the crane the crane

[DoubleDee]

No thanks, I’m good.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

Before I got in that bucket, I would be sure the crane operator never ran the Tower of Terror at Disney.

 

[Cuse12]

'
Indeed. Lull is the same thing only made by JLG and they do not even make them anymore.

Yup it’s the ole in the field lingo lol! Like calling a snowmobile a skidoo even if it is not skidoo brand

 

[sutomcat]

Cool video. Didn't realize they snunk that 3rd spiral in to complete the last arrowhead in the northwest corner. Weird that they never attached the cables for the spirals for the last arrow head in that corner to the back stays. I think they take them off once they connect the cables that tie the box girders to the back stays but they just skipped that step here. Maybe because there were already solid connections to the other box girders in that corner?

Hopefully we will see a couple of spirals and box girders go up today. Gotta bump that 8 of 36 number soon if we are going to finish the crown truss in February.

 

[Moontan]

Tuesday updates:

1. 8:15 - Walt has moved a crew to the North West girders
2. 8:30 - Walt sends the basket back to the crew with more supplies/tools
   The basket was back down by 9:05 or so with the crew still working on the girders.
3. 10:20 - the crew is going back up after taking a break (1 hr?), empty basket returned to the ground.
   10 minutes later the basket goes back up to the girders, it's unloaded and comes back to the ground.
   No other apparent activity on the ground.
4. 11:27 - the crew is still working on the girders.
   Time for Moontan to step away for a bit.
5. 2:00 - the white crane is extended.
   The basket with crew is going back up to the girders and returns to the ground empty handed.
6. 2:20 - another basket full of supplies arrives at the girders.
7. 2:35 - Walt's cousin has moved a bit (lowered boom), no idea what it's up to as the Link Hall camera is not reachable.
8. 3:00 - white crane folded down... no idea what, if anything, it was used for today.
9. 3:20 - basket with crew returning to ground.
   This may be it for today.

FYI: there appear to be networking issues related to the camera on Link Hall, so no info about anything that may be going on on the East/North East side of the Dome.

 

[Atlcuse44]

My boss better not find out that I just spent several minutes watching YouTube mesmerized by some workers cleaning snow off the Dome stairs.

 

[DoubleDee]

Stupid story...

I have a wall of pictures in my cave of family, friends, etc at SU events and the Dome. I left an event one night at the Dome and thought it would be genious to pose on the gate B steps, arms stretched, with my phone on the cam site. Took a screen shot, and would add it to my wall. A full shot of the Dome with me posing on the stairs? Why not?

Because it's clearly on a delay, that's why.

I got home and opened up the pic and I wasn't there. Idiot.

 

[Cuseregular]

Dude that video is off the charts cool, sent it to everyone I know. Gotta be friggin cold up there, and those guys are nuts. Wow.
Thanks for posting

 

[CuseTroop]

I've been lurking this thread since the start. Just wanted to say thanks for all the updates and photos!

 

[BillSU]

12:59 P.M. another "red bucket" with crew headed up to the work area on the crown truss!

 

[BillSU]

I have wondered whether on this crane if at the point the operator can't see a bucket holding crew he's lifting above the concrete side of the dome and above the lower part of dome canopy if somewhere on the main boom or jib,(the highest part of the cranes boom), a camera is mounted so the crane operator can see directly to the truss and direct the bucket to it looking at the screen in the cab OR is it all done by hand held devices with the crew telling the crane op which way and higher now and were 3' away? tomcat or anyone know this information?

 

[Moontan]

I have wondered whether on this crane if at the point the operator can't see a bucket holding crew he's lifting above the concrete side of the dome and above the lower part of dome canopy if somewhere on the main boom or jib,(the highest part of the cranes boom), a camera is mounted so the crane operator can see directly to the truss and direct the bucket to it looking at the screen in the cab OR is it all done by hand held devices with the crew telling the crane op which way and higher now and were 3' away? tomcat or anyone know this information?

It can't be exclusively by handheld devices as the basket goes back and forth empty about half of the time.
I suspect there are several cameras on the crane, and that there's also plenty of audio communication between the operator and the crew involved with the work.

 

[BillSU]

Answered my own question

Crane cameras make jobsites safer, more productive and are a critical aid to operators, according to the makers of these devices.

Camera systems on cranes used to be considered bells and whistles. But once operators see the benefits of these “extra eyes,” cameras have become critical operator aids.

Show Fullscreen

With the aid of a camera system, the operator can see the rigger on the ground and the area around the load, which is especially critical in blind lift situations. This increases the confidence and reliability of the operator when performing the lift and during all phases of a crane’s mobilization, operation and demobilization.
zoom inzoom out
“Netarus camera systems, such as HoistCam, make lifts safer by providing the operator with direct line of site of the load and of people and equipment around them including the riggers,” said Christopher Machut, chief technology officer, Netarus. “A crane operator with the aid of a safety camera system such as HoistCam can see the rigger on the ground and the area around the load - especially in blind lift situations. This increases the confidence and reliability of the operator when performing the lift and during all phases of a crane’s mobilization, operation and demobilization.”

Machut said these tasks can include:

• Verifying if the area is clear of obstructions and personnel.
• Verifying if the load is properly attached to the hook block.
• Improving communication with the crane operator and rigger.
• Increasing accuracy of load placements and therefore increasing the speed and completion of the lift.

When an operator is able to see more on the jobsite, he or she becomes more confident in the lift, said Machut, thus improving productivity.
.

 

[rocklloyd]

the one display with the metal band around it towards the top of the picture is the remote screen for a weatherstation. Davis makes a number of different weatherstations, but I had one similar to what is shown in photo. I imagine wind speed is the most important piece of data for the operator..

 

[storange]

So far this week
0 girders.

 

[sutomcat]

So far this week
0 girders.

The first spiral column went up November 14th. The first big piece of box girder was installed December 14th. 68 days have past since the box girders started going up. That is about 1 per 8 days. If they keep at this rate, they will need another 224 days to complete the other 28. That would be September 1st, 2020.

Probably not what they were hoping for.

 

[storange]

The first spiral column went up November 14th. The first big piece of box girder was installed December 14th. 68 days have past since the box girders started going up. That is about 1 per 8 days. If they keep at this rate, they will need another 224 days to complete the other 28. That would be September 1st, 2020.

Probably not what they were hoping for.

Aye, seems a lot of activity up on the Northwest side in terms of labor hours but not a lot of added steel. Wonder if there is glitch holding things up

 

[rocklloyd]

At some point they need to kick it into high gear. Hopefully the learning curve kicks in and they start moving quickly. I gotta think being able to work from the ground in lifts versus scaffolding has to speed things up.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

My boss better not find out that I just spent several minutes watching YouTube mesmerized by some workers cleaning snow off the Dome stairs.
View attachment 175580

Hard work fascinates me. I could watch it all day.

 

[Moontan]

Aye, seems a lot of activity up on the Northwest side in terms of labor hours but not a lot of added steel. Wonder if there is glitch holding things up

I'll be sure to let people know how things go tomorrow.
Time to get some more steel on top of the Dome!

 

[NJCuse97]

Weird that they never attached the cables for the spirals for the last arrow head in that corner to the back stays. I think they take them off once they connect the cables that tie the box girders to the back stays but they just skipped that step here. Maybe because there were already solid connections to the other box girders in that corner?

Guesswork here, but it could be that once there is enough load on the truss, it can support itself, as it is inward loaded. I can imagine that would depend a lot on the rigidity of the box girder connections to each other. They would likely want to crunch numbers to make sure that eccentric load capacity is built in, but it’s is possible that they can sequentially chase each end around to the south with less out-rigging. That may speed the process. Again, all guesswork.

 

[sutomcat]

Guesswork here, but it could be that once there is enough load on the truss, it can support itself, as it is inward loaded. I can imagine that would depend a lot on the rigidity of the box girder connections to each other. They would likely want to crunch numbers to make sure that eccentric load capacity is built in, but it’s is possible that they can sequentially chase each end around to the south with less out-rigging. That may speed the process. Again, all guesswork.

Makes sense.

So far it is another day of shuttling people up to the northwest corner and bringing them back. I don't see anything close to this activity on the northeast corner. Maybe it is because they can get people up top over there without the use of a big crane.

It is tough to see them do little day after day, knowing the impact these delays will inevitably have on the bottom line. I hope they are able to move forward with the crown truss soon.

 

[Moontan]

Wednesday’s fun:

1. 8:50 - Walt’s buddy, the white crane, is extended near the South end of the North West girder. Looks like a productive day may finally be in order.

 

[rocklloyd]

Guesswork here, but it could be that once there is enough load on the truss, it can support itself, as it is inward loaded. I can imagine that would depend a lot on the rigidity of the box girder connections to each other. They would likely want to crunch numbers to make sure that eccentric load capacity is built in, but it’s is possible that they can sequentially chase each end around to the south with less out-rigging. That may speed the process. Again, all guesswork.

Those brown pieces of steel attached to the top ring of the dome suggest they will add "backstays" around the complete circumference. However to do this they still need to add the lower attachment point in multiple places. My guess is they want to take zero chances, in the winter, regardless of the calculations.

 

[Finwad32]

I know one of the cranesmen/riggers on the project, if I see him this weekend I’m gonna prod.

Didn’t realize he was on the project until he posted some pictures on social media the other day.