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Old-timer told me to quit cranking like a gorilla, changed my whole boom setup

I was running a 90-ton Link-Belt on a job in Louisville last spring. This 60-year-old retired operator just stood at the fence watching for like 15 minutes. Finally he walks over and says "you're fighting the machine, son. That hook ain't a wrestling opponent." He showed me how to feather the swing and boom controls with two fingers instead of yanking the levers. Cut my cycle time by almost 20 percent by lunch that same day. I felt like an idiot but the guy was right. Any other operators here had a random civilian give you a tip that actually worked?
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2 Comments
faithwalker
Twenty percent? That's a big claim for just changing your grip. Maybe you just weren't that good with the machine yet.
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johnflores
Man, that's solid advice right there. Humbling ain't it though.
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