Oilfield guys - Anyone built a Steamer truck before?

[Haggis]

Well - looking to build a Steamer unit over the summer and wondering if anyone has undertaken that project before?

I would be interested in getting ideas of cost to build vs buying used set up. Would like to find a used van body and build a system inside. Also really interested on ideas to set a Steamer apart from the other ones that are out there. Operators - what do you like? Lead Operators - what has impressed you when you call for a Steamer?

I saw one with a small vac system inside also - any interest? Or man basket? Or Crew cab with multiple reels for large spill clean up?

Any comments/advice appreciated.

 

[gotboost]

there just impressed when they phone me black and all chrome gets you home been running steamers for 17 years i dont care how fancy you make your steamer if u have ass clowns running them it really dosnt matter

 

[Bandit_750]

if you can set it up so you have some kind of flame arrested burner system on your steamer. you wouldnt have to worry about work site spacing as much. More people would probably hire you if you can find a burner system like this.

 

[MrHankey]

when its cold all your going to need is the steamer ,im set up to steam or pump methanol (pressure truck) and i only pumped methanol once this winter ,find a truck ,tank ,flud end ,boiler ,inverter and your set

 

[MrHankey]

the hard part is finding someone to operate it,hired a 71 year old retired fellow and he turned out to be the best hand ever ,hope he comes back next season ,

 

[Murminator]

the hard part is finding someone to operate it,hired a 71 year old retired fellow and he turned out to be the best hand ever ,hope he comes back next season ,

Yup the old dogs usually the best ones

 

[Haggis]

Yeah - totally agree on the guy in the truck makes or breaks ya - we are owner operator group so no worries there.

I have seen some crazy over the top fancy units but at the end of the day a steamer is a steamer and can't charge big rates - little hard to justify large build cost. I saw one on kijiji for 275K this fall - insane!

What do you think about the man basket idea?

 

[MrHankey]

Yeah - totally agree on the guy in the truck makes or breaks ya - we are owner operator group so no worries there.

I have seen some crazy over the top fancy units but at the end of the day a steamer is a steamer and can't charge big rates - little hard to justify large build cost. I saw one on kijiji for 275K this fall - insane!

What do you think about the man basket idea?

man basket on steamer never seen that in these parts i would stick to just a steamer ,with a manbasket there would be to much liability engineering and inspections ,what would it be used for ? is it a trailered unit?cause if it were part of your steamer setup you would be very limeted to where you would be able to fire you boiler due to equipment spaceing

 

[gotboost]

never ready had a man basket on there steamer they went to the plant sites up north to show it off and they ripped it right off the truck on a overhead cable tray hahahah

 

[MrHankey]

never ready had a man basket on there steamer they went to the plant sites up north to show it off and they ripped it right off the truck on a overhead cable tray hahahah

never ready lolololol what was there purpose with the basket? wash sheet with cold water? what is the going rate up in ur parts?

 

[gotboost]

$120 t0 $135 how about down there

 

[MrHankey]

145 plus 15 m3 for water sheesh you better up your rate

 

[gotboost]

yeah right they bitch at that hahaha i know iam the cheapest steamer in alberta

 

[Haggis]

$145 going rate in our area too but some are cutting real low at $100

 

[modmanmike]

I have been operating for quite a while now and all i can say is make sure u have a proper arrestor and fancy dont cut the mustard! the fancier it is the harder it is to try and troubleshoot a problem when your on lease. we want a machine that runs and an operator that can fix it if something goes wonky. the fancier it is the less likely u are to take it into places with marginal roads and more worried u will be about keeping it pretty rather then making money and keeping us happy and just getting the job done.

Dont do the manbasket! That creates a whole shitload of other safety crap into the aspect of the job. just keep it basic. I have built steamers with a simple hotsy system in them before and had tons of work. Make sure u are rigged up with a foamer system for doing compressor coolers in the summer. its super easy work and its the only real way to clean the poplar fuzz and bugs out of cooler fins. I had 3 months every day cleaning coolers a few years back. super easy money!!! also make sure you rig up with oodles of hose! for doing spill cleanups and steaming frozen culverts. Ive sent many trucks home cuz all they had was 150 or 200 feet of hose and we needed 250 or 300. rig up with creaper nozzles and about 100 feet of 1/2 threaded pipe for steaming out frozen culverts. This is one of those times when u might need all that hose. If u wanna know more just pm me. i hire steamers at least twice a shift and ive seen it all!!! lol

 

[BIG DAWG]

make sure u got a good knockout system for dry steam. there is lots of rig work out there for them in central ab and dry steam is what u want for that

 

[CATPRIDE]

yeah right they bitch at that hahaha i know iam the cheapest steamer in alberta

nothing wrong with the cheapest...........knowing that your the best is all you need