Within a week of being hired, we had installed a 45 metre Koenig K70 with an 8,800 lb. maximum lift up close and a 2,000 lb capacity at a 148 foot radius. All at about a quarter of the cost to hire a mobile crane.

To read the full case study, click here.

derrick crane

It all started with an idea, and some Lego.

One night, Ryan Burton, Managing Director of Bigfoot Crane, was playing Lego with his son and they started to build a miniature Derrick Crane. Weighted with nickels and dimes as ballast, the Lego creation was lifting materials up onto the roof of an imaginary building.

It got Ryan thinking.

Soon after, he contacted Mainland Machinery, and they began designing an innovative Derrick Crane with enough lift capacity to replace some of the biggest crawlers and all-terrain cranes in the marketplace.

But it wasn’t just about strength, it was about portability.

The goal was to build a Derrick Crane that was compact enough to go up an elevator and, just with man power, be assembled on a balcony or rooftop. From there, the Derrick would be able to winch materials up off the street.

Ryan insisted that the Derrick needed to be portable, but also able to lift to a maximum of 750 feet, depending on the winch package. The tower of the crane would need to reach ten feet above the roof to allow room for materials to be onloaded, but the crane would also need an inclinable jib so an even higher hook height could be achieved.

The result was a Derrick Crane with a single design but with 24 footing designs to accommodate a variety of rooftop applications. With its flexible design and a fast winch motor, the crane could be assembled in about four hours, allowing for maximum efficiency on projects.

For high-reach projects on existing buildings or industrial structures, Bigfoot’s Derrick Crane provided a great alternative to large crawler and all-terrain cranes. Not only did the new Derrick lift to the same height as the larger cranes, but it eliminated the street closures that are often associated with high-angle urban projects.

 

Technical Spec Highlights:

Heaviest Component: 150 lbs

Maximum lift capacity: 1 tonne (2,000 pounds)

Maximum service height: 750 ft

Jib length: 13 ft

 

Click here to see the Derrick Crane in action on a balcony in downtown Vancouver.

For full product details and to inquire about renting this crane for your next project, contact Ryan at 604.854.3218 or call toll free at 1.877.852.2192.

Tower crane safety rules

Truthfully, operating a tower crane can be challenging in the best of weather conditions. Anyone who has worked in the construction industry can tell you that the weather doesn’t always cooperate. This makes it important to know about operating tower cranes in extreme weather.

Weather delays can easily double the amount of time it takes to complete a job. Considering the importance of timelines and scheduling on construction projects, it it almost inevitable that some work will be undertaken in some tough conditions. However, by taking a number of precautionary measures, the risk involved with working in these conditions can be minimized.

Wind

Wind is dangerous, making it the first consideration of safely operating a tower crane in extreme weather. All cranes have a designated maximum wind speed under which they can be safely operated. If winds exceed this speed, the operation of the crane is no longer safe. Wind ratings vary between different cranes, models, and configurations, so it is important to know how windy conditions affect your particular crane or its setup.

If a lift needs to be done in windy conditions, several factors should be considered. Generally, manufacturers will provide guidelines for the maximum wind speed a lift can be done in. If these recommendations are not available, wind speeds of 20 miles per hour are the absolute maximum a lift should be conducted in. You may want to consider delaying the lift if the wind is blowing in the range of 15-20 miles per hour.

Windy conditions change the characteristics of the load, which increases the risk of hoisting the load. If there is a chance the load catches a large gust of wind or the wind speed is too high and makes the load difficult to control, consider delaying the lift.

Another aspect to consider is knowing the direction of the wind. If the building is positioned where the load might encounter side or rear wind, it makes it risky to hoist the load. The load could catch the wind gusts and put an unknown strain on the crane, which could make the lift unsafe based on average conditions laid out in the crane’s chart.

It is also important to remember that wind speed tends to increase with height. As you hoist your lift higher above the ground, it may encounter higher winds. If the lift is being done between two structures, it could be subject to a wind tunnel effect, since wind gusts are funnelled between structures, increasing wind speed.

Cold

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, extremely cold temperatures can also have a negative effect on the performance of tower cranes. Cold can affect many elements of a tower crane, including its hydraulics, rigging devices, and hoists. Cold weather can also reduce the tensile strength of the crane and in extreme cases, cause a catastrophic failure during operation.

At zero degrees Celsius, the cold begins to influence hoists and rigging devices. In sub-zero temperatures, the weather can affect the crane’s hydraulics and maximum load capacity. If a lift is being conducted in the extreme cold, the potential failure of hydraulic systems should be considered, and the maximum load should be reduced by 25 percent.

If the temperature dips to between minus 30 to 40 degrees Celsius, the crane’s maximum load should be reduced by 40 percent and delaying the lift should be considered. If temperatures on site are below minus 40, all lifts should be halted unless they must be used for emergency reasons.

Cold Weather Precautions and Adjustments

If a crane is being operated in a cold climate, you can make several changes for safer operation. Cold weather paint finishes, such as two-part epoxies or hold-dipped galvanized steel are available and can withstand temperatures as low as minus 57. Enclosed track systems, which can be constructed from these materials and made to surround moving parts, can protect the crane’s trolley from the ice buildup that is common at extreme cold temperatures.

The operation of motors can be problematic in sub-zero conditions, but can potentially be solved by using electrified systems, such as conductor bars. Conductor bar sections serve as a cold weather alternative to box track festooning. They are made from galvanized steel and are designed to carry a specific current without overheating. Conductor bar sections can prevent the buildup of ice and other debris on the crane’s joints.

Several crane parts are also available for cold weather-specific operations. Heated control enclosures and gearboxes, arctic duty motors, and special lubricants for low temperatures  are just a few examples of equipment that can be utilized in these less-than-ideal conditions.

photo via www.stockarch.com

 

San Marco Tower Crane Sale

Recently Eagle West Cranes & Equipment (acquired by Bigfoot Crane Company) was proud to complete the sale of new San Marco SMT 520 City Crane to Smedley Crane & Rigging out of Branford CT. As part of the sales process, I recently had the opportunity to visit the first job site for this crane in Cambridge MA for a Hanover Company jobsite.

The jobsite currently also is utilizing a San Marco Self Erecting Crane, the SMH 421. The customer has been pleased with their San Marco cranes and now with the two cranes on opposing corners of the site can service nearly the entire project with these 2 cranes. Getting to see both cranes on site in person gives a great appreciation for the increased efficiency these cranes can bring to a project.

The sale of this crane would not be possible without the entire team we have here at Eagle West (acquired by Bigfoot Crane Company)  working together to complete this delivery. Through production at the factory, delivery via sea containers from San Marco to Branford CT, trucking to Cambridge and setup on site it was a unique and learning experience to go through every stage of the sale and delivery on this crane.

Bigfoot Crane Company is proud to be the distributor for San Marco cranes and to learn what our self erecting, city, and tower cranes can do for your jobs please visit:

https://bigfootcrane.com/cranes-for-rent/

 

I want to personally thank all of the hard work of every member of our team that make opportunities like this possible and allow us to deliver the highest quality in both products and service to our customers.

 

San Marco City Crane SMT 520 Cambridge MA 2013 (2)San Marco Tower Crane

Boscaro Self Dumping Bin

The A-D Series Self Dumping Crane Bucket

Bigfoot Crane Company is your one-stop shop from the smallest of self erectors to some of the largest tower cranes in the market today, all complimented with the accessories you need to maximize on-site crane performance. Bigfoot Crane is the exclusive North American distributor of Boscaro Crane Attachments.

using crane buckets

 

Crane accessories like Boscaro’s Self Dumping Bins provide a payload up to 10,575 lbs, capacity up to 4 cu yd and a “no hands required” self dumping feature that can increase safety and efficiency on a project site.

dumping crane buckets

 

Eagle West Equipment (acquired by Bigfoot Crane Company) had the opportunity to do a live demonstration of the A300D self dumping bins for our customer, Northwest Construction Inc. We consulted with them about their project needs and highlighting how the accessories could help them on their project.

self dumping crane bucketscrane buckets

 

Eagle West Cranes & Equipment’s Safety Application Specialist, Derek Autenrieth commented “The live demonstration went very well. Larry and his team saw the safety and efficiency that our self dumping bins offer. They purchased two self dumping crane buckets and we look forward to opportunities to work with Northwest again.”

self dumping crane buckets by boscaro

 

Northwest Construction Inc. based out of Bellevue in Washington State, is a full service site work contractor specializing in commercial, industrial, and residential developments throughout the Pacific Northwest.

This is what they had to say about their purchase and application of two A300D Boscaro Self Dumping Bins:

“The product demonstration and video that Derek provided for us when we came to Eagle West was very informative and definitely helped us in making our decision to purchase the bins and understand their value for us and our projects. We appreciate the time and effort put in by Eagle West and will continue to look for any opportunity to do business with them again and again.”

Larry Smith
Project Manager
Northwest Contracting Inc.

 

 

Spreader Bars for Lifting

Revolutionize Your Use of Crane Spreader Bars

The use of spreader bars has many advantages; they protect your load from rigging materials, enable multi pick point lifts and ensure a maintained sling angle throughout your hoist.

Although the typical spreader bars of the industry have these benefits, their use comes with some drawbacks. Typical spreader bars, even when telescopic, have a maximum length. Once the needed length for a lift exceeds this, you will need to purchase another spreader bar. For anyone who performs a variety of hoists, this will require a variety of spreader bar sizes to be available.

crane spreader bars

 

With the Boscaro EZ spreader bar lifting system the need for an assortment of bars is eliminated. The unique design of male and female interlocking components provides you with multiple configurations. Each section can be utilized as an individual bar or the sections can be combined to form 1 adjustable spreader bar. “Jobs often require multiple lifts with varied size requirements. With this system I’ve been able to perform a pick with a 20 foot wide bar, change the configuration on site and proceed with a second lift using the bar at 14 feet. Normally you would need two sets of bars for that,” remarked Butch Garton, Crane & Rigging Specialist at Delaware based company, Active Crane Rentals, Inc. Based on 1 foot increments, Boscaro’s 8 foot system is adjustable from 7-34 feet; allowing you to adapt to the changing demands of your jobsite.

crane spreader bars lifting amtrak carhoist with ez spreader bar

 

Using the 8 foot spreader bar lifting system by Boscaro also helps to improve your lift capacity. The components feature a lightweight design yet are capable of a 35 ton capacity when used at 8 feet and 7 tons when adjusted to 34 feet.

pipe pull with crane spreader bars

 

The bars come galvanized, which increases durability and prevents paint chips due to repetitive movement. The lightweight build and the option to disassemble the components make transportation, assembly and storage of the system simple and time efficient. “Other bars are heavier and don’t come apart, so you can’t have the crew move them by hand,” noted Butch. “I can put my entire EZ spreader bar lifting system in my pickup truck, take it to the job and assemble it onsite in 15 to 20 minutes, without any assist equipment required.”

crane spreader bars placing trusses

 

The EZ spreader bar lifting system by Boscaro is available in a 4 foot or 8 foot system. The 4 foot option extends from 4-10 feet and has a capacity of up to 8 tons when fully extended. With a range of 8-34 feet the 8 foot kit option is rated for up to 7 tons at a 34 foot length. For further details about how the Boscaro EZ spreader bar lifting system can improve your efficiency and help manage project costs please contact Bigfoot Crane Company.

 

San Marco Tower Crane

When Haebler Construction was assigned with the task of reconstructing the historic Garage Building on Water Street in the Gastown district of downtown Vancouver, Canada, they faced a unique challenge, in terms of extra tight working conditions.

The solution was a tower crane, namely the San Marco SMT 551 City Crane.

The SMT 551 was installed with a customized configuration and set up to operate with a short jib of just 36 meters (118′) down from the standard 55 meters (180′) and from a mobile base with a footprint of just a 14′ 9″ X 14′ 9″. In this configuration, the SMT 551 can hoist loads as heavy as 8,000 kg (17,636 lb) at the mast and can lift 2,100 kg (4,630 lb) at the jib tip.

To find out which San Marco crane is right for your next construction project, please contact our national sales office at 1-877-740-6950.

Note: The job in Vancouver’s Gastown was organized and executed by Eagle West Equipment, whose entire tower crane fleet was subsequently acquired by Bigfoot Crane Company.

tower crane safety tips

 

tower crane in vancouver, bc

The most common cause of crane accidents is human error, whether that means crane operators, signalers, or those responsible for maintenance and safety procedures. Safe work practices and procedures are absolutely essential for the prevention of crane accidents.

While a crane may appear to be a simple device, its operation involves complex physics. You don’t need to be an engineer to operate a crane safely, but everyone involved with the crane’s operation should be follow some basic steps for safe operation.

Here are the top ten ways to prevent crane accidents:

  1. Crane Inspection. Every crane should undergo an annual inspection—that’s the first step. But daily checks are also critical, to ensure that all components are working properly. Many operators are unaware that pushing a crane to its limits can lead to the damage of key components, which could lead to failure.
  2. Field Level Hazard Assessment. This is the process by which the operator identifies site and job-specific hazards, then evaluates the associated risks, and then eliminates or controls the hazards prior to beginning work.
  3. Lift Plan. Every lift is different, so it’s important to review all hazards, the load weight capacities, integrity of the equipment, the possible effect of wind, and any other factors. The operator, riggers, and other workers involved with the lift must be part of that planning process.
  4. Communication. Everyone needs to know what’s happening. Communicate hazards and controls for the site-specific task. Communicate safe work practices and procedures to be followed. Communicate the plan to successfully complete the task. Communicate and assign clear roles and responsibilities to the ground crew. Communicate and agree on the plan by having everyone sign off on the plan.
  5. Follow the Plan. Far too often, accidents occur when the plan is not followed or enforced.
  6. Know the Ground Conditions. The most powerful crane is only as strong and stable as the surface upon which it stands. It’s critical to know what’s underneath the crane, in terms of the classification of the soil or other material. Only then can the setup and the load limits be adjusted accordingly. While many cranes are equipped with outriggers, they do not ensure a stable surface. It’s important to know the load weight and how that is affected by the conditions of your job site. The crane’s load chart can help you determine whether your lift will be safe.
  7. Know the Crane’s Radius. The specific arc in which the counterweight and boom travel is called the swing radius. It’s important to ensure that the area within that radius is barricaded off. It is critically important to establish a control zone for those authorized to work in the immediate area. Constantly check the area throughout the day to ensure that there are no objects in the radius of the boom. If an obstacle is introduced, be sure that the operator and other workers are aware of it and a plan is intact to avoid it.
  8. Use the Crane Properly. Cranes are engineered for vertical lifting, so be careful to ensure that the crane is not being used for side loading or other improper activities. Using a crane to drag something across the ground or from under an obstacle puts extreme stress on the boom, on the turntable, and on all of the structural members. It could potentially weaken key components and lead to failure.
  9. Clear Signaling. Whether you use radios, air horns, hand signals, or some other method, there needs to be clear communication between the operator and the signaler. That’s especially critical when a crane is making a lift in which the operator cannot see the load. Don’t assume that everyone knows how instructions will be communicated. Make sure everyone understands the signaling system and follows it.
  10. Stay Focused. Everyone involved with the operation of a crane needs to stay alert and focused on the job at hand. Distraction and lack of focus are common causes of work-related incidents and accidents.
crane company

Your choice of crane type makes a big impact on construction performance.

When Mike Brys, Site Superintendent for the Paric Corporation, was about to embark on a massive construction project in Kirkwood, Missouri, he was aware of the general preference in the area for using mobile cranes, like a rough terrain crane or the standard hydraulic crane.

The job was called Aberdeen Heights, which was over 600,000 square feet of senior housing construction, including four- to five-story wall-panel construction and huge trussed roof with center courtyards.

view from tower craneHowever, instead of mobile cranes, the Paric Corporation decided on two San Marco tower cranes: an SMT 551 on a mobile base (with 105-foot under hook and a 180-foot jib) and an SMT 522 on a mobile base (with 118-foot under hook and a 170-foot jib).

The two San Marcos were rented from Custom Service Crane Inc. and they turned out to be the only two cranes used to service Building B for the project.

Directly adjacent to their site, another framing contractor was working on Building A, which was a very similar four-story structure. However, the obvious difference on their site was that they were using four mobile cranes to service the project.

“Progress on the building using the two tower cranes was substantially further along,” commented Randy Huffman, Owner of Custom Service Crane, Inc. It was a clear example of how tower cranes gave a noticeable advantage over the more traditional mobile cranes.

According to Jeremy Pokorny with Con Tech Carpentry, the tower cranes outperformed the mobile cranes. In the midst of the project, Pokorny said, “Both buildings were on similar schedules, but we’ve completed, and they haven’t. There’s no comparison between tower cranes and mobile cranes, the tower cranes could reach everywhere, and the mobile cranes couldn’t.”

tower cranes vs mobile cranes

“The other contractors using mobile cranes definitely had to work harder on their project,” observed Brys of Paric, “and since they are still in production, they are obviously paying higher costs’.

“The decision to go with the San Marcos came with a big pay day,” said Pokorny. “Everything ran smoothly. We could reach everything we needed to reach, and we didn’t need to move materials for the crane to get access. If we had to do it over again, we’d do it the same way, no doubt.”

tower cranes home buildingThe San Marco SMTs are known for their efficient technology and simple operation. Based on that, the two tower cranes were able to access materials and every part of the large construction site without delay and without site roads. The tower cranes created direct cost reductions because there was no need for off-road forklifts, rough terrain or mobile cranes, or other forms of rented onsite hoisting equipment.

The bottom line was the fact that contractors could rent a tower crane for the same or less cost as other temporary crane services, while cutting other major costs.

“I would definitely encourage Con Tech Carpentry to keep using the San Marco SMT Tower Cranes for future projects,” said Brys. “Because of their simplicity to set up and use and their reduced need for a staging area.”

Custom Service Crane is the Bigfoot Crane dealer for Illinois, with service into Indiana, Missouri, and Michigan.

www.customservicecrane.com

www.sanmarcocranes.com