Chains on coils

It probably helps to specify the commodity when we have these types of discussions, because there's different types of coiled material out there...

...unless it was loaded suicide (which in my experience was rare), not one aluminum shipper i dealt with allowed chains on the coils due to fear of product damage, being that aluminum is so soft (in metal-speak, anyway). And even then, especially with Novelis in Oswego NY and Fairmont WV and Logan Alumimum down in Russellville KY, they had plenty of edge protection on site, be it cardboard edge protectors or those foam pads (that I used to hoard up on and save just to have around, haha). Most of the time those big beverage plant coils were loaded eye-to-the-sky, with three straps over the top of each coil, and one additional strap around the bottom front of the first coil with a rubber (or foam) mat in there for protection and to help prevent forward movement.

I never liked hauling those things...and let's not talk about the requirement of using rope to close the front of the tarps because of fear of bungee hooks denting the product.

Now yeah, the steel coils...shotgun or suicide, I'm chaining the joker up. Skidded, I rolled with my straps.

With the coiled rod someone mentioned earlier (slinkies), I always used straps on those, too.

 

While I understand its a recommended procedure to have one securement device over top of a shotgun coil. I can say this is one method I do not agree with.

In reality of life once a craneman, or lift driver is done banging them into eachother. Most of the time a driver chaining the properly causes very little damage.

 

I once turned down a spool load that had steel cable on it because the cheap ### former employer refused to buy me chains and binders. No one told me what the load was until I showed up. Got #####ed at and told every excuse in the book "it'll be fine", "its only going 45mi", "other drivers dont have a problem". Hell the place I was loading at sold chains/binders. Had them give me a price for 3 chains and binders and the ahole boss refused to buy them.

Needless to say I left empty.