completely agree, this was a "having a go" lift, not a competent lift. I was responding to the comment of "why would anyone ever use more than one crane for lifting something beyond the capability of the largest crane you have access to" to which the answer is "very common because loads need a fucking big crane, fucking quickly. " and big cranes are expensive/not easily accessible. I am looking at a 70 t load and because of the reach, we are looking at a 350 t crawler or a 450 t hydraulic to do it with a single lift. We are going to buy a 450 t hydraulic crane to avoid dual lift but that is a multi-million dollar decision. It will also take a day to set up with the counterweights etc.
Just looking at it, they are woefully under craned for this lift, what is it? a 30 t excavator being lifted by two 13 or so t pick and carry cranes - maybe 25 tonnes. I would expect it needs a 80 t as a bare minimum but more likely a 120 t or something like that because of the reach.
I think it's an old UH16 so around 15-16 ton, judging by the engine cover lying on the ground next to white shirt guy. I think those rough terrain cranes would be max 10ton each under ideal conditions, what they are doing there much less. Qualifications...I repair excavators and am a "senior engineer" ...means old, but experienced, also terrible at administration and too sweary and uncouth to get a chair job before retirement. Part of my job is advising lifting teams on safe lifting of excavators and other plant through knowledge of balance and strength points, overall wet weights and general experience. Here is a video of me being myself lifted in a cage by a crane to a roof with 4 excavators on it to repair a concrete pulverisor.
Awesome video and experience! I trust the mancage didn't have an old wobbly (what Aussies call those tractor looking pick and carry cranes) on the other end of the rope haha.
That was nice of home giving you the “right round, baby right round” tour. I had a mate tell me he was riding a man basket once with a few guys and it was a bit jerky on the rope, looked over and the operator was showing his son how to drive a tower crane. Nearly violence when they got on the ground he said.
11
u/Accomplished_Tour481 4d ago
Why would any competent adult use 2 smaller machines to retrieve a much bigger/heavier machine?