What Would the Egyptians Have Done With a Mast Climber?

A recent History.com article, How Did Egyptians Build the Pyramids? Ancient Ramp Find Deepens Mystery, reported the discovery of an ancient ramp system that dates to the period in which the Egyptian pyramids were built. Although this discovery offered new clues, mystery remains. This ramp system was discovered in an alabaster quarry, while the pyramids were made of granite. Still unknown specifically was how workers were able to cut and lift blocks of red granite weighing thousands of tons to erect such immense structures.

We have a suggestion for archeologists studying these sites: look for a mast climber. Perhaps, just maybe, hidden under millennia of wind-blown soil and dust is a forgotten and buried mast climber that a genius of ancient times rigged up to make construction of these wondrous structures relatively simple. Maybe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Advantages of Mast Climbers

Where ancient Egypt is concerned, this is a mystery remaining to be solved, but just a few months prior to the appearance of this article on History.com, we posted news of our own acquisition of two Scanclimber Monster SC8000 mast climbers. As described in that earlier post, the advantages and versatility of mast climbers are many, including:

• improved productivity and ergonomics
• greater safety
• the wide variety of projects they can facilitate, such as façade work, masonry restoration, and new construction to name a few.

It’s worth revisiting insights of a study conducted by The Center for Construction Research and Training. In a survey of forty-two masonry contractors who used mast climbers:

• Roughly 70% cited increased productivity as the greatest advantage of this equipment
• More than 60% said mast climbers save time
• More than 50% viewed them as safer than other types of scaffolding

This report also went into great detail with recommendations for the safe use of mast climbers. It offered in-depth detail in five key areas:

1. Training Programs and Qualifications for Training Providers
2. Engineering and Administrative Controls
3. The Responsibilities of Manufacturers, Suppliers, Distributors, Users and Owners
4. Determining Specific Qualifications and Roles of All Involved Parties to Improve Site Safety and Oversight
5. Regulatory and Consensus Standards

In the few years since we’ve acquired our Scanclimber Monster SC8000 units, they have been put to use on several fascinating projects in southwestern Ohio and across northern Kentucky that include projects for companies like Humana, the Ohio Falls Power Plant, and the new car rental building at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport.

At the Humana corporate office in Louisville, the mast climber is being used for masonry restoration and at the Ohio Fall Power Plant, for concrete repair. Increased efficiency and productivity are benefits of the mast climbers on these projects, while at the same time ensuring a safe working environment every day.

Also, a project for Central Insulation Systems involves concrete demo work on the exterior of an apartment complex. The mast climber enables workers to safely sawcut concrete and place the slab on it. By utilizing the lifting capacity of the SC8000, the system simplifies the work and provides greater safety.

Scanclimber Monster SC8000 Technical Features

As illustrated in the Scanclimber Technical brochure, some highlights of the Monster SC8000 Mast Climber include:

• Numerous safety features, beginning with:
  • Mechanical safety brake
  • Emergency lowering system
  • Safety railings with kickboards
• Galvanized steel masts that:
  • Offer long life expectancy
  • Require less maintenance
  • Are modular for easy moving and storage.
• An electrical system with two lifting motors, sockets for hand tools and remote control and more.

Be sure to check out the Scanclimber materials posted on our website for additional information:

• The Monster SC8000 Technical data publication provides detailed specification about the equipment.
• The Mast Climbing Work Platform brochure provides an in-depth look at the many features and benefits this system offers, along with highlights of technical data.
• See the General Information file for high level key points about the SC8000.

So far, no one has asked to use our Scanclimbers to erect pyramids, but one thing is for certain: the future always offers fascinating surprises! Who knows what the next construction project calling for use of the Scanclimber SC8000 might be?