telehandler instead of crane

[Alexis]

Does anyone have experience with using a telehandler instead of a crane at a raising? How did it work?

thanks

Alexis

[Satamax]

I don't have much experience with either.

But telescopic for erecting buildings which need to be precision  fitted are not that great imho. Rotary ones seem better. They are better in a way than telescopic boom cranes, as they can be fitted with a basket, forks, bucket, mixer winch etc.

Tho, for big frames, nothing beats a telescopic boom crane. Lately, I've used a 100' tower crane. They're not bad, don't carry much at the end of the arm. And they're fixed.

A mixture of all this would be pure genius!

[shinnlinger]

Is this a general question or is a specific frame in mind?  How big is your frame?  A large backhoe or excavator are sufficient for smallish, low posted capes, especially when you keep in mind that 95% of timber frames were raised with just neighbors helping each other.

I have used an 80 ft crane , a large Lull and a 40,000 lb excavator for these types of things.  No doubt that a crane is the way to go for safely and quickly raising a larger frame with 2 or 3 guys.  You want it done in hours?  Get a crane.

That said, a large telehandler can get it done, albeit it slower and more deliberatly, but may be a better option for you if you are renting it for a month as it can  do your SIPS and roofing and you only want to pay for one piece of equipment.  Much of what the telehandler can do though is limited by the layout of your site.  Can you pull it around all sides?

Cranes usually only come with an operator $500-$1000 for the day where the same $ can get you just telehandler for a few weeks.

Dave

[ljmathias]

Haven't raised an entire frame yet, but did raise one bent that is now inside the stickbuilt frame in my daughter's house- didn't need a crane and really needed the telescopic forklift so I could use it to raise the manufactured trusses into place- worked great for both.  With the trusses, we simply tied a rope at a balance point, hoisted it up with one person guiding and setting it into place, then I'd jump out of the forklift and help brace and nail.  With the TF bent, it was assembled and pegged, laying almost in place on the slab- I slid the forks under and slowly lifted.  As it got higher, with the forks tilted back, the legs slid toward me till it was basically hanging from the forks.  Moved it a little to adjust the legs in the right locations, then braced it off; had already built one of the two stick frame walls that it would butt up against, so used that to screw it in place solid.

Would I rather had had a crane?  Sure, but at many times the price- rented the telescopic forklift for two weeks, two grand total cost, plus I was able to lift all the trusses in place, put some of the decking on directly from the stack of OSB on the forks, and lay the rest inside 2nd floor because I had to send it back.  All in all a lot more useful to me...

Lj

[jander3]

You can do quite a bit with a gin pole or other lifting device.




Installing the ridge pole on the Stump Ranch using a lifting shear (this was a one man operation).





A little portable gin pole that one man can move around to move logs, lift things up on the second deck etc.

I am raising a small shed next week, I will make a gin pole from 16' 4"x6" timber to raise the bents, plates, and ridge.

There is quite a bit of useful rigging information in the Army Rigging Manual (FM-5-125)

http://www.petrospec-technologies.com/Herkommer/knots/FM5-125.pdf

[mmhailey]

Funny you should ask this, because I have a construction forklift reserved for next weekend, to raise a small 16X24 frame I have been working on solo. I don't have access to a crane in my locale, but this machine is available and fairly reasonably priced.


I have used telehandlers, aka construction forklifts for several projects. Although this will be the first time on a frame.





I have a VR90 reserved that has a 40' lift capacity. With the boom out at 40 feet, I am guessing the weight capacity will be significantly compromised. I have access to the cabin on 3 sides. I have the walls laid out on the deck, so I can raise the far wall first.

The big benefit I believe the forklift gives you, is using it as a manlift also. We simply have taken a heavy duty pallet, and attached hand rails, then use it to position the person to the working area. We erected a metal building about a year ago, and we found putting steel up pretty easy, then using the machine as a manlift to get the workers up to put in bolts, and screws.

My plan next weekend, is to do much the same. We'll erect the walls, then set the trusses, then use the forks with a pallet to put someone up to put in the purlins and ridge. That all depends on the weather, as this time of year here can be brutal with gales.

[Ironwood]

Many , many barn demo crews use telehandlers. If I were doing the job, just on cost analysis alone the tele would likely be a better way. Think about something not fitting well and you have a crane there at x$ an hour while you shave a few joints. Just my personal opinion.

FYI, dont forget you can also use the units to tie off as an  anchor point for safety. I have done this with manlifts also. They are worth having around a few extra days fr this reason alone. It is nice to have your safety line ABOVE you, not below. 
Ironwood

[ljmathias]

mmhaily: you've been busy!  Frame looks fantastic (can you detect some TF envy there?).  Telehandler should work great for your raising, and good luck.   

I've seen the telescopic forklifts used as manlifts here in the states some, and we even did it on the last job- jury rigged and not a commercial cage fitted to the forks- but I'd heard that OSHA had cracked down on such use.  Anybody know what the current status is?

Thanks

Lj

[mmhailey]

LJ I am sure OSHA would not like to see the pallet trick .  But of course they would probably want everyone at the raising with hardhats, and appropriate safety clothing as well.  By the way Alaska is one of the "States". We even take dollars.. :D  Ever hear of Sarah?   ;D

[ljmathias]

Alaska, Canada, Arctic Circle- all part of the great northern wasteland we should never have bought from Russia!   :D  Just kidding- I am a staunch advocate of invading and taking over Canada so we can send a whole bunch of people there and clear things up down here...  just kidding again.   

Sarah?  Who can see Russia?  Nope, never heard of her...

Lj

[bigshow]

uh oh...i'm gonna say it: it depends.

as others have said, depends on the size of the frame.  My frame could not have been raised with a telehandler.  I had an 8' x 24' sip that the telehandler at near full extension could barely lift, or barely keep all its wheels on the ground - and it was supposed to have a 6,000 lb capacity.  It would never handled a 30' wide by 24' tall bent.  never. 

depends on the design of the frame and the sizes of the pre-assembled timber frame pieces.

speaking of which, for SIP installation, shop around.  A SIP reseller 2 miles from me would've raised all my walls in a day for the cost of one weeks rental of the telehandler. 

[Thehardway]

I tried a small tele for installing my 8X20 SIP panels.  It was useless.  The "4WD" was one front wheel and one back wheel that was always in the air spinning.  Would not hold a position on a hill, always rolled back about a foot after you stopped. Terrible in mud and worse in snow. A bigger one would have done better but then it would have not fit on the site as approach had to be straight on. I traded it out for a 45' 4WD man/boom lift. The boom lift was awesome.  It could be maneuvered by 1 man from ground or bucket and had the precision I needed for installing the panels and putting on the metal roof and doing the trim on the gables.  Although it is not rated for use as a crane it had no problems lifting the panels. being able to swing the boom 360 was a god send and much easier than the stationary boomed tele.  My 2 cents,  unless you are moving pallets of bricks or blocks the boom lift is a more versatile machine and is better for 1 man operations. Having a man above the work as well as below is very useful as well for straps and slings.