There are at least ten different types of cranes. Many are used for construction purposes, while the rest are used for loading and unloading very heavy shipping crates from trains, ocean freighters, and helicopters. If you are in construction, and you do not own a crane but you need one, you can rent a crane. Here are five cranes you can rent today.
Telescopic Cranes
These are cranes with a boom lift arm that extends straight out from the truck. The arm's platform can pivot three-hundred-sixty degrees while the boom arm can lift upward into a ninety-degree position and extend outward up to two hundred feet, depending on the size of the vehicle and the arm itself.
Articulating Boom Lifts
Articulating boom lifts are also considered cranes in the sense that they are able to lift workers and supplies up a few stories. They can also articulate and bend into different and awkward positions to reach areas that are unreachable by telescopic cranes. If your work site has some tricky areas that need work and a regular ol' crane just will not do, an articulating boom lift will work.
Cherry Picker Trucks
Cherry picker trucks are not only rent-able, but they are also considered a type of crane. A worker stands in the lift bucket and is elevated to a height of about two or three stories using the lift arm. They are ideal if you need to do roofing work on a particularly awkward run-rise of a building or home.
Mobile Cranes with Outriggers
When people think of cranes, these are usually the cranes they imagine. Mobile cranes are used in construction a lot, especially when you attach outriggers to them. Outriggers are extensions on the ends of the boom arms that help you reach higher and higher until the maximum safety range is reached. Going beyond the recommended safety range can cause a mobile crane to fall over or drop the load you are attempting to lift and move.
Mobile Overhead Cranes
Yes, mobile overhead cranes are real. The overhead bar to which these cranes are attached primarily moves on a horizontal access. However, the overhead bar is attached to two steel posts and a mobile base. This allows you to pick up medium-weight loads and push the crane manually over to where you want the loads placed and/or stacked. You can also rent the immobilizing feet that locks this in place if you need to take the load from the crane and deposit it into the back end of a truck.
Where to Rent These Cranes
The majority of these cranes (and crane-like machines) can all be rented from construction rental stores. They can also be rented from construction equipment dealers, who rent some of these on the side. If you rent any crane, be sure to take the added insurance, since crane accidents do happen and you do not want to pay for any damages incurred on a rental crane.
It is also possible that you can rent a crane from a fellow contractor, if he or she does not currently need his/her crane and is in the side business of renting out cranes. Some contractors are willing to lend out cranes under a signed contract or legal agreement that states that you are willing to use the crane, keep the tank full of gas, and return it in its current state (i.e., undamaged). This is a riskier option, to be sure, but if you cannot find any other location where cranes are rented out, this might be the last ditch option to help you complete the construction work on your own job site.
Share
