Crane Rigging

[BoesTreeService]

I am curious if there is anyone can offer some advice or steer me in the right direction for rigging large limb removals with crane assistance.

Crane size, weight capacities, and rigging techniques and hardware would all be helpful. I have turned down some hefty paydays on some very large maples and oaks in the area due to lack of knowledge in this area. I just found out that the cost of a crane rental is not at all prohibitive to a fair profil on a crane removal.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[okietreedude1]

There is a video out by the Chisolm family about crane removals. Ive not seen it to give any feed back one way or another.

Ive done some crane work myself and getting a knowlegable crane op on the job site ahead of time can be helpful. As with any rigging, start small. You sure dont want to topple one over. And check too whose insurance prevails should something go wrong.

 

[clearance]

Terry, a few things, others will add more 1) is the crane op. experienced with tree removals? 2) where are the powerlines? can the crane, cable, tree or anything else come within 10ft. (on residential distribution lines)? 3) is the crane set up properly, outriggers on solid ground, pads, etc.? It is always better to have too big of a crane, the further out from the machine the less it can lift and the more it can tip. Some think cranes are no big deal, they are, I have rigged for small (Hiabs) to big (hammerhead cranes on highrises), Demag 80 ton machines and so on, rig up of the machine is essential, the hallmark of a good operator is smooth. Pickup a book on rigging and crane use, they are good to have. My buddy almost got smoked with a big cottonwood log because of an impatient, know it all operator, it is a job for calm, steady people, good luck to you.

 

[xtremetrees]

You can buy a small crane for nearly nothing bro. Craneing large limbs is the craziest thing ive ever heard of.But unless you get a big one being 30 tonn or more . You may have to. Try not to shock load the crane. You cut the tree down the crane operator dont. Never let the crane operator tell you how much to cut, unless he says to take less. He doesn't know tree species weight. Start with small picks and see how dude reacts to larger ones, if he's getting a scared look in his eye stay smaller .lol a few simple head nods should be all the commo you need.the last one I worked was a 40 tonner on Hurrican Ivan. Lettmee tell ya bro watching 5000 lb tops boom away slowly makes a quick tree death.lol

Back in 98 I was driving a 21.5 tonner everyday. It was a 3 man team and didnt much come our way that we couldnt wack down. 2 C.A.'s and 1 bucketman. It's the ideal team in my opinion.

Anyway, We tied into the wire cable above the ball with a loop runner and a ball lock carabiner used a splittail and safetied into the hook as we rode to the first pic. The use of a splittail is almost necessary in my opinion. It speeds things up so much youd not want to do it without one.

Set your straps rapell down to your first cut, safety in, pull climbing line out of the ball, reattach below your first cut, never have to retie your climbing knott(because of splittail, make your cut and wait for your straps. I always carried two straps so I didnt have to wait .

2 0r 3 cuts and the tree is done.
Youll be doing most trees top down. This is totally different that what I was used to I had to get acustomed to the mass of the tree fitting into the space below me..

Thou I was originally taught to always notch craning wood I am of the philosophy this isnt necessary and just a simple back cut will do. I know that as little as a pencils diameter will hold back a monster piece i abonded the notch in favor of a simple back cut. Not even a verticle snap cut. Of course all cuts are different the point I make is unless the crane operator know what he's doing ie experienced in trees he will overcompensate.
Be prepared for his inexperience and make allowances, the simple baack cut is best for this in my opinion.

If your chanderliering ( useing 3 straps for a pick) this allows for even more misgivings and unforseen events like balancing.

 

[jmack]

I am curious if there is anyone can offer some advice or steer me in the right direction for rigging large limb removals with crane assistance.

Crane size, weight capacities, and rigging techniques and hardware would all be helpful. I have turned down some hefty paydays on some very large maples and oaks in the area due to lack of knowledge in this area. I just found out that the cost of a crane rental is not at all prohibitive to a fair profil on a crane removal.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

redo this thread over in commercial and reachout to sir pouralot my thread was under crane i think, it was the seeking the same info as you are i got a lot of good responses from crane guys j

 

[KentuckySawyer]

Find an experienced operator, strap it, cut it butt heavy, and take it to the chipper.

Easy...

 

[jmack]

Find an experienced operator, strap it, cut it butt heavy, and take it to the chipper.

Easy...

you sound experienced ks why butt heavy?

 

[diltree]

Crane Work

These guys are all giving good advice, but I still think the best advice is to hire a climber that has extensive experience working with cranes and learn first hand. Too many tree care outfits are tipping cranes over; two went down this year in mass, Its just to dangerous to jump into crane work without being trained first hand. You could take small pieces all day and shockload the line once at the right boom angle and its all over, thats a fact. Our company has owned and operated cranes for years so I have some extensive experience. We have some pics of crane jobs on our web site if you want to check them out...thats just my two cents good luck...oh and we have a 17 ton for sale if you want to buy a crane....good luck

www.dillontree.com

 

[Treeman14]

you sound experienced ks why butt heavy?

You don't want the piece flipping over. Someone already mentioned this, but the sign of a good crane crew is very little or no movement as the piece is cut loose. For most pieces you'll be taking, first try to visualize the center of balance for the limb you'll be cutting, then tie it off somewhere around halfway between that point and the tip so the piece is significantly butt heavy. The tip of the crane's boom should be positioned directly above your cut and the cable tightened until the limb just starts to pick up. I usually don't use a notch, just a straight through undercut. As I cut, the crane operator applies more tension to stand the limb up straight. Most times the limb hardly moves at all as I finish the cut. For long horizontal limbs, I'll often use two chokers to balance it instead of trying to stand it up.

I did a job last week with the 50 ton crane. A 40" laurel oak behind a two story house. The back yard was a jungle of smaller trees, plants, fish ponds, gardens, brick walls, statues, benches, and a whole bunch of other junk. In other words, no access and no drop zone. I would not have attempted the job without a crane, it would have taken at least a week to get it down and hauled away. We did the entire tree, all 32,000 pounds of it, in three hours. One crane, one climber(me), and two ground men chipping.