Grove AT635E

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  • #26
I cannt believe it all worked out. I feel like I got a great deal on it. I had it inspected for the OSHA certification and it is gtg.
As crazy as it is , I'm having it delivered to a job on weds as we have 3 days of crane work...
 
German engineering has the reputation for being the best, deservedly so, imo, especially in cranes
 
PCTREE said:
I cannt believe it all worked out. I feel like I got a great deal on it. I had it inspected for the OSHA certification and it is gtg.
As crazy as it is , I'm having it delivered to a job on weds as we have 3 days of crane work...
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Jumping in with both feet!!
 
Who's gonna climb for it this week?? Certainly being a skilled climber for the crane is a specialty, but, if you have voice comms and a guy who can climb some and knows some cutting, you can talk him thru it. Let the crane do all the work. I know you know this, just sayin.
 
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  • #34
Cory, that is a very good question. My groundie Robbie has been climbing a bit lately and is up for giving it a shot. However Im not sure he is going to be comfortable cutting huge wood with a 66.... We had originally thought he was going to run the crane and I would climb but now I want to retire into the crane:lol: I am trying to line up an experienced operator for this week but failing that I think Robbie will run the crane and I will climb. Robbie comes from a heavy equipment background.

Comm system will be key.
Also keeping my eye out for a contract climber
 
I nearly bought one of them 10 years ago from my crane company, it's either a Mitsubishi design built under licence by Grove or the other way round. Superb piece of kit, the ZF transmissions are bomb proof.

Not sure about doing tree work beneath an inexperienced operator though mate. Sounds like a recipe for disaster...
 
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  • #39
Ed, don't you think if we go real light and take our time it will be OK?? The crane is strong as crap and as long as it is set up level I think we can muddle through no??

Im up for discussion, my wife doesn't want me taking it to work right away. Am I being dumb??
 
PCTREE said:
don't you think if we go real light and take our time it will be OK?? The crane is strong as crap and as long as it is set up level I think we can muddle through no??
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I personally think that you will be ok given the parameters you list above. If it were me, I would try to be mentally prepared beforehand to make less money, or at least to spend more time on the job than you normally would with your old crane op, to help prevent hurrying when things are so new. Also, even if the op is good and the crane works well, sounds like you will have one less worker on the job than you normally would (no crane op sub) so that should make things slower too.
 
I think it sounds dangerous brother. One wrong move at the controls and you have a broken tree on your hands. With you in it. Take your time and let this be a game changer for the better. Not a scar you wish you didn't wear.
 
Thinking I would use it to sling brush and logs on a few jobs first, get some muscle memory built for the controls.

Then maybe look at doing a take down.
 
Perfect practice makes perfect .......

Break yourself in with a no consequence job
 
Do you have operator experience? If you do, that coupled with your climbing/rigging experience I'd say go for slow and sure. Either way I'd not want the first time I ran it to be with someone's life on the line
 
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  • #46
I have a call in to Derrik (17ton guy) to see if he can help out.

I know we are a man down already and am trying to figure that out too.

John this is pretty much a no consequence job as we are taking down something like 20 tall trees for a parking lot, urban area though so not much room.
 
I think you can do it safely, and you can do it dangerously. I'd try to give him time on it before a job. You can lower out and land each piece, then ride back up.
 
PCTREE said:
Ed, don't you think if we go real light and take our time it will be OK?? The crane is strong as crap and as long as it is set up level I think we can muddle through no??

Im up for discussion, my wife doesn't want me taking it to work right away. Am I being dumb??
Click to expand...

I dunno mate, you know the job and its parameters. The problem as I see it is that lifting pieces of cut tree is one of the hardest of crane operators jobs. I would want to get some experience at the controls first just slinging pieces. I'ts very easy to overcompensate on a crane, particularly on the slew.

I'm not known for being risk averse or even particularly safe, and it sounds a bit fraught to me. Could be wrong though, could all go fine
 
If I was operating it, I would want at least the day before to play with it as much as I wanted, and to have someone there to help hook loads and such.


There is no way starting on a tree job is a smart thing to do. Heavy equipment has little to do with crane work, and tree work is advanced/pita crane work.
 
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