Old timer told me I was swinging too fast on picks

Back on a job in Chicago about 6 years ago, this guy named Walt who had been running cranes since the 70s pulled me aside. He said I was jerking the load around every time I tried to set it down, and that I needed to let the boom do more of the work instead of my levers. I was trying to speed things up like everyone else, but he showed me how slowing down my swing speed by about 30 percent actually made the whole cycle faster because I didn't have to fight the sway. Now I always think about his comment when I feel myself getting impatient up there. Anyone else get a piece of advice that completely changed how you handle the controls?

3 comments

3 Comments

abby_cooper1d ago

Right, because taking advice from someone with 40 years of experience is basically asking for a lecture. I bet Walt also had some brilliant wisdom about the best way to fold a fitted sheet. But seriously, I'm the same way - I'll be halfway through a job, sweat dripping, thinking I'm a hero for going fast, and then I have to spend twice as long fixing the mess I made from rushing. It's like my brain short-circuits and forgets that slow is smooth and smooth is fast. Maybe the real lesson is that old-timers just want an excuse to stand around and watch you work.

tessaperry1d ago

My grandfather used to say the same thing about driving in snow... everyone's in a hurry but the guy who takes his time is the one who doesn't end up in a ditch. That 30 percent slower advice really stuck with me too, but I've noticed it applies to so much more than just crane work. Like how walking slower through a hardware store helps me actually find what I need instead of circling back three times. It's funny how that old timer's lesson keeps popping up in the little things, making me wonder how much time I've wasted by trying to rush through everything.

robinp891d ago

Hated when older folks gave that advice, used to tune it out completely. @tessaperry you're making me rethink a lot of my "hurry up and get it done" days, especially the hardware store part.