MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
I can envision tree companys everywhere using them.
sawinredneck
Treehouser
Not seeing it yet Butch. These things are prone to collapse with even the most skilled operator. Wind is a MAJOR problem for them, and I seriously doubt the one hour setup time.
CurSedVoyce
California Hillbilly
They do make smaller self driven ones... I saw one that came from over seas one time on the net.. I am trying to find it..
Folds up so small it can go under arches and real tight areas... Like walking through a gate... Tight steering.. Self erecting in like 20 mins and towable.. It looked like it was made for those tight cobble stone streets in Europe where clearance etc is a huge issue..
Folds up so small it can go under arches and real tight areas... Like walking through a gate... Tight steering.. Self erecting in like 20 mins and towable.. It looked like it was made for those tight cobble stone streets in Europe where clearance etc is a huge issue..
CurSedVoyce
California Hillbilly
Here is a larger version of which I am speaking... still looking..
http://www.bhaiengineering.com/towercrane.htm
http://www.bhaiengineering.com/towercrane.htm
CurSedVoyce
California Hillbilly
Here's some towable ones
http://www.manitowoccranegroup.com/MCG_POT_AM/Products/EN/igoma13.asp
http://www.manitowoccranegroup.com/MCG_POT_AM/Products/EN/igoma13.asp
lumberjack
Young man on the go
Of course they make smaller ones. They make a few small enough to tow with a 1 ton.
That particular model would be under $300k delivered anywhere in the US. Various options would bring the price down.
I meant to say 1 day, not 1 hour. Mechanical erectors take a while longer to set up, but you gain capacity and in general hydro machines top out around 88' with a 0* luff, 110ish with a 17-18* luff, and most of the hydro's don't have luffing capabilities.
The machine above (K45T) at 0* has 148' beneath the hook, 162' at 30*.
At Lyon arboretum in Hawaii, it would be a big help for removing the cluster of 13 (?) albizias. I remember Leon thinking that job would run $250-300k.
That particular model would be under $300k delivered anywhere in the US. Various options would bring the price down.
I meant to say 1 day, not 1 hour. Mechanical erectors take a while longer to set up, but you gain capacity and in general hydro machines top out around 88' with a 0* luff, 110ish with a 17-18* luff, and most of the hydro's don't have luffing capabilities.
The machine above (K45T) at 0* has 148' beneath the hook, 162' at 30*.
At Lyon arboretum in Hawaii, it would be a big help for removing the cluster of 13 (?) albizias. I remember Leon thinking that job would run $250-300k.
lumberjack
Young man on the go
On a hydro machine, unfolding the works only takes about 20 minutes, longer on the mechanical. The less level the ground is, the longer it would take to get it level enough for the machine to compensate for, that can eat a couple hours. The counterweights can take an hour to put on, depending on your setup. The "figure" is 4 hours on a hydro, 8 on a mechanical. On a reasonably level surface, with a knuckle boom on the counterweight truck, and a couple skilled people, the time would be considerably less.
Tower cranes are no more prone to topple than any other crane that is set up comparatively. The cranes that went down in NY were no where near properly set up. A truck crane will topple over if the operator doesn't deploy the outriggers, that's hardly the crane's fault or a design flaw. Wind isn't any crane's friend, in a storm boom cranes have the advantage of being able normally to suck the boom in and lay it down whereas a tower crane is set to windmill.
CurSedVoyce
California Hillbilly
Still can't find that one I saw.. Was awesome engineering for tight places.. That thing would fit in places I would not believe possible.
CurSedVoyce
California Hillbilly
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/LWlj5nEqRCE&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/LWlj5nEqRCE&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
FJR
Treehouser
I remember that, it set back the grand opening a full year. Really scary to say the least.
CurSedVoyce
California Hillbilly
Would have seen me run ... Fur Sure!
rbtree
Climbing Up
- Joined
- Jun 22, 2005
- Messages
- 1,924
Carl, at one day to set up and one day to take down...that's what, easy, $5000 in setup costs....over double the setup time for a lattice boom crane.....the guy that has one here in the PNW has retired from tree work. His was a 70 tonner with 180 feet of stick. He would take a 110 foot fir, one piece, over the house..... brush and all, unless it was too big and heavy. a lattice boom crane can handle a lot more than a telescoping crane as its boom is light.
lumberjack
Young man on the go
Packing up is significantly faster than setting up. The crane could be set up and taken back down in 12 hours or less I'd figure. A hydro crane could be up and down in 6 or less.
Over half the time is getting the site/crane level and the safety/operating parameters set. When it comes time to pack up as soon as the boom is folded, start pulling counter weights as it's being derigged and stowed.
A lattice crane's footprint isn't much different than a hydro truck, this sets up in roughly 1/4 the space.
It's what I'd get, not trying to convince anyone it's right for them but I am trying to explain why I like it so.
Over half the time is getting the site/crane level and the safety/operating parameters set. When it comes time to pack up as soon as the boom is folded, start pulling counter weights as it's being derigged and stowed.
A lattice crane's footprint isn't much different than a hydro truck, this sets up in roughly 1/4 the space.
It's what I'd get, not trying to convince anyone it's right for them but I am trying to explain why I like it so.
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
Carl, you talk as if you've had experience with this equipment. Is that true? And if so, do go on!
What is a self errector?
Shucks, I got one of those built in. I was born with it.
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
Same here, unless I've had one too many. 
CurSedVoyce
California Hillbilly
I prefer not to erect anything alone... LMAO
SkwerI
Treehouser
12 hours to set up a crane is way too expensive for treework. If the crane is only worth $150 per hour then setup will add $1800 to the cost. This can work when you're building a skyscraper and the crane will be used for many weeks or months, but is unrealistic for a 1 day job.
Truck mounted cranes can set up in 15-30 minutes. Much easier to still be profitable on a 4-6 hour job.
Truck mounted cranes can set up in 15-30 minutes. Much easier to still be profitable on a 4-6 hour job.
lumberjack
Young man on the go
12 hours up and down B-mang.
In post 43 I said it wasn't perfect for normal tree work, but regular cranes are a dime a dozen and I prefer a market with lower competition. If I expected enough tree volume to keep a boom truck busy, obviously there's no reason not to get one.
However, since my "tree area" has less than 60k people, a boom truck wouldn't be kept busy doing tree work. Since for tree work near 90% of my time has been with cranes from 100-175T, I wouldn't get a boom truck just for tree work as I can get a 28T rear mount for $120 an hour, 2 hour minimum. There have been quite a few jobs where a crane with 150' of reach would have been epically awesome, especially on jobs removing large numbers of trees around a home. The tiny set up deminsions is also not a bad thing. With this crane I could expand a bit area wise and hunt for the larger removal jobs with several trees getting removed from a single setup.
Construction wise, a 3-4 hour radius would certainly keep it busy. Here there's 3 main crane companies and another 2-3 companys with boom trucks. It'd be foolish to jump in fighting for market share (since I don't have enough tree work) with something that's no different than what everyone else already has paid for. So, I'd get a self erector.
MB, I've only seen them in passing, never used one. I first read about them in 06 (Crane industry rag) and have followed teir development.
In post 43 I said it wasn't perfect for normal tree work, but regular cranes are a dime a dozen and I prefer a market with lower competition. If I expected enough tree volume to keep a boom truck busy, obviously there's no reason not to get one.
However, since my "tree area" has less than 60k people, a boom truck wouldn't be kept busy doing tree work. Since for tree work near 90% of my time has been with cranes from 100-175T, I wouldn't get a boom truck just for tree work as I can get a 28T rear mount for $120 an hour, 2 hour minimum. There have been quite a few jobs where a crane with 150' of reach would have been epically awesome, especially on jobs removing large numbers of trees around a home. The tiny set up deminsions is also not a bad thing. With this crane I could expand a bit area wise and hunt for the larger removal jobs with several trees getting removed from a single setup.
Construction wise, a 3-4 hour radius would certainly keep it busy. Here there's 3 main crane companies and another 2-3 companys with boom trucks. It'd be foolish to jump in fighting for market share (since I don't have enough tree work) with something that's no different than what everyone else already has paid for. So, I'd get a self erector.
MB, I've only seen them in passing, never used one. I first read about them in 06 (Crane industry rag) and have followed teir development.
lumberjack
Young man on the go
I'm ok with that, my parents said the same thing about getting in the tree biz, man lift, chipper, chip truck, mini skid, and dump trailer.
M
Mr. Sir
Guest
You're still young, you'll outgrow that. 
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
Youth is wasted on the young.
M
Mr. Sir
Guest
Carl, you just need a girlfriend to take your mind off of this "self-erector" dream. 
