My boss is seriously considering buying a 6w grab tipper and has asked me if I’m interested in doing the grab/hiab course for it. Firm’s never run a grab wagon before and it looks like we’ll be axing our standard 6w that’s starting to become a money pit.
Any thoughts on courses, type/make of crane and grab to get and type to avoid?
I’ve never used a grab before but it doesn’t bother me as I can drive plant.
Would you bother with a course? Knowing your outfit, I can’t see the point, unless you are going to be grabbing from places that require you prove your “credentials” before loading…
Using a hiab/grab is no harder than any other plant really, you’ll pick it up quick enough. Common sense stuff really.
I loved my Palfinger PK1000. Had enough oomph and with enough length to do most jobs without much bother.
Muckaway:
My boss is seriously considering buying a 6w grab tipper and has asked me if I’m interested in doing the grab/hiab course for it. Firm’s never run a grab wagon before and it looks like we’ll be axing our standard 6w that’s starting to become a money pit.
Any thoughts on courses, type/make of crane and grab to get and type to avoid?
I’ve never used a grab before but it doesn’t bother me as I can drive plant.
Don"t drive across a lawn and you will ok 
F-reds:
Would you bother with a course? Knowing your outfit,…
I don’t work for the outfit in my avatar.
We’d work 90% of the time for small builders, landscape gardeners who wouldn’t ask but we do get on the large estates nearby like Blenheim Palace, who may ask. I didn’t know whether insurance companies might specify any qualifications. I gather the crane has to be specially insured and inspected as a lifting device?
F-reds:
Would you bother with a course? Knowing your outfit, I can’t see the point, unless you are going to be grabbing from places that require you prove your “credentials” before loading…Using a hiab/grab is no harder than any other plant really, you’ll pick it up quick enough. Common sense stuff really.
I loved my Palfinger PK1000. Had enough oomph and with enough length to do most jobs without much bother.
Why wouldn’t you bother with a course if one was on offer,everyone’s arse is covered then,if it was me i would insist on it before I touched anything .thank you.
I wouldn’t bother Bobbya quite simply because 50% will be total turd, such as you can’t unzip your fly without PPE. A further 45% would be stuff that Nathan as an experienced plant operator will pick up quickly. The last 5%? Well perhaps he could be a bit proactive and find a local trainer that does an “experienced HIAB” day course and get 7 hours dCPC in as well…
And Nathan I know you don’t work for Earthling anymore, seen enough of your battered DAF’s to know it’s a small independent. Hence my question, would he bother?
Maybe the truck/grab supplier is willing to offer the course as part of the sale
peirre:
Maybe the truck/grab supplier is willing to offer the course as part of the sale
In which case take it and strap in for boredom…
F-reds:
And Nathan I know you don’t work for Earthling anymore, seen enough of your battered DAF’s to know it’s a small independent. Hence my question, would he bother?
That “battered” one is the owners’ pride and joy (for some reason 
)
There is a lot of money to be made in grab tippers, especially in central London. Chelsea has just authorised another 6 sub-basements in one street alone.
do these grab lifts calculate your weight ? and are they very accurate.
Seeing how most grab drivers I have seen working in this area have zero respect for power and phone lines, I would have thought a course on how to use them properly would be wasted. After all, the job has to be done no matter what lines are evident above the working site. When one gets killed by a power line,they might learn…but I doubt it.
I done an Allimi course to get my brick grab renewed, you just load the truck with muck of the ground, instructor makes sure you can use the crane safely, then goes through the basics, like the others have said not over loading bucket when fully extended, i would,nt bother with a remote mate.
Bluey Circles:
do these grab lifts calculate your weight ? and are they very accurate.
I don’t know about the actual grab but we’d get a truck with an onboard weigher for loading and delivering materials out of our yard. You can set a buzzer to a certain weight or just look thrlugh the rear window at the display. A grab also means we could do multi drop deliveries without mixing the materials up.
Muckaway:
Bluey Circles:
do these grab lifts calculate your weight ? and are they very accurate.I don’t know about the actual grab but we’d get a truck with an onboard weigher for loading and delivering materials out of our yard. You can set a buzzer to a certain weight or just look thrlugh the rear window at the display. A grab also means we could do multi drop deliveries without mixing the materials up.
Wouldnt you need separate compartments for that?
As an aside ,did i see you in Gill Mill last Thursday 
I was in Gill Mill on Thursday, picked up 2x loads of crushed tarmac with the 6w. I was on the 8w the week before, I think I loaded some golden flint. The 6 spent all that week on the sick list, again. Who do you drive for, one of the bulk hauliers?
Regarding the split load compartments, you could use the grab and stack a couple of tonne up against the headboard and a bit more against the tailgate. If you used the grab to offload you could keep the loads separate I suppose.
make sure you buy an Epsillon crane.much more expensive than all the other makes,but you get what you pay for- the best bar none.i’ve had extensive experience of these cranes in the last 15 yrs or so,superb
and you’ll only get 12 ton payload on a 6wheeler,just about 16ton on an eight legger
Muckaway:
I was in Gill Mill on Thursday, picked up 2x loads of crushed tarmac with the 6w. I was on the 8w the week before, I think I loaded some golden flint. The 6 spent all that week on the sick list, again. Who do you drive for, one of the bulk hauliers?
Regarding the split load compartments, you could use the grab and stack a couple of tonne up against the headboard and a bit more against the tailgate. If you used the grab to offload you could keep the loads separate I suppose.
We have tarmac up front , stone on the back and the muck in the middle servicing R&M gangs on the water
You mean “Crap Tippers” 
d4c24a:
Muckaway:
If you used the grab to offload you could keep the loads separate I suppose.We have tarmac up front , stone on the back and the muck in the middle servicing R&M gangs on the water
Seems to be an urban myth that you can’t split load and do multi drop unless you have a compartments like the feed lorries have.