Masonry Magazine April 1992 Page. 22
THE POLY LINE
CONCRETE MIXER
poly liner with molded blades. Easy removal - no tools required
GILSON
MIXERS
Manufactured by C-F Gilco
P.O. Box 326
Cedarburg, Wisconsin 53012
• Steel outer drum
• Heavy duty construction
• Wide choice of power options
SPECIAL FACTORY PRICING: 1-800-445-2699
A Construction Forms Company
FOR ALL YOUR GLASS BLOCK SUPPLIES...
GLASS MASONRY INC.
CALL: Nat'l 800-456-7093 FL 800-940-4527
FAX (305) 981-6905-PO BOX 8325. PEMBROKE PINES. FLORIDA 33024
HORIZONTAL JOINT REINFORCING
WALL TIES
EXPANSION STRIPS
CLEAR ADHESIVE
ACCUSPEED
SPACER GUIDES
U CHANNEL
MORTAR BAND PAINT
METAL EDGING
around the site delivering materials, especially if the work areas are tight for maneuvering the forklift. It's time consuming to handle the brick this way.
"Also, we have more downtime with forklifts. For example, the forklifts get plenty of flat tires. Rough terrain cranes don't get flat tires on our projects. So far, our cranes haven't broken down," says DeChellis.
A major advantage the crane has over the material hoist is its use for assembling and disassembling the scaffolding. It's also competitive to rent when compared to the material hoists, according to DeChellis. A rough terrain crane with 35 to 40 ton lift capacity can be rented in the Pittsburgh area for $5,000 per month.
The other contractor, Franco, owns a rough terrain Tadano crane for the same reasons Cost does. That is namely efficiency in handling block, brick and mortar, and economy. Economy, as used here, means the cost of owning and operating the equipment versus the quantity of materials it can handle per day.
The women owned partnership is managed by partner Rebbecca Snyder. "We own one Tadano crane now but will add more as the business warants it. We also use material handlers; in fact we recently purchased two Caterpillar model 100 telescopic material handlers," says Snyder.
The Cat handlers have a 25.5 foot forward reach and can lift loads up to 10,000 pounds to a 40 foot height. While this reach is no match for a rough terrain crane, it's an ideal machine for projects with buildings one to three stories high, according to Snyder.
Snyder says most of the company's work is confined to Pennsylvania. Jobs she is currently on include, a new dormitory at the University of Pittsburgh, a building at the Pittsburgh International Airport and dormitories at the Frackville and Lewisburg prisons. The company employs 150 workers.
In summary, the use of a rough terrain crane can be a cost effective alternative to rough terrain forklifts or materials hoists on certain building projects. A plus for the crane is, the masonry contractor can rent one at a reasonable cost. This gives him the opportunity to decide if a crane can fit into his equipment program or not. If the crane fits into his program and there is plenty of work for it, purchasing or leasing the crane may make it more cost efficient than renting.
22 MASONRY-MARCH/APRIL, 1992