# Huge cranes (construction)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huge-cranes-construction/240029>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 14, 2004, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huge-cranes-construction/240029 "2004-04-14T20:30:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\
**Post date:** [April 14, 2004, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huge-cranes-construction/240029/1 "2004-04-14T20:30:22Z")

</div>

You know those really enormous cranes that they use to build skyscrapers? The ones that are a tall thin column topped by a long counter-weighted arm? How in heck do they assemble them? Isn’t there a risk that they’ll topple over in bad weather?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\
**Post date:** [April 14, 2004, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huge-cranes-construction/240029/2 "2004-04-14T21:01:00Z")

</div>

> **[How Tower Cranes Work](https://science.howstuffworks.com/transport/engines-equipment/tower-crane.htm)**
>
> Tower cranes rise 150 feet in the air and lift up to 19 tons. Plus, they actually build themselves! They're simply amazing. Learn how these structures accomplish such feats.

They have fallen over at times, but they’re pretty sturdy.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\
**Post date:** [April 14, 2004, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huge-cranes-construction/240029/3 "2004-04-14T21:40:45Z")

</div>

One thing the links don’t mention, and which I never thought of until watching one once, is that the top part isn’t locked down during non-construction periods. When the wind blows, the top turns so the long arm points downwind, decreasing its wind resistance. Much better than locking in place, and having the wind blow at it from the side.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\
**Post date:** [April 14, 2004, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huge-cranes-construction/240029/4 "2004-04-14T22:57:56Z")

</div>

> [@Telemark](#):
>
> [http://science.howstuffworks.com/tower-crane.htm](http://science.howstuffworks.com/tower-crane.htm)
> 
> They have fallen over at times, but they’re pretty sturdy.

Thanks for the link… and from there, I found info about [this bad boy](http://www.towercrane.com/). (Which, by the way, would only topple over if the wind speed hit 175 MPH.)