After six months on this site, I finally got the swing radius right on a tight lift

I kept seeing guys on the crew rush the setup and then fight the crane all day because they eyeballed the swing clearance instead of measuring from the load's center point. I started using a laser distance finder from the hook to the nearest obstacle, and it cut our setup time in half on a job in Tacoma last week. What's your go-to trick for a tight pick when you can't see the whole arc from the cab?

3 comments

3 Comments

haydenj902mo agoMost Upvoted

Oh man, the laser is a good call... I just have my ground guy stand where I think the worst pinch point is and wave his arms like a maniac when I get close. Works every time, or at least gives the crew some morning entertainment.

seth_craig852mo ago

Taping a bright orange traffic cone to the load at the worst swing point gives you a cheap visual target from the cab.

abby_chen1mo ago

Good point on the laser, but I actually see it a little DIFFERENT. Relying on a laser to the nearest obstacle can give a false sense of security if you don't also check the load's tail swing. I've seen guys get tight to a wall with the hook only to have the back end of the load clip a pipe rack while they're staring at the laser reading. The orange cone trick is solid for a visual cue in the cab, but having a ground guy you trust with a radio and a clear view of BOTH ends of the load is way more reliable than any gadget on a tight pick. A laser is a good tool for planning, not for live navigation when space is that tight.