What I find fun, is when I drop the hook directly over a pick, while a guy is standing there waiting to give me signals, but then he realizes I've nailed it and he doesn't need to, but how, as I'm behind a wall or whatever? They don't know I have a camera, I sometimes tell them in advance, depending on the job, but the camera allows me to do a job, drive off, and leave them thinking I'm some kind of wizard. I don't think I've come across anyone yet I've worked with that has mentioned they have worked before with a camera equipped crane or boom truck. If I had the financial need and the inclination, I'd attempt to package up what I did and market it, but that sounds too much like work. I think mine cost me around 3 K, not sure, the hi def wireless transmitter being the single biggest ticket item, the camera itself less than $200.00, the in cab 10" monitor about the same. I at first tried lithium batteries, but for whatever reason had issues with them and found plain old sealed, bur rechargable, lead acid work better, still don't know why that is, but at least they are cheap, $30.00 or so, last at least a year. Besides the 10 watt solar panel I usually will plug it in overnight, I have yet to run out of power on a job.
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Just some work pics
- Thread starter crane operator
- Start date
Welder Dave
Senior Member
Simple enough to keep some spare batteries just in case.
RocketScott
Well-Known Member
I'm still trying to figure out how to make the camera work on a boom truck with two stations. A bracket that I could pivot between the two sides would probably work but depending on where the sun is it might be hard to see the screen. I was thinking today that a magnetic mount would be better. Just stick it wherever is best
HATCHEQUIP
Senior Member
Center mount , swings to both sides , pivoting ball mount on the end and a small hood over the screen
crane operator
Senior Member
I don't think there's much market there. While mine is a "cheapy" off amazon, its 1080P and pretty clear, 7" monitor, solar and USB charger for the camera. I bought the 2 camera, and the next one I buy will only be a one camera system. Two camera is $259. One camera system is only $159. I don't think I would get the extra money out of a $3,000 system.
crane operator
Senior Member
I think that's the way the old LMI systems were mounted on the standing cranes.
crane operator
Senior Member
Been a busy week again. Thursday was a big "sit around and wait, then work late" kind of day. Setting a video board head. Set the pole earlier, came back and set the head frame first thing, video board was supposed to show up at 12.
Come to find out, the video board didn't leave atlanta until that morning. He doesn't show up until almost 4. Supposed to be 3 hours to put it together, but surprise! Not everything fits right.
Had the lights on before we got done, crane was folded up and ready for the road by 9:30. I had taken my pickup to the site, so I didn't have to drive it home. 6-10:30, I even snuck off and looked at a tree job while I was waiting.
Come to find out, the video board didn't leave atlanta until that morning. He doesn't show up until almost 4. Supposed to be 3 hours to put it together, but surprise! Not everything fits right.
Had the lights on before we got done, crane was folded up and ready for the road by 9:30. I had taken my pickup to the site, so I didn't have to drive it home. 6-10:30, I even snuck off and looked at a tree job while I was waiting.
crane operator
Senior Member
Flying skylights with the suction lifter.
After we finished setting skylights, the installer came and told me, someone already dropped a cordless driver onto one of them, shattering the top layer. Triple paned 1" thick and hard to get. No one was very happy.
After we finished setting skylights, the installer came and told me, someone already dropped a cordless driver onto one of them, shattering the top layer. Triple paned 1" thick and hard to get. No one was very happy.
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crane operator
Senior Member
Sewer plant guys had the city manager tell them to install their equipment with a 5k telehandler. The 5k are rigid frame machines, so no room and on a slope means they ended up tipped up against their facilities shed, stuck, and out of options. I just rigged to the equipment, and pulled it off the lift, then we got the lift drove out.
If the building hadn't been there, they would have tipped the lift over right onto the cab. I made clear how lucky they were, and they were "this is the way we were told how to do it." Yeah, just because you were told something stupid, doesn't mean you should try it.
And of course, they didn't call me until 5:30 in the evening to get started on it.
If the building hadn't been there, they would have tipped the lift over right onto the cab. I made clear how lucky they were, and they were "this is the way we were told how to do it." Yeah, just because you were told something stupid, doesn't mean you should try it.
And of course, they didn't call me until 5:30 in the evening to get started on it.
crane operator
Senior Member
Trusses and the camera view over the house. 
crane operator
Senior Member
Yeah, lets build the mother in law's house so close to the garage and driveway, that its a pain in the a$$ to get out of the existing house's garage. There was plenty of room to turn the addition building and move it, looked to me like the homeowner went and drove stakes and said "this is where I want it".
He better get used to parking that crew cab outside, because its a 7 point turn to get it in and out of the garage now.
He better get used to parking that crew cab outside, because its a 7 point turn to get it in and out of the garage now.
HATCHEQUIP
Senior Member
Could be one of those times when you keep your friends close and your enemy closer
HATCHEQUIP
Senior Member
Having said that I had a good Mother in Law
My first camera was a wireless backup camera system, for 3 or 400 bucks. It worked, but it had latency, a bit of a lag time, not "real" time, close but just off enough to not be optimum. The screen quality was OK, but nothing write home about, but it all worked well enough for me to realize the potential, so spending relatively big bucks for zero latency and a crystal clear 10" picture works for me. It's still handy even when I can clearly see and don't really need it, I like being able to eyeball down the loadline to the top chord of a truss to see if it's lining up with the bottom chord, so dead nuts vertical, it works in conjunction with my LMI and eyeballs, just another tool in the box. It's more than paid for itself just in fostering good customers relations, as in I'm still the only op in my area that has one.
Just a few hours ago, picking a 25 K container, llooking at it sideways, 12" from my rear bumper, in the pre camera days I would have jumped off and checked my line angle from the side, or yelled at the crew to do it for me, but probably still climbed down as I probably wouldn't have trusted them...! Lots of ways to insure it would move a bit away from me on liftoff and not towards me, but with the camera it was dirt simple to see I was a foot off center, away from me. The longer I use it, the more little ways I find it helps in small details like that. Sometimes I'll set up and climb up in the op cab, and then can't remember if I unhooked the ball up front, if I see the sling laying on the ground that secures my hook in transit, it saves me jumping down or looking like a fool when I start to boom up, still hooked. That's as bad as getting in the plane, starting it, while still tied down, most pilots have done that!
Just a few hours ago, picking a 25 K container, llooking at it sideways, 12" from my rear bumper, in the pre camera days I would have jumped off and checked my line angle from the side, or yelled at the crew to do it for me, but probably still climbed down as I probably wouldn't have trusted them...! Lots of ways to insure it would move a bit away from me on liftoff and not towards me, but with the camera it was dirt simple to see I was a foot off center, away from me. The longer I use it, the more little ways I find it helps in small details like that. Sometimes I'll set up and climb up in the op cab, and then can't remember if I unhooked the ball up front, if I see the sling laying on the ground that secures my hook in transit, it saves me jumping down or looking like a fool when I start to boom up, still hooked. That's as bad as getting in the plane, starting it, while still tied down, most pilots have done that!
skyking1
Senior Member
Knock on wood I never had any broken glass, but none of it was skylights either.
City manager with that telehandler deal needs his ass chewed clear off. People at the top of the heap need to look out for everybody and if they don't know, stay in their lane and delegate to those that do.
City manager with that telehandler deal needs his ass chewed clear off. People at the top of the heap need to look out for everybody and if they don't know, stay in their lane and delegate to those that do.
I'm guessing that could get wild if the wind started to gust.
crane operator
Senior Member
We did have to quit for a couple hours one day. If you can get the glass hanging horizontal, it doesn't catch much wind.
crane operator
Senior Member
Plane was about 2" larger than the gap between columns. But its up.
Took all day, but its turned at the right angle and pitch, and its wired to the ceiling.
Cheated this time. Last one of these I did- the roof was on the building. Talked them into leaving a hole in the roof and that made things a little quicker, but we did fight the wind a little.
Took all day, but its turned at the right angle and pitch, and its wired to the ceiling.
Cheated this time. Last one of these I did- the roof was on the building. Talked them into leaving a hole in the roof and that made things a little quicker, but we did fight the wind a little.
crane operator
Senior Member
Fighting some old precast beams. Need us to demo the old drive under porch. Remodeling the building.
Last one took more time than the first three combined. It was wedged in by grout overhead. Hammer drill and busting brick and we finally got it out.
After we had the first one off the building and on the trailer, at 18,000lbs, the trucker decided he wanted a crane on the other end to offload them, instead of the "before" plan of dragging them off with a excavator. So we ended up with cranes on both ends- loading and unloading.
Last one took more time than the first three combined. It was wedged in by grout overhead. Hammer drill and busting brick and we finally got it out.
After we had the first one off the building and on the trailer, at 18,000lbs, the trucker decided he wanted a crane on the other end to offload them, instead of the "before" plan of dragging them off with a excavator. So we ended up with cranes on both ends- loading and unloading.