How do they build cranes

WIBSBOT · 28 Mar 2006 at 13:33

Walking past a largish building site today, and noticed two big cranes.

How do they get the cranes set up ?

and how do they put the counterweight on ?

probably a simple answer but I can't think of it.

William · 28 Mar 2006 at 13:34

With another crane.

CocoPops · 28 Mar 2006 at 13:34

Try start with the top, then raise it up adding sections..

Go check out HowStuffworks.com

http://science.howstuffworks.com/tower-crane.htm

Borris · 28 Mar 2006 at 13:35

When a mummy crane and a daddy crane love each other very much . . .

Tru · 28 Mar 2006 at 13:38

Borris said:
When a mummy crane and a daddy crane love each other very much . . .

I think your mistaking Cranes with Storks.

AJUK · 28 Mar 2006 at 13:43

They erect the first section from the ground with a little mobile crane and then they install a davit (lifting pole) which enables the next section to be moved into place. When the tower is at full height they lift up the arm sections and the weights in a similar manner.

Cranes are in fact very complex structures and are almost buildings in themselves. :cool:

Sic · 28 Mar 2006 at 13:46

William said:
With another crane.

they make a massive scaffolding thinger; start from the top and work down

Borris · 28 Mar 2006 at 13:50

Tru said:
I think your mistaking Cranes with Storks.

No - Storks grow from those placcy bags filled with earth.

Growbags, innit.

FeFiDoh · 28 Mar 2006 at 13:51

haha me and the mrs had this convo when i bought it up b4, i asked the dad he was like "with another crane" but how do they build the bigger crane

Id rather not know as it will remain a mystery :cool:

William · 28 Mar 2006 at 13:56

Sic said:
they make a massive scaffolding thinger; start from the top and work down

*Remembers to suggest this to the next Civil engineer he sees*

Sic · 28 Mar 2006 at 14:04

also, how do they get them down?

Borris · 28 Mar 2006 at 14:05

Sic said:
also, how do they get them down?

They employ the services of Mr James Brown.

CocoPops · 28 Mar 2006 at 14:06

Sic said:
also, how do they get them down?

clearly you've not read the link

Sic · 28 Mar 2006 at 14:08

CocoPops said:
clearly you've not read the link

ooh, missed that. sorry

Borris said:
They employ the services of Mr James Brown.

i'm not even going to dignify that with a response.

wait a minute...

Admiral Huddy · 28 Mar 2006 at 14:12

My father in law erects cranes around the country. You have to be a bit of a nutter to do it.. and he certainly is that.

As said, it erected by another portable crane. The higher ones are elavated to each level.

The base of the crane is normally left behind.

nealw · 28 Mar 2006 at 15:02

does anyone here actully work in construction lol?

the main crane on site is installed with a mobile crane in sections which come on low loaders.

the base of the main crane is usually a set of piles capped with an in-situ concrete base which has bolts cast into it. the crane base in then placed on top of this concrete base and the two are bolted together. once that first piece is put on, it is simply a case of building it up.

oh, and i presume the mobile cranes. which are telescopic to an extent, are made in some factory somewhere.

Le_Petit_Lapin · 28 Mar 2006 at 15:10

Has anyone got a time lapse vid of one being erected?

Or

A vid of one falling over?

Wryel · 28 Mar 2006 at 15:11

I always thought you could just feed and water a Hot Wheels crane until it was big enough.

Sic · 28 Mar 2006 at 15:14

Wryel, i'm sorry - completely off topic but your sig intrigues me. care to explain?

cleanbluesky · 28 Mar 2006 at 15:14

In order to build a crane, you need to use a silghtly smaller crane, so on and so on until you go back to the beginning and find the first crane which was assumbled with fishing rods