# MONSTER TREE up for grabs



## Treeinnovator (Jun 19, 2006)

i just landed a big commercial account with over 600 trees to trim which will keep me busy for a while. at this point, with my schedule getting crazy, the monster tree would be easier to sub-out. are any of you interested? i have several close-up photos. throw a price at me and i'll add my finder's fee to it. location: MIAMI, FL

here's the page where you can find all the pics. half-way down (posts #50 and #51):
http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=33921&page=4


----------



## vharrison2 (Jun 19, 2006)

Have you already quoted it? We are licensed in Dade.


----------



## Treeinnovator (Jun 19, 2006)

vharrison2 said:


> Have you already quoted it? We are licensed in Dade.



not yet. i told them i was going to get some crane service prices first.

- the new owner takes possession of the house this week on 6/22.
- dump bins by SWS can be rented weekly including disposale for $300 to $500.
- the owner said bulk debris pick up is still active in this area. all you have to do is call the city. (unincorporated Dade). i doubt they will take the root ball, but who knows. but they'll take alot of the chopped up stuff for free.
- this is a corner lot with full access. heavy equipment will have no problem.


----------



## pbtree (Jun 20, 2006)

:notrolls2:


----------



## Ekka (Jun 20, 2006)

$10K and I'm in opcorn:


----------



## Sprig (Jun 20, 2006)

LOLOLOL!! Ekka, count me in for airfare and tickets to Disneyland, I'll work for beer! Good gravey!! "Finders fee." Schnork!
 :notrolls2: opcorn:
opcorn:


----------



## John464 (Jun 20, 2006)

don't want the job, but judging by the pics I'd bid $5600 and have it done in a day ... no need to rent dump bins. there is no need for a crane either, especially if you don't have one . look at that nice center crotch that will allow you to rope off the overhang over the house. minimize expenses and make good money if you have the right equipment for chipping and sawing up all that mess that will come out of it


----------



## SilentElk (Jun 21, 2006)

That tree is a monster! I wonder how McDonalds employee's that would take to cut up and load. I bet at least 50. Maybe just 25 if they are really worth their $6 an hr though. Good luck with it!


----------



## Tree Machine (Jun 21, 2006)

Power pruner, 346 and a 395. Don't necessarily need the power pruner. With the material as straight as it is, I'll take a couple dumpsters right next to the house, one in front, one in back. Now I can do this job out of a van.

As far as the stump, it will be cut ALAP for the excavator at a later date. My charge does not include removing the rootmass, just all materials above ground and getting them dumpsterized. I would dumpsterize the house, too.

$5,000

I'm throwing down a bid because I'm going down to Florida to see family in less than 2 weeks.

How far off Alligator Alley is the job?


----------



## Treeinnovator (Jun 22, 2006)

Tree Machine said:


> Power pruner, 346 and a 395. Don't necessarily need the power pruner. With the material as straight as it is, I'll take a couple dumpsters right next to the house, one in front, one in back. Now I can do this job out of a van.
> 
> As far as the stump, it will be cut ALAP for the excavator at a later date. My charge does not include removing the rootmass, just all materials above ground and getting them dumpsterized. I would dumpsterize the house, too.
> 
> ...



what's ALAP ??????
Alligator Alley (east side near Weston,FL) is about 1/2 hour from the beast.


----------



## Treeinnovator (Jun 22, 2006)

John464 said:


> don't want the job, but judging by the pics I'd bid $5600 and have it done in a day ... no need to rent dump bins. there is no need for a crane either, especially if you don't have one . look at that nice center crotch that will allow you to rope off the overhang over the house. minimize expenses and make good money if you have the right equipment for chipping and sawing up all that mess that will come out of it



a) you are so full of crap. no way is that a ONE day job. 
b) you will need something (a crane) to take the 15 tons of weight off the house.


----------



## a_lopa (Jun 22, 2006)

Treeinnovator said:


> what's ALAP ??????
> Alligator Alley (east side near Weston,FL) is about 1/2 hour from the beast.




ALAP as low as possible/practical on stump,if your not f.o.s treeinovator give treemachine the job,or are you?


----------



## Treeinnovator (Jun 22, 2006)

a_lopa said:


> ALAP as low as possible/practical on stump,if your not f.o.s treeinovator give treemachine the job,or are you?



i always hear the term "flush cut" around here to describe "ALAP".


----------



## Treeinnovator (Jun 22, 2006)

Tree Machine said:


> Power pruner, 346 and a 395. Don't necessarily need the power pruner. With the material as straight as it is, I'll take a couple dumpsters right next to the house, one in front, one in back. Now I can do this job out of a van.
> 
> As far as the stump, it will be cut ALAP for the excavator at a later date. My charge does not include removing the rootmass, just all materials above ground and getting them dumpsterized. I would dumpsterize the house, too.
> 
> ...



if you're going to leave all the stump and roots, then you'll have to go lower probably. if i sub out the stump, someone's going to charge a bunch for it.


----------



## Treeinnovator (Jun 22, 2006)

John464 said:


> don't want the job, but judging by the pics I'd bid $5600 and have it done in a day ... no need to rent dump bins. there is no need for a crane either, especially if you don't have one . look at that nice center crotch that will allow you to rope off the overhang over the house. minimize expenses and make good money if you have the right equipment for chipping and sawing up all that mess that will come out of it



yeah there's a couple of good crotches on the top to get the job done.


----------



## woodchux (Jun 22, 2006)

You can rent a backhoe for $300/day.


----------



## Ekka (Jun 22, 2006)

Treeinnovator said:


> - the new owner takes possession of the house this week on 6/22.



Hey guys, it's not too late to bid this direct and cut this guy out of the picture, just print the thread out and show the owner. opcorn:


----------



## Tree Machine (Jun 22, 2006)

Sorry 'bout the ALAP, as low as possible.

I have a vision on this one, using pole tools to set rigging. Many of us do this, use a pole pruner or pole saw to set a rope or re-set to a different crotch. Those of us using eyed terminations on our ropes' ends can rig with pole tools, like the extendo-pole that Sherrill offers, or pole longths with a tool on the end(my personal favorite, a Jameson Wire Raiser. Here's a brief on how:

Put a steel biner on the eye. Use the pole to put it where you want to drop it, over another crotch or limb. Drop it off the pole. Move the pole around to the other side, re-hook the biner. Pull back to you. Clip the biner to the rope an pull tight for an instant choker. Set friction. Cut safely.

The 'crane limb' would actually be 3 or 4 of the central, adjacent leads, pulled together and secured, then a fat, rated sling chokered to attach the dual-pulley. I would set a 2:1 Z-rig. Poor man's crane, plus the 2:1 takes the place of friction in letting you hand-belay free of a device.


Then one limb at a time. I'll have a roof/ground guy, and a dumpster guy. roof dude will do cuts (just shorter than the dumpster) and dumpster dude, anything else needed.


----------



## Tree Machine (Jun 22, 2006)

OK, ok, I'm trolling you.


This thing's wild. It needs a lull and a 40 meter choker cable.


----------



## Tree Machine (Jun 22, 2006)

How bout some judicious house-side pruning and and we pull it back over and *earth-anchor the big, lateral roots*.

_Mitigation._


It really just needs a mondo crown reduction, a mega-hedge pruning and a pull-over. I'd still be the guy to do that, but I would do that with much more joy. It's an awesome tree and I'll take on saving and securing it. That's not rocket science. But then again, this tree could wallop me broadside. Good chance I may not know remotely what I'm talking about. I've climbed a few banyans recreationally, but never carried cutting and rigging gear.

Same price, though. I vote for saving the tree, or at least opening the option to that.


----------



## Koa Man (Jun 22, 2006)

A big excavator with a thumb will have it off the house and the roots out in less than 2 days with an operator and 2 guys. Like I said earlier, that job be at least $16K here. We took down a 60 ft. mahogany with a canopy spread of 70 ft. and a dbh of 3 ft. in 6 hours with a big excavator and 3 guys. This is takedown, root ball out and backfilled, site cleaned up and useable logs cut into 6-12 lengths for milling. Sorry but I did not have a digital camera at the time, 5 years ago.

I did this house demo in 20 minutes.


----------



## woodchux (Jun 22, 2006)

I believe that i could climb and dissect that monster in one day, or day and a half. Another 3-4 hours with a backhoe on the stumps, and its PAYDAY


----------



## Treeinnovator (Jun 22, 2006)

Ekka said:


> Hey guys, it's not too late to bid this direct and cut this guy out of the picture, just print the thread out and show the owner. opcorn:



yeah, it won't be hard to find in a city of 3 to 4 million residents.


----------



## Treeinnovator (Jun 22, 2006)

woodchux said:


> I believe that i could climb and dissect that monster in one day, or day and a half. Another 3-4 hours with a backhoe on the stumps, and its PAYDAY



so come on down and get it. i'll get the contract signed this week.

what i'm thinking is to cut the hell out of the crown's right side. then the weight of the left side just might be enough to topple itself upright. i've done this with plenty of large stumps after cutting the trunk. they tend to settle back into their original position or close to it. 

at minimum, cutting the branches/crown will make it possble for a large skid loader to pull back upright. no???

thoughts on this?


----------



## Treeinnovator (Jun 22, 2006)

Koa Man said:


> A big excavator with a thumb will have it off the house and the roots out in less than 2 days with an operator and 2 guys. Like I said earlier, that job be at least $16K here. We took down a 60 ft. mahogany with a canopy spread of 70 ft. and a dbh of 3 ft. in 6 hours with a big excavator and 3 guys. This is takedown, root ball out and backfilled, site cleaned up and useable logs cut into 6-12 lengths for milling. Sorry but I did not have a digital camera at the time, 5 years ago.
> 
> I did this house demo in 20 minutes.



how much do one of those rent for daily?


----------



## clearance (Jun 22, 2006)

Treeinnovator said:


> how much do one of those rent for daily?


Doesn't matter, they don't rent them to tards. Imagine, renting out a machine worth a few hundred grand to an idiot, I wouldn't rent you a shovel.


----------



## Treeinnovator (Jun 22, 2006)

you guys know, whoever comes down here to do this job will have the privilege of meeting.... that's right.... "the treeminator" in person !!!
i'll give you tips on how to increase your efficiency and double your profit margins and if you're really good, i'll autograph your chainsaw.


----------



## Ekka (Jun 22, 2006)

Treeinnovator said:


> you guys know, whoever comes down here to do this job will have the privilege of meeting.... that's right.... "the treeminator" in person !!!
> i'll give you tips on how to increase your efficiency and double your profit margins and if you're really good, i'll autograph your chainsaw.



Crikey's. You'll soon be paying him to do the job!


----------



## Treeinnovator (Jun 22, 2006)

Ekka said:


> Crikey's. You'll soon be paying him to do the job!



hey that's not such a crazy statement. if i showed you how to knock off 40% of your operating cost, how much would you pay to for that information. to some of you, that would add $40,000 to your personal income.


----------



## ddhlakebound (Jun 22, 2006)

Treeinnovator said:


> hey that's not such a crazy statement. if i showed you how to knock off 40% of your operating cost, how much would you pay to for that information. to some of you, that would add $40,000 to your personal income.




Ummmmmm........I thought you werent going to discuss your unsafe, irresponsible tree tactics under your new name. Ah, go ahead, I'm sure the mods won't mind.


----------



## Tio (Jun 22, 2006)

Treeinnovator said:


> hey that's not such a crazy statement. if i showed you how to knock off 40% of your operating cost, how much would you pay to for that information. to some of you, that would add $40,000 to your personal income.



*chuckles to self*

Y'all are amusing the hell out of me.

The only autograph I want on one of my saws goes a little bit like this:

S-T-I-H-L

'Cept maybe Ekka's autograph with him bein' a movie star and all that.

Tell ya what I'll do.

I'm gonna cut-throat all of ya!

I am gonna bid $300 dollars.

I figure I will drive all the way to Florida from Kansas, cut that lil' ol' sucker up with a homelite, haul all the brush away in an s-10 (one. . . maybe two loads) and then drive all the way back up here with about five or ten grand profit in my pocket.

Now THAT is cutting operating expenses to the BONE BABY!

(and yes. . . I enjoy the heck out of feeding trolls)


----------



## woodchux (Jun 22, 2006)

Dude... Go take your schizophrenia meds !


----------



## beowulf343 (Jun 22, 2006)

Treeinnovator said:


> you guys know, whoever comes down here to do this job will have the privilege of meeting.... that's right.... "the treeminator" in person !!!
> i'll give you tips on how to increase your efficiency and double your profit margins and if you're really good, i'll autograph your chainsaw.


I wouldn't let a hack like you even TOUCH my saw!


----------



## Tio (Jun 22, 2006)

So here I am, the prospective new owner and all. . . I walks up to the real estate agent and says that I would like to take possession of my property no later than 6/22/06.

The agent looks at me with a knowing grin and says “No prooooooooooblem!”

So me being the stupid redneck that I am, asks “What about that big ol' tree what's a laying there on the roof?”

The agent looks at me and says “No prooooooooooblem! It's ambience”

I says “ Okay then. . . SOLD!”


----------



## clearance (Jun 22, 2006)

Treeinnovator said:


> you guys know, whoever comes down here to do this job will have the privilege of meeting.... that's right.... "the treeminator" in person !!!
> i'll give you tips on how to increase your efficiency and double your profit margins and if you're really good, i'll autograph your chainsaw.


If I met you I wouldn't kick your ass, I'd be to busy laughing. Probably some 14 year old kid, fooling around when he isn't looking at ????, hey "treeminator" don't forget your homework assignment.


----------



## woodchux (Jun 22, 2006)

Remember now... 

James is doing his best !


----------



## 1CallLandscape (Jun 22, 2006)

Tio said:


> *chuckles to self*
> 
> Y'all are amusing the hell out of me.
> 
> ...



dude your wacked out man...have you ever even bid on a job that big 
nevermind cut a tree (s) that big???? if you dont have anything to contrubute than dont...whether treeinnovator is practicing unsafe opperations or not... i persaonally dont know him so i give my best advice, assuming that he is a legit cutter of course...you on the other hand ar just being a smart a** 

-mike


----------



## 1CallLandscape (Jun 22, 2006)

as far as cutting expenses go, its toughf to cut things like fuel and mantenance... like myself i have had to pass the cost onto the customer and up my prices a little. not a big deal... if you want to really cut costs....run bio-diesel in your trucks and chippers, ethanol in your saws etc. by doing this myself i have recouped 10-20% of my total costs..

-mike


----------



## Tio (Jun 22, 2006)

1CallLandscape said:


> dude your wacked out man...have you ever even bid on a job that big
> nevermind cut a tree (s) that big???? if you dont have anything to contrubute than dont...whether treeinnovator is practicing unsafe opperations or not... i persaonally dont know him so i give my best advice, assuming that he is a legit cutter of course...you on the other hand ar just being a smart a**
> 
> -mike



Damn skippy I am being a smart a**!

Except for just a couple of you guys, you have gone for his throat at every opportunity.

You say you don't know the man but and all, but you still go after a man who keeps coming back here, AND this time he actually asked your advice.

What did he get?

A bunch of self righteous hypocrites who post in the middle of the day when they should be working.

There are a few of y'all who are the real deal. . . but for most part; I have no use for people who trash others on forums like this.

Shall I quote the replies?

Or do you know who you are?

I have seen serious questions asked and then seen the thread hijacked by a bunch of know it all elitists who might own a saw or two and try to lord it over others by making them look a fool.

In answer to your question. . . yes, I have, on a regular basis.

In reply to you and others like you; have you?

Or is it (with a few exceptions) just smoke and mirrors?

Yeah, you can post your pictures all day long and so can I; but on the internet, who knows what is real or not.

You can come here and try to make yourself look good. . .

Or you can try to educate.

Being a self righteous a** is not education.

Offering flippant remarks and facetious replies is not education.

Of course that is just my opinion. . . but then again, I actually work for a living.

Go ahead and ban away.


----------



## b1rdman (Jun 22, 2006)

Tio said:


> Damn skippy I am being a smart a**!
> 
> Except for just a couple of you guys, you have gone for his throat at every opportunity.
> 
> ...



I like this guy.


----------



## a_lopa (Jun 22, 2006)

It wouldnt be worth spending a day there lightening one side "hoping"it will upright itself,sure it might happen but an 20-30t excavator with a grab would have that all over very quickly,if you cant work a simple job like this out treeinovator you couldnt knock $40 off my overheads let alone $40,000


----------



## woodchux (Jun 22, 2006)

Tio-minator ?


----------



## Treeinnovator (Jun 22, 2006)

Tio said:


> Damn skippy I am being a smart a**!
> 
> Except for just a couple of you guys, you have gone for his throat at every opportunity.
> 
> ...



yeah, what he said !!!!


----------



## Tio (Jun 22, 2006)

woodchux said:


> Tio-minator ?



Nah son.

I ain't the same guy.

I don't have all my saws proudly listed.

The amount of saws you own don't make you a better tree-man.

It's what you do with them saws that counts.

Y'all want to talk about cutting your overhead?

Quit buying all them pretty saws and just run what you need for the wood you are cutting.

I own four saws.

A itty bitty one for climbing, a medium one for general purpose, a big one for the big stuff. . . and then the one what stretches out for when I need to reach something from the ground.

They all read stihl on the side.

They all paid for themselves many times over.


----------



## sawinredneck (Jun 23, 2006)

Tio said:


> *chuckles to self*
> 
> Y'all are amusing the hell out of me.
> 
> ...




Why don't we show them how we really do it in KS? 20 gallons of gas and a match, not a problem no mo'!!!!!
I likes the way ya think!!!!
Send me a PM Tio, I am curious whereabouts in KS you are!
Andy


----------



## Ekka (Jun 23, 2006)

I gotta see the video of this job getting done and how long it takes.

And for those who aren't experienced cutting ficus, beware.

Looks like an overgrown benjamina .... sap or latex of benjamina can cause severe dermatitis skin irritation to many people.

alap the stump hey, better have some saw files handy as they get lots of dirt between the buttresses and roots (aerial roots).

So, Treeinnovator first of all needs a hand bidding it, then wants some-one else to do it?? 

Strange dont you think?

Then he's a business advisr and can save us $40K, but I suppose that's a secret and till he examines your business (to pinch ideas) he's a bag of hot air ... just like this tree.


----------



## pbtree (Jun 23, 2006)

Treeinnovator said:


> you guys know, whoever comes down here to do this job will have the privilege of meeting.... that's right.... "the treeminator" in person !!!
> i'll give you tips on how to increase your efficiency and double your profit margins and if you're really good, i'll autograph your chainsaw.



Give me a break! :help:  :notrolls2:


----------



## trevmcrev (Jun 23, 2006)

Treeminator, i mean treeinovator, why dont you call in your gun climber James the narcoleptic tree cutter from the video threads.

Ps can you please send me a signed 8x10 of yourself to hang in my workshop. My friends will be so jealous if they saw i had your autograph:hmm3grin2orange:


----------



## Tio (Jun 23, 2006)

sawinredneck said:


> Why don't we show them how we really do it in KS? 20 gallons of gas and a match, not a problem no mo'!!!!!
> I likes the way ya think!!!!
> Send me a PM Tio, I am curious whereabouts in KS you are!
> Andy



Gas?

I like to use a mixture of diesel and used motor oil on top of half a dozen ol' tires.

More friendly to the environment. Gets rid of the used motor oil so people ain't dumping it in ditches and on fence rows as well as eliminating those stacks of unsightly tires every good redneck accumulates out on the back forty.

Will do the PM later. Right now I gotta go to work and I don't wanna.


----------



## Treeinnovator (Jun 23, 2006)

trevmcrev said:


> Ps can you please send me a signed 8x10 of yourself to hang in my workshop. My friends will be so jealous if they saw i had your autograph



here ya go buddy, just what you asked for....
(see pic attached)


----------



## xtremetrees (Jun 23, 2006)

:biggrinbounce2:


----------



## Tree Machine (Jun 24, 2006)

Do ya want me to do the job, yes or no? 

if yes, I will write you up an estimate and a letter of intent. Send me half up front and I will sent you my itinerary. I will come down and do the job the following week and we can settle up fully afer the job is done to completion.


----------



## Treeinnovator (Jun 24, 2006)

Tree Machine said:


> Do ya want me to do the job, yes or no?
> 
> if yes, I will write you up an estimate and a letter of intent. Send me half up front and I will sent you my itinerary. I will come down and do the job the following week and we can settle up fully afer the job is done to completion.



not at $5,000....my current bid from a local sub-out is $2,000 with me supplying the crane and dump bin.


----------



## Tree Machine (Jun 24, 2006)

OK. That's a good price.


----------



## Koa Man (Jun 24, 2006)

Crane trucks w/operator here goes for $120 an hour. Bins are $285 for a 40 yarder plus $42 a ton for green waste. Looking at min. of 6 bins plus 2 days with a crane. $2000 for sub. 

Don't know what prices are in your area, but here you would be over $5000 already. But less your 40% innovative cost cutting techniques, I guess you will get it all done for $3000.


----------



## Ekka (Jun 24, 2006)

Koa Man said:


> Crane trucks w/operator here goes for $120 an hour. Bins are $285 for a 40 yarder plus $42 a ton for green waste. Looking at min. of 6 bins plus 2 days with a crane. $2000 for sub.
> 
> Don't know what prices are in your area, but here you would be over $5000 already. But less your 40% innovative cost cutting techniques, I guess you will get it all done for $3000.



Hahhaaha

No wonder he's the cost cutting expert, something lowballers have to get good at.

$2000 for that over there, why bother, sap dripping crap.

An ole saying around here is "there's no money in big trees" ... and an ole timer responded "there is if you put the right money in the first place".

I just dont understand it when big trees are involved there's a race to the bottom of the bidding scale ... some people must like feeding their egos more than the bank account.


----------



## Treeinnovator (Jun 24, 2006)

Ekka said:


> Hahhaaha
> 
> No wonder he's the cost cutting expert, something lowballers have to get good at.
> 
> ...



i know what you mean. today while doing work on a community HOA, 4 different neighbors approached me for work. 5 hours later i had a profit of $800. the big jobs don't pay nearly as much as the little ones.


----------



## Xino5544 (Jun 24, 2006)

*The big ficus*

Man, you already got a quote from a sub for $2,000.00......that's cheap!
I wouldn't touch that tree for less than $5,800.00.


----------



## Treeinnovator (Jun 24, 2006)

Xino5544 said:


> Man, you already got a quote from a sub for $2,000.00......that's cheap!
> I wouldn't touch that tree for less than $5,800.00.



well you have to consider that i have supply the crane and debris removal. so it's not that great after all.

the more i think about this tree, the higher i go. if i don't make $3,000 profit from it. screw it. it's not worth the potential problems.


----------



## Ekka (Jun 24, 2006)

You got that right.

I like the @ $500 jobs, get in and out quick, smack em down, most customers couldn't be bothered with 5 bids, if weather turns bad you usually got some money in for the day etc etc.

But when it's a big job on a removal the customer many times takes the cheapest bid, they just check the co's insured and go for the lowest bid ... end result is the same they think, trees gone, so why pay more?

Then you get the wankers who advertise "will beat any genuine written bid" .... tell me how many other trades do that?

We seem as an industry to cut each others throats. Free advice, free consultations, free bids, free stump grinds, free hazard assessment, .... all in the desperation of trying to get the job over some-one else.


----------



## Dadatwins (Jun 25, 2006)

Looked at the pics and not seeing the need for a crane, tree does not look that tall, simply looks like a lot of spread out debris, I have not worked on ficus, I am guessing from description of sap and wood that chipping the debris is not option? Large uprooted root ball looks like it is probably more air than soil/wood? Probably cheaper and easier to grind out, than pulling out with escavator and then having to backfill hole. looks like many surface roots would have to be cut also, easier grind out in my opinion. Does not look like that bad of a job, just time consuming with a lot of debris to move, I would say 2k on that job is way underpriced.


----------



## Treeinnovator (Jun 25, 2006)

Dadatwins said:


> Looked at the pics and not seeing the need for a crane, tree does not look that tall, simply looks like a lot of spread out debris, I have not worked on ficus, I am guessing from description of sap and wood that chipping the debris is not option? Large uprooted root ball looks like it is probably more air than soil/wood? Probably cheaper and easier to grind out, than pulling out with escavator and then having to backfill hole. looks like many surface roots would have to be cut also, easier grind out in my opinion. Does not look like that bad of a job, just time consuming with a lot of debris to move, I would say 2k on that job is way underpriced.



you're right about the tree having ALOT of vacant space under the rootball. a larger grinder (v502+) would chew it up in one hour. the sap is just an annoyance and in no way prohibits ordinary chipping and sawing. it's like a weak form of white elmer's glue.

if the (1) top branches were removed and chipped straight into a large roll-off dumpster, it's trunk could then be (2) uprighted with "something" then (3) it's trunk chopped up and (4) finally stump grinded.

that's the cheapest way i see it. the "something" would probably be a crane or large front loader.

$2,000 for crane service
$1,000 for 2 dump bins
$1,000 labor
----------------------
$4,000 total ballpark


----------



## Treeinnovator (Jun 25, 2006)

Dadatwins said:


> Looked at the pics and not seeing the need for a crane, .



how do you not see the need for a crane???
the weight of that trunk is on 2 things...a large branch on the ground and the roof. when you try and cut the trunk off the house it might roll and do more damage or kill a worker. also, god for bid your saw gets pinched on the trunk, you'll never get it out.


----------



## woodchux (Jun 25, 2006)

$2,000 for a crane! I really don't see $2k worth of craning there. 3,000 for crane and labor? Seems high to me. If I had that job, my expenses would be around $700 (or less)


----------



## Koa Man (Jun 25, 2006)

woodchux,
How much do cranes rent for where you are? Here, they always come with an operator. none of the crane owners are going to rent it to tree guys without one. Craning is slow. The quickest way is a big ex with a grab. A big ex can break off most of the branches and lift way more than even a 28 ton crane extended half way out.

mr. t-innovator,
I doubt you will be able to get by with only 2 bins, even chipped. Banyans have a way of rapidly filling up a chipbox. I have done a lot of banyans. I removed two totalling about the size of the tree in your picture with no stump grinding for $8900 back in 1990. We filled up a 20 yd. chipbox 8 times and had about 3 loads of logs. No 18 inch chippers back then, only had a Bandit 200.

Big ex, like a Komatsu PC400 $2200 a day for 2 days = $4400
Delivery and pickup of big ex, $440 each way = $ 880
3 man crew for 2 days, includes chipper and chip truck = $3000
Disposal fees $10 ton for chips, $42 ton for other, est. = $1250
Administrative costs and profit = $2000
Dump truck with dirt to backfill hole and sod = $1000
Add 15% cushion for screwups and underestimating time.

My bid $14409.50. In reality, like I said earlier, a job like that would go for at least $16K here. Don't know why removals are so cheap in many areas of the CONUS. 

I did the removal of this tree for $13853 last month. I was the low bidder. Job was done in 2.5 days. All my labor, crane, disposal and equipment costs was $7512.50. I was lucky and the job when extremely smoothly, but you have to add for delays due to equipment breakdown, damage, etc. A lot of bad things can happen when doing large tree removals and you need to be compensated for the risks involved. Bottom feeders only look at the $$ sign. Wow, I'll get $4000 for removing this tree. Ends up it costs you $7500 to get the job done and you have a "profit" of negative $3500.


----------



## woodchux (Jun 25, 2006)

If i was to do that job i wouldn't use a crane. I'd just piece it out one limb at a time. It looks like alot of the tree could be just cut and chucked, limbs flying, a little technical rigging. No need to crane every branch. If I needed some mechanical muscle, I'd use a backhoe with a thumb (very cheap).That would take care of the stumps too. But hey- Thats just me. (I've never needed a crane yet)


----------



## Koa Man (Jun 25, 2006)

A backhoe would not have enough reach. Most backhoes can only reach about 12-14 ft. in height. Leaning over even less.


----------



## clearance (Jun 25, 2006)

Koa Man said:


> A backhoe would not have enough reach. Most backhoes can only reach about 12-14 ft. in height. Leaning over even less.


You are right, backhoes are too small, big hoe, with a thumb, and a decent operator. Course this is just pretend. In the real world I love working with a good op. and machine, one guy with a saw and one guy with the right hoe can deck a lot of wood in a day.


----------



## Dadatwins (Jun 25, 2006)

Treeinnovator said:


> how do you not see the need for a crane???
> the weight of that trunk is on 2 things...a large branch on the ground and the roof. when you try and cut the trunk off the house it might roll and do more damage or kill a worker. also, god for bid your saw gets pinched on the trunk, you'll never get it out.



Actually most of the weight of the trunk looks like it is still being held by the root system of that tree, cut all the weight off the top and you will see a far different picture. If all the weight of that tree was laying on the house it would have crushed it. A grapple escavator or even a prentice/fassi type grapple would be helpful, but I think a dedicated crane using slings would be very time consuming and not needed.


----------



## Xino5544 (Jun 25, 2006)

Treeinnovator said:


> well you have to consider that i have supply the crane and debris removal. so it's not that great after all.
> 
> the more i think about this tree, the higher i go. if i don't make $3,000 profit from it. screw it. it's not worth the potential problems.



Do you have a bucket truck? 
If you do, then good rigging is all you need. However, it will demand more than 2.5 days. Once you are cutting the main trunk you will need a fassi type of grapple or a backhoe with a claw.


1 bucket truck crew x 3 days = 1500 bucks
1 debris disposal = 2000 bucks
1 day equipment rental = 500

You look at $3000 + you overhead + over-inflated profit = $7000

You live in South Florida and still do not know how to price a tree like this?
Maybe you should limit your practice to do light prunning.


----------



## Treeinnovator (Jun 25, 2006)

Dadatwins said:


> Actually most of the weight of the trunk looks like it is still being held by the root system of that tree, cut all the weight off the top and you will see a far different picture. If all the weight of that tree was laying on the house it would have crushed it. A grapple escavator or even a prentice/fassi type grapple would be helpful, but I think a dedicated crane using slings would be very time consuming and not needed.



all homes in south Florida are concrete block by law. this might explain why it can hold alot of the weight.


----------



## Treeinnovator (Jun 25, 2006)

if you're looking at the roots holding a good part of the trunk's weight, then wouldn't it upright itself as soon as you cut all the top-rightside branches?

on the other hand, someone told me today that the roots are solid by now because of the recent rains. they have had time to settle in. they told me the trunk wouldn't even fall over if the house was theoretically removed from under it.


----------



## Xino5544 (Jun 25, 2006)

*Your dilemma*

Are gonna do it or you are just trying to get more feed back how to price it?


----------



## Treeinnovator (Jun 25, 2006)

Xino5544 said:


> Are gonna do it or you are just trying to get more feed back how to price it?



i'd rather sub out the take-down and grinding because my schedule is hectic right now. i can take care of the debris removal.


----------



## Xino5544 (Jun 25, 2006)

I'll bet your sub is a guy with a crew that rides on a pick-up truck and has no idea of safety standar, has no insurance, and probably has not registered his company with the State. Maybe just a Pedro (no offense) Landscaping.....which at the end will do anything to make the day... no matter what risks he and his crew will take....


----------



## Xino5544 (Jun 25, 2006)

I wish you the best luck!!!!!


----------



## Treeinnovator (Jun 25, 2006)

Xino5544 said:


> I'll bet your sub is a guy with a crew that rides on a pick-up truck and has no idea of safety standar, has no insurance, and probably has not registered his company with the State. Maybe just a Pedro (no offense) Landscaping.....which at the end will do anything to make the day... no matter what risks he and his crew will take....



nobody's that stupid to take on a project with these risks without Lic.+Ins.


----------



## Xino5544 (Jun 25, 2006)

Well, I've seen it in the past......
There are a lot of people just trying to get by the day.........
As said before, I wish you luck and hope you don't have to use your insurance because somebody else.


----------



## Groundie30 (Jun 26, 2006)

Treeinovator, formerly Treeminator.. That tree looks like it could be done without a crane from the two pictures. In my opinion. Judging from the plastic chair on the front porch, it looks like 50 feet or maybe a little more to the highest point. There a alot of angles and things that I cant see from those pictures though. 

It looks like a good project to me though. Not too far from Central Florida where we are located. I would have to make it worth my while to travel to Miami.. If you supplied the bins and we skipped the crane.. We could do it for 4000. I would need 1000 up front. I guess PM me if your interested, or I will check this webpage in the morning. 

A couple of people suggested that you were a spoof, or another poster messing around.. I'm assuming that you are being for real. I mean, you sent a picture of Arnold's head.. makes me wonder, you know? 

Anyways, I will be in touch.


----------



## clearance (Jun 26, 2006)

*Treeinsanity*

Anyone out there Tree whatever he is calling himself this week is a cull,troll whatever. Banned already for dumb stuff, he is still having fun. The guy will achieve mythical staus here soon. Your choice, you may be embarrassed.


----------



## Ekka (Jun 26, 2006)

Woodchux

I'm not being a smart ass but need to ask you, how many large ficus have you done in the past?

They have large dia limbs, heavy, which piss out latex when cut. Limbs are like horizontal queen palms.

Like Koa said, the volume always is a lot higher than you think because they have large wood and lots of leaves.

Cutting and chucking that stuff over the house ... forget it.

Lower with a tag or speed line .... slow.

Everybody is pretty much on the right track here, personally, that type of job is right up my alley and it would be a good job but you want a crew who have done them before with cranes or excavators etc.

And like Koa said, leave some breathing room in your bid coz chit happens.

So what was the bid price on it I wonder??????


----------



## Koa Man (Jun 26, 2006)

clearance said:


> Anyone out there Tree whatever he is calling himself this week is a cull,troll whatever. Banned already for dumb stuff, he is still having fun. The guy will achieve mythical staus here soon. Your choice, you may be embarrassed.



clearance,
Most of us know t-whatever is obviously not an experienced professional, but I am surprised at how some would approach removing this tree. This will not be a simple job. It does not require a lot of high tech rigging, but it will require a tremendous amount of work. I am also surprised at how low some can do this job for. I should post pictures when I have large removals and solicit bids. I could probably fly someone in, pay their hotel for a week, let them do all the work and it would only cost me 50% of what I bid.


----------



## Treeinnovator (Jun 26, 2006)

clearance said:


> Anyone out there Tree whatever he is calling himself this week is a cull,troll whatever. Banned already for dumb stuff, he is still having fun. The guy will achieve mythical staus here soon. Your choice, you may be embarrassed.



clearance, quit stirring up sh-t. it's a legit question and legit tree located in Miami that i am being asked to remove. just because you don't like some of my business methods, doesn't mean this is a troll. everytime you trim trees you use your gaffs which is illegal. we all disagree on that, but it doesn't make you a troll now does it.


----------



## Treeinnovator (Jun 26, 2006)

Groundie30 said:


> Treeinovator, formerly Treeminator.. That tree looks like it could be done without a crane from the two pictures. In my opinion. Judging from the plastic chair on the front porch, it looks like 50 feet or maybe a little more to the highest point. There a alot of angles and things that I cant see from those pictures though.
> QUOTE]
> 
> i still don't see how some of you guys can remove the trunk's weight off the structure without a crane or excavator. let's say youtake all the top branches off, then what? you have this huge 15 ton massthat can't be cut unless uprighted.
> ...


----------



## Treeinnovator (Jun 26, 2006)

Ekka said:


> So what was the bid price on it I wonder??????




Ekka,
i spoke to the previous owners when i inspected the tree a couple of weeks ago. the house changed ownership last week and the new owners are RE investors who live near me, which is why they asked me.

anyways, the previous owners said they got quotes for.... $3,500...$4,000....$7,000....$12,000.

i can't imagine any legit company removing that monster for $4,000 or less.


----------



## Treeinnovator (Jun 26, 2006)

whether this tree gets done or not.... i think this thread is should be taken with an education purpose. it's a good example of a situation where many people have different opinions on how to go about removing it. 

just sayin'


----------



## Ekka (Jun 26, 2006)

Wow, that's a big spread isn't it.

$3500 to $12k

So you know that it's gotta be inbetween there, and maybe you can settle a price with them of what is fair as you have a good standing with them ... good on ya.

Hard part will be getting the right people to sub out to.


----------



## a_lopa (Jun 26, 2006)

Koa Man said:


> clearance I am also surprised at how low some can do this job for. I should post pictures when I have large removals and solicit bids. I could probably fly someone in, pay their hotel for a week, let them do all the work and it would only cost me 50% of what I bid.



thanks koa thats made my day,maybe treeinovator could find the contractors. lol


----------



## pbtree (Jun 26, 2006)

Treeinnovator said:


> Ekka,
> 
> i can't imagine any legit company removing that monster for $4,000 or less.



I think quite a few of us can't imagine you with a legit post...


----------



## pbtree (Jun 26, 2006)

Treeinnovator said:


> whether this tree gets done or not.... i think this thread is should be taken with an education purpose.



I think you have done a fine job of educating us in one of your past lives...


----------



## clearance (Jun 26, 2006)

Treeinnovator said:


> clearance, quit stirring up sh-t. it's a legit question and legit tree located in Miami that i am being asked to remove. just because you don't like some of my business methods, doesn't mean this is a troll. everytime you trim trees you use your gaffs which is illegal. we all disagree on that, but it doesn't make you a troll now does it.


Gaffs are not illegal here. On to your stellar business methods, where do we begin, getting employees from fast food places, training them to climb in one day, giving them junk saws (after using electric saws), making them pay thier own comp. after paying them $8 hr. Having them use 1/4 rope from Homo-Depot, having them get jobs for $5, brainwashing them (in your words) so they are dependent on you. Its all good to talk over this tree guys, if you are taking Treewhatever seriously you are deluded. Newer people here should do a search on Treeminator, using the search function on this site.


----------



## Treeinnovator (Jun 26, 2006)

Ekka said:


> Wow, that's a big spread isn't it.
> 
> $3500 to $12k
> 
> ...



the low end is either from (a) some yahoo living day to day who needs to desperately pay his bills (b) the contract has a non-debris removal clause.


----------



## okietreedude1 (Jun 26, 2006)

So TreeIn,

You know the old quotes, youve gotten several offers of help and a lot of opinions on peoples prices, etc.

So what is YOUR bid? What are you waiting on? Every one of the thousands of registered members here could give you a price and how they would do the work, but it only depends on YOU. You are the one doing the work, or at least scheduled to give the final bid.

If someone wants to do it bad enough, put it in contract form and get on with the dumb thing. Make sure the contract is clear on whose liability carries damages.

You want another price....Ill do it for $10,000 plus travel, lodging and food of MY choice, & any extra equipment I feel necessary once I get to Florida. Oh, and thats NO CLEAN UP.


----------



## Treeinnovator (Jun 26, 2006)

okietreedude1 said:


> So TreeIn,
> 
> You know the old quotes, youve gotten several offers of help and a lot of opinions on peoples prices, etc.
> 
> ...



damn, i would have taken you up on the offer if I could have chosen your food....lol

i just found a guy with a 50yd grapple truck who will charge $400 per load. where's he dumping? who cares as long as he makes the piles disappear.


----------



## Groundie30 (Jun 26, 2006)

Treein,
On second thought, I retract my offer. I just have a bad feeling about that job. It probably would take an escavator to pull the tree upright. I wonder how much it would shift off of the house once all of the weight and leverage was removed from above the point of impact? It might even come off of the house .. I'm not sure. 

Ekka, I have worked on big trees on block houses before.. i.e. a 60+ water oak on a block castle looking house, and I have cut a medium ficus before. I have not removed a ficus that large before, and the house to is an extra hassle. It looks doable, but its just a picture. I would have to see it in person to see all of the angles. I definetly don't think I have the most experience on this site.. far from it. I do think I could remove that tree without incendent though. Maybe the next one.. Thanks for the advice though..


----------



## beowulf343 (Jun 27, 2006)

This tree is not on the ground yet?????? If treeminator spent as much time cutting as he/she does talking, this tree could have been finished days ago.


----------



## Treeinnovator (Jun 30, 2006)

*** UPDATE ****

the winning bid was $3,700.

i spoke to the owner and she did a thorough check on the tree company that won. all licenses and insurances in place. this price included debris removal. i said, "the crane service alone is $1,200". she doesn't think they are going to use a crane, but she's curious as to how they will lift the weight of the trunk off the house without one.

still... unless they are illegally dumping the debris on the side of the road or something, i can't imagine how they will get rid of that much debris without it costing a bunch of $$$.

she also said there were a few tree companies that simply didn't even want to mess with it at all. they passed on it.

my bid was $7,500.


----------



## Treeinnovator (Jun 30, 2006)

oh one more thing...

she said the tree guy said they never did a tree that big.

i almost want to go down there while they are cutting the trunk just to see how they do it without a crane or something.


----------



## Koa Man (Jul 1, 2006)

Treeinnovator said:


> she said the tree guy said they never did a tree that big.
> 
> i almost want to go down there while they are cutting the trunk just to see how they do it without a crane or something.



They are in for a big surprise and will lose their okole (Hawaiian word) on that job. Why don't you go and take some pictures of them in action. If they do a good job, I would like to have their phone number so I can fly them in for my big removals.


----------



## Treeinnovator (Jul 1, 2006)

Koa Man said:


> They are in for a big surprise and will lose their okole (Hawaiian word) on that job. Why don't you go and take some pictures of them in action. If they do a good job, I would like to have their phone number so I can fly them in for my big removals.



lol... i actually said something similar tot he owner. i said, "wow, that's an incredible price. i might call you up in the future and get their name/ph# because i could use them to sub-out work at their prices."


----------



## Ekka (Jul 2, 2006)

$3700 for the lot?

What about the stump and root ball??


----------



## Tree Machine (Jul 2, 2006)

If the low ballers end up running home to their Mammies, I''ll be down from July 11 through the 19th. My price still stands, though.


----------



## Treeinnovator (Jul 2, 2006)

Ekka said:


> $3700 for the lot?
> 
> What about the stump and root ball??



the job description called for a "tree removal". stump grinding would be acceptable as long as everything was flat and sod could be placed over it. the investor doesn't care how it's done as long as it looked good in the end.

they must be dumping the debris illegally on the side of the road or something otherwise the numbers don't add up.


----------



## Koa Man (Jul 2, 2006)

A customer I worked at last week told me her girlfriend got bids to remove a huge tree. Bids were as high as $36,000. One idiot submitted a bid for $3000 and spent a week working on the tree, hauling stuff with pickup trucks and having all his relatives helping. She said they barely made a dent in the tree and gave up. Her friend still ended up paying them $3000. I told her I would have paid them a percentage. If they only did 10%, they would get $300.

I also told her that anytime someone quotes a price far below what everybody else is quoting, it is obvious that they have no idea of what the job entails and therefore no experience. I would not have even considered accepting a bid so far off. I did not get to look at the tree, but I bet they did all the easy stuff first and probably cut off all the rigging and tie in points that an experienced crew would need.

I looked at one job where the homeowner told me over the phone they wanted a tree removed and had started to cut it down but needed someone to remove the branches over a stream. I looked at the job and they had cut everything except the 25 ft. long laterals over the stream and left no uprights. I explained to them how a professional would leave a couple of uprights for rigging and tie in and now the job is extremely difficult and I declined to submit a bid. Back yard, no crane access, and I was not going to inchworm my way out there. Dropping into the stream and then trying to pull it out was not a viable option either.


----------



## Ekka (Jul 2, 2006)

Hey Koa

I got a bugger of hairy one just like that but over fences, houses and yards to do this Friday. I'll try to get out there today with the vid camera to show you what the developers have done and left.  

But we can get a bucket near it, just not all over it so it's an hourly job with no promises.

I'll get a birds eye view on Friday.


----------



## BlueRidgeMark (Jul 2, 2006)

Koa Man said:


> They are in for a big surprise and will lose their okole (Hawaiian word) on that job.




 .....



Koa, help us out here. Just what does that word mean?








> I looked at one job where the homeowner told me over the phone they wanted a tree removed and had started to cut it down ... and I declined to submit a bid.



I saw a sign once that would seem to apply. 

*SHOP RATES: 

If we work on it: $40 per hour

If another shop worked on it: $60 per hour

If you worked on it: $80 per hour.*


----------



## Koa Man (Jul 3, 2006)

Ok, BlueRidge,
Ever heard of Wet Okole seatcovers? Okole is the Hawaiian word for your rear end or posterior.


----------



## stingray bay (Jul 9, 2006)

Reading this thread makes me realise why some people own heavy machinery AND chainsaws and others just stand around at the bottom of a tree with their hand on it wondering how much they can charge the poor owner of the house next to the tree. There was nothing in this job that hydraulics wouldn't sort out double quick. If we had spent this long removing a 3.5m DBH Macrocarpa from my neighbours house we would have been laughed off the island Cost? 10 litres of diesel to drive there and back, 3 days cutting and maybe 20 litres of fuel for the saws. You guys must have some pretty gullible customers.


----------



## Tree Machine (Jul 9, 2006)

True, but to compare a big macrocarpa to this banyan...., they're such different animals. And you never charge your neighbors the way you charge others.

Come to the US and work with me. It's Winter there on the south island. Take a vacation. Come to Indiana for a few months.

I don't get gullible customers, but we do all right.


----------



## ASD (Jul 9, 2006)

Tree Machine said:


> True, but to compare a big macrocarpa to this banyan...., they're such different animals. And you never charge your neighbors the way you charge others.
> 
> Come to the US and work with me. It's Winter there on the south island. Take a vacation. Come to Indiana for a few months.
> 
> I don't get gullible customers, but we do all right.



NICE PIC


----------



## stingray bay (Jul 9, 2006)

Tree Machine said:


> True, but to compare a big macrocarpa to this banyan...., they're such different animals. And you never charge your neighbors the way you charge others.
> 
> Come to the US and work with me. It's Winter there on the south island. Take a vacation. Come to Indiana for a few months.
> 
> I don't get gullible customers, but we do all right.



Tempting, the way some of those quotes read I could buy myself a 20 ton digger after the first few trees! However its a clear blue sky, 16 Deg C, the fishing is fantastic and Scallop season starts on Saturday...


----------



## Tree Machine (Jul 9, 2006)

Stingray, this pic was for you. This is your back yard, a shot off of Queen Charlotte Highway just north of Picton.

Elizabeth and I were greeted by a Kiwi Arborist, Graeme, who took us for a three day camping over at White's Bay. We were treated to spearfishing, lobstering, scalloping and (only you'll be able to appreciate this...) nighttime drunken possum hunting with spotlight and spearguns. I was treated to some of the best your country had to offer. 

We came down to NZ for two months. We had beers with Timber McPherson about halfway through. Both he and Graeme were telling me about an arborist near Nelson, some legendary dude but they couldn't pin down exactly where he was. 

Where you live?


----------



## Tree Machine (Jul 9, 2006)

Since I'm derailing this thread, let me be thorough and offer a few more pictures that have nothing to do with this thread.


Or is this thread done? Last pics were the banyan trunkage was still standing and Ekka was predicting bad things when they sunk saws into the dirty buttresses.


Did the dudes finish the job? Did they get the heavy equipment? What kind of chain carnage was there.

OK, back to the derail. Enjoy the pics. The first few are of the Marlborough Sounds, a place of beauty that is just staggering. The last couple are Graeme, an independent arborist out of Christchurch.



p.s., Do you know the arborist that Graeme and Timber were talking about?


----------



## stingray bay (Jul 9, 2006)

Yes thats the Shakespare Bay log marshalling yard where all our pines leave for Korea , great pic. I'm glad you had a good time while over here, its a pretty neat place.  We live on Arapawa Island (where all the good scallops live) which is the island in the middle of Queen Charlotte Sound, 30 km from Picton. My neighbours make manuka oil and their website has a map with a dot that covers our property , the map can be seen at http://www.mshop.co.nz/ArapawaIsland.shtml. Sorry I don't know any legendary arborists :biggrinbounce2:


----------



## Tree Machine (Jul 9, 2006)

Is is true that Arapawa Island only has 50 human inhabitants? Or is that legend. I'll bet no gullible customers out there. Thank God for the internet. You are like, way, way remote, Stingray.


----------



## stingray bay (Jul 10, 2006)

Yep thats the lot. It works out at 385 acres per inhabitant which is plenty close enough to neighbours (it helps keep the fishing and diving good too). It costs a bomb to get anything done here which why everyone on the island owns a digger or a dozer (or both). We have another claim to fame, having the highest wild pig population per acre in NZ (Legend has it), they were dropped off here by captain cook in 1773 and have had plenty of time to spread out.


----------



## Tree Machine (Jul 10, 2006)

We were down in Invercargill, on a mission to find some chainsaw pants that Timber referred me on to. Found them, and on our way back northward I decided to call Graeme and ask what there was to see between here and there. I called and his roommate answered, who is also an arborist, so I ask him, I sez, "If you had a pretty girl and you've been driving around New Zealand for 6 weeks, what would you do next?" He answers, "I'd take 'er pig huntin." Not overly surprised by this answer, I said, "So what if she was ugly and you just got here yesterday. "Aww, I'd _still_ take 'er pig huntin."

 


This is a pretty good derail so far, don'tcha think? Waiting on final photos, we shift to a related topic, geography, history, demographics and pig hunting on an island at the top of New Zealand's south Island.

You're now FAMOUS, Stingray. 


This image is one of my favorites of the New Zealand landscape. Elizabeth would not let me get the hat.


----------



## a_lopa (Jul 10, 2006)

all that way for some n.z cutproofs man!


----------



## treeseer (Jul 10, 2006)

You can go for Beaver Liquor Ltd., but the best action can be found at Beaver Liquor Unlimited. 

Wenya gittin that cert TM? Hear the voice of your Boss and do it!


----------



## xtremetrees (Jul 10, 2006)

TM doesnt need the C.A. Treeseer besides all his local C.A.'s are spikeing trims and generally just got the C.A. for marketing purposes. Tm is a marketing genusis and doesnt even need to set a higher rope/bar. He's comfortable being a millionaire off your hard work BCMA.


----------



## stingray bay (Jul 10, 2006)

Tree Machine said:


> We were down in Invercargill, on a mission to find some chainsaw pants that Timber referred me on to. Found them, and on our way back northward I decided to call Graeme and ask what there was to see between here and there. I called and his roommate answered, who is also an arborist, so I ask him, I sez, "If you had a pretty girl and you've been driving around New Zealand for 6 weeks, what would you do next?" He answers, "I'd take 'er pig huntin." Not overly surprised by this answer, I said, "So what if she was ugly and you just got here yesterday. "Aww, I'd _still_ take 'er pig huntin."
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Yep thats pretty typical of Kiwi humour (esp considering we don't have beavers (of the animal kind) in NZed. Great derail, its a pretty small world when you jump on a site half way round the world only to find someone who has been half way back to fish, hunt, (and buy pants!) at least you got the order right. Since we are Stihl waiting for the final photos of the tree off the house heres a photo of a good pig AND some chainsaw chaps (for scale)


----------



## trevmcrev (Jul 11, 2006)

stingray bay said:


> AND some chainsaw chaps (for scale)



Hahaha, for scale Just incase you standing beside the pig happen to be either a giant or a midget:hmm3grin2orange: 

Trev


----------



## Tree Machine (Jul 11, 2006)

Love the Kiwi humor. Can you explain this bit of Kiwi culture in the picture below?


Also, way back in a much earlier New Zealand day (as I understand it) when you were trying to establish domestic deer herds you would capture deer out of the wild. To do this, the capturer would ride as a passenger in a small helicopter. The copter would swoop low and behind the deer. The deer, with the copter on his tail would run in a straight line, and the capturer would jump onto the deer and wrestle it down. I am not kidding. They said there is a video out there somewhere. It's one of my life's missions to find and procure this tape. That's just extreme beyond my comprehension. Any ideas where this can be found?

As long as we're derailing this thread, sure, let's move on to deer wrestling and donkey punching. :deadhorse:


----------



## stingray bay (Jul 11, 2006)

Tree Machine said:


> Love the Kiwi humor. Can you explain this bit of Kiwi culture in the picture below?
> 
> 
> Also, way back in a much earlier New Zealand day (as I understand it) when you were trying to establish domestic deer herds you would capture deer out of the wild. To do this, the capturer would ride as a passenger in a small helicopter. The copter would swoop low and behind the deer. The deer, with the copter on his tail would run in a straight line, and the capturer would jump onto the deer and wrestle it down. I am not kidding. They said there is a video out there somewhere. It's one of my life's missions to find and procure this tape. That's just extreme beyond my comprehension. Any ideas where this can be found?
> ...



Yep we really are waiting a while for that tree to get off the house...

THAT pic was an absolutely don't go there, new one on me! (MUST be a sticker from the states:jawdrop:, If you really want to know try http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donkey_punch

As for the live capture of deer, thats absolutely true, Kiwis discovered that the quickest way to live capture deer (and make lots of money doing something bound to shorten your lifespan) was from a helicopter (a live hind was worth $5000 each in the mid 1980's. Initially in clear country by jumping out on top of the animal and manhandling it to the ground (called bull dogging after a much safer version in American rodeos) and later using a net gun (A converted shotgun/blunderbus that fired a net over the animal) both resulted in alot of captured deer and dead helicopters/pilots/ jumpers, a complete description can be found on page 34 at http://66.102.7.104/search?q=cache:...pdf+bulldogging+deer&hl=en&gl=nz&ct=clnk&cd=1
I also found a NZ site that sells the videos you are after for $45 NZ shekels (about USD 28) http://www.thedeerpark.co.nz/video.html
When you see this for real you will understand why in NZ we aren't allowed to sue each other for doing something stupidly dangerous :hmm3grin2orange:


----------



## Bermie (Jul 12, 2006)

Still on the deer,
When we were over there we came across a video called 'The Venison Hunters', all about the guys who went out in the bush to hunt the wild deer that were destroying the countryside, flipping AMAZING footage of cessnas landing on next to nothing, seat of the pants take offs and landings, WAY overloaded with deer, then onto the helicopter hunting, still amazing, they had so much weight on board the 'copter had to take off over a cliff so they'd have room to sink before the rotors could gain enough power to lift the damn thing! Shooting footage and interviews with the blokes who did it. Way cool.


----------

