# spider lift forum ??????



## sharkfin12us (Apr 24, 2008)

Where did spiderlift forum disappear too just curioust thanks


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## KindlingKing (Apr 24, 2008)

*Where'd they go????*

I was wondering too. I was wondering if they stopped being a sponsor or something. Some folks were pretty hard on them but they seem to have a nice product.


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## lxt (Apr 25, 2008)

I was wondering myself? Me & Ryan went round & round some but I understand where he is coming from, However.....Look how many lifts have hit the market in the past 2 yrs & all they had to do was provide a good product & make it affordable.

I kinda hope the price on the tuepen will come down some....I was just starting to think their product was a future consideration!! hope to hear from some of the spider owners from time to time!!!

LXT..............


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## Thillmaine (Apr 25, 2008)

*Problem*

Dont get one....SLOW SLOW SLOW. Its s slow death running those things. Unless you specialize in hazardous tree removal in back yards where no bucket or crane acess, then forget it. Lots of problems we have had with ours as well. I think it the 23gt, its the 75 footer anyway. Had to send it backl to the manufacturer twice (once was our fault) THe toher time I had to set a rope into a neighboring tree for the operator to get down from the lift. Also seem very flimsy to me..


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## mckeetree (Apr 25, 2008)

Thillmaine said:


> Dont get one....SLOW SLOW SLOW. Its s slow death running those things. Unless you specialize in hazardous tree removal in back yards where no bucket or crane acess, then forget it. Lots of problems we have had with ours as well. I think it the 23gt, its the 75 footer anyway. Had to send it backl to the manufacturer twice (once was our fault) THe toher time I had to set a rope into a neighboring tree for the operator to get down from the lift. Also seem very flimsy to me..



I think that is the best summation of those things as I have ever heard.


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## John464 (Apr 28, 2008)

Spiderlifts said:


> The older 23 GT's were slow. The newer models (August 2007 and on) are much, much faster.
> .
> :



Ryan,

are you offering a retrofit package to increase speed on these slow 23gt's?


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## John Paul Sanborn (Apr 28, 2008)

Spiderlifts said:


> That means, that a lift that would otherwise sell for about $100,000 now instead costs $160,000, all because of the exchange rate.



what about all that cast aluminum! Materials costs must be bumping them up too.

I've worked in a 100ft unit, and it is great on removals, and tall stand deadwooding.


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## pdqdl (Apr 28, 2008)

I have never been near one, but Teupen referred me to call a fellow in Kansas that had one. Nice guy, gave me lots of feedback.

He loved it, and said it was just as sturdy as his bucket trucks. He also seemed to think that it was just as fast. He also remarked that maintenance was not any different than he expected.

There are certain benefits to using that design. They can often shoot the bucket straight into the tree or go straight up and down. No complex angular geometry on two rotating booms, like your typical bucket truck.

Too pricey. I want, but cannot have.


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## Sunrise Guy (Apr 28, 2008)

Their price is absurdly high, as I see it, and yeah, the exchange rate has now put them out of the question, for me, in the near future, probably forever. Just when I was ready to take the plunge, last month, I wrote and asked about current prices, after getting old quotes, about six months ago. The new reply floored me. 

Someone, somewhere, will come up with more affordable lifts along the same design, but the US economy will have to turn around first, for new manufacturers to get into the field. That may not happen for many years. These days I have after-job meetings where we discuss if a spider lift would have made a difference. At present, only one out of six jobs could benefit from having one. 

In two days, I'm taking out a very large Post Oak, from the court yard of an apartment complex. The tree failed during a storm and is now leaning at a forty-five degree angle, over a swimming pool and on top of the opposite roof top. A spider lift would have no way of even getting set up in this small space. The pool has a fence around it and the lift could not set down its outriggers. Even the pool, if drained, would not be wide enough, and then there's the problem of the drop-off into the pool and its slick surface. We're using two cranes on this, both coming over the roof, from the street. One will stabilize the tree, the other will peter pan me into the tree, and lift out major limbs as I cut them. 

If I had a number of these gigs, at $9K a pop, I might be tempted to get a spider lift, just to have one handy, but it would not get used enough to justify its expense. The big problem, as I see it, is that the guys repping for Teupen here, do not seem to have it together enough to push into the competitive rental market, nation-wide. I would certainly rent a spider lift for $300/day if they were available in Austin, but they're not here. From what I've seen, they're not anywhere else in rental markets, except very close to where the rep and his family live. If I were Teupen, in Germany, I would find other folks here, who know how to go about getting rental market penetration in the States.


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## mckeetree (Apr 29, 2008)

Let's all try to buy stuff that is American made. Like my trusty bucket trucks. Screw Europe and their Euro.


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## Sunrise Guy (Apr 29, 2008)

mckeetree said:


> Let's all try to buy stuff that is American made. Like my trusty bucket trucks. Screw Europe and their Euro.



Right on!


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## lxt (Apr 30, 2008)

Whats the thought on the Hinowa LL63, seen their ad in TCIA, they say 63 ft of reach for under 90k. Ryan what are the 23gts going for now?


LXT..........


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## lxt (Apr 30, 2008)

is that the 18gt? I would check this out!!

LXT........


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## Sunrise Guy (Apr 30, 2008)

Spiderlifts said:


> John--No, a retrofit is not possible.
> 
> Sunrise--It is not up to us if a rental outfit buys our machines; nor is it up to us if a tree company buys our machines. Only the customer can make that decision.
> 
> ...



Hmmm, I guess you have no salesmanship abilities then, right? You're telling me that with a good presentation and the right approach to a given rental company, you cannot help people there decide to buy a lift, or two, for their rental customers? Pity. How many rental chains have you been working on, nationwide? I'll bet I can guess.

I can rent towable, 50' lifts here for $300/day, so what do your lifts rent for in your home territory?

Who is buying a spider lift, here in Austin? When you say the "Austin area" that means different things to different people. It could be San Antonio, Dallas, Houston, etc. Enlighten me, if you would be so kind.


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## John464 (May 1, 2008)

Sunrise Guy said:


> I can rent towable, 50' lifts here for $300/day, so what do your lifts rent for in your home territory?



I rented mine for $1500 a day(with operator) a few times and at that price Id still rather not rent it out when I can can be producing $3,000 a day with it taking care of my own customers.

$300 a day for a $150,000 machine isnt going to happen. I rent cranes less expensive than my spider at $1,000 for 6hrs and there is a big slection(competition drives price) to choose from. When you have a machine that is the only one in your state that can do certain tasks, a premiuim coin is expected.

Just think about if you were the only one in Texas with a tatoo gun. Imagine how rich you'd be


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## lxt (May 1, 2008)

Ryan PM with info on the lift you`re talking about & order time frame!! Im assuming its the 18gt, Im seriously considering a self propelled lift...I just landed a large state park contract the genie can do it, but some of those back roads will be a pain.

Also for some reason this year im getting bigger Trees in tighter areas which Im charging top dollar for.....BUT a self propelled lift would be nice!

thanks in advance!!!


LXT.........


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## jsk (May 1, 2008)

*lift*

Congrats on the state park job lxt hope that works out. Hope that you can find what you are looking for i know that you have been looking for a long time. you must have not taken that line clearence job.

I decided on the tm 50 for now. I really wanted a tm 64 but near impossible to find. I just kinda liked the niftys the best. there are a few tm 50s around but like I say no 64s anywhere, the perportional hydralics and no computer sold me on the nifty. 

jason


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## John Paul Sanborn (May 2, 2008)

Talk to Fireman about his NiftyLift. He likes it, I think it is Nifty  for many jobs, not as pricey as a Teupen. Some drawbacks I've seen on this class.

The biggest is that the tracks for the hose and wire runs seem a bit fragile working in trees. 

Second is a lot of proprietary fittings, with proprietary costs.

All, that aluminum and electronics, you will quickly want to get an enclosed trailer for the rig. Especially if you are in the salt belt of the north.


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## lxt (May 2, 2008)

Thanks Jason!! No I didnt take the Line clearance job....funny I had to think hard about it, passing up a steady 40 hr week & decent money was tough but I thought this economy was goona go bust!!

Im very thankful for my area providing work!!! Im thinkin hard about a new lift & nifty is at the top!!


Take care Be Safe


LXT..............


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## Sunrise Guy (May 4, 2008)

John464 said:


> I rented mine for $1500 a day(with operator) a few times and at that price Id still rather not rent it out when I can can be producing $3,000 a day with it taking care of my own customers.
> 
> $300 a day for a $150,000 machine isnt going to happen. I rent cranes less expensive than my spider at $1,000 for 6hrs and there is a big slection(competition drives price) to choose from. When you have a machine that is the only one in your state that can do certain tasks, a premiuim coin is expected.
> 
> Just think about if you were the only one in Texas with a tatoo gun. Imagine how rich you'd be



Thanks for the info. Yeah, your point is well taken, regarding the tattoo machine. You know, I believe, that I owned the first licensed tattoo shop in Texas. Those were the days: There were only two other shops here in Austin. I had to work a "grueling" three-day, eighteen-hour work week to make as much money as what I make now, in the trees, all week. I did trees in my spare time, then, for fun. Life was good, very good. Now there are fifty plus shops, legal and not, in Austin. The average tattooist is 21-25 yrs. old and makes around $10-12 G's/yr. I got out when the shop number hit forty, back in '05. I'm glad to be out, to tell the truth. That gig messed up my back terribly. Climbing in the trees, on a regular basis now, helps keep me in far better shape than hunching over clients for 2-3 hrs at a stretch. The trees, full time, have given me a new set of aches and pains, to be honest, but I like the work far better than slingin' ink. If only there was a way to get meet-'em-one-minute-see-'em-naked-the-next women into the equation, three days a week! (I suppose I could do that, now, during down time, but my live-in gf would have me singin' soprano, overnight-->:greenchainsaw: )


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## chrichri (May 4, 2008)

*Rental*

Where did everyone go from the spider forum why is it shut down?
I rent my machine with operator for 1500 a day, if its someone I know with multiple days then its a good deal. You earn 3000 a day for your machine and operator john! Good deal you should buy another and rent it, probably pay off pretty quick.


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## tree MDS (May 4, 2008)

mckeetree said:


> Let's all try to buy stuff that is American made. Like my trusty bucket trucks. Screw Europe and their Euro.



Thats right, and if you cant get an american made bucket to it, or send up a qualified amercan tree climber, pack up your panties and get a lawn mowing gig or something. I'm so sick of all these ##### tree wannabees that wont even consider climbing, I was just saying that there should be a test for tree service owners just starting thier biz, they ought to have to climb and safely takedown a big a$$ed tree-with obstacles, or pack it in, cant tie a running bowline..no tree service for you. Period.


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## tree MDS (May 4, 2008)

lxt said:


> Thanks Jason!! No I didnt take the Line clearance job....funny I had to think hard about it, passing up a steady 40 hr week & decent money was tough but I thought this economy was goona go bust!!
> 
> Im very thankful for my area providing work!!! Im thinkin hard about a new lift & nifty is at the top!!
> 
> ...


LXT, I'm glad to hear things are looking up for you as well-F line trimming. Things are good here now too, have been sinse mid march-as always its like a light switch, be safe man.


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## John464 (May 4, 2008)

chrichri said:


> Where did everyone go from the spider forum why is it shut down?
> I rent my machine with operator for 1500 a day, if its someone I know with multiple days then its a good deal. You earn 3000 a day for your machine and operator john! Good deal you should buy another and rent it, probably pay off pretty quick.



yes. this time a year. Thats with one crew of 5, loader, chipper, stumper, trucks etc.. We normally do less(per crew) with the bucket truck and climbing crew. Monday I have a $3600 job with the spider. Should be done in about 8hrs(including 1hr lunch break) and I'll have 7 guys there. How can I do this and still be competively priced? Everyone else bid this job as climbing only and taking two days. No bucket access. Climbing only, until the customer was referred to the most advanced tree service in the county 

I am planning on buying another spider, just waiting for the euro dollar to balance with US dollar. Can't see paying another $40,000 more than I did. If I didn't already have one spider, I might.

And Tree MDS, call me a tree wannabe if you'd like, but I climb, run a spider, a bucket and can bet you will run circles around just about anyone, because I pack more tools and know how to use them for optimum production. Do you say mechanics are wannabe's because they no longer put lugnuts on with a wrench, but instead use an air gun? The goal to being in business is profit. Doesn't matter how you get your profit. Long as you are practicing honest clean arboriculture and the more efficiently you do this, the more sucessful you will be.


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## sharkfin12us (May 5, 2008)

*climbing*



John464 said:


> yes. this time a year. Thats with one crew of 5, loader, chipper, stumper, trucks etc.. We normally do less(per crew) with the bucket truck and climbing crew. Monday I have a $3600 job with the spider. Should be done in about 8hrs(including 1hr lunch break) and I'll have 7 guys there. How can I do this and still be competively priced? Everyone else bid this job as climbing only and taking two days. No bucket access. Climbing only, until the customer was referred to the most advanced tree service in the county
> 
> I am planning on buying another spider, just waiting for the euro dollar to balance with US dollar. Can't see paying another $40,000 more than I did. If I didn't already have one spider, I might.
> 
> And Tree MDS, call me a tree wannabe if you'd like, but I climb, run a spider, a bucket and can bet you will run circles around just about anyone, because I pack more tools and know how to use them for optimum production. Do you say mechanics are wannabe's because they no longer put lugnuts on with a wrench, but instead use an air gun? The goal to being in business is profit. Doesn't matter how you get your profit. Long as you are practicing honest clean arboriculture and the more efficiently you do this, the more sucessful you will be.


Climbing can be fun but if i have choice between bucket truck and climbing.Of course its going to be bucket.


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## tree MDS (May 8, 2008)

John464 said:


> yes. this time a year. Thats with one crew of 5, loader, chipper, stumper, trucks etc.. We normally do less(per crew) with the bucket truck and climbing crew. Monday I have a $3600 job with the spider. Should be done in about 8hrs(including 1hr lunch break) and I'll have 7 guys there. How can I do this and still be competively priced? Everyone else bid this job as climbing only and taking two days. No bucket access. Climbing only, until the customer was referred to the most advanced tree service in the county
> 
> I am planning on buying another spider, just waiting for the euro dollar to balance with US dollar. Can't see paying another $40,000 more than I did. If I didn't already have one spider, I might.
> 
> And Tree MDS, call me a tree wannabe if you'd like, but I climb, run a spider, a bucket and can bet you will run circles around just about anyone, because I pack more tools and know how to use them for optimum production. Do you say mechanics are wannabe's because they no longer put lugnuts on with a wrench, but instead use an air gun? The goal to being in business is profit. Doesn't matter how you get your profit. Long as you are practicing honest clean arboriculture and the more efficiently you do this, the more sucessful you will be.


John, just for the record I was'nt calling you a wannabe or even refering to you at all, just venting some frustration with some people in this biz, thats all. Very touchy there, not to worry, I was'nt calling you a bucket queen or anything


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## dtw902 (May 10, 2008)

There are some things you can speed up on the older models. I installed a upgrade on the turret rotation. The difference went from 2:45 seconds stock to 54 seconds after upgrade to do a full 360 rotation. Made a huge difference when piecing out over buildings. I have some pictures I'll try and post in the next few days.


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## UP Equip (Oct 23, 2014)

Thillmaine said:


> *Problem*
> 
> Dont get one....SLOW SLOW SLOW. Its s slow death running those things. Unless you specialize in hazardous tree removal in back yards where no bucket or crane acess, then forget it. Lots of problems we have had with ours as well. I think it the 23gt, its the 75 footer anyway. Had to send it backl to the manufacturer twice (once was our fault) THe toher time I had to set a rope into a neighboring tree for the operator to get down from the lift. Also seem very flimsy to me..


What is your current situation now? Have you bought, or considered buying another spider lift? Things have changed and others came into the market. Contact me and yiou will be surprised...


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