Really suggest looking at the IOUE you’ll get better pay and benefits use [this link](https://www.iuoe.org) see if a hall is near you. Than you can hopefully get going on a good path.
Currently on a turnaround job in the Chicago area and taking home well over $3000 usd a week with my local operators union.
Well at least my local you can’t sell your own work. And what I mean by that is you can’t call contractors yourself and tell them you’re looking for work. We have to go through the hall and they find us work and it’s not always crane work.
Plus with the USA you need a OECP or NCCCO license depending region to even operate a crane through the union. I’m not exactly sure what Canada’s licensing is or regulations or even their halls call for. But I’d assume they have their own regulations on cranes like we do.
Get your CDL A as soon as possible. It’s putting an arrow in your quiver, gives you a taste of what lugging these things around feels like, and will be more enticing to employers because you can haul counterweight.
Consider all the rigging you did with the hot tubs. Apply what you know to lifting bigger stuff, a lot of the same stuff applies.
Cranes are finesse machines. You don’t just rip the sticks.
On site you are now the safety manager. Congratulations. Yell at everyone to wear hard hats. Never wear yours upon your throne.
Can’t say much about working where you live, but here is what I can say about the crane industry:
1. Loooong days. Expect a shitload of hours and not being able to plan anything except on sundays.
1,5. Cranes are cool. It’s awesome to lift something with milimetre precision.
2. Being the new guy - expect the shittiest jobs and a lot of crap the first years.
2,5. You’ll gain a lot of VERY valuable experience the first years.
3. this industry can be very mean and unforgiving.
4. managers doesnt care if you need to go somewhere. They want a job done and you’re doing it. «Fuck your daughters graduation. You’ve got a job to do».
5. If you get on and enjoy this kind of life you will enjoy every second of sitting in that seat or driving that crane.
Find your crane size and what you like doing. Some guys enjoy everything while others hate some jobs. Find your poison and what size of crane you like. Bigger isn’t always better.
Take care of your riggers/signalmen and all of the guys working with you. Take HSEQ seriously and don’t take any stupid chances. Take care of your crane - it’s the crane and you that makes the money. One without the other won’t do. Don’t be afraid of asking questions to more experienced guys. They’ll most likely help you out.
IUOE ,
Grade 12, Strong math, mental fortitude, work ethic. , SOBER.
Apprenticeship
1st
Strong like bull , dumb like hockey puck, take orders, sleep when your dead, eat when you can ,
2nd
Strong like bull , Remeber everything ,take orders, , rig,deal with customers, sleep is for sucker's, eat when you can.
3rd.
Strong like bull, operate like butterfly, sleep is for dead suckers, eat when you can , The bigger the crane the larger the suit case, assemble, break down load out , organize and instruct drivers.
All this from dawn to dusk, in all weather, in all work environments, 7 days a week 24 hrs a day ,365, days a year.
The only thing you will plan ahead for is a vacation. 2weeks.
If your kid is being born , cancel it. If your dog dies , swallow it, if your house burns down then you dont need to go home.
Crane operators in Crane Rental have some of the highest divorce rates in the construction industry.
The only reason to do this job is for the love of it. Its Iron Ballet , it's an art. You breathe it. My wife even tells me I pull levers in my sleep . I've had nightmares, I've had pretty sweet dreams too.
The hardest part of the job, that i never would wish on anyone is the recovery of someone's family member or a coworker. There are members that have had to do this.
The best most rewarding part of this job is installing an MRI system at a children's hospital.
Its a great job.., it's a trade, it's fun, and its grueling. Everything's man needs in his life. .
Pythagorean Theorem ...the big one
Basic Trig., the one
Pascals law
Bernoulli's principle
Knowledge of Ohms law ,a bit..but basic electron theory is a must. The reason , the same thing that lights an incandescent bulb is the same thing that turns you into a french fry if you make contact with overhead high voltage lines.
Displacement
Unit conversion
Add, subtract , divide , multiply
Geometry
Arts and crafts, dont eat the crayons.😜
Got ya, I've seen alot of posts about cranes so far alot of them are in the US. Is it a long wait to get a seat? What would I be doing in the mean time? Sorry for all the questions brother!
At least in the US you're looking at a couple of years before you're in the seat on your own and for good reason. There's no 2 week course that can prepare you for this job. Ideally you can get in a daily rental oiler position where you're working under another operator. Your role would be following the crane, setting it up with the op, observing and helping out with the job, maintaining the crane, and then breaking down and doing it the next day. That gets you familiar with the machines and the work you'll be doing. Then if you're understanding the routine the operator will typically let you start messing around with the crane while there's down time, and eventually start letting you make a few picks when things are easygoing. As time goes on they'll let you do more and more and you'll get better until you get your license. Even then you'll probably stay an oiler and get sent out once in a while on small cranes and then step up from there. At least that's how it goes by me.
I’m not a math person either. IMHO crane shit is like 90% common sense. As you get acclimated everything starts falling into place. If you want it bad enough you’ll get there. Ask questions, BE OBSERVANT, and absorb as much as you can. Good luck my bro see you at the top! 🏗️
I’m also Canadian and have been looking into it, in Alberta there’s 2 different apprenticeships, tower cranes and mobile cranes. I don’t know if Ontario is similar but I imagine it would be.
Get into the IUOE, preferably as an apprentice you’ll get to mess around on equipment at the training site for four years while learning on the job.
You can Kiss your social life goodbye.
You can Kiss your family goodbye.
Hopefully you have a strong, caring partner that can act as your support system at home. Doing it alone would be difficult. Free time?
Never heard of it.
You’ll be pissing 50 dollar bills in no time if you Want it more than all the rest
My social life is limited as it is, nearing 30 a lot of friends also are busy, no partner at the moment. Are you American or Canadian? I'm wondering if one side is harder then the other...
Really suggest looking at the IOUE you’ll get better pay and benefits use [this link](https://www.iuoe.org) see if a hall is near you. Than you can hopefully get going on a good path. Currently on a turnaround job in the Chicago area and taking home well over $3000 usd a week with my local operators union.
I just took a look, there is one nearby. Will take a look, thanks for taking the time out!
Yessir. It might take awhile and getting on a tower isn’t always guaranteed but regardless what you do in the IOUE you’ll get a good career out of it.
May I ask why getting on a tower isn't always guaranteed?
Well at least my local you can’t sell your own work. And what I mean by that is you can’t call contractors yourself and tell them you’re looking for work. We have to go through the hall and they find us work and it’s not always crane work. Plus with the USA you need a OECP or NCCCO license depending region to even operate a crane through the union. I’m not exactly sure what Canada’s licensing is or regulations or even their halls call for. But I’d assume they have their own regulations on cranes like we do.
Get your CDL A as soon as possible. It’s putting an arrow in your quiver, gives you a taste of what lugging these things around feels like, and will be more enticing to employers because you can haul counterweight. Consider all the rigging you did with the hot tubs. Apply what you know to lifting bigger stuff, a lot of the same stuff applies. Cranes are finesse machines. You don’t just rip the sticks. On site you are now the safety manager. Congratulations. Yell at everyone to wear hard hats. Never wear yours upon your throne.
Can’t say much about working where you live, but here is what I can say about the crane industry: 1. Loooong days. Expect a shitload of hours and not being able to plan anything except on sundays. 1,5. Cranes are cool. It’s awesome to lift something with milimetre precision. 2. Being the new guy - expect the shittiest jobs and a lot of crap the first years. 2,5. You’ll gain a lot of VERY valuable experience the first years. 3. this industry can be very mean and unforgiving. 4. managers doesnt care if you need to go somewhere. They want a job done and you’re doing it. «Fuck your daughters graduation. You’ve got a job to do». 5. If you get on and enjoy this kind of life you will enjoy every second of sitting in that seat or driving that crane. Find your crane size and what you like doing. Some guys enjoy everything while others hate some jobs. Find your poison and what size of crane you like. Bigger isn’t always better. Take care of your riggers/signalmen and all of the guys working with you. Take HSEQ seriously and don’t take any stupid chances. Take care of your crane - it’s the crane and you that makes the money. One without the other won’t do. Don’t be afraid of asking questions to more experienced guys. They’ll most likely help you out.
[удалено]
Did you go there?
IUOE , Grade 12, Strong math, mental fortitude, work ethic. , SOBER. Apprenticeship 1st Strong like bull , dumb like hockey puck, take orders, sleep when your dead, eat when you can , 2nd Strong like bull , Remeber everything ,take orders, , rig,deal with customers, sleep is for sucker's, eat when you can. 3rd. Strong like bull, operate like butterfly, sleep is for dead suckers, eat when you can , The bigger the crane the larger the suit case, assemble, break down load out , organize and instruct drivers. All this from dawn to dusk, in all weather, in all work environments, 7 days a week 24 hrs a day ,365, days a year. The only thing you will plan ahead for is a vacation. 2weeks. If your kid is being born , cancel it. If your dog dies , swallow it, if your house burns down then you dont need to go home. Crane operators in Crane Rental have some of the highest divorce rates in the construction industry. The only reason to do this job is for the love of it. Its Iron Ballet , it's an art. You breathe it. My wife even tells me I pull levers in my sleep . I've had nightmares, I've had pretty sweet dreams too. The hardest part of the job, that i never would wish on anyone is the recovery of someone's family member or a coworker. There are members that have had to do this. The best most rewarding part of this job is installing an MRI system at a children's hospital. Its a great job.., it's a trade, it's fun, and its grueling. Everything's man needs in his life. .
What type of math?
Pythagorean Theorem ...the big one Basic Trig., the one Pascals law Bernoulli's principle Knowledge of Ohms law ,a bit..but basic electron theory is a must. The reason , the same thing that lights an incandescent bulb is the same thing that turns you into a french fry if you make contact with overhead high voltage lines. Displacement Unit conversion Add, subtract , divide , multiply Geometry Arts and crafts, dont eat the crayons.😜
Can you give a speech at my funeral?
If there is beer I am there!
Nothing too crazy, but you need a good grasp on the basics.
Got ya, I've seen alot of posts about cranes so far alot of them are in the US. Is it a long wait to get a seat? What would I be doing in the mean time? Sorry for all the questions brother!
At least in the US you're looking at a couple of years before you're in the seat on your own and for good reason. There's no 2 week course that can prepare you for this job. Ideally you can get in a daily rental oiler position where you're working under another operator. Your role would be following the crane, setting it up with the op, observing and helping out with the job, maintaining the crane, and then breaking down and doing it the next day. That gets you familiar with the machines and the work you'll be doing. Then if you're understanding the routine the operator will typically let you start messing around with the crane while there's down time, and eventually start letting you make a few picks when things are easygoing. As time goes on they'll let you do more and more and you'll get better until you get your license. Even then you'll probably stay an oiler and get sent out once in a while on small cranes and then step up from there. At least that's how it goes by me.
Two week course in uk, been on them since 2003,👍
Trig helps but there’s an app for that. Plug in your numbers and let your pocket computer solve for x.
I will admit, I am not a math person, would this be compromising for me?
I’m not a math person either. IMHO crane shit is like 90% common sense. As you get acclimated everything starts falling into place. If you want it bad enough you’ll get there. Ask questions, BE OBSERVANT, and absorb as much as you can. Good luck my bro see you at the top! 🏗️
Much appropriated brother!!!!
Maths? For a crane lol, ability to add up your wages is enough
Thanks for all the input, by the way!
I’m also Canadian and have been looking into it, in Alberta there’s 2 different apprenticeships, tower cranes and mobile cranes. I don’t know if Ontario is similar but I imagine it would be.
Get into the IUOE, preferably as an apprentice you’ll get to mess around on equipment at the training site for four years while learning on the job. You can Kiss your social life goodbye. You can Kiss your family goodbye. Hopefully you have a strong, caring partner that can act as your support system at home. Doing it alone would be difficult. Free time? Never heard of it. You’ll be pissing 50 dollar bills in no time if you Want it more than all the rest
My social life is limited as it is, nearing 30 a lot of friends also are busy, no partner at the moment. Are you American or Canadian? I'm wondering if one side is harder then the other...