Was dead set against chain hoists for years until a job in Tampa last spring changed my mind

I always thought manual chain hoists were too slow and outdated. Been running tower cranes for 12 years and figured electric was the only way to go. Then last April we had a job at a tight site near the waterfront in Tampa. Power was spotty and we had to do a bunch of lifts in an area where running cable was a headache. The old foreman pulled out a chain hoist and I rolled my eyes. But after watching him set a 2 ton HVAC unit with zero fuss and no electricity worries, I realized I was being stubborn. He had it done in under 15 minutes. Now I keep one in my truck for backup. Anyone else had a situation where you changed your mind on a tool you swore you'd never use?

2 comments

2 Comments

noah32620d ago

Holy crap, 15 minutes for a 2 ton unit? That's wild. I get what you mean about being dead set against something though. I was the same way with those old manual come-alongs until I saw a guy rig up a pipe pull in a muddy ditch where no truck could get. It changed my whole view on simple gear. Chain hoists always looked like they'd be a pain to operate and slow as molasses, but your story makes me think I was wrong. Maybe I need to give them another look for the weird jobs where power is a problem.

ninaw8820d ago

Did your buddy ever try using a chain hoist in a tight crawlspace? I had a friend who swore by them after he had to move a furnace in a basement with zero electric hookup, beat the alternative by hours.