Just some work pics

[ichudov]

Wow! Scary!

PS The dust collector that I took down with my crane, ended up being given to me by the company as they realized they do not need it (with a credit from me), and I promptly resold it...

 

[crane operator]

Lp tanks, they are moving the tank farm to a different location. 35 for the first tank- about 40,000lbs.

I asked the truck driver before loading the 1st one, if he needed me to roll it, to put the top valve to the 10oclock position, to keep it under height. No- he was fine, he had measured the tank. I load it, and sure enough he gets his tape measure out, and lo and behold, he's over height. Demons sang and the angels wept. So back to the timbers it was setting on in the weeds to roll it. I was thrilled....

 

[crane operator]

Second tank was 65' long or so. Just over 60,000, I had the rt over to lend a hand, they had set a unit with it first thing in the morning while I was loading the first tank with the 35 ton. Driver put the back of the tank on those little "load leveler" aluminum racks. He said that's how they always hauled them, but it didn't look great to me.

 

[crane operator]

It's not often that you get a second chance at a job that went bad, but I got to redo one this week. Eight years ago one of my guys tipped my 35 at this location, taking down one of the ice machines from the roof. No one was hurt. I was out running a different crane, and I left that job, came back to town, and set the 35 back on its jacks. The crane had tipped up until the load hit the ground, and there it stood with the off side jacks 8' off the ground and the boom at about 20 degrees. I've never been so thankful as I was that day that no one was injured, 3 guys could have easily died that day.

Anyways, the ice plant has sold, and I got to take down all the old machines, and load them up. It was just a nervous day for me, just being on the same site again. Everything went well and they are all loaded up and gone.

Just a interesting tidbit on the ice machines. One had a build date of 1972, and has been in continuous use since then. These are still made today, and these are going to a different plant after a refurb, but they were still working.

 

[crane operator]

Last job for the week. One of the guys set the pole for this billboard a couple weeks ago, we put the head on today. 20,000lbs or so.

And yes, the sun was right in my eyes again.........

 

[crane operator]

Slow week this week, so we've been practicing for a job next week. MRI machine going into a vet clinic, 70' down a hallway and then a 90degree corner and into a room. 15,000 lbs.

Have got a set of "air" skates. This is three of them under some steel mats at my shop. There's a little over 16,000 lbs there, and two of us by hand pushed it 20', spun it 180 degrees and pushed it back. It didn't push easy, but 15,000 lbs on a set of regular machinery skates, you can't move by hand.

I bought the skates used and wanted to try them out before we went to a job with them, hate looking like a rookie. We put down masonite and some steel transition plates that we use on the mechanical skates so we could practice a height transition.

You can see the air manifold on the left. It came with faucet like valves on the individual lines with a main regulator. I removed the individual faucet valves and installed regulators with gauges so I had a little better fine control of the individual skates.

I'm much happier having tried it out at the shop, I know they will pick up 16,000 and we can turn a 90 degree corner with them.

 

[crane operator]

Also got a 3406b picked up for the peterbilt. Got to see it run before purchase, and it has jakes already on it. Don't know anything else about it, but I guess we'll see.

 

[crane operator]

I've got a bad auction habit. I see stuff that is kind of expensive new, and think "I might need that some day" and drag stuff home.

From today- a pickup load of takeoff exhaust. I really just need 2 tips for the peterbilt, but they were cheap. Truck is used, so I figure some used exhaust tips won't hurt.

Also 4 aluminum headache racks, I actually have one already bought for the pete, I just like one of these better.

Picked up a shop fan- its mounted on a pole and a tire, and a couple other small things too.

I gave $250 for all the headache racks, and $170 for all the exhaust. I think the last single elbow tip I bought was over $100, and it was just a short cap. I'm hoping to sell two of the racks and cover the day.

 

[hosspuller]

Crane Op … I'll bet you liked that lockable chain rack over the over the one you already had.

 

[f311fr1]

You done good

 

[ichudov]

good deal on the headache rack...

 

[Tugger2]

Nice haul at the auction i like the locking chain racks. Do you have the brakesaver/retarder on your 3406?Ive got one on mine, but the darn thing leaks oil so i dont use it which sucks with all the hill we have here .Its kind of major to get it out and rebuild it. I wish i had jakes on mine.My trucker friend says having both is the best.

 

[Birken Vogt]

Jakes only is my preference. If it does not hold back you can always pick a lower gear and go slower. Nothing gets overheated or burned except the air going past the exhaust valve. What would it take to add them?

 

[Tugger2]

Funny when i bought the truck id never used a brakesaver,the seller warned me not to use it too heavily or i could burn up the seals in it.Using it sparingling i figured i should stop after creeping down a hill called the Anarchist just out of Osoyous and check things out.I was down about 3 gallons on engine oil ,i think the seals were long toasted.Lucky i had me my pickup on the lowbed with lots of supplies in it. Asusual buyer beware ,in spite of that the truck has been great for me.

 

[Hank R]

Brakesaver were the best back in the late 70's and early 80's, drove a 3408 Star man was that great, the thing that takes getting used to one can not shift with the brakesaver on . Jakes now a day are the way to go, almost scary how well they hold back. Lots of cars can not keep up to some trucks on the hills around here.

 

[crane operator]

The chain racks are nice, I have them on my western star, and the one for the pete I had doesn't have them. I actually don't use them on my Western star, every time you start and stop it sounds like the ghost of christmas past with all the chain clanking going on. I've seen guys mount mud flaps to the rack to cut down on the noise.

No brakesaver on the 3406, its pretty rare to see one of those around here. The motor we took out did not have jakes, and I wanted to add them, so finding a motor with them already on was a big plus. I guess they are getting hard to come by used.

Everyone I talk to, tells me to not expect as much jake braking power out of the 3406, as I get out of my 60 series detroit.

Current transmission in the pete is a 13609b 9 speed. I have a 15 speed that I got for my engine repower in the 35 several years ago, that is still laying on the floor of my shop.

I've been debating putting the 15 in the pete, and putting the 9 speed in the 35 when I finnaly repower it. I think I would get a lower 1st gear, and closer steps down low with the 15, and the 9 speed would be 3 inches shorter in the 35, where I'm really going to be hurting for room. I've also thought about a 8LL in the 35 for that really low hole when crawling around on a jobsite, but it would be just as long as the 13.

Both the 9 and the 15 are RTO transmissions, but according to the eaton chart, first gear may be the same in each, the 15 just has closer steps down low. I could stick each trans in first and count revolutions I suppose, but I don't know how that would work with no air on the transmission, if I'm getting low in the deep reduction.

 

[Hank R]

If you get a chance to pick up a used Eaton 18 speed, that would let you split the basement gears. Much like a 13 speed but every gear can be split.

 

[crane operator]

Getting another different transmission isn't going to happen hank. I'm just debating if I keep the 9 in the pete, or switch it to the 15. I think the 15 would be a better choice for my short steep hills, but I'm wondering with the torque of the 3406, if I'm okay just leaving the 9.

I really don't split a lot in my 13, I'm not on the road everyday all day long. The 9 is just a 13 without splitting the top, but the 15 is actually in ratio a lot like my rt613, where the gears are a lot closer together down low.

Although a 18 would do that with being able to split the bottom, I don't have one of those lying around.

 

[Junkyard]

I do.....

 

[kshansen]

Was trying to decide if that fan mounted on the Ford pick-up was a new version of "Jake Brake" for pick-up trucks or an auxiliary wind powered generator for a hybrid conversion kit you installed on the truck!