What’s the heaviest item you have lifted?
How much did it weigh?
How high did it have to go?

Informal job interview?

Haha, naw , i’ve just always been interested in the operation of the crane. I’ve got a bunch of customers that have the overhead lifts and the biggest one I’ve seen is a 100 ton unit in mineral Wells. But these are just lifts, not actual mobile cranes

helped rig one of the cranes on the alamodome, 200 ton/100' boom/50' jib, did a lot of our wall forms that would probably only weigh 2-3000# with the I beam bracing. we also had 2 400 ton american set up as tower cranes, they lifted the 2 primary trusses for the roof, no idea of the weight but they were heavy.


also worked with 2 400 ton american cranes on summitville gold mine.

I have been been close to operating one but they are interesting to watch. The way they calculate loads us amazing. One angle slightly wrong and bad things can happen. Cool stuff.

That’s the kind of stuff I was wanting to ask questions about. Angles and counterbalances and tensile strength and stuff like that.

I know one thing...you better be good at math when operating one. I hate math, so I'm out. AHAHHAHA

I never operated a crane, but I worked as a millwright for several years doing construction on grain elevators and feed and flour mills. We worked with crane operators all over Texas and SE New Mexico. There were good ones and there were some who were dangerous to work around. The best operator I ever worked with was a young Hispanic man from Dutcher Phipps Crane Service in Monahans. I can't remember his name, but he was the smoothest and safest operator I ever saw. When you're on top of a framework watching someone swinging large steel up to you, it's good to know you have an operator who is watching our for your safety.

The ones I've seen out in what seems like the middle of the ocean on the rigs way up really impress me

My BIL operates large cranes for windmill work. I'll have to ask him the largest/heavy thing he's lifted.

I've ran a 500-ton gantry before. Lifted 100-ton block of concrete/steel about 5 feet in the air and then put it back down. Took about 20 minutes to do that. Super slow.

we use them to load roofs
used them in the roller coaster industry
lifted some crazy stuff
look at The Texas Giant
lifted all kinds of stuff in cellular

if the operator did something wrong
they had an auto shut down system

https://www.lagrangecrane.com/blog/how-to-read-a-crane-load-chart/#:~:text=Back%20to%20How%20to%20Read%20a%20Crane%20Load%20Chart&text=The%20first%20number%20is%20the,lift%20radius%20just%20under%2050'.

ROLLER COASTER INDUSTRY!!! We wanna hear more about that! How in the heck did you get into that?

I was a framing carpenter, when they started The Texas Giant, they ran a help wanted ad. I went to the job trailer they asked if I was afraid of heights, I told them I did not know. They said "Climb up there & find out." I was not afraid. I took the crane straps off of The Giant on top out day. I worked on rides in Georgia - Ohio - California - New York. The company was Dinn Corporation.

we were highly motivated & did a really good job
it was a blast