Everyone knows mirrors are fragile; it's why there's that old superstition about seven years of bad luck if you break one.
Now imagine the pressure that comes with suspending two full cabins made of mirrors from a nine-story crane boom. So, you could say there was added incentive for ALL Crane Rental Corp. of Columbus, Ohio, a member of the ALL Family of Companies, to bring their usual care and precision to two unique lifts in scenic Hocking Hills, Ohio.
"These prefab cabins have full-glass mirrored surfaces on three sides, which created the need for extra care," said project owner Dan Judge. "This job involved having the cabins picked up off the truck that delivered them, placing them on a chassis that was then driven to their foundations and then having them craned off the chassis onto their block foundations."
General contractor Magdich Construction recommended ALL for the job, knowing it had the necessary equipment, experience and personnel to effectively manage the job.
Hocking Hills is known for its rolling grounds, dense woodlands, numerous hiking and climbing opportunities and unspoiled views of nature. It is a popular destination for all types of outdoor activities, including the high-end version of camping known as glamping ("glamorous camping"). Serving the glamping market is the purpose of the two mirrored cabins, sleek structures that provide an immersive experience for overnight guests, nestled in the midst of high trees and other natural surroundings.
Each cabin weighed 9 tons. ALL specified a Liebherr LTM 1060-3.1 all-terrain crane with a 50-ton capacity. The AT was configured with 92 ft. of main boom and 28,200 lbs. of counterweight.
"The surrounding trees were a big factor in the crane's ability to swing," said Caden McCarty, sales representative of ALL Crane Rental Corp. "Our operator had to pick the cabin and maneuver it between the trees to set it on the foundation." He said that a specially made rectangular spreader bar helped steady the cabin below the hook as it was picked.
The cabins were delivered to the roadway nearest the site, which is where the AT first offloaded each onto the wheeled chassis. The chassis was pulled by a skid steer to the cabin foundations as the crane traveled approximately 200 yds. to the foundation sites. There, the crane completed each lift to place a cabin onto its foundation.
As if the degree of difficulty wasn't high enough just in lifting mostly glass structures amid tall trees, ground conditions were muddy on lift day. "Recent rains and the overall small footprint increased the challenge," said Judge. According to McCarty, "We put the Liebherr in maneuvering mode, which allows the operator to achieve very low speeds for precise positioning. We also lined the path with gravel for additional traction."
In the end, the operation was … smooth as glass. "Despite the challenging conditions, ALL's equipment and operator were essential in moving the cabins," said Judge. "It would have been impossible to complete the project without them."
