How often do you lubricate your tackle?

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It’s not what you were thinking, I’m talking about Lifting Tackle! This article explains how to correctly lubricate a chain block load chain.

The most common cause of rust and wear; Incorrect lubrication…

One of the most common problems that I see when people return chain blocks after a short time period is a dry load chain. A dry load chain that has been neglected from lubrication can cause more problems than most will imagine such as rusting and weakening of the load chain and internal components such as the chain guide and chain wheel causing avoidable replacements of vital components or worse, a new chain block, this could put you out of time and money and probably less than £3 could save you all the hassle.

Signs of incorrect or lack of lubrication can be creaking of the load chain when it is running over the lift wheel. In fact what you are really hearing is the load chain wearing its self out every time you use the hoist by friction welding the chain links together and breaking the weld due to the lack of lubricant between links.

Rusty Load Chain

Lubricate before it’s too late! The early signs of a neglected load chain.

types of lubrication; there are many different kinds on the market, many manufacturers will suggest alternative products to suit their chain blocks. The key is to ensure your lubricant contains an “EP” additive to make the lube suitable for extreme pressure. Without EP you will be unable to keep lubricant between links under full load.

Ideal methods of lubrication can vary from rigger to rigger however my chosen method is to drop the whole load chain into a bucket and pour over the lubricant (no need to have the chain swimming in it, just enough to evenly cover). Move the chain around to work the lubricant in between every link. Some people like to spray it straight on while the block is hanging upright but that doesn’t always get between all the links. After applying the lubricant hang the block upright and let it drip dry, save as much lubricant as you can and use it on your next block. Take a rag and remove any excess oil, when the block is upright hanging you will be unable to remove oil from between the links with this process.

Correct lubrication of the load chain on every chain block is necessary to prolong the life of your chain block for years as opposed to months, especially when used outdoors.

I hope this article has been beneficial to many and will help you keep your equipment in safe working order saving you time and money…something for free! Please follow the links to view products for sale.

LiftEx

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We will be dropping in to touch base with all of our friends at LiftEx this week. 

I look forward to the event and taking a look at some new product lines for the site! I hope that the event will allow us to develop even better relations with our suppliers and be introduced to potential new suppliers of unique lifting equipment products.

Tickets were provided courtesy of Lift Turn Move- Thank you guys very much! See you all there Thursday/Friday.

Will

 

CM Lodestar Training Course

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Hello lifting and rigging world.

You may or may not follow this blog, some of it will make sense to you, other bits may confuse you and you may ask why i write some of the things i do. Don’t worry, its nothing special.

Anyway, recently i was invited to attend the CM Lodestar industrial training course up at the Columbus McKinnon headquarters in Prenton, UK. The course was based on giving a hands on approach to people such as myself who sell these hoists all day long but have not had a more hands on experience than the basic operation of the hoist.

Columbus McKinnon Logo

The course was an excellent opportunity for me to gain an extended product knowledge with the added benefit of having a hands on experience and the ability to fault find and help customers troubleshoot should they experience any difficulty with their hoists. The course offered the full package from a theory exercise and examination to stripping down the hoist, making adjustments to the brake and re-assembling and testing of the units.

Lodestar Logo

All in all a great crash course for anyone in the lifting or rigging game looking to extend their product knowledge and technical ability with the CM Lodestar Hoist and at the end of the course i was presented with a certificate of completion, ideal to add to the growing list on my resume and a great selection of CMCO promotional goodies! -Thank you Columbus McKinnon.

CMCO (Columbus McKinnon Corporation) Top Distributor

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CMCO are the parent company behind leading brands: Yale, Pfaff-Silberblau, Camlok and Steerman.

This morning we had a visit from a Columbus McKinnon representative who presented us with the award for ‘Top Distributor’ For our outstanding sales, exceptional customer service, brand loyalty and for upholding Columbus McKinnon values.

-A big Thank You to Columbus Mckinnon Corporation.

Check out our efforts and Lifting Equipment for sale at Lifting Equipment Store.

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Heavy Lifting

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When lifting heavy loads safety should never be compromised, this is why selecting the correct lifting equipment supplier is essential. Lifting Equipment Store always ship applicable lifting equipment products with certificates of conformity. 

It is a safety requirement to ensure all equipment is correctly maintained and inspected annually  When equipment is inspected the certificate of conformity is re-newed, this is valid for one year. If the equipment does not conform maintenance work or disposal maybe necessary. 

If you are ever unsure about the status of lifting equipment certification i recommend not using the equipment until documented evidence is provided in the form of an inspection or previous valid certificate.

 

Electric Hoists

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Our aim is to supply a hoist that will last a good working life, not a hoist that was imported from a unknown manufacturer, we only supply hoists that we are official approved dealers for. All of our electric chain hoists are tested and certified before being despatched.

We are approved suppliers for the following manufacturers:

My personal favourite brand is Stahl Electric Chain Hoists, they never let me down, short lead times and competitive prices, this German manufacturer knows quality.

For specialist applications, heavy duty use and great for production lines, i fully stand behind Demag chain hoists.

Need a brand you can trust? Need spares on demand? For this we recommend Yale electric chain hoists or Lodestar electric chain hoists, both manufactured by huge American company; Columbus McKinnon.

If you are an Italian Stallion and require a competitively priced hoist that will provide long lasting service and quality, Donati electric chain hoists are the one.

Choosing a hoist can be like choosing a car, firstly the brand, then to decide on the specification and optional extra’s, for more information and help on purchasing an electric chain hoist, contact Lifting Equipment Store.

To a good weekend and the success of Lifting Equipment Store

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If you have been following our blog you might be wondering when the next discussion is coming, it is on its way, its been a busy couple of weeks and we have had a successful end to the month, Lifting Equipment Store is 90% there on the design front, we have just yet to integrate card payments (waiting for the banks) and many more products to add, but that will never end…

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The site has been a development over the last eleven months, i began working for Crane Handling back in September where i saw an opportunity for web development on www.cranehandling.com and the new online store. After a few months of design and sleepless nights at work (yes i really did) Lifting Equipment Store was born, trading as part of Kingsway Corporation the Lifting Equipment Store is run by myself as manager of Crane Handling and Kingsway Corporation. Our sales staff know their industry, with several members having over 30 years experience in the industry they are sure to accomodate your needs.

Our first months sales provided me with the inspiration to struggle on and keep developing, we are now in to our third month of online sales and things are only looking up.

Customers find our product information relevant and unique, the ability to write and read reviews from past customers we have found often raises to confidence of our perspective buyers. Our store is ever growing, if there is anything you think that we could do to make it better please feel confident to comment here and we will do our best.

 

Thanks for taking the time to read our blog, please check out www.liftingequipmentstore.com for all you lifting equipment requirements from hoists to cranes.

I wish all of my readers a great weekend…

 

Will

Lifting Equipment & Material Handling

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Recently with the development of social media, the internet etc and the downfall of the economy as well as manual purchasing (ie. writing out purchase orders, paying invoices by cheque) Has lead business’s and other purchasers to the internet, users are looking for a one-stop-shop that easily fulfils their expectations such as detailed product descriptions, technical details like dimensions, online payment facility, next day shipping and helpful & knowledgeable staff on the phone.

This is where Lifting Equipment Store comes in to play. The internet’s best online store for lifting and handling equipment. From hoists to shackles they have it all. The best part being that they aim to keep their prices super competitive to eliminate the need to go elsewhere and acquire quotations that take time, its a simple case of finding the product you like, checking how much discount you have got (it shows RRP prices and their prices), add it to the basket and check out. The polite and friendly staff will keep you updated to your order’s status.

If however you are a bargain hunter a bit like David Dickinson and you happen to find the same products cheaper elsewhere, if you let their staff know they are more than happy to beat the price and offer you other incentives.

Be sure to check out Lifting Equipment Store’s range of Lifting Equipment.