[cooperino]

Originally Posted by J-Mech

BAD IDEA.

I'd rather see you use a jack.

Really? A 9' reach and you think this is safe??? I wouldn't get close enough to it to put jack stands under it. Besides..... I'm really doubting you have jack stands that will hold it as far in the air as you have it in the pics. I'm betting you just stay to one side and clean out the deck with nothing but the crane holding it up.

The guy first off is 70 years old. He made it this far for a reason. Second it looks like he is pretty capable of building things well. Third, He is only lifting about 75 pounds "and yes I know stretched out like that it makes the load heavier"

To the OP. Might I just suggest an adjustable safety gusset? All you need is a hinge point at base, a bar "2x3 1/8th" tubing" and a sliding adjustment point on boom with a pin to lock it.. this will keep your boom from bending and god forbid a hydraulic failure happens the bar would still keep it in the air.