Working as an oiler on a crane

To The Top Crane | Role reversal! I am working as an oiler on our Tadano 80-4, 100 ton hydraulic crane.

[@jimmyg6017]

Best POV video I’ve seen rigging. Awesome video. I hope we get more of these

[@hfdzl]

super ! A man that can do all jobs in this business is a valuable asset. Keep up the good work.

[@richardsavaglio661]

Thanks for the trip down memory lane!!! It’s been a solid 10 years since I’ve oiled. I actually miss it!!! Nice video!

[@ToTheTopCrane]

Richard Savaglio, thank you! I don't have the oiler role very often anymore. But, I don't mind doing it. Sometimes it's kind of nice to get out of the seat and watch. Thanks for watching! 🙂👍

[@alextorkelson]

This channel is wayyyyy underrated, good ass content

[@63256325N]

Great video so far, looking forward to the follow up. Thanks.

[@ToTheTopCrane]

Duncan MacKenzie, part two will be the actual crane work as viewed from my hard hat camera. Thanks for watching! 🙂👍

[@markalexander5124]

As a new viewer, thank you for sharing your world with me...

[@eliteearthworksllc]

Nice cool video! Neat to see from another perspective! Thanks for sharing

[@ToTheTopCrane]

Elite Earthworks LLC, that's part one. I'm going to try to upload part two tomorrow. Thanks for watching! 🙂👍

[@eliteearthworksllc]

To The Top Crane ok I was wondering, it seemed like there would be more! Looking forward to it!

[@Alex-dc5ji]

Great channel sir 👍🏼

[@ToTheTopCrane]

Alex, thanks for stopping by the channel! Also, thank you for watching! 🙂👍

[@Gizmo42Rodeo]

I was hoping to see the RTU get set. As an HVAC tech for a school district I've been on the other end many times. There is a video on my channel called "How to fix a York YCAS chiller" with a view of the crane swapping air cooled chillers on the roof of my middle school. Replaced the old York with a Trane unit.

[@adamgipson6151]

In Birmingham DOT is having more overpasses and changing the bridges and such. Yesterday I saw 10 or 12 crawler cranes. Good job Sir.

[@ToTheTopCrane]

Adam Gipson, as a nation as a whole, lots of our bridges need to be replaced. I'm glad to see we are starting to do that. Thanks for watching! 🙂👍

[@matt_waddy]

I was in Birmingham yesterday, too. That whole interchange downtown is a zoo with all the crawler cranes, plus CraneWorks has a big yard right there too.

[@LoggerWade]

That drop deck trailer is nice to unload stuff off of by hand

[@cindytepper8878]

Back in the early 80's I worked for McHugh Brothers near Philly. They were a big outfit with almost all conventional lattice boom cranes. Every job involved an oiler and a bunch of Teamsters with tractor trailers. So much work setting up back then. Lots of trailers that were dedicated to each crane, boom, counterweight, outrigger boxes. Whole different world now

[@ToTheTopCrane]

It is still that way with some rigs. Fortunately, our cranes aren't so big that we have all of the logistical problems that others do. Many thanks for watching! 🙂

[@cindytepper8878]

@@ToTheTopCrane You should have seen the time they set up one of Lampson's Cranes at BP. They made a 300ish ton lift and walked with it. I think it took a month to set the mats. After the job was done we had so many mats in the yard they were stacked 50 feet high. They were a great company. They closed down almost 30 years ago and we still stay in touch with the McHugh family

[@stevea3244]

It’s funny how the best Oiler is a crane operator cause they no what to do and how to do it with no instruction. I always help with the crane guy even if it’s just rolling up the straps and putting the outrigger pads away obviously it’s on smaller cranes when they don’t have an Oiler. I have done hundreds of crane lifts thruout my 18 year career in HVAC and still get excited when we have a lift!! Thanks for the different view keep up the good work!!

[@ToTheTopCrane]

Steve A, that's definitely true about a crane operator being the best oiler. We were set up and ready to pick in pretty short order. Oftentimes a customer will jump in and try to help. When in reality, we can do it faster without having to watch or direct an extra person. We will always take help in rolling up rigging though. Thanks for watching! 🙂👍

[@mattharper588]

Crane gets a oiler if it is over 75 ton

[@ToTheTopCrane]

@@mattharper588, depends on Local. But yes, that is correct. Thanks for watching! 🙂👍

[@CutandCleanTV]

Good Stuff man!

[@ToTheTopCrane]

Cut and Clean TV, thank you Sir! Also, thanks for watching! 🙂👍

[@Brian_P]

In our yard that crane would have a dolly and carry the counterweights on it, and it'd be a one man show. Unless the customer requests a rigger and/or signalman. Interesting to see how others do things/their setups.

[@pnwoffroader331]

Whats yours guys yard/ shop set up? Looked like the shop space was just used as parking?

[@motercycles6]

really cool to see from a different view was really funny when the piece fell off the trailer opps went to far will definitely be watching part 2

[@ToTheTopCrane]

James Bergeron, thanks! Sometimes I just don't know my own strength when tossing a 10 lb piece of angle. Lol. I'm going to try to have part two uploaded tomorrow. Thanks for watching! 🙂👍

[@motercycles6]

lol im the same way forget my own strength at times its also funny that the video is about an air conditioner as our ac broke this morning after just being fixed two weeks ago

[@LoggerWade]

Love that job box

[@ToTheTopCrane]

Logger Wade, those are Knaack 3068 job boxes. They are tough as nails, secure, and keep the weather out. I highly recommend them if you are looking for a job box.

[@ggordon4127]

Best thing we did was make our pads out of steel. You couldn't manhandle them you needed the crane to lift them in place but when you had to set up on ground she was solid.

[@ToTheTopCrane]

G Gordon, the pads for our 200t crane are steel and wood. They work very well.

[@MFKR696]

Is that a CAT 3508 I hear rumbling away in the background?

[@OzMacro]

Did we catch a glimpse of your face? How long have you had the beard?

[@GagandeepSingh-qr8oi]

What a view!!!!!😍

[@ToTheTopCrane]

Gagandeep Singh, thank you! I'll try to have part two uploaded tomorrow. Thanks for watching! 🙂👍

[@GagandeepSingh-qr8oi]

To The Top Crane yep!!

[@jessevvert8876]

Do yall wear ear plugs?

[@kengamble8595]

Strange, but the first thing I thought of was that you don't ever pick up or touch anything made of metal without having gloves on, unless you're superman ! Living in temperatures of 118 degrees will make you do that ! If you do happen to forget, the blisters will remind you ! 🔥😂 So those guys are called oilers huh, I was just called the grunt ! 😊 Thanks for sharing and take care. 👍

[@ToTheTopCrane]

Ken Gamble, I typically don't wear gloves. However, I did throw some on to handle the cable on this crane. It is very greasy. I assure you that I'm no superman. Lol. Thanks for watching! 🙂👍

[@BigTex0516]

Texas ? Bridges look familiar

[@LoggerWade]

Bet that drop deck is nice to work with

[@dentonandersen5997]

Hey man, great video. I'm looking to get into the crane field. I don't know where to start or what licenses/classes I need to start first. Would appreciate if you could give me some insight on the best way to get my foot in the door.

[@ToTheTopCrane]

denton andersen, I don't know how old you are or where you are located. But, the best ways would be to get into an apprenticeship program or find a local crane rental company to work for. Getting into crane work will take some time. But, it's a very rewarding career. If I can help in any way, let me know. Thanks for watching! 🙂👍

[@richmondyayarea]

Hey man, I don't know if you're in the field yet but depending on your location the best thing would be apply for a local union apprenticeship program. I'm in northern California and that's what I did.

[@kyleaustin21]

Thats the same truck I did my AZ license in.

[@ToTheTopCrane]

Kyle Austin, this one has been a good one. Has good power, and has been trouble free. Thanks for watching! 🙂👍

[@benr6209]

Hi Do u ever have much trouble with the boom locking pins? We have the same model crane. Getting a bit of age on it now and they are starting to mis-align alot more

[@ToTheTopCrane]

Ben R, we don't really have much trouble with either of our Tadano's. Have you tried doing a reset of the boom?

[@LoggerWade]

Boys your are right in the middle of town

[@ToTheTopCrane]

Logger Wade, yes sir! We will put up a crane anywhere there isn't powerlines or sink holes. Lol

[@richwielechowski5191]

Always wanted to know how you got counter weights on

[@ToTheTopCrane]

Rich Wielechowski, I have some older videos showing counterweight installation on our bigger crane. Thanks for watching! 🙂👍

[@kelvintaylor1968]

Is an oil the same as a grease monkey

[@g4outdoors]

Are you ok? I hope you didn't get any blisters from working so hard.

[@ToTheTopCrane]

G4 Outdoors, I'm emotionally distraught now. But, I should pull through ok. Thanks for your concern and for watching! 🙂👍

[@eliteearthworksllc]

I was just about to ask the same thing! 🤣

[@jerrystott7780]

😂😂

[@dougsmith1166]

👍

[@ToTheTopCrane]

Doug Smith, thank you! Thanks for watching! 🙂👍

[@yvonnejohnson1557]

How much those tail weght way tks gary

[@ToTheTopCrane]

Yvonne Johnson, the first weight is 22k lbs, the second weight is 17k lbs.

[@psidvicious]

Only saw ‘em for a second, but lemme guess anyway. Diehards, 6” boots with the flat bottoms (sneaker bottoms), right? Wore those for decades until I discovered Timberlands.

[@ToTheTopCrane]

+psidvicious, 8" Thorogood, Moc toe, wedge sole boots. For me, the most comfortable boots that I've found.

[@chrisrowland2255]

That's a new perspective. The counterweights are attached to the back of the cab to counteract the jib and load. Am I right? But you placed the weights on the crane superstructure that did not rotate. Is there a carrier under these that the cab attaches to when you rotate the jib back 180 degrees? Can we see the attachment done?

[@ToTheTopCrane]

Chris Rowland, the weights sit on the carrier, the two hydraulic cylinders in the back of the crane pick them up off of the deck. Here is a video of our bigger Tadano picking its weights up. kzbin.info/www/bejne/javdXqKvrq5omdk Thanks for watching! 🙂👍

[@Newberntrains]

You must have a lot of trust of the equipment operator to be that close to all that weight hanging on those padded slings

[@ToTheTopCrane]

john leininger, the slings are rated for a little over 26k lbs. However, I do trust the operator. We have worked together for 3+ years. Thanks for watching! 🙂👍

[@yvonnejohnson1557]

Now do you charge a a minimum of 4 hours

[@ToTheTopCrane]

Yvonne Johnson, most of our cranes are a four hour minimum. Thanks for watching! 🙂👍

[@ryanburbridge]

IUOE? What local?

[@ToTheTopCrane]

Local 101. Thanks for watching! 🙂

[@jacksak]

During the 1960's & 70's I worked on big commercial union construction jobs blowing asbestos on high rise iron and in tunnels. I didn't have much contact with oilers, so guys I worked with used to say all that oilers ever did was scavenge for any kind of copper they could find scrap & sell. Okay, okay, I know better, but that was then (hahaha).

[@ToTheTopCrane]

Jack Sak, oilers do much more than scrap copper. There's steel and aluminum on job sites too! Lol. Thanks for watching! 🙂👍

[@jacksak]

Jimmy, funny stuff. Back in the day I guess copper had a good price. But seriously, jobs I was on were mostly already set up with tower cranes where we rarely saw the operator or oiler, and I think there was some kind of hidden rivalry going on. Lots of stories from those days, and I miss it all.

[@johndeere5134]

whats an oiler

[@ToTheTopCrane]

brandon cook, an oiler is a person who assists the operator with crane set up, maintenance, etc.. Occasionally, the oiler will perform rigging and/or signaling duties. The name was derived from back in the day, many parts of the cranes had to have almost constant lubrication in the form of oil or grease. Many thanks for watching! 🙂👍

[@tipheightcraneoperator9756]

I hate those spring binders rachet a lot better

[@ToTheTopCrane]

Daniel Demag, ratchet binders are safer. I don't mind either style. Thanks for watching! 🙂👍

[@ginono5529]

14:34 that man must not stand so close to that counterweight it might snip...

[@MrSaschaWinter]

GINO no he is guiding the CW into position. He is aware and safe about it.

[@dns938]

Now wasn't that exciting 21 minutes of watching weights being moved

[@g4outdoors]

FIRST!!

[@JasonWorksAlot]

G4 Outdoors showoff😒

[@ToTheTopCrane]

You were indeed first. I know this, because I was talking to you on the phone when I was uploading the video. So, you kinda had insider info. Lol. Thanks for watching! 🙂👍

[@eliteearthworksllc]

It’s ok Jason Randy has much more free time than us! 😜

[@JasonWorksAlot]

Elite Earthworks LLC wait... people give time away for free?!?!? RANDY GIVE ME SOME!!!! ....Please

[@eliteearthworksllc]

JasonWorksAlot 😆😆

[@LoggerWade]

That drop deck trailer is nice to unload stuff off of by hand

[@ToTheTopCrane]

Logger Wade, it definitely is easier to climb on and off of it. It is also nice to be able to reach stuff from the ground. I wish the trailer for our big crane was a drop deck too. But, since it's not my money, I don't have a say in it. Lol