[TheForge] Ahh, for a crane....

[RIES NIEMI]

I must admit, I too have looked fondly at used cranes, but I have come to
the conclusion that anything big enough to be really useful would be really
expensive and a lot of maintenance. I have a forklift, which can be used for
all kinds of things besides loading trucks. Put a pallet on it, and you can
work on the ceiling. We use it all the time as a work positioner in the
shop, holding heavy things at the right height to work on them.

A little boom truck, the kind sign companies or utilities use, is seldom
able to lift more than a ton or two. There is a guy up here who has a really
cool ten ton Palfinger Austrian crane, mounted on a flatbed truck. It is
radio controlled from a belt pack with joysticks, and can bend and extend
every which-a-way. However, I think with truck he is into it for at least
60-80 grand.

A real big crane would be nice- there was a guy where I used to live in Cali
who had a 35 ton rough terrain crane- self propelled, kinda like a 4wd
pickup. 

Entropy is a killer though... I find myself as public works crew for a small
town at my place, what with having to keep the electrical, plumbing, air
compressor lines, propane for heat, and all the misc. tools running. The
more complicated a machine is, the more often it breaks down, and needs
expensive parts and consumables. Cranes are no exception, and bigger than
most.

On the other hand, I have lusted after a bridge crane for years. Nice and
simple- one electric motor, some zerks fittings and a steel frame. I am
thinking about building another shop building, sort of a storage and big
assembly shop, and I am going to be looking for a used bridge crane for it.
Nothing too big- 2-5 tons is plenty, but imagine the convenience of being
able to pick up anything, anywhere in the shop, and move it anywhere else,
or load it into a truck, with the touch of a button.
I am getting older, and over the years comealongs, chainfalls, prybars,
dollies, winches and inclined planes have lost their allure.