This is a job I got a call on. There is a different pump company doing it now and they want to change. There are 160 piers, 18 and 24 inch. The piers are 40 to 65 feet deep. This company had no problem hanging all this pipe from the boom. It is 4 inch and not very old, so its heavy (5, 4 inch pipes + clamps + 4 foot 5" to 4" reducer + 5" tip hose) . They are welding together 6, 5 inch pipes to hang for the deeper holes. There is a crane on site but they are using it to pull the cases and won't hook to the pipes. I need the work as much as the next guy but told them I wouldn't hang that much pipe. Would like to hear some opinions on this....

I have always been in the opinion hanging 5" is better than 4" as long as you turn the volume down as to keep the concrete falling not filling the 5" up with concrete, but that is way to much pipe to be holding , a crane or some thing should be used to assist you , your pump probably would hold it , but you could experience problems down the road our booms just arent engineered for this, I think they have a pic of a nub on this site they use as a tip section that would work well for you.

WTF if it fills with concrete.  Bend the boom or blow a hydraulic cylinder?

The holes are all full of water so the inspector wants the pipe at least 2 ft in the concrete. So that means the pipe is ALWAYS full.

Telealbelt,

you dont let it fill up , if 4" fills up its way to heavy also, we used to use wore out boom pipe as trimee, now we have thin wall 4",  but anything over 20' we have to have a crane to assist,a company I used to work for I have witnessed them hanging 80' 5" with no assistance going in the hole then hooking up the crane to it once it was stabbed in the hole ,crazy, I will always let the crane put it in the hole then I will clamp to it and me and the crane operator work together on raising it as we pour.

redman, but if its 5" and even with the pipe 2' in the mud if you are pumping slow the pipe is only going to fill up about 4-5' before head pressure pushes it out rite ? I dont know this for sure being I am no physics genius, its just something I have always thought about, now 4" with the reducer and all its gonna fill up easier but 5" I do believe as long as its turned down the concrete will just stack up until head pressure forces it, out I may be wrong, I have been many times, just a thought.

 NW while that set up is cool as hell. Are the collar pins still not stressed past their design stresses. Im just asking. But yeah on a standard boom I wouldnt hang that much pipe off of my boom, it isnt designed for that weight. While yes you are devolping head pressure and, the weight is not a factor at times during the pour, you still have to lift the pipe when the pressure when the pipe starts dancing. Most cranes come with 2 lines. Most of the pours I have been on the crane lift both the pipe and the casing if it isnt staying in. What we usually do though is pump till we get to a certain height then we take off the excess pipe, lift the casing then re connect the hose and start again. Has worked without a problem yet.

Take the last section off just like Northwest 63 and hang itthey are doing the same thing here but using 5 inch hose about 60 ft long.

5-4 reducing elbow, and is that a patch I see on the system just beyond the reducing elbow? Thanks for the good pics, I can now understand the set-up a lot better.

What is the purpose of hanging pipe off a boom like that compared to just putting the tip section or how ever much boom you need in the caison? I also dont understand why their is a need to cut boom/modify sections to hang the pipe? And I do completely agree a crane should be used in these situations. I'm just asking because I simply don't know. Someone help me understand please. Thanx

I love it when operators do this, it generates a lot of revenue for me !!

Has any body seen what a tip section looks like when it opens up ? Some of them are only 3mm thick , and most pump manuals have a stated weight limit or the very least a sticker with the weight limit on them some where on the boom.

You guys/women are not operating cranes , the only proper set up for this kind of work is what Northwest just posted with a manufacturing engineers stamp of approval.If you do this on your own accord, then you and your company will take %100 of the responsibility in a court of law if this boom failed and hurt someone.

We all realize it is your pump to do with as you please, But would you sleep well at night if you injured someone in the process of doing a not so safe set up as this ?

Any one hanging this kind of set up from there concrete boom will eventually have a boom failure, for that I am sure. If not on that job then later since the metal is fatigued from all the pipe weight ,Its just a matter of time.

And one piece of friendly advice,never take a picture of your pump doing this then post it online, this is what lawyers dream about.

thats what she said northwest63 hahaha....I understand that JLS does this and it does work well in certian situations from your experience, but I have to agree with boom inspector on this one....but everyone has their own methods

Hope nobody thinks that's MY pump!! Mine is the 'Ol Girl' sitting out in the road still folded up cause I wouldn't do it.

I would try it with Trailer Trash's SP 1000.

boom inspector this setup was checked out and has the schwing blessing something NW63 didn't mention.

I am curious about the clamps...that seems like a lot of stress on the clamps,You know that 1/8th inch lip holding all that weight???..I mean the boom part is a no brainer it's a horrible idea.Except for the modified 4th section,But like I said I was curious about the clamps!!

Yea Secret Squirrell, I know that northwest set up originated from the manufacture, I was referencing the first picture on this thread.

oh and one other thing about Northwest's set up , you may want to get that custom elbow replaced. That welded patch is a problem waiting to happen.Also when you hang that amount of pipe , there should be a choker strap between each pipe connection,your relying heavily on those clamps to hold it all together In my opinion.

you think they would have at least used bolt together clamps. has anybody asked Mr Ed what he thinks. he will have the answer

 txredman you have a few options rather than not doing the job.

#1 would be to hang the same steel pipe but have that crane swing over and assist by holding the pipe and keeping the weight off the boom.

 Like so...

Just my opion . The operators manual states what can be saftley hung off the boom. Anything longer should be supported by a crane . Bottom line go by your operators manual or call the manufactor if you have questions.

ANYTHING OVER 30 FT. CRANE ASST.OR TELL EM NO WAY,SAVE YOURSELF A BENT TIP.... AND OR A LAWSUIT.    AND DON'T USE A PVC THATS JUST A ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN......... 

rent a crain yourself and add the cost to the bill...