# McCain Maple



## Rickytree (Aug 24, 2009)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a16EQb7bVas

Here's one we did this morning. Real branchy and bad spot. LOTS of wires and terrible chokers(different in length and twisted up).


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## arborist (Aug 24, 2009)

man,that crane makes it look like cheating lol.how slick.
thanks for the vid.very cool!


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## Rickytree (Aug 25, 2009)

Not too many replies.. You all must be speakless... That's understandable since you haven't seen something this quick before.. Well I will post again and show how Canadians rock the show!! Joking. Or show me!!


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## treemandan (Aug 25, 2009)

Rickytree said:


> Not too many replies.. You all must be speakless... That's understandable since you haven't seen something this quick before.. Well I will post again and show how Canadians rock the show!! Joking. Or show me!!



What, uh, oh, sorry, nice job Rick. That tree looked small til you got in it.

bow down and let Ricky do the cuttin.
taking down the maple
with a fist full of Stihl.


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## limbwalker54 (Aug 25, 2009)

Slick crane work Ricky.


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## Rickytree (Aug 25, 2009)

Thanks Limbwalker! May the force be with YOU!


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## treemandan (Aug 26, 2009)

ozzy42 said:


> Just watched the video,and was going to compliment you on it,,but it looks like you doing good job of it yourself.


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## Rickytree (Aug 26, 2009)

OZZY :agree2: Thanks for the comment!


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## tree MDS (Aug 26, 2009)

ozzy42 said:


> Just watched the video,and was going to compliment you on it,,but it looks like you doing good job of it yourself.



Lol. 

It was good. I wondered how the last trunk cut went off though. 

Good tunes for once too! though not a big rage fan these days personally, gettin older I suppose.


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## Blakesmaster (Aug 26, 2009)

tree MDS said:


> Lol.
> 
> It was good. I wondered how the last trunk cut went off though.
> 
> Good tunes for once too! though not a big rage fan these days personally, gettin older I suppose.



Same with me, MDS. Ya still gotta pump some every now and then though. When I'm lucky enough to catch it on the radio en route to a jobsite you best bet those windows are down and the stereo's up. Oh, and Ricky, good job, but you already knew that.


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## Rickytree (Aug 26, 2009)

Butt came off without a hitch. New crane op so they are some things we have to iron out. Bigger crane would be nice. Thanks for the comments!


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## treeslayer (Aug 26, 2009)

crane on brother, good work, and a cool assss video.

why was it removed? 
well, for other than our favorite reason, of course. 

the check.


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## Rickytree (Aug 26, 2009)

Hey TreeSlayer! Your name gives me an idea for my next track on the new video. But the tree was takin down because the owner just bought the house and it was ruining the driveway and he worried about it failing and taking out the hydro stack or landing on the house. Thanks for the compliment! Cheers!!


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## Tree Pig (Aug 28, 2009)

Nice work and all but I would say its border line at best for needing a crane.


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## TreePointer (Aug 28, 2009)

What's a McCain Maple? Is it known by any other names? (thx.)


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## Rickytree (Aug 28, 2009)

Stihl o matic, The limbs over the house and wires would have been a nightmare. Treepointer, it's the name of the street. Thanks for the replies!!


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## TreePointer (Aug 28, 2009)

Rickytree said:


> Stihl o matic, The limbs over the house and wires would have been a nightmare. Treepointer, it's the name of the street. Thanks for the replies!!



Well, that's pretty straightforward. I thought it was a species of maple I didn't know. 

And thanks for the vid.


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## ChiHD (Aug 29, 2009)

Rickytree said:


> Butt came off without a hitch. New crane op so they are some things we have to iron out. Bigger crane would be nice. Thanks for the comments!



nice job Rick...I'm assuming it's you in the tree? Who took the video and are you having a hard time with the helemt cam? some POV shots on this job would of been nice.

thanks for the vid...rep comin your way!


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## Rickytree (Aug 29, 2009)

ArborCARE(705) said:


> nice job Rick...I'm assuming it's you in the tree? Who took the video and are you having a hard time with the helemt cam? some POV shots on this job would of been nice.
> 
> thanks for the vid...rep comin your way!



No hard time but it is alittle bulky around the neck. Na it's just quicker this way. I will get some shots up in the tree. When working with the crane the op is alittle nervous about footage. Hint- hoisting.


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## ChiHD (Aug 29, 2009)

Rickytree said:


> No hard time but it is alittle bulky around the neck. Na it's just quicker this way. I will get some shots up in the tree. When working with the crane the op is alittle nervous about footage. Hint- hoisting.



Yeah I here ya...the guy around here was letting me ride up until last year when Johnny T and his crew tipped that crane in Belleville. Now no one round here will let you ride unless you're in the middle of nowhere and definately no pics!!

You can still get some good, safe POV shots though I would think!!


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## Rickytree (Aug 29, 2009)

ArborCARE(705) said:


> Yeah I here ya...the guy around here was letting me ride up until last year when Johnny T and his crew tipped that crane in Belleville. Now no one round here will let you ride unless you're in the middle of nowhere and definately no pics!!
> 
> You can still get some good, safe POV shots though I would think!!



ya next time maybe. It's hard with the crane because it's a rushed KOS


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## oldirty (Aug 29, 2009)

Rickytree said:


> terrible chokers(different in length and twisted up).



you need to wrap them twice or three times then to get them same length. lotta movement coming off the tree with them tops ricky! wear your pov so i can see your cuts in the tree too! if you dont want to use the pov then send it to me.


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## Rickytree (Aug 29, 2009)

oldirty said:


> you need to wrap them twice or three times then to get them same length. lotta movement coming off the tree with them tops ricky! wear your pov so i can see your cuts in the tree too! if you dont want to use the pov then send it to me.



I just adjust one higher than the other. These were real stubborn chokers with twists and was a fight just to get them set up. POV is going in the mail tomorrow. You might have to sign for it. The tree was a tree that was real branchy with long side branches making it difficult to make the lifts bottom heavy. Believe me I don't need any pointers on crane jobs since I got probably a couple hundred done.


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## oldirty (Aug 29, 2009)

couple hundred? thats it? you still a newbie brother!

how much you want for that camera? its still new in the box right?


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## Nailsbeats (Aug 29, 2009)

Hey Rick, if OD doesn't get the camera, I'll buy it from ya. Nice crane job BTW, wish I had one of course.


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## Rickytree (Aug 30, 2009)

Nailsbeats said:


> Hey Rick, if OD doesn't get the camera, I'll buy it from ya. Nice crane job BTW, wish I had one of course.



It's not for sale...buy u'r own.


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## Rickytree (Aug 30, 2009)

oldirty said:


> couple hundred? thats it? you still a newbie brother!
> 
> how much you want for that camera? its still new in the box right?



A couple hundred of regular removals to u riight but thats different to me....


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## Rickytree (Aug 30, 2009)

oldirty said:


> couple hundred? thats it? you still a newbie brother!
> 
> how much you want for that camera? its still new in the box right?



Newbie? How many have you done?


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## oldirty (Aug 30, 2009)

hmmm. i dont really keep score but ive already got past the couple hundred with the company i am with now and ive been there for 3+ months. i was the main takedown guy at the company i worked before this one too. so for almost three years at a few crane days a week there. and when i first started climbing it was for a company that had a big crane too. 

we do a redonkulous amount of crane work at my current company now. rarely is it just a one tree crane day unless its a monster.

i cant give you an honest answer cause i just dont know. must be deep into the thousands......

good question ricky.


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## tree MDS (Aug 30, 2009)

When I grow up I wanna be just like you guys. 

Seriously though: crane jobs are cool indeed, (I've done just a handfull and dont profess to be that great at it) but I gotta respect old school rigging more. There is something about man and rope vs. tree that seems to command the most respect in my book. You have to admit it takes alot more skill to take down a tree without that sort of heavy equipment - and lets be honest, its pretty easy with a crane isnt it?? 

Not trying to throw fire on yer guys pi$$ing match, I'm just saying.


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## ChiHD (Aug 30, 2009)

oldirty said:


> hmmm. i dont really keep score but ive already got past the couple hundred with the company i am with now and ive been there for 3+ months. i was the main takedown guy at the company i worked before this one too. so for almost three years at a few crane days a week there. and when i first started climbing it was for a company that had a big crane too.
> 
> we do a redonkulous amount of crane work at my current company now. rarely is it just a one tree crane day unless its a monster.
> 
> ...



holy #### you really are _*old *_and *dirty!!*


that is a lot of crane jobs, more than anyone else I've ever talked to.

I would be lucky to have a hundered crane jobs under my belt and been climbing for 12 years now!

I don't own a crane and always have to transfer the cost to the customer, so most of the time I can still do it cheaper (and actually get the job!) than renting the crane unless I've got a couple big ones set up in one day same area. Don't get me wrong I wish I could use it more but I would lose a lot of potential jobs if I was bringing in cranes regularly....

Maybe one day I'll win the lottery.

:dunno:


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## ChiHD (Aug 30, 2009)

tree MDS said:


> When I grow up I wanna be just like you guys.
> 
> Seriously though: crane jobs are cool indeed, (I've done just a handfull and dont profess to be that great at it) but I gotta respect old school rigging more. There is something about man and rope vs. tree that seems to command the most respect in my book. You have to admit it takes alot more skill to take down a tree without that sort of heavy equipment - and lets be honest, its pretty easy with a crane isnt it??
> 
> Not trying to throw fire on yer guys pi$$ing match, I'm just saying.



I will agree simply because I don't have the big equipment!!

seriously though I have a lot of repect for both styles and wouldn't say there was more skill in one over the other. Although taking big sections out with the crane does make the balls tingle a bit.:monkey:


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## oldirty (Aug 30, 2009)

lol. not really old but definitely dirty. think about it though. all but one company i worked for had a crane. 

been climbing for 6 yrs now.....

just to help you put it in perspective. the company i work for now, the crane op did over 3500 in just around 7 months this past year. ( they had to keep count of what they did.)

i honestly dont know though. i'm just guessing but i do know that its been a few trees removed in my career to date.


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## oldirty (Aug 30, 2009)

tree MDS said:


> When I grow up I wanna be just like you guys.
> 
> Seriously though: crane jobs are cool indeed, (I've done just a handfull and dont profess to be that great at it) but I gotta respect old school rigging more. There is something about man and rope vs. tree that seems to command the most respect in my book. You have to admit it takes alot more skill to take down a tree without that sort of heavy equipment - and lets be honest, its pretty easy with a crane isnt it??
> 
> Not trying to throw fire on yer guys pi$$ing match, I'm just saying.





i hear you buzzid. nothing like a big manual nasty takedown where its you and the ropeman doing it bigtime. but imagine how many nasties you can bang out if you dont need to wear yourself out and you can put wood to the chipper without dragging the chit. lol.

pissing match? i thought it was a civil conversation?! lol.


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## oldirty (Aug 30, 2009)

ArborCARE(705) said:


> . Although taking big sections out with the crane does make the balls tingle a bit.:monkey:



makes your "wood" stand up a bit too.


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## ChiHD (Aug 30, 2009)

oldirty said:


> lol. not really old but definitely dirty. think about it though. all but one company i worked for had a crane.
> 
> been climbing for 6 yrs now.....
> 
> ...



all removals for you then OD? no trimming/pruning or just very little?

I was the main climber for a company in Toronto for 2 years and got all the big nasties everyday. I made good money and was in amazing shape but soon started resenting the fact that everyday was hard, hard work. Body started falling apart and that's when I left the big city and now have a small company more geared towards Arboriculture...a good variety of jobs instead of lying in bed every night thinking about the tough day ahead tomorrow!

My point is...I can see how you could pile up a lot of removals if that's mostly what you do and your body continues to hold up! I love the big craner once in while though just to know I've still got it!

to all the big crane removal guys out there...


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## tree MDS (Aug 30, 2009)

oldirty said:


> i hear you buzzid. nothing like a big manual nasty takedown where its you and the ropeman doing it bigtime. but imagine how many nasties you can bang out if you dont need to wear yourself out and you can put wood to the chipper without dragging the chit. lol.
> 
> pissing match? i thought it was a civil conversation?! lol.



I get a crane only when there is no other way - or when it just makes the most sense because its rediculous to do it the traditional way.

I'm known for big cuts on takedowns and I usually try to get the chipper right to the tree and have two guys on the ground running two ropes on these cuts. Winch em right in!

I love this job. Friday me and Stubs were ripping this spruce and big white pine down with the new 372, rakers perfect (got two now), this thing was ripping the collars and all off with one cut, like butter.  I was feeling my Howard Deane, lol.

Sawdustsite.com baby, lol.


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## oldirty (Aug 30, 2009)

ArborCARE(705) said:


> all removals for you then OD? no trimming/pruning or just very little?
> 
> I was the main climber for a company in Toronto for 2 years and got all the big nasties everyday. I made good money and was in amazing shape but soon started resenting the fact that everyday was hard, hard work. Body started falling apart and that's when I left the big city and now have a small company more geared towards Arboriculture...a good variety of jobs instead of lying in bed every night thinking about the tough day ahead tomorrow!
> 
> ...



i can rope climb for sure (and i do love to rope climb) and i do know most of the proper pruning part of this game but its not for me. yet anyway. i cant get that excited deadwooding a tree. as far as falling apart goes sure i can get tired but its just a small price to pay. eventually we all fall apart it just depends upon how bad you treat your body. to be honest i do believe i was made for this world to be in the removal business. 6'6" and 235lbs makes it easy for me to swing a saw around. couple that with proper procedure and i believe i can go on till the day i die. old age or not. 

nothing takes pain away like the love for our game as you are well aware. the other day my buddy called to tell me he did an estimate at a repeat customers house and they asked if the guy who was singing in the tree was going to be climbing this time. he laughed. i laugh too, its not work if you are having fun. thats the best part of this game. the fun.

and congrats on your company sir. may it be profitable for as long as you run it. the both of you!



tree MDS said:


> I get a crane only when there is no other way - or when it just makes the most sense because its rediculous to do it the traditional way.
> 
> I'm known for big cuts on takedowns and I usually try to get the chipper right to the tree and have two guys on the ground running two ropes on these cuts. Winch em right in!
> 
> ...




channeling you inner dean. i like it. nothing like a war cry when sending out the big stuff.

and kudos for you on knowing how to get that big limb to the chipper after it is out the tree. nothing like a winch on the chipper bro.


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## tree MDS (Aug 30, 2009)

"Channeling the inner dean". I like it too.

Gotta admit there aint nothing better than singing in a tree when nobody can hear you and the chippers chowing some tree up and making some $$. 

Maybe we can get you down this year yet if your into it? be cool to hang out again. now that I got a decent crew going its hard to stay in work this year is the problem. FN economy. At least we've been working steady for a while now. Looks like MDS tree is gonna survive the recession at least.


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## oldirty (Aug 30, 2009)

i'd love to come down and a do a tree top duet with you man. it'd be my pleasure and an honor as well.

and glad to hear you got yourself some players that know whats up. thats great.

and let it be known, when i sing its for all to hear! lol.


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## tree MDS (Aug 30, 2009)

I'll let you know when I get something oldirty, lots of season left. Looking forward to it - we should try and make it like an annual thing.

Maybe you can help me figure out what the hell I'm doing with this computer and put some pics up too?? lol.


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## ChiHD (Aug 30, 2009)

tree MDS said:


> "Channeling the inner dean". I like it too.
> 
> Gotta admit there aint nothing better than singing in a tree when nobody can hear you and the chippers chowing some tree up and making some $$.
> 
> Maybe we can get you down this year yet if your into it? be cool to hang out again. now that I got a decent crew going its hard to stay in work this year is the problem. FN economy. At least we've been working steady for a while now. Looks like MDS tree is gonna survive the recession at least.



I here ya MDS up and down all year...real low at some points. But we are still working everyday and looks like we'll survive.

so far!


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## Nailsbeats (Aug 30, 2009)

Rickytree said:


> It's not for sale...buy u'r own.



Here I thought I could help you out, I'll take your advice.


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## tree MDS (Aug 30, 2009)

ArborCARE(705) said:


> I here ya MDS up and down all year...real low at some points. But we are still working everyday and looks like we'll survive.
> 
> so far!



Looking forward to next year, this ones getting old. Everything is refferal and everytime i bid new work some desperate :censored: underbids me - at least it seems that way.

I just spent all day hacking on these two spruce trees for this old dude - all day, chips got blown into pile and I loaded wood with the tractor - for 1200. My original bid was 1500. He showed me an estimate from some new hack bag for 700 bucks. Let me tell you something, you could not have possibly cut these trees any faster than I did - at least not safely. I got the job by adding some other bigger trees and because he went to school with my dad. I turned it into a $3250 job ultimately but still, what a battle this year has been.


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## Rickytree (Aug 30, 2009)

tree MDS said:


> I get a crane only when there is no other way - or when it just makes the most sense because its rediculous to do it the traditional way.
> 
> I'm known for big cuts on takedowns and I usually try to get the chipper right to the tree and have two guys on the ground running two ropes on these cuts. Winch em right in!
> 
> ...



Here's a piece I roped down on a removal in a backyard. Tested the pulley and 1/2 line on that one.. Go big or go HOME!!


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## tree MDS (Aug 30, 2009)

Rickytree said:


> Here's a piece I roped down on a removal in a backyard. Tested the pulley and 1/2 line on that one.. Go big or go HOME!!



Nice! but I prefer 9/16 DB as my main rigging line. I dont use 1/2" lines for big stuff.


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## Rickytree (Aug 30, 2009)

tree MDS said:


> Nice! but I prefer 9/16 DB as my main rigging line. I dont use 1/2" lines for big stuff.



ya I should have used my 5/8 or 3/4 and a block instead of the pulley cuz I did make a slight bend in it..


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## tree MDS (Aug 30, 2009)

Rickytree said:


> ya I should have used my 5/8 or 3/4 and a block instead of the pulley cuz I did make a slight bend in it..



What is the difference between a block and a pulley??

slight bend in what??


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## Nailsbeats (Aug 30, 2009)

tree MDS said:


> What is the difference between a block and a pulley??
> 
> slight bend in what??



A block is designed to take shock load, a pulley is not.


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## tree MDS (Aug 30, 2009)

Nailsbeats said:


> A block is designed to take shock load, a pulley is not.



Right... like those speedline pulleys?? Thats what I was thinking.

I've got one of those and a steel beaner on the rack, never used it much though.

You roped that piece off what size pulley ricker?? whats it rated for?


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## Rickytree (Aug 30, 2009)

tree MDS said:


> Right... like those speedline pulleys?? Thats what I was thinking.
> 
> I've got one of those and a steel beaner on the rack, never used it much though.
> 
> You roped that piece off what size pulley ricker?? whats it rated for?



The pulley is a CMI 4" and is rated for 20000 lbs. The top where the beaner clips on got a slight crimp and also left a indent on the beaner. Nothing serious though, it still gets used and abused!!


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