I checked into recertifying my NCCCO card. Operating Engineers 302 is offering paper and pencil tests on November 13th. they're doing refresher courses as follows: Tower Thursday November 4th, 6:00 p.m. Load charts Friday November 5th, 6:00 p.m. Core Saturday November 6th 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. I am not renewing the tower, I have never used it. I figured it is $180 down the drain.
What is it, 5 years duration?
yes, I am due in December I ran right up to the end Part of me wants to keep the tower card, but the odds are really low that it will matter. I really prefer a job where I am up and down off the crane and busy.
I did ask my instructor, first thing/first day: if there was an age limit? He laughed and said he has had a few "student" over 80, that's something to look forward too! 8 more years.....
we talk about firsts. Now I am talking about lasts. I suspect this will be my last crane cert, and in June I will get the last medical. In December I will renew the CDL for probably the last time too. I like this stuff but I like other stuff more better. I need to get some boat certs
Someone else can have that tower cert. I like having my "seat" on the ground.
I see that hook hanging and know the tower is just not for me. I thought it was cool, OK freakin cold in Ellensburg in February, to get it. The tower had no landings, just a 100' death ladder with a follower cable for your harness. There was a little grove doing christmas trees under me with Ironworker apprentices. Fun stuff. The test was OK. Then I was Meh, and then a couple of years later I got up in a 240' tower with 240' of boom on a slack day with my boss. It kicked my arse. Having the cert did not equal me being cut out for it.
Doing the load chart problems and wondering why I forgot that you never choose the Link-Belt RT crane charts. ARG! Grove, do the Grove. I picked the Manitowoc lattice boom crawler and truck mount. The only caveat is remembering to deduct all parts of line, and they give the boom and tip jib heights in the load charts for that purpose.
OK that is over with. I tested straight though from 8 to 11, taking the core and 6 specialty exams.
Oh man I don't want to hear about RE certifying, I'm still happy to have my initial testing behind me! I'm going to forget about this thread.....
You've got 5 years before recert. They just announced though, that the recert test is going to be the full test, and not a abbreviated test, so of course they will have to charge more $$$ for it. And you'll have to study more. So- will 5 years get you to the point you don't want to do it anymore?
It did the trick for me, I'll be 66 when it rolls back around.
I have the results letter in my email, I passed the 7 tests and good to go for another 5 years.
Tower job opening in seattle. 380' tower. No elevator. 7-12's for 14 months. Continuous concrete pour/ bucket. Night shift. I'll send them your contact info.
Ha-HA, I can work that job for ( digs out wallet) 3 more days.