Come-Along
CSI Division 05, Metals
A hand-operated ratchet puller, hooked between two points and cranked to generate pulling force, used during steel erection to pull a slightly out-of-square or out-of-plumb member back into its correct position before it's permanently bolted or welded.
Why it matters
Structural steel members don't always land in perfect position the instant they're set, due to small fabrication tolerances or the weight of the piece itself. A come-along gives an ironworker enough controlled, adjustable force to nudge a member into alignment without needing powered equipment for a small correction.
On a real project
An ironworker finds a steel beam sitting slightly out of square after it's set by the crane, and uses a come-along hooked to an adjacent column to pull it gradually into alignment before the connection is bolted up permanently.
Who this matters most to
An Ironworker keeps a come-along as standard hand tool equipment during steel erection, using it constantly for the small alignment corrections that come up on nearly every piece set.
Where this goes wrong
A crew bolts up a slightly misaligned connection permanently rather than taking the time to pull it into true alignment with a come-along first. The small misalignment compounds as more steel is erected on top of it, becoming a much larger and more expensive problem to fix later in the sequence.