Pace Cranes recently introduced Maeda’s MK3053CB knuckle boom mini crawlers with crane hire businesses and industrial glaziers responding quickly and positively. One of the early adopters of the technology is Spider Crane Hire.
Spider Crane Hire was launched in 2023 by business partners and trade qualified glaziers Brendan Crew and Blair Brough of BKB Gazing, both with 25 years’ experience in the glazing industry.
“Working together in the glazing trade we had a continuous requirement for spider cranes and instead of hiring the mini crawlers in all of the time we decided to purchase our first Maeda 285C,” said Brendan.
“With our combined 50 years of glazing experience, being on the end of the spider crane hook and working closely with operators, our transition into being an owner-operator has been seamless.
“Following continued growth in the business, we purchased the Maeda MC305C a year ago. Then Michael Cawston, National Sales Manager at Pace Cranes, advised that the battery-powered Maeda MK305CB was about to arrive so we sold that model and bought the MK3053CB knuckle boom.”
The MK3053CB features a telescopic boom with a knuckle that folds out from underneath the main boom. The knuckle features a telescoping luffing with a telescoping jib attached. The 12-metre main boom features four falls hook mode as well as a detachable negative angle jib with a maximum height of 16.95m. The model also features automatic and stepless multi outrigger settings, variable crawler gauge, diesel/electric and battery electric options as well fully proportional radio remote control.
Maeda has designed this model like the other machines in its range and offer a standard diesel engine option, diesel-electric or full battery lithium-powered for those companies wanting a 100 per cent ‘green machine’. The battery-powered option is designed to work a full day, but it has the capability of running from the mains for unlimited working hours.
“The jib is very simple to operate and easy, it’s a one-man operation to take on and off and all functions are remotely controlled,” said Michael.
“Depending on what you are lifting, you might need the winch application. You can pre-rig the jib with the single fall hook fitted and then pull the boom out and you’re ready to go, or you can take the jib off, depending on what is required.
“Everything is remote controlled, which comes as standard. The MK3053CB features an expandable undercarriage for the stability of the machine, but the undercarriage also retracts enabling the machine to fit through doorway access.”
The MK3053CB features the next generation of outriggers which are stepless, meaning there’s no pinning system. If there is an obstacle in the way, you can stop the outriggers at any angle and the machine automatically sets up the load chart to suit. The controls feature a one touch setup, and from one button you can completely set the machine up. It swings the outriggers, extends them and puts them down, and it also self-levels the machine.
“The load charts are set up to work at multiple angles. The Load Moment Indicator (LMI) will read that setup and tell the operator before the lift what they’re good for and at what particular angle, so it features very smart technology,” Michael said.
Brendan is excited by the opportunities a battery powered machine offers.
“Battery-powered equipment is the way forward for Spider Crane Hire. Builders and Tier one and Tier two projects are specifying zero emissions and so the MK3053CB ticks all their boxes,” he said.
“With glass installations, the knuckle boom on the MK3053CB helps us get inside the building a lot further, which is important. We can now go up with the boom and push inside which is a game changer for us.
“With the new Maeda being battery operated we have opened up new scope of works and we can work in areas where diesel engine cranes can’t go. We are also finding the knuckle boom provides more versatility in the places we can reach and it allows for horizontal lifting over objects at zero degrees where a straight boom is restricted. For example we can now lift an object into a balcony area with limited head height and the reduced size, with no loss of capacity. It provides amazing access to the tightest of sites.
“The remote control provides us with the opportunity to be close to the load while operating the crane, providing precision placement. The remote control is brilliant for fine-tuning and adjusting the speed at which the crane lifts, it’s all very user-friendly,” said Brendan.
He goes on to discuss other industry sectors serviced by Spider Crane Hire, battery life of the crane and the support provided by Pace Cranes.
“Although we don’t have anything to compare it with, the charge in the battery manages everything we are asking the crane to do, and the ability to charge from a 10amp power source, means we haven’t experienced any limiting effects on usage. With our contacts and experience in commercial glazing a large majority of our work is providing spider cranes, glass lifting equipment as well as sharing our knowledge to many glazing companies in both Queensland and New South Wales.
“However our work is not limited to glass, we also provide our services to metal fabrication companies, tile and stone companies, we install spas and basically any heavy item that requires lifting on sites with tight access.”
Spider Crane Hire also operates glass vacuum rigs ranging from 0 to 1000 kilograms in lifting capacity, bremner glass equipment as well as Kappel vacuum rig, Uplifter vacuum rig, Abaco glass grabber and utilise NFK glass equipment hire. It has also purchased a tilting A-Frame which is attached to a Tracked Carrier 1200R/PRO, from Pace Cranes.
“Even before the purchase of the Maeda mini crawlers, Michael and the team at Pace Cranes provided us with outstanding product knowledge and customer service. Now that we own a couple of crane their advice and support is ongoing. It’s obvious they care about what they do, the training during the handover of the MK3053C was informative and gave us the confidence to put the crane straight to work and it hasn’t stopped.”