Keep the videos coming! These are some of the most informational crane videos I've found on the net. Thanks for getting this information out. Great videos!
I’m fascinated, I’ve never met a crane operator to ask questions. The obvious one is how the hell can you just stand so casually close to the rail looking down!!?? Giving me heart palpitations just watching 😂🤣
I get it. It feels completely different doing these things versus watching it. After 20 years of being on cranes, it feels pretty natural being up there. But I don't care to watch others doing the work too much.
love these vids, used to be a signal man / operator until 2009, finding your channel made me realise how much I miss working with cranes, really enjoyed that kinda work. Took part in a few tower crane disassembly days, usually the crew did any of the tower operator work, we stayed on the ground. At what point do you begin the climb down during the process. Great vids, keep em coming.
+Keith McFadden This one was quick. Since we had a 550 ton hydro to pull it down, we pulled the counterweight in two picks. Swung around for the boom. Single picked that off. As they were hoisting it down I spun it back around, got it squared up on the turntable and I was done. Probably two hours on site? That was long only because they had issues getting the hydro issues sorted out. They also had an issue because the paint marks from erecting it were missing so there were discussions about jib sizing and pick points. For some reason we all had different data on the jib length. I am considering getting back into erecting cranes. I miss parts of it too.
+brysawn I am all over the place. I'm one of the crane certifiers and Seaburg's Operation Manager. You guys have been putting in some hours over at Lincoln. I was on the first couple of phases there as a crane erector.
I just started on a Potain MR605, it's a shorty at about 120' but I'd say perfect for someone who is new to tower cranes. After being operating hydraulic cranes for about 5 years, this was a big change. My biggest challenge was to learn to control the swing since it does not work as a hydraulic one.
I don't have any real time running hydro's. And I haven't ran 605's. I've inspected them, but not ran them. My experience with Potain's is that they are better off with a fairly rapid roll in and roll out. But it needs to be linear. It's been long enough that I don't recall how to easily get small smooth movements in the wind or while pouring concrete and staying ahead of the signal person. My brain is telling me that it's a rythmic throwing the bucket ahead and then chasing it like at a degree of swing at a time. I found that Potains took more time to learn how to smoothly horse around, but I ran a 310 that after a month I could full tilt it all of the time on all three functions under complete control. But it just wasn't as intuitive. Same with a MR295 luffer I filled in on for a week. Forgot about that vacation fill in.
@@rotyag thanks for the reply! I've watched all your videos, they are very helpful specially the one when you're working with the ironworkers. It helped me a lot when I first started running this crane because they would use the same lingo as the ones in the video (I think it's more of a west coast thing; they don't signal like that in the midwest). Hopefully you're still filling in for other operators so you can keep uploading content.
@@pipiligrama I am honestly pretty much never in a seat anymore. I started a tower crane company a few years back. I supply, erect, operate, and own other gear. I want to start doing videos on crane erecting. We put one up in 4 hours a couple of weeks ago. I want to show how that is possible. But then there are my competitive secrets... not sure what I will do with it. But I bought a bunch of new gear to start. Set up like four action cams at a time sort of thing and hire in a drone for the next time. Hoping to be able to do a crane in 3 5 hours soon. Small cranes.
So many differences between a modern rig,she looks tired & not a rig I'd want my jobsite depending on when I was still running jobs,I'm retired the last 5 years & haven't used a model that old on a job since the early 90's .
Would you believe that one was a 2001? It is in need of some care. I don't care for running old crane either. about ten years ago I ran one for a few weeks that was a 1965 model. I felt like I was just waiting for a structural failure. Pecco 1200. Controls were backwards. Only second speed on a three speed trolley. It was a challenge.
rotyag I can see that rig spent no time in the yard,looks like it went from job to job for all 16 years,you know its paid for itself 3 times over the way it looks. It reminds me of an old 50 ton D Mag I got stuck operating back in the early 90's that another operator grounded out on a high voltage line,every time I'd use the hydraulics to open the clam the left outrigger would slowly rise off the ground & lock up,every lift I had to override the computer if that clam was being used ,cable speed in that damn thing was stuck in high too so every lift came in hot,shit like that wouldn't fly nowadays .
Nice video love your videos I am a young operator who is signed up in the operating engineers local 3 and I am trying to get into the tower cranes I was wondering if there was any advice you could give to a young operator trying to get into that field of work
+The690ELC What state are you in with Local 3? if your area will let you signal a crane, I would become a signal person. What happens is you want to get to know people that work in the tower crane world and let them know that you are looking for an opportunity to get a seat. Once people know and trust you, they will think of you. I had three offers within a week when I made it known that I wanted to stop erecting and start operating. You want everyone to know your name and your phone to be full of contacts for when you need that next seat. If you know of a small tower going up, it really wouldn't be a tough transition from a mobile to a 100' tall tower with 145' of boom. I came from an ironworker background and literally got praise on my first live pick for a contractor. Working for a company that supplies operators to non-signatory sites is a good way to hone your skills with people who just want a moving hook. If you tried to go big first, you'll get run off. You have to step yourself up in size and expectations. Hanging iron from a 400' tall crane can be intense. Try wood construction first. If you can get in training time and get the NCCCO Tower through your local, do it. Make sure your brain learns what the crane needs to be smooth and fast. Every crane is different. You can never be too smooth unless it's causing you to be slow. Tower crane operation is aggressive as you progress. But you can be too fast. If you are so fast and aggressive that you are having mishaps and no one can keep up, you have to tone it down. When you get a seat, let me know. If I know the crane I'll pass along operational tips. If you get me a state, maybe I can find a contact for you to see if they know of an unfilled seat. I know some people in California and Hawaii.
Thank you for the advice I live in California and I have been on the waiting list for cranes there for almost two years it seems to be taking awhile for apprentices to be taken in. In the mean time I am operating dirt equipment and getting to know the responsibilities of what it means to operate a heavy piece of equipment. Through my job I have gotten to experience a little bit with rigging and signaling for smaller hydraulic cranes. Which has been a good start, But it is not at all to the scale as I want to be doing it at. If you could get me a seat or people to get in contact with that would be great. Also do u take pictures of the cranes you work in and other surrounding tower cranes in Seattle because i love the views that you have in your videos of your cranes and other tower cranes in the skyline. That is just a perspective that I don't ever get to see. And I love tower cranes so much that every time I see them in the cities I have to stop and take pictures of them as funny as that sounds.
+The690ELC I don't know how California's labor contracts work. I'm not looking to cause a fight, but... what happens up here is that the Operators get paid a few dollars less in benefits than ironworkers. So if you get a decent signalperson as an operator, the contractor saves a few bucks. Tell your business agent your goal and that you want to get into signalling. If you are willing to work hard and learn what they teach you, you'll be golden. Signalling becomes an easy job if you think ahead with it. Then when you roll back into the apprenticeship classes you make cranes the focus and eventually someone will open that door for you to walk through. You have to get your name out there in cranes. Signalling is the easiest door to open. Best of Luck!
sounds good thank you for the advice on everything you have been a huge help nice to hear from an operators perspective on things Best of luck to you as well and keep coming out with the videos they are fantastic
+rotyag So you need to be Working Iron and be Signaling in order to get a Chance to get some training!??? Can you just go to the Union, OR some Company Office and tell them You're Interested, and they'll Hook You Up Like A Crain????? What Would Be The First Step To Get Into Tower Crain Operation In The State Of Texas!?????
226 and 325. Both from the 80's. The old Wolff's aren't safety compliant here so no one puts them out any more. Only rentals show up now and then. Swing is harsh on them. immediate and direct torque that is good or bad depending on your taste. Hoists can have a lot of run out if the eddy current isn't set up properly. Ladders are terrible. Angles cause me to hit my shins and the rungs are uneven between towers so if you don't pay attention it feels like you missed a rung. Pins connecting the towers can have the spring clips spin and try to back out or break off. I hear good things about the new ones. I don't care for the old ones. Way oddball and lacking refinement in just about every way.
It's too bad you didn't get a chance to run the 224b that was in Seattle a year or two ago. Newer machine. I had it on the job before it was there, beauty machine to run.
Typically you want to rig for a crane first. Most operators that never see it from the other side aren't empathic and they are garbage as operators. They'll be 20 years in and everyone below them is just surviving the ordeal. I've been under several hundred different operators because I was a tower crane erector. And within minutes I know what kind of operator I'm dealing with. Having had a variety of experiences allows me to adjust to personalities too. To that end, I'm highly recommending a couple of years below a hook. You could learn how to signal and rig in a couple of weeks. But you want to be proficient. The second step is training hours. I think NCCCO has hour requirements and passing a written test to take the practical. Certain cities and states also have stricter standards. Like in Washington you need 500 hours being trained by an operator. To put that in perspective, you can get a helicopter pilots license in 40. Let's be clear, that's union protectionism at play. So you'll need to check with your state rules. Some schools do trainings too. It's expensive. But it's a pretty good job if sitting in a box in the sky separated from everyone is for you. I loved it. I'm social, but also cool with not connecting with anyone. You'll have to gauge that aspect for yourself. I say it here specifically tying it in with the cost considerations of a school. It's the best choice to go through a union and get paid to learn if that's an option in your market. Contact crane companies, tower crane companies, unions... You just pick up the phone and cold call. Most of us that were there are happy to take the call and let you know what we know about who is, or will be looking. It can feel like you are turned away because of you. It's really just what the market is doing the dictates it. Texas through the Carolinas is pretty busy right now. West Coast is a bit grim. Lots of Canada is doing well. Best of luck.
Keep the videos coming! These are some of the most informational crane videos I've found on the net. Thanks for getting this information out. Great videos!
I’m fascinated, I’ve never met a crane operator to ask questions. The obvious one is how the hell can you just stand so casually close to the rail looking down!!?? Giving me heart palpitations just watching 😂🤣
I get it. It feels completely different doing these things versus watching it. After 20 years of being on cranes, it feels pretty natural being up there. But I don't care to watch others doing the work too much.
Nice video, I really enjoy them! not many from the operators point of view
Very informal Roy tag I'm just learning how the operate and go up keep up the good work
love these vids, used to be a signal man / operator until 2009, finding your channel made me realise how much I miss working with cranes, really enjoyed that kinda work. Took part in a few tower crane disassembly days, usually the crew did any of the tower operator work, we stayed on the ground. At what point do you begin the climb down during the process. Great vids, keep em coming.
+Keith McFadden This one was quick. Since we had a 550 ton hydro to pull it down, we pulled the counterweight in two picks. Swung around for the boom. Single picked that off. As they were hoisting it down I spun it back around, got it squared up on the turntable and I was done. Probably two hours on site? That was long only because they had issues getting the hydro issues sorted out. They also had an issue because the paint marks from erecting it were missing so there were discussions about jib sizing and pick points. For some reason we all had different data on the jib length.
I am considering getting back into erecting cranes. I miss parts of it too.
the way you so casually say " the crane is leaning forwards a bit" and then put your feet up to relax is disconcerting
Tower crane stuff. I'm not a religious man. But I have faith in crane structures.
Agreed on informational. Thank you
You're in Bellevue, cool. I've been over at the Lincoln Square Expansion for almost 2 years.
+brysawn I am all over the place. I'm one of the crane certifiers and Seaburg's Operation Manager. You guys have been putting in some hours over at Lincoln. I was on the first couple of phases there as a crane erector.
I just started on a Potain MR605, it's a shorty at about 120' but I'd say perfect for someone who is new to tower cranes. After being operating hydraulic cranes for about 5 years, this was a big change. My biggest challenge was to learn to control the swing since it does not work as a hydraulic one.
I don't have any real time running hydro's. And I haven't ran 605's. I've inspected them, but not ran them. My experience with Potain's is that they are better off with a fairly rapid roll in and roll out. But it needs to be linear. It's been long enough that I don't recall how to easily get small smooth movements in the wind or while pouring concrete and staying ahead of the signal person. My brain is telling me that it's a rythmic throwing the bucket ahead and then chasing it like at a degree of swing at a time. I found that Potains took more time to learn how to smoothly horse around, but I ran a 310 that after a month I could full tilt it all of the time on all three functions under complete control. But it just wasn't as intuitive. Same with a MR295 luffer I filled in on for a week. Forgot about that vacation fill in.
@@rotyag thanks for the reply! I've watched all your videos, they are very helpful specially the one when you're working with the ironworkers. It helped me a lot when I first started running this crane because they would use the same lingo as the ones in the video (I think it's more of a west coast thing; they don't signal like that in the midwest). Hopefully you're still filling in for other operators so you can keep uploading content.
@@pipiligrama I am honestly pretty much never in a seat anymore. I started a tower crane company a few years back. I supply, erect, operate, and own other gear. I want to start doing videos on crane erecting. We put one up in 4 hours a couple of weeks ago. I want to show how that is possible. But then there are my competitive secrets... not sure what I will do with it. But I bought a bunch of new gear to start. Set up like four action cams at a time sort of thing and hire in a drone for the next time. Hoping to be able to do a crane in 3 5 hours soon. Small cranes.
@@rotyag that's awesome man!! best wishes on your company! Will be waiting for those erecting and dismantling videos!
More videos PLEASE!!
Don't you get scared when the mast leans
THIS IS FREAKING COOL!!!
So many differences between a modern rig,she looks tired & not a rig I'd want my jobsite depending on when I was still running jobs,I'm retired the last 5 years & haven't used a model that old on a job since the early 90's .
Would you believe that one was a 2001? It is in need of some care. I don't care for running old crane either. about ten years ago I ran one for a few weeks that was a 1965 model. I felt like I was just waiting for a structural failure. Pecco 1200. Controls were backwards. Only second speed on a three speed trolley. It was a challenge.
rotyag I can see that rig spent no time in the yard,looks like it went from job to job for all 16 years,you know its paid for itself 3 times over the way it looks.
It reminds me of an old 50 ton D Mag I got stuck operating back in the early 90's that another operator grounded out on a high voltage line,every time I'd use the hydraulics to open the clam the left outrigger would slowly rise off the ground & lock up,every lift I had to override the computer if that clam was being used ,cable speed in that damn thing was stuck in high too so every lift came in hot,shit like that wouldn't fly nowadays .
Nice video love your videos I am a young operator who is signed up in the operating engineers local 3 and I am trying to get into the tower cranes I was wondering if there was any advice you could give to a young operator trying to get into that field of work
+The690ELC What state are you in with Local 3?
if your area will let you signal a crane, I would become a signal person. What happens is you want to get to know people that work in the tower crane world and let them know that you are looking for an opportunity to get a seat. Once people know and trust you, they will think of you. I had three offers within a week when I made it known that I wanted to stop erecting and start operating. You want everyone to know your name and your phone to be full of contacts for when you need that next seat.
If you know of a small tower going up, it really wouldn't be a tough transition from a mobile to a 100' tall tower with 145' of boom. I came from an ironworker background and literally got praise on my first live pick for a contractor. Working for a company that supplies operators to non-signatory sites is a good way to hone your skills with people who just want a moving hook. If you tried to go big first, you'll get run off. You have to step yourself up in size and expectations. Hanging iron from a 400' tall crane can be intense. Try wood construction first.
If you can get in training time and get the NCCCO Tower through your local, do it. Make sure your brain learns what the crane needs to be smooth and fast. Every crane is different. You can never be too smooth unless it's causing you to be slow. Tower crane operation is aggressive as you progress. But you can be too fast. If you are so fast and aggressive that you are having mishaps and no one can keep up, you have to tone it down.
When you get a seat, let me know. If I know the crane I'll pass along operational tips. If you get me a state, maybe I can find a contact for you to see if they know of an unfilled seat. I know some people in California and Hawaii.
Thank you for the advice I live in California and I have been on the waiting list for cranes there for almost two years it seems to be taking awhile for apprentices to be taken in. In the mean time I am operating dirt equipment and getting to know the responsibilities of what it means to operate a heavy piece of equipment. Through my job I have gotten to experience a little bit with rigging and signaling for smaller hydraulic cranes. Which has been a good start, But it is not at all to the scale as I want to be doing it at. If you could get me a seat or people to get in contact with that would be great. Also do u take pictures of the cranes you work in and other surrounding tower cranes in Seattle because i love the views that you have in your videos of your cranes and other tower cranes in the skyline. That is just a perspective that I don't ever get to see. And I love tower cranes so much that every time I see them in the cities I have to stop and take pictures of them as funny as that sounds.
+The690ELC I don't know how California's labor contracts work. I'm not looking to cause a fight, but... what happens up here is that the Operators get paid a few dollars less in benefits than ironworkers. So if you get a decent signalperson as an operator, the contractor saves a few bucks. Tell your business agent your goal and that you want to get into signalling. If you are willing to work hard and learn what they teach you, you'll be golden. Signalling becomes an easy job if you think ahead with it. Then when you roll back into the apprenticeship classes you make cranes the focus and eventually someone will open that door for you to walk through. You have to get your name out there in cranes. Signalling is the easiest door to open. Best of Luck!
sounds good thank you for the advice on everything you have been a huge help nice to hear from an operators perspective on things Best of luck to you as well and keep coming out with the videos they are fantastic
+rotyag So you need to be Working Iron and be Signaling in order to get a Chance to get some training!???
Can you just go to the Union, OR some Company Office and tell them You're Interested, and they'll Hook You Up Like A Crain?????
What Would Be The First Step To Get Into Tower Crain Operation In The State Of Texas!?????
What other Wolff models have you run?
226 and 325. Both from the 80's. The old Wolff's aren't safety compliant here so no one puts them out any more. Only rentals show up now and then. Swing is harsh on them. immediate and direct torque that is good or bad depending on your taste. Hoists can have a lot of run out if the eddy current isn't set up properly. Ladders are terrible. Angles cause me to hit my shins and the rungs are uneven between towers so if you don't pay attention it feels like you missed a rung. Pins connecting the towers can have the spring clips spin and try to back out or break off.
I hear good things about the new ones. I don't care for the old ones. Way oddball and lacking refinement in just about every way.
It's too bad you didn't get a chance to run the 224b that was in Seattle a year or two ago. Newer machine. I had it on the job before it was there, beauty machine to run.
Chris m I'll look forward to an opportunity to run something more modern. They do have a good reputation around the world.
So normally this boom would be...*WHACKK*
Was that Nuway's crane?
Yes Sir
How to become a crane operator??
Typically you want to rig for a crane first. Most operators that never see it from the other side aren't empathic and they are garbage as operators. They'll be 20 years in and everyone below them is just surviving the ordeal. I've been under several hundred different operators because I was a tower crane erector. And within minutes I know what kind of operator I'm dealing with. Having had a variety of experiences allows me to adjust to personalities too. To that end, I'm highly recommending a couple of years below a hook. You could learn how to signal and rig in a couple of weeks. But you want to be proficient. The second step is training hours. I think NCCCO has hour requirements and passing a written test to take the practical. Certain cities and states also have stricter standards. Like in Washington you need 500 hours being trained by an operator. To put that in perspective, you can get a helicopter pilots license in 40. Let's be clear, that's union protectionism at play. So you'll need to check with your state rules. Some schools do trainings too. It's expensive. But it's a pretty good job if sitting in a box in the sky separated from everyone is for you. I loved it. I'm social, but also cool with not connecting with anyone. You'll have to gauge that aspect for yourself. I say it here specifically tying it in with the cost considerations of a school. It's the best choice to go through a union and get paid to learn if that's an option in your market.
Contact crane companies, tower crane companies, unions... You just pick up the phone and cold call. Most of us that were there are happy to take the call and let you know what we know about who is, or will be looking. It can feel like you are turned away because of you. It's really just what the market is doing the dictates it. Texas through the Carolinas is pretty busy right now. West Coast is a bit grim. Lots of Canada is doing well. Best of luck.