• Thank you for visiting HeavyEquipmentForums.com! Our objective is to provide industry professionals a place to gather to exchange questions, answers and ideas. We welcome you to register using the "Register" icon at the top of the page. We'd appreciate any help you can offer in spreading the word of our new site. The more members that join, the bigger resource for all to enjoy. Thank you!

Working the National 1300A

DMiller

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2010
Messages
16,436
Location
Hermann, Missouri
Occupation
Cheap "old" Geezer
Same here on Snow load truss stagger, can get away at 4' set IF the pitch is great enough to dump the weight. HOWEVER, a Number of Barn and shed builders came up with the great idea that Standing the Roof Purlins on edge they could spread the trusses to 6,7 even 8' OC to "Save Money" but as noted special fasteners 5" 40D nails, pre drill ALL the truss location holes in those purlins so don't split them, just seems so Chancy. Guy that built mine, 4' OC with 2x4s every 2' OC from peak down face nailed to trusses. And one of the Midwest's bigger issues is diaphragming of barns by high winds.
 

Natman

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2016
Messages
972
Location
ID
I got a call from a guy building his retirement home in a remote area, where no other building is going on, and he was amazed I immediately knew just where it was! Only 11 air miles from my home, but a good hour drive in the National. We set a tentative date and I casually mentioned that "if I was in the area beforehand I'd stop by to check it out." I never tell them I'll be flying in. The next day I took off and quickly made the short flight, and as expected also quickly found a landing site right across the road (the plane is on skis now). We had a good productive meeting, discussing where I'd set up, where to dump the trusses, the plane making this possible as no way would I IMG_20190113_121910178.jpg IMG_20181215_154338198~3-1.jpg have driven back there. As usual, when getting ready to leave, I told him "no extra charge for this pre lift meeting", followed by "heck I'll pay you 5 bucks, I'm having fun." Once again, the plane comes in super handy. The day of the (10 hr inc. travel) job, he paid cash, and I even got a 60 dollar tip! As far as I know my competition in the area in the hoisting biz, doesn't offer this free service like I do, and are unlikely to start, I almost feel sorry for them.... not really. Just another example how flying has been so good to me, it doesn't cost, it pays. Mixing business with fun, while helping the business.
 

Natman

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2016
Messages
972
Location
ID
A kitplane, been building and flying them for 30 years, RANS S-7S. I mixed up the pictures a bit, the landing picture was a lake a few miles away on another day. The lighting was so bad, and the snow so deep when I landed that job site, I didn't bother to take any pics. It was mid thigh deep and I didn't bother to get the snowshoes out, besides I was working, not playing around....ha ha, so I didn't want to mess around taking ground pictures that day. 8 degrees that morning. I also tend to clutter up some flying forums I'm on with crane stuff, so it only seems fair to do the opposite here! But I'll keep it to a minimum, and only when directly rated to work.
 

DMiller

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2010
Messages
16,436
Location
Hermann, Missouri
Occupation
Cheap "old" Geezer
Doped wing/fuselage skins or metal? Dad and Uncle were A&E Mechanics after WWII. Uncle went farther got his A&P, Dad moved into Management McDonnel Aircraft in the 60's.

Uncle retired KLM Airlines seems twenty five years ago, dad in 1989 from Mac. Started in A&E life at Slick Airlines. Uncle lives CdA.
 

Natman

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2016
Messages
972
Location
ID
Chrome moly welded tube fuselage, aircraft fabric over that, both easy to repair after the inevitable dings. It has 2300 hours on it now, in 12 years, and is still in great shape, light planes are pretty simple machines, not a lot of systems to go wrong.
 

Natman

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2016
Messages
972
Location
ID
At a rolled oats mill about 1 hour away, I guessed (to myself) this 1800 lb. piece of equipment was worth 8K, no reason, just a guess. Later, I asked, 65K! Food grade stuff doesn't come cheap I guess.

The single most expensive thing I ever picked was a 36" ball valve, all stainless, with a big hydraulic actuatorIMG_20190122_133349646_HDR~2.jpg for flash freezing fish, 285K.
 

hosspuller

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 27, 2014
Messages
1,869
Location
North Carolina
Single most expensive thing I ever picked up was …. $ 8.1 million check made out to a company in the building I was lobby security for. Old man came up to me and asked "where do I take this ?" handing me a slip of paper. :eek: No envelope, just a check. I directed the messenger to the accounting dep't :p
 

DMiller

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2010
Messages
16,436
Location
Hermann, Missouri
Occupation
Cheap "old" Geezer
Can relate. Using Building installed crane I used to lift Nuclear fuel at the Plant I worked. $750K a Stick, two sticks to a Container!! Respectful but never let it get under my skin.
Added, NEW Nuclear fuel can be hand handled ALBEIT with gloves on so as to not present the metal structure with any corrosive elements. Roughly 3/4 ton hanging off a 5 ton hoist swinging from a 200 ton Bridge!! Had to align them to fit inside a box holding structure or the pool loading 'Elevator' with 1/4" clearance to any side. Cannisters were lifted from trucks at grade entrance the 47' to the working deck with myself or others on the deck taking instruction by radio on hook, LOADS of obstacles the Enganears place IN THE WAY to steer around to get the cans upstairs!!

IMG_0029.JPG IMG_0055.JPG
 

Natman

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2016
Messages
972
Location
ID
The big valve I lifted on the flash fish freezing project was "top secret", they were quite worried about industrial espionage. They had one room that was 10 times cleaner then the cleanest room at our local transistor chip plant, WAY cleaner then a hospital operating room! The process was all about the Asian market for fish, I got that much out of them and no more. It's been over 10 years now, so no big deal (I think) to talk about it.

We have a big nuke research facility in my area, the INEL, lots of intense crane work out there I'm told, beyond my pay grade. One iron worker I know who had an "in" out there leased his 15 ton boom truck out to a sub there, and paid for the thing 3 times over, guvment money.
 

DMiller

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2010
Messages
16,436
Location
Hermann, Missouri
Occupation
Cheap "old" Geezer
Nukes are 'different', a lot weird as well. Special rules, idiocy in the Safety department's, special dispensation for some and strict adherence to rules upon others. Had to follow 'Written Instructions' on doing anything where were supposed to 'Circle a step number or letter, read and understand it then perform it and then place a slash mark thru that circle as Completed', except when I had a hand full of crane remote, then they had a person stand next to me trying to read faster than I was working!! Gave no acceptance for skill training or adept at what one did.
Had operators with mobile crane certs as contractors, largest SOB Liebherr track crane I EVER saw was on site to remove and reinstall our steam generators, pretty cool and intimidating same time. Do not have photos of that anymore, stayed on my PC at work as I retired. 600 ton unit, counterweight rolled on earth mover tires until made a lift then would be slightly off surface. Steam Generators were 748,000 lb each stuffed them horizontally thru a equipment hatch 21' in diameter 8' thick concrete and steel hole. Mammoet handled them inside uprighting and setting them where they had to go, old ones had come out similarly. With my left eye issue could Cert installed cranes but not mobile which made no sense as most heavy mobile lifts radio use, around half the bridge work visual. And did seem as Money no option nor argument.
 

Natman

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2016
Messages
972
Location
ID
HA ha... I have a buddy who is a pro at that type of work, it's what he does for a living, I've seen his work on national Dodge truck commercials, and he knocked that out in a few minutes as a favor to me. He couldn't resist getting a bit fancy, the shot of the bike going in the box was pretty cool, though I didn't think so at the time.
 

Natman

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2016
Messages
972
Location
ID
I got a call to set some trusses for a contractor I had never worked for before, on a smaller home in a new subdivision. No mention was made of price, by me or him. When I texted him the bill he got a bit excited, it seems the guy he usually uses (who parks his boom truck outside in front of his house, which is much closer to this newer neighborhood, then my heated building at my yard across town) never charges him travel time. I told him I do, and oh yeah, I'm also ten bucks an hour more then brand X. This made my bill correct mathematically but he still didn't like it. So I got sucked into responding with "my rig cost 3 to 4 times as much as brand X, and I charge ten bucks more per hour plus travel, and I have ten times more rigging, more reach and capacity, 360 degree continuous rotation and 260 load chart, but you're right, for you brand X is a better deal, please use him in the future 100%". Something like that anyway, point is we parted ways (we were texting actually) on decent terms, I left him feeling not cheated I hope anyway. MY competitor is welcome to him, they are a good match for each other! All part of being an owner operator, I kept my cool, I'm proud of that, wouldn't have been so years ago but I've calmed down........
 

DMiller

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2010
Messages
16,436
Location
Hermann, Missouri
Occupation
Cheap "old" Geezer
I had jobs like that, guy wanted me to do all his work as had seen results I made but damn near to choked to death on the first receipt. He did pay up but not without noting Joe Blow down the road and Nitwit across town were so much cheaper per hour. Explained to him He came TO Me I did not advertise and if he felt the lesser expense shops adequate to be my guest and use them as I was pretty busy not needing the extra load. He did and we did not for a long time cross paths then met up at a parts house as I was grabbing some stuff, he was unhappy with JoeB and Nitwit, was having to drive all the way into the city for as low an expense but found someone else he considered better wrench and was still trying to get someone closer as reasonable. Said good luck and walked away where he looked shocked I turned work down. Did not hear any more until he sold his business off and resumed full time farming.
 

Natman

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2016
Messages
972
Location
ID
I'm busy enough to let this just slide off me, and I am grateful for being able to say that, sure wasn't always that way. The guy he uses BTW, has a 20 ton boom truck, so he's always reaching over the bed when he backs up to a job, that plus my longer stick on my rear rider gives me 30' more reach plus higher capacity. That higher capacity is useful when setting light weight trusses, not so much, more for picking an entire bundle and re positioning it to then make picking the individual trusses go quicker. A new crew is always surprised when I do this, no else does I guess, but I'm not trying to drag the job out but make it wrap up faster. The cheapskates don't get that, and i don't bother explaining it to them anymore, that more per hour doesn't mean more for the job necessarily. And we don't even want to talk about multiple repositions for a job I can do without moving.
 
Top