]

I was just guessing off old pictures I'd seen of your RT I figured for it's vintage it was a 640. I guess I just assumed a rt700b would be a 50ton like the tms700b. Still not a lot of good replacement options.

 

[skyking1]

Ha- you just need to sell some of that beach property and get your retirement gig going. Couple hours a day setting trusses or a HVAC unit, supplement that new house build, and a little cash in the bank.

there is a guy out there with a boom truck already. I'd need a 30 or 40 ton truck to capture those bigger jobs.

 

[thepumpguysc]

U need a job like Tony Beets on Gold Rush..
Work like an animal for 6 months, bank all the money and go to the Islands for the remainder of the year..
That work will be there when u get back..

 

[crane operator]

there is a guy out there with a boom truck already. I'd need a 30 or 40 ton truck to capture those bigger jobs.

That's how it starts, next thing you know, you're shopping for a 275 tonner and some more counterweight trucks.

 

[Welder Dave]

U need a job like Tony Beets on Gold Rush..
Work like an animal for 6 months, bank all the money and go to the Islands for the remainder of the year..
That work will be there when u get back..

Tony Beets oldest son, Kevin called his dad out for being so disorganized and everything was a $hit show. He's doing something else now. He was the head mechanic and got fed up with everything being an emergency repair when Tony knew a long time ago things needed maintenance and repairs. I was kind of surprised they aired his beefs but they had to explain why Kevin was missing. I like Kevin, he doesn't have a lot of fake drama like most everybody else on the show does. They seem to be trying to give Parker a better reputation. I couldn't understand why anybody would want to work for him. The stories involving the equipment are ridiculous. Anything Volvo is supplied at really low lease rates. Parker just happened to have a fairly new Volvo loader, from the new property he bought, he could supply to Rick Ness. Next thing you know Rick Ness has a big Volvo excavator and rock trucks. Most is from Great West Equipment. Volvo actually has someone count how many times the Volvo name is shown on each episode. It's interesting though that Volvo excavators, especially, seem to have weak tracks. Been a few times track pins have broke or something else and they just happen to have a spare to fix it. The show would be better without the fake crap. Worst was the rock truck that flipped on flat ground. They have video of the truck driving right before it flips but not the flip. Then they show the back half on its side and it has somehow emptied itself of the full load it had before the flip. Fabricated BS! It's interesting just watching the machines working without all the scripted crap.

 

[crane operator]

Sewer boxes.

 

[CM1995]

Are those pre-cast tanks out of level or just the pic?

 

[crane operator]

Just the picture, I'm standing on a pretty good slope. I'll be honest though, that's as close to the hole I got, other than sitting in the crane. I did see them have out a level, but I couldn't see the bubble from 60' away.

 

[skyking1]

Some guy who does not need to mobilize 1800 miles will give the Mack Daddy a new home.

 

[crane operator]

I had to do a 120' long building, with 50' trusses this week. On 16" centers. Almost everything is 24" centers anymore. I had 2 truckloads of trusses and I didn't think I was ever going to get done. Set trusses like a madman for over a hour and I was 25' down the building.

In other news, the KW counterweight truck is down. N14 has a pushrod dropped. I haven't decided if we are going to try to fix it, or take it somewhere. It dropped the cylinder about 3 miles from the shop, I heard them coming down the hill with it.

Lots of little repairs, hoses, seals, one winch diagnosis and repair. New LMI screen in one of the link belts. I bought two screens in the last year, one PAT for the grove and this one for the link belt. Its kind of ridiculous that they are $4,000+ each. But if the crane have a LMI, they need to have a screen that works.

They haven't come and picked up the rt and 25 yet.

We've been busy, lots of truss jobs, steel work, and also the 100 ton and 90 ton have both been out working pretty steady.

Been thinking of a 50-60 ton truck crane or all terrain, instead of replacing my RT. I think we would use another truck crane or AT more than the RT, but (there's always a but) neither of those will do- or go- where a RT will.

I didn't really mind my RT sitting for a while between jobs, but I didn't have as much money in that RT- as what I will have to have in the RT I want to replace it with. And I don't know if I can justify having that expensive a machine, to sit as often as my RT sits.

 

[crane operator]

Someone did a oil change and a fuel pump by the corner, in front of my gate, last weekend. They weren't much for clean up.

I knew I was going to be in the sun on this job, but no where else to sit, so I just squinted my way through it.

Got some new precast lifting brackets. I don't think they've ever been used. New ones are over $400 each, I gave less than that for all 4 on ebay.

Last picture was me plumb bobbing on a dirt road. They wanted to see what a 110' tower was going to look like.