For years there has been a critical demand within the sign industry for a book on the structural engineering of signs. This comprehensive text more than meets that demand -- it exceeds it. Sign companies, ...
An overview of models and specifications
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By Bill Dundas
To stand at the controls of a 100-ft. crane with a 2-ton, $25,000 sign dangling overhead is to appreciate the value of safe, reliable equipment. Each of the manufacturers in this crane survey offers well-engineered products addressing a wide range of sign-company applications. Some of these firms also offer equipment specifically designed as personnel lifts. However, in response to users' needs for greater flexibility, most manufacturers are now offering combination crane/personnel lifts. The survey includes only equipment with crane capability (regardless of other functions) and is designed as a quick reference guide for sign companies to identify the models that meet their particular needs. The manufacturers are best equipped to explain additional specifications, including the various "bells and whistles".
To avoid unfair comparisons, it must be emphasized that not every manufacturer in the survey targets precisely the same market. Some of these cranes are designed for small signshops that don't have a six-figure equipment budget, while others would probably be purchased by larger shops or companies specializing in sign erection. In addition, some of the larger, heavy-duty cranes in the survey are used by contractors in a variety of other industries.
Because most sign companies are primarily interested in a crane's maximum vertical reach and lifting capacity, these are the specifications included here. The survey indicates the range of maximum lifting capacity at the optimum boom elevation. The lower figure indicates capacity at full extension (including, where applicable, the largest available jibs), and the higher figure shows capacity in the fully retracted position (without jibs). The survey also shows that, depending on the crane model, the boom elevation for maximum lifting capacity may vary.
The survey adds 3 ft. to the maximum crane height to obtain the working height for cranes equipped with extendable aluminum ladders. This is the average reach of a person safely postioned at the top of the ladder. For cranes equipped with work platforms, the survey adds 5 ft. for the working height unless the manufacturer's literature indicates otherwise. Although "side reach" is an important factor for jobsites where the truck must be parked perpendicular to the work location, this specification has been excluded because many cranes are not designed for fully extended operation at low boom angles.
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