Probably won't apply to many but the HF boomers (chain tighteners) have CAST steel hooks. We were moving our 14" Reed-Prentice (6 to 7k #'s) when one of the ends on a boomer went bye bye. The boomer is for 3/8 chain so not a wuss. Fortunately the hook snapped at the start of the lift rather that when it was elevated. Sounded like a 30-06 and the forklift mast shielded my thick head from a wayward chain end.
Evan, glad it worked out as well as it did. Sure sounds like it could have ended bad. Binders and chain are two things I don't bargain shop for. I'm still using old chain binders with Made in the USA on em. It's amazing how they hold up to a 3' cheater when sucking them down.
1970 Chevrolet C10 Grandpa's -- My first truck -- In progress to shiny Follow the build in the Project Journal 1950 Chevrolet 1-Ton Dually "Ole Red Girl" In the Stovebolt Gallery More pictures here 1951 GMC 9430 1 ton dually--Shiny! | 1972 Chevrolet C20- Rusty- the puzzle box lid for the C10 | 1962 AMC Rambler American- my wife's Parts trucks- 1951 GMC 9300 | 1951-GMC 9430 | 1951- Chevrolet 1300
Evan, you're going about it wrong- - - - -you need to find a millennial who can make that machine move by tapping a few keys on his laptop, or maybe his smart phone! Us "boomers" are the only ones left who actually do any manual labor! I'm sorely tempred to mis-spell "manual", but the PC Patrol is watching, and Cartman would probably rap my knuckles! Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt! There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
. . Us "boomers" are the only ones left who actually do any manual labor! I'm sorely tempred to mis-spell "manual", but the PC Patrol is watching, and Cartman would probably rap my knuckles! Jerry
Who is "Cartman"?
The most reliable labor around us is the "manuel" labor. (and, the price is right). I tip them, and, they still are a good choice.
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt! There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
I'll repeat this like the broken record I am. Everything has a rating. EVERYTHING! Know your ratings, know your loads, know your applications!
Sorry, that's the old steel working lineman in me. Yeah, that's me beneath the helicopter and in the middle of that 20' fiberglass ladder. Rigging matters.
From the perspective of a former operator of a Grove rubber-tired crane with a 10 ton dead lift capacity, the guys who do that kind of stuff must need a wheelbarrow to haul around some of their body parts! Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt! There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
Got trained on a 15 ton grove mobile crane and ran it a few times a year. Never did run it on any critical lifts. Also spent some time hanging off the hook in a basket. Did many regular crane inspections on our bridge cranes, jib cranes and the Polar crane. The turbine building bridge cranes were 260 toners and the polar crane was about 280 ton. Got into training and qualifying our new guys in the shop on those. Most folks don,t realize that the signal man is the real operator of a crane. The guy at the controls is just pulling and pushing levers under the direction of the signalman.
Don
1967 GMC 9500 Fire Ladder Truck "The Flag Pole" In the Stovebolt Gallery 1946 2-Ton grain truck 1946 3/4-ton pickup, 1953 1-ton pickup 1957 1-ton flatbed dually, 1954 Pontiac Straight Eight Of all the things I've lost in my life, I miss my mind the most!
Tim, Don't know any numbers for the tool but is very old and was bought when the ONLY HF in the Dallas area was on US Hwy 30 in Mesquite. Took shot of hook which shows entire tool so maybe a sleuth can come up with an answer. Break shows it is certainly cast and not forged.
As a professional user of such items, I'm with Ron. "chain binders" (either boomers or ratchets) and "Harbor Freight" are terms that only belong together in the negative.
Here's my work picture ( I'm the guy behind the camera -- I drive the white thing with wheels. I leave the yellow thing with tracks to someone else. Those old Cat controls are just ... wrong.)
And OBTW Mark and Jerry -- You further validate my opinion that crane operators are generally ... weird ...
~ John
A kid raised on Hotwheels, Matchbox and Tonka cannot be reasonably expected to own only one vehicle as an adult.
1949 Chevrolet 3804 In the Legacy Gallery | In the Gallery Forum 1973 IH 1310 Dump 1963 Kaiser M38A1 2001 International/AmTran RE3000 "Skoolie" 2014 Ford E-350 4x4 (Quigley)
Looks like the 5400# lever type so with the lathe being in the 6000 to 7000# range the tool is not to blame. Lathe was built for the US Navy in 1942 and is a heavy dude. Note the crankshaft mounted up in the chuck.
Im a local 478 operating engineer and I have seen some pretty new “looking” crosby hooks fail and a few old ones open up and stretch but never actually let go. Steel does weird things depending on how its heat treated or used and how evenly forces are applied. I probably wouldn’t trust anything from a china store for anything critical.......but my HF engine hoist works great. ðŸ‘
I resemble that remark....................................
Indeed. Your honor -- the prosecution rests.
~ John
A kid raised on Hotwheels, Matchbox and Tonka cannot be reasonably expected to own only one vehicle as an adult.
1949 Chevrolet 3804 In the Legacy Gallery | In the Gallery Forum 1973 IH 1310 Dump 1963 Kaiser M38A1 2001 International/AmTran RE3000 "Skoolie" 2014 Ford E-350 4x4 (Quigley)
Phil Moderator, The Engine Shop, Interiors and Project Journals
1952 Chevrolet 3100, Three on the Tree, 4:11 torque tube Updated to: ‘59 235 w/hydraulic lifters, 12v w/alternator, HEI, PCV and Power front Disc Brakes Project Journals Stovebolt Gallery Forum
( I'm the guy behind the camera -- I drive the white thing with wheels. I leave the yellow thing with tracks to someone else. Those old Cat controls are just ... wrong.)
