# Do you have a bucket truck??



## bottlefed89 (Sep 21, 2005)

That's the basic question... I own my own business, and have been keeping fairly busy. I climb, and worked for a few companies climbing before I went out on my own. I've been chipping into the back of a flatbed one ton truck, and unloading chips by hand. I need to buy a decent sized chip truck and for $10k-$15k extra could get a decent used bucket/chip truck. Looking back on some of my work I've been fine climbing but there are a lot of times I could have made much better time, thus better money with a bucket. I've also turned down several decent removalas of big dead trees I was scared to climb in.... 
I also think people associate professional tree work with bucket trucks and I've been wondering how much more business I'd get just from having a clean truck with my name and number on the side. What do you guys think?? I'm looking to spend under $30k, so it'd be a decently used truck but from what I've found that will buy a good starter truck with many years left in it for a guy like me. What's everyone else think?? Is it worth it?? Was it for you??
thanks
greg


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## stehansen (Sep 21, 2005)

I'm not the greatest climber but I think that I get about triple the work done with my bucket truck as opposed to climbing.


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## xtremetrees (Sep 21, 2005)

I would have to say a bucket is totally useless and I'll smoke a bucket anyday.
I do trees as if I were in a bucket. See, youll loose your finger tips from spare movement while hanging on the edge of your bucket roping out big tops with that bucket, and I'll just ride the stubb and smile.

The thing is that a bucket gets in the way underneath a tree.
I can walk or swing from tree to tree faster than you can set it up too.

Not to brag but I can take bigger pieces than you to. On the rope I mean. 
You have alot of expense tied to a bucket truck for the advantage of doing tree without those spikes that most so love. 

Take away a climbers spikes and and most become lost

More productive.? Maybe if your lazy.


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## diltree (Sep 21, 2005)

xtremetrees said:


> I would have to say a bucket is totally useless and I'll smoke a bucket anyday.
> I do trees as if I were in a bucket. See, youll loose your finger tips from spare movement while hanging on the edge of your bucket roping out big tops with that bucket, and I'll just ride the stubb and smile.
> 
> The thing is that a bucket gets in the way underneath a tree.
> ...



I hope your post was a Joke........."Topping faster by climbing", "taking bigger pieces when tied in", "the bucket being in the way"......You were joking...I'm laughing out load


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## bottlefed89 (Sep 21, 2005)

"You have alot of expense tied to a bucket truck for the advantage of doing tree without those spikes that most so love."

Uhmmmmm?? Not so much.... I won't even argue that....
Anyway I was serious, I need to decide what my next move in the business will be. I'm not looking to replace climbing at all. I have fun doing it and I'm sure I will continue to climb a lot of trees, but I've done a lot that I'm sure I could have been faster at with a bucket....
Any other opinions??
thanks
greg


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## darkstar (Sep 21, 2005)

bucket trucks have theire use but i much prefer climbing .... buckets are great for crown reduction and usless in removals ...mostly since you cant get the truck close to many many trees .... to dilltree im the one LOL .....ill take a 20 ton boom truck any day b4 a bucket .....


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## dtw902 (Sep 21, 2005)

Bucket trucks or climbing, for my business street work, or if you have acces to the tree for the bucket truck then the bucket is the way to go. Ours is a rear mount, back up close enough to the tree and go to work. On trim work it's a toss up depends on what type of tree your doing, like a pinoak it may be faster to climb and deadwood and clean out cross limbs. If you buy a bucket make shure both booms go over center that way you are not setting up under the tree. Already being a climber, a bucket will be another tool for you to use, each has its place.


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## bottlefed89 (Sep 21, 2005)

OK, I get what you are saying.
What do you think from a business stand point?? Will a nice truck get me business just from people seeing me?? Good investment, or should I just get a bigger chip-truck??


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## dtw902 (Sep 21, 2005)

Well thats a loaded question, around my area there is alot of people that do not want you climbing the tree's. They will ask when you bid if you have a bucket, when people hear a saw or just drive by they will see your logo on your trucks. If you pull a chipper put your logo on the back of your chipper. Don't get me wrong you need to evaluate your business and make your decision and that is why your asking questions good for you. I have found a chipper running and grinding in a neighborhood is good advirtising. Everybody for several blocks knows what that sound is and will drive bye to have a look.


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## DDM (Sep 21, 2005)

I have a bucket and love it. If i'm taking down a dead tree or removing one from over a roof or obstacle.If i can get at it with a bucket I'll use it.If not I'll climb it.I can take down Dead trees with my a bucket you couldnt get half way up climbing it.From my bucket i can reach 65'.I'll take that bet that says they can do it as quickly climbing it as it could be done from a bucket.


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## dtw902 (Sep 21, 2005)

Yep I agree DDM I did'nt want bottlefed89's thread to turn into a climber vs a bucket operator. We do both use the bucket when we can and climb when thats the only/best choice. I would'nt be without our bucket, we don't chip much I use a grab truck and load 95% of the brush rarely do we chip. In fact I have been considering getting a Spider Lift for the back yard/limited access jobs. Climbing is hard on a old fella. Just like bottlefed89 I just have to justify the cost,There not cheap.


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## dtw902 (Sep 21, 2005)

Thats a good point TreeCo done that many times, climb out and then have the boom lowered from the ground. Its the same in any business you have to use your head and imagination to get the most out of your investments.


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## DDM (Sep 21, 2005)

R.J.S just bought a bucket!


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## Koa Man (Sep 22, 2005)

darkstar said:


> bucket trucks have theire use but i much prefer climbing .... buckets are great for crown reduction and usless in removals ...mostly since you cant get the truck close to many many trees .... to dilltree im the one LOL .....ill take a 20 ton boom truck any day b4 a bucket .....



I agree, bucket trucks will not get to many of the trees, especially in residential work. I've owned 3 buckets in the past. I don't own any now, but I fully intend to buy a spider lift at the upcoming TCI Expo. That will get to about 70% of the trees I do.


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## diltree (Sep 22, 2005)

We have a 65' rear mount, two 60' aerial lifts, and a 78' aerial lift, all which we use every day......my 70 year old father can take a tree down faster from a bucket, then our best climber can; climbing the same tree. If you can set the bucket up in the right position and are good at rigging, I don't see how any climber can compete on a tree removal with an experienced bucket foreman. The answer to the original question...is yes we have buckets and climbers; and the bucket foreman are more productive then the climbers on Tree Removals. Its not even a competition, unless the climber is using our crane.


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## clearance (Sep 22, 2005)

Darkstar says bucket trucks are useless in removals......Actually they are the cats meow for any tree you can drive too. They are always faster and less dangerous than climbing. Forestry type bucket trucks are the way to go, the boom is more important than the truck.. Get a unit that has current n.d.t and other test stickers on it.


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## xtremetrees (Sep 22, 2005)

It is a big show item bottle fed. I do like the idea of getting more jobs everyday from the visiability of owning abucket truck. If I could park it somewhere high vee I'd buy one and wax it weekly..MM yes, they will make some trees easier and maybe your production will increase. 
Id buy one to use the lower boom to lift heavy logs onto a trailer or something. Id buy one to sit as a bill board by some heavy traffic. I've always had to climb out of them and get to the top of trees. They were too short for a good crown cleaning job. A short broad spreading crowned tree buckets are excellent such as a coastal live oak. I could also see using them street-side. They'd come in handy blocking traffic. I've seen a few tree companies use buckets only. Be sure your goals and have a need for it. I dont know how many regualtions are tied to um but I think its alot to get um de electric tested and such. Unless it's a new bucket its probably gonna leak hydro- fluid on your clients new driveway.


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## xtremetrees (Sep 22, 2005)

Dil tree thats why I have real big arms. I'll never own a bucket, unless I want a pot belly.


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## CoreyTMorine (Sep 22, 2005)

For the 30k you could buy a real nice truck, or a good used truck and a little, used tractor, or a used 6 wheeler with a dump body and a little loader, heck you could just put all of the $ in a mutual fund or similar investment. what about a PHC rig? i've always fancied the idea of pumping organic liqued fertelizer, and you could train a competent employee to do the work. the big problem with making money in tree work is that you have to do most everything yourself, the PHC option kind of helps out that way, same as a bucket really, less work more money. hmmm, it depends on how your feeling to, i'm 33 and still climbing strong, but i'm saving $ for my 40th B-day at which point i will get a bucket or spider or buy a little hobby store franchise somewhere. 

the best bussiness advice i ever got was from larry campbell of treetools. he said "find a niche and stick to it, be the best available at that particular service." he also said that everone wants to wreck trees, i try not to compete with everyone.

check out the large equipment forum, theres a few people there also considering equipment purchases.

best of luck with your biz.


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## kf_tree (Sep 22, 2005)

we have a 65ft bucket and run 2 crews......it all depends on the jobs which crew gets the bucket for the day. some day's it doesn't get used at all except as a wood or chip truck.

xtreme tree's i have no idea what your smoking but i want some. i've taken wacks out of the bucket i never would have taken if i was in the tree. the bucket has enabled me to safely remove dead tree's i never would have climbed. a bucket saves time...i have a 3000.00 pruning to do on an oak in the am. i'll put my self up with the bucket and work half the tree with a rope while my boss will get what he can reach with the bucket. the bucket will more than cut the time in half. 

yesterday i spent 3hours in a pig of an oak removing one limb from over a house i had to use real small crotchs to lower from. i even ripped out a crotch i was lowering from/ i was also tied in on it, but i kind of saw it comeing and had a second tie in. yea i was wishing the bucket fit down the drive way. 

buckets are rule when you have the room for one. they get in the way sometimes but there great to have.


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## darkstar (Sep 22, 2005)

*bucket????et*

yeah im always wishing the truck will fit down the drive ... we are in hilly country and its just not workin........ if i had street side acess id use a bucket everyday ...but here the trees are always behind the home on a steep incline ......
koa man whats this with the spider lift thats what we really need ....
otherwise we use a darn big boom .....
either way i aint got no room to park anything else.. oh well off topic ...
once i heard a guy scream go for the bucket ....then he actually had a small fall and said ???? [[[[go 4 the bucket ????fffuc... it]]]]] real quick like ....that was in flagstaf arizona ..... he shouted ..... go 4 the bucket ???? fukkk it ........ we laughed our ass off .... its a ryme we never forget ....haha dark :alien:


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## Jumper (Sep 23, 2005)

"Spikes do not hurt your tree if you have the right kind and someone who knows how to use them. Whoever invented bucket trucks probably started the rumor that spikes hurt your trees so they could eliminate the little man because they (the tree services that bought the trucks) had to make a killing (alot of money) in order to pay for the equipment"

Wise words from a Virginia hack.


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## darkstar (Sep 23, 2005)

mitch what a crack up koa what is a spyder lift ? anyone i think id like a boom/ slash bucket they can lower really heavy wood right ? now that would be a tool worth having ....dark


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## a_lopa (Sep 23, 2005)

bucket trucks are there for 2 reasons on a residntual tree crew.


1.you cant climb it,wether or not its climbable is disputable.

2.refer no 1


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## Koa Man (Sep 23, 2005)

darkstar said:


> mitch what a crack up koa what is a spyder lift ? anyone i think id like a boom/ slash bucket they can lower really heavy wood right ? now that would be a tool worth having ....dark



Here is their website. 
http://www.teupenamerica.com/products/index.htm

I intend to buy a LEO 15GT. With a width of only 30.75 inches, length of 15.7 ft., and being able to make a 360 turn in its own length, I should be able to get to most trees. They are even capable of climbing stairs, if the stairs are strong enough, like concrete or steel stairs. MSRP of that machine is $56K. I am hoping they will offer a show special discount like most vendors do at the TCI. I have $60K allotted for this purchase and shipping. If I can get it to Hawaii for that (hopefully less) it is a done deal. I am buying it. I am getting real tired of climbing coconut trees. Many of the ones we do are 60-70 ft. of trunk and the lift would put me only 10-20 ft. away from the top, a short climb. The taller lifts would be ideal, but it won't be able to pass through those stinking 36 inch gates and therefore be useless for me. I would like to find the person who decided an outside gate should be 36 inches and slowly run him or her through my Woodsman 18X.


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## Jumper (Sep 23, 2005)

darkstar said:


> mitch what a crack up



Lifted verbatim off someone's web site, honest! Don't think he has a bucket truck!


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## spike-columbia (Sep 23, 2005)

*Any other Manufactuers?*

Are there any other manufactures for this type machine?


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## Koa Man (Sep 24, 2005)

Their are some that are somewhat close, but do not have the ultra narrow profile of the spiderlifts. Niftylift is one example. The LEO GT50 could pass through my bedroom door.


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## stehansen (Sep 25, 2005)

Those back yard lifts look like they would be very efficient. I'm 52 years old and my climbing days are getting shorter and shorter.


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## KentuckySawyer (Sep 25, 2005)

I'm considering a 50' (approx) rear mount Sky-Worker bucket on a mid 80's GMC flatbed. Pony motor and two medium sized tool boxes. Its a truck my old employer is selling, that I operated a lot while I was there. The boom and all the hydraulics have all been reworked recently. He's upgrading all his old equipment and has the thing priced at 10K to start with.

It will either be the bucket, or a open top, dump bed wood hauler that we'll mount a lift gate on. I feel like a wood hauler is more needed than a bucket, but that GMC is a good deal.


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## darkstar (Sep 25, 2005)

i want one .... but i dont have the $$$ 56000$$$ ouch it would be great ...and crawl it into the backyards sweet heaven ..... dark


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## R Schra (Sep 25, 2005)

*we rent them*

I did calculate the rental hours, what we earned on overhead, and made a yearly cost we expected to buy/maintance a bucket yearly in ownership. The way for us is rental. We can get every type we need for every different type of work, we need a caterpillar for soaked fields, spider for small entrances or single trees in park, from 6 to 42 meters dependable on the tree height and flight of the boom needed. With those JLG manlifts its very easy and fast to prune a lane instead using those buckets trucks. I love doing large quantity trees with those things.

some of the rental fleet we can get on a days notice are attached .


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## Ax-man (Sep 25, 2005)

R Schra,

The pic of the spider lift, are they that heavy that the spider needs a heavy trailor like that to transport them?? I have been interested in these spider's too ever since I saw one. An additional truck and trailor is a draw back to having a spider lift.

Back on topic, yes if you can afford a bucket, get one, we have many clients that we just do the aerial work that pays almost as good as doing a complete job. Aerial work is where the money is at, either with a truck or climbing. 

Larry


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## R Schra (Sep 25, 2005)

Ax-man said:


> R Schra,
> 
> The pic of the spider lift, are they that heavy that the spider needs a heavy trailor like that to transport them?? I have been interested in these spider's too ever since I saw one. An additional truck and trailor is a draw back to having a spider lift.



Larry,

I believe this spider was about 4500Kg weight. This spider was also available with a extra trailor axle/carriage so it can be towed behind a truck. The trailor it is on in the pic is the rental company's. They deliver it were we want um to. (for insurance reasons we cant load them on our own trucks or trailors)

Ronald


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## ROLLACOSTA (Sep 25, 2005)

Koa Man said:


> I would like to find the person who decided an outside gate should be 36 inches and slowly run him or her through my Woodsman 18X.



Amen to that !!!..


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## ROLLACOSTA (Sep 25, 2005)

KOA have you looked at OMME LIFTS www.ommelift.dk


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## Koa Man (Sep 25, 2005)

Ax Man,
The LEO GT15 is less than 5000 lbs. I could transport it on my dump trailer.

Rolla,
the omme.com link does not open to anything.


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## ROLLACOSTA (Sep 25, 2005)

Bummer looksa like they don't have a dealer in the USA or Canada ,shame because they make a great machine


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## Ax-man (Sep 25, 2005)

Thanks Ronald, got a little more info to go by now.-- Larry


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## ROLLACOSTA (Sep 25, 2005)

try now


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## Ax-man (Sep 25, 2005)

Koa, Thanks, more info, I love it.

If you do get one of these spiders, you will probaly be one of the first ones to have one, do let us know how it works out. -- Larry


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## ROLLACOSTA (Sep 25, 2005)

a guy around here has 3 spider lifts ..from 16-30 meters..thats over 90'


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## R Schra (Sep 25, 2005)

Ax-man said:


> Thanks Ronald, got a little more info to go by now.-- Larry




Larry,

I have to correct myself. It must be this rig we used.

teupen 22m spider 

and this is only approx. 5170 lbs (2,350 kg)

Must be my mistake in remembering after a half year....


Ronald


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## ROLLACOSTA (Sep 25, 2005)

heres a lift company i like www.cela-it.com


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## darkstar (Sep 25, 2005)

can someone comment on bucket / boom trucks ... id like a bucket than can handle a load ..... seems like a safe workable option ...im wondering what a swinging trunk could do if it hit one of thos light weight spyder set ups ...of cours that would be user error but ,,,we all err.... i want a bucket but would love one that is capable of lifting some weight ...any reccomendations there ....... we are gonna purchase somthing in dec. have to .....looking at the man lifts i think in my area a normal bucket would be most useable especially if it could handle a small load say 1000 pounds thanx dark


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## Koa Man (Sep 25, 2005)

darkstar,
I previously owned a 1985 Altec material handler. It had a 48 ft. work height, rotating bucket, 6 ft. jib at end of bucket with a hyd. winch. It was capable of lifting 1500 lbs. max. The positions where we would use it the most was limited to 750 lbs. Still, that is still a lot of weight. Myself and 1 groundman was able to load 8900 lbs. of logs into my dump truck in under an hour using the material handler. I also used it to take down a 40 ft. tall coconut palm in 5 sections and have it loaded in my truck in 23 minutes. You can get material handlers in higher lifts. The Elliott telescopic ones can lift 6000 lbs. and you can go 90 ft. All of these lifts are very expensive. Right now I have a mini loader that can go into back yards to grab brush and logs. I just need a lift that can do the same.


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## bottlefed89 (Sep 25, 2005)

Yeah, that's what I'd really like too, but the $$'s not there for any of them I've found. Also, I got all of my gear stolen friday night, so I'll be set back a little from my bucket plans...


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## dtw902 (Sep 26, 2005)

*Spider Lifts*



Koa Man said:


> Their are some that are somewhat close, but do not have the ultra narrow profile of the spiderlifts. Niftylift is one example. The LEO GT50 could pass through my bedroom door.



It might go threw the door Koa I don't know if the floor will hold it up!


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## dtw902 (Sep 26, 2005)

Koa Man said:


> Ax Man,
> The LEO GT50 is less than 5000 lbs. I could transport it on my dump trailer.
> 
> Just giving you a hard time Koa the GT50 weighs around 29,480 lbs.
> I think you ment the one your looking at, the LEO GT15 around 4070 lbs.


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## dtw902 (Sep 26, 2005)

I am looking at getting the LEO GT23. 75' working height, 38.5" wide, Weighs around 6820 lbs. Got my quote from them were still working on the numbers. I just have to justify that much money there not cheap.


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## Koa Man (Sep 27, 2005)

dtw902,
You are right about the weights. I had a brain fart and was thinking about working ht. I edited my post. My bedroom floor will support that weight. My house is built on a concrete slab. Also, about the prices for these things....can't understand why a 50 footer is $56K, but the next size up, the 23GT is $109K. I would love to have the 23GT, but I really need to get pass these 36 inch gates. If I got the bigger lift, I would be able to use it on only about 15% of the trees I do on a regular basis. With the smaller lift I would be able to use it on about 70% of them.


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## dtw902 (Sep 27, 2005)

I here ya Koa thats a big price difference, I could handle maby 75 grand, 100 grand is allot of money. I just e-mailed them with some more questions I had. In my area the 23GT would get to probably 90% of the tree's back yard and hard access places. The big thing for me would be getting into yards that were not dry enough for the bucket. Definatly sounds like the 15GT would work best for you. I was just ribbing ya about the weights.


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## xtremetrees (Sep 27, 2005)

Bottlefed-- that sucks you got ripped off. I climb with about 1500 $ worth of gear on my back, if I were to loose it I'd have to climb trees with my dog leash and fix a prusic with my shoe strings, but I'd still smoke a bucket.
If your a C.A. and using a bucket truck more than likely your spiking your trimms. Or worse you got a unskilled laborer spiking them for you. 
The purpose of being a C.A. is to further the technical knowledge of those of us involved in the field of arboriculture. I can see yall now " No maam, we dont climb trees we are a big company and we use a bucket. Buckets dont reach its simple as that. I've ran across maybe three C.A.'s that actually climb trees in one of the largest metro cities in the world. C.A.'s that push C.A. and spike and or use buckets simpley because their employees lack the skill and training to do tree properly well lets just say, may the force of gravity be with you.


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## teamtree (Sep 29, 2005)

*Wow...bucket trucks are useless....lol*

Now don't get me wrong....climbers are great and yes they can out produce a bucket truck in some scenarios and absolutely necessary in proper pruning.

However, what about dead trees, hazerdous trees, or that one dead limb 60 feet in the air....which will take 10 minutes in a bucket truck as opposed to an hour for a climber.


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## teamtree (Sep 29, 2005)

As far as the smoking a bucket...how do you get your lips around the exhaust?


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## dhuffnmu (Sep 29, 2005)

I will admit a bucket truck is nice. I have one but it hasn't been used in about a month now. We do 95% climbing. In the area I work it you can't simply make it on bucket work alone. Most of my jobs are in hight dollared areas and there is no acess to backyards with bucket trucks. These people have hight dollared landscapes and they will not tollerate them being messed up period. As far as climbing not productive. I don't know what you guys charge but we do just fine. It seems to me that some of you guys that only do bucket work haven't had experience with a GOOD climber there are alot of climbers out there but you have not worked with a good one. We have a 60 ft bucket and it always seems to be a little to short in alot of circumstances. Not to mention cement breakage. Some of those big bucket trucks are heavy and crack driveways. Customers do not like that. I already had one big cement bill thise year because of one. Don't get me wrong I love to do bucket work if possible but I love the climbing part way more. I would be out of business if I only did bucket work.


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## Koa Man (Sep 29, 2005)

When using a bucket on large wide canopy trees, I have always had to climb out of the bucket to get to some deadwood or other branches that the bucket could not reach. The bucket made it much faster, but many times you will need to climb also to do a thorough job. I miss having a lift, that is why I intend to buy one this year.


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## stehansen (Sep 30, 2005)

Koa Man said:


> When using a bucket on large wide canopy trees, I have always had to climb out of the bucket to get to some deadwood or other branches that the bucket could not reach. The bucket made it much faster, but many times you will need to climb also to do a thorough job. I miss having a lift, that is why I intend to buy one this year.





Dittos!


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## JohnDrew (Sep 30, 2005)

*Need to retire, have a truck that needs work*

Had all the hurricanes I can take, 4 last year in Florida did me in. If anyone would like to obtain a great old truck, please visit my site at

www.geocities.com/used_60_bucket_truck

Y'all have a great day

John


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