Buy vs. Lease, Deciding What is Best for You
Your current/near future project scope, workload and long-term business plans will be the biggest determinants as to whether or not you need buy or hire a crane. You need to consider your daily, weekly and monthly needs to help you ascertain if you have the time, energy and manpower to own and operate a crane.
If you do not plan to use a crane on a regular basis, it may be more practical to simply hire a crane. Usually when you hire a crane the rental company supplies you with an operator as well. Most crane rental companies charge you on the time that the crane is actually in use, so the more you use it the more you pay. There are several factors that go into the price of renting a crane and each job requires a tailored quote, this is why it is so hard to get a crane rental ‘price list’.
If you conclude that buying a crane is right for you. Here are a few helpful tips to purchasing a crane. You need to consider:
• What is its primary use?
• Where will you be using it?
• What additional components will you need?
• Ensuring your General Arrangement includes essential criteria.
• Make sure you understand the safety requirements and legislation for your new purchase.
Posted in Cranes by Jason .
Crane inspection list
A crane inspection list is a list of things an operator should check before operating crane equipment, inspections should be carried out each time before use to ensure that the equipment is working safely. Cranes generally are large equipment that carries high risk with use to users and the general public. All crane safety plans should include an inspection list, these can differ for each type of crane but will generally include the following;
– General measurement of wear on several different parts of the crane.
– Ensure there are no stretched or loose rivets, bolts, and pins
– Check equipment for any cracks or corrosion.
– Check brakes and brake linings.
– Check clutch systems, pawls, and ratchets
– Check for wear and cracks in rollers, bearings, shafts, and gears.
– Check all electrical components.
– Tyres should have no bulges or cuts and the tyre treads must not be too worn.
Posted in Cranes by Jason .
What is a Tower Crane?
What is a tower crane?
Tower cranes are a common type of crane found on most construction sites and are typically used for lifting operations in the construction industry. Due to there size, they are hard to miss they go up to 100 feet in the air and can be just as wide too.
Generally, they are used to lift steel, concrete, large equipment like generators, and a huge variety of building materials. Tower cranes are mainly used to transport and lift capacity from one area to another.
They come in several different shapes and sizes –
– Static tower cranes
– Rail-mounted tower crane
– Self-erecting crane
– Crawling tower crane
– Tower crane jib
When deciding which type of tower crane, you will need, you will need to consider all of the factors involved. It is a good idea to choose a machine that has a working margin in respect of the load capacity.
Posted in Cranes by Jason .
What Are Jib Cranes Used For?
If you are thinking about investing in a jib crane, there are multiple businesses that manufacture them. Some of them are located locally, whereas others may have international manufacturing locations. Jib cranes are often used by people in the automotive industry to lift heavy engines. They can also be very helpful within a warehouse setting. These are installed either in the ground or on the wall, providing the necessary power to lift and lower heavy items. Here is a brief overview of what these cranes can do and why you may need to obtain one.
What Exactly Is A Jib Crane?
These cranes use a hoist. It is the horizontal component, also known as a boom, from which it is named. These are fixed, either in a wall, or on what is called a floor-mounted pillar, and are controlled remotely. Some of these controls are through wires and a control panel. Others can be remotely operated.
What Are They Used For?
When you see a jib crane in action, you will understand why they are so helpful in certain settings. It is their ability to lift objects, and by pivoting left or right, they can reposition loads that you are moving. They may also have a secondary boom which will provide even more precision. Whether this is for a warehouse, auto shop, or at a shipyard, they can speed up production very easily.
How To Find Jib Cranes For Sale?
These can be found on sale through many different websites. International websites that are marketing industrial products tend to have the best deals. Likewise, you may find businesses that are local that are currently offering them. It is recommended that you request several quotes from each of these businesses. Once you have them, consider the reputation of the business and also how long they have been producing them. This will give you confidence that your investment will lead to a worthwhile purchase.
If you are in the warehouse industry, or the automotive industry, you may already have a jib crane at your facility. If you do not, you can use these to improve how fast your workers are able to produce results. Whether you decide to get one or multiple units, these can be positioned virtually anywhere. These cranes are exceptional, and once you have these working at your facility, you may wonder why you had never used one before.
Posted in Cranes by Jason .
When to service your crane
Cranes are very expensive pieces of machinery and can cost a lot to repair if things go wrong. They also can be very dangerous if they are not maintained regularly and serviced. Regularly servicing your cranes helps you keep an eye on the general condition of your equipment and enables you to repair and upkeep them which can avoid a complete breakdown costing thousands of pounds.
But how often do you actually need to service your cranes?
LOLER regulations specify “a program of regular inspections and thorough examinations by a competent person”. But LOLER does not specify crane service frequencies and instead guides that is down to each manufacturer to determine, for each model.
So there is no set in stone frequencies at which you need to service your equipment you must follow the guides set by each manufacturer as a basic rule you should be servicing your cranes either every 6 months for equipment that lift people and every 12 months for equipment that lift goods only.
Posted in Cranes by Jason .
How to pick the right crane
To get the job done safely, efficiently and correctly requires having the right machinery for the job. Choosing a crane that meets your needs means having a think about your upcoming project and asking yourself a few key questions.
How high? The first thing you will need to consider is how high will your crane need to reach. You will also need to consider wind conditions. The higher you are the stronger the wind conditions will be.
How much weight? The weight of the load is another crucial factor that you will need to consider before picking your crane.
Terrain? You need to be certain that your crane will be stable enough to suit the terrain you will be working on.
Access? What king of access do you have to the job? Is it restricted? In a perfect world you would have easy access but this often isn’t the case. You will need to evaluate the access when considering which crane you need.
Posted in Cranes by Jason .