40 tons rule

[Tree Machine]

Amazin shots, fellas

Question: Do your crane operators hoist you up and set you in the tree? All my guys tell me it's not allowed, but so far, no on has actually refused me. Just wondering.... -TM-

 

[jimmyq]

Point noted Silverblue, is the mint oil available on the left coast? and I assume it is not a pesticide labelled product? I have wasp phobia, but if it works quick and efficient, I am happy to switch.

 

[Stumper]

Mint oil... interesting. WD40 works but not super fast.

 

[SilverBlue]

You have to ask woodstream to see if it's available in BC yet.
Justin, I could pee farther than a WD can will spray... but don't think I would want to try and P near a swarm of PO'd wasps to begin with.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Re: Amazin shots, fellas

Originally posted by Tree Machine
Question: Do your crane operators hoist you up and set you in the tree? All my guys tell me it's not allowed, but so far, no on has actually refused me. Just wondering.... -TM-

http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=10032&highlight=riding+the+ball

 

[TheTreeSpyder]

Most of the pieces where bigger, the lean needed for that back side, and boom height needed for clearance was kinda limiting (hence the green-out). Three of the pads under the outriggers where punched into the ground almost 2' into the ground at the end of the day.

There was kinda a story that went with that piece, as i remeber it was over 3000#, lil big for a lot of lines with impact, not too much for that crane, kinda considerable force i think if ya make boom out to be 85' of it's 100 @ >35 degree boom angle. i had already moved by the time the shot was taken, the next piece hitched about where that one hangs and cut about where i am; though had to sweep that around with hinge and crane providing support to position load where crane coud handle it. i was settingt up for that move and didn't want to worry about the piece that i just cut that was slanting up and i don't know if you can really see it's cut; but didn't whant it sweeping/ twisting near me; as i brought the real target out.

Orrrrr something like that!
:alien:

 

[MasterBlaster]

Heres a pic of the crane we used this morning. We only needed an 18 ton, but they rented this out for the same price.

I love crane overkill...

 

[Dan F]

Gord-
Just to be a smart a$$, I'll ask you if you have magical powers?? How else could you move the house from one side of the picture to the other without moving the crane, chipper, trees, etc?

Somebody got the negative backwards, I know. Kinda hard to read the writing on the crane in the first set of pics, which made it obvious what was wrong....


Dan

 

[Gord]

No actually what happened was the climber was complaining that sawdust kept blowing in his eyes, so we all grabbed a piece and reversed the jobsite. But then the wind changed so we had to switch it back...

 

[treeslayer]

Tree Machine, nice PPE on the guy under the load.
Cranes attract a lot of attention (i.e. OSHA, etc.) while sticking up up in the air, they would love a free found violation.

We always wear head protection, proper clothing, reflective vests,
and 2 way radios.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I wuz thinking how close that strap wuz to the end of the log.
Besides being unsafe, it makes manuevering the log more difficult.

I hope that wasn't the lift straight from the tree!

 

[rbtree]

Three scary stories:

A PNW tree service, that specializes in crane work, and does extremely high volume of work in short periods of time, as they often use their 70 ton stick crane. With it, due to the light 160 foot boom with no hydraulics, they can pick conifers whole from backyards, unless the tree is too big...say much over 100 feet and 2.5 fet dbh (I'm guessing here on the size, as I've not worked with them.) Anyhow, the climber had just tied off a tree and rappelled out. The cutter started the butt cut, but unfortunately not on the correct tree. The operator, who could only see the tree top, noticed the tree being cut moving a bit. He had to lean on his airhorn to get the cutting stopped, with the tree precipitously teetering. They had to elevate the climber, untie the first tree and gingerly tie off the cut one.....Close call!!!!!!! This company has done as many as 38 trees in one day....5 groundies with 066's limbing and chipping, so as to be ready for the next tree. Likely the 5 guys were chipping and not watching the wrong tree being cut. Lots of unsafe work practices at that co, according to people I know who have worked there. As well, they hustle up business, resulting in removal of many healthy, presumably safe trees.

This same company also has a 35 ton flatbed crane with something like 130 feet of stick, and a 20 foot wide platform, that is a great design. I'd love to them help me on some jobs, but they are always too busy to help. The crane operator (also equipment owner) is famous for being incredibly good...if very ballsy in the picks he does..

2. An operator I have worked with told me of the first tree job he did. The cutter, on the ground, motioned for him to tension the log, about a 90 footer. But the clueless cutter had not cut every last bit of fiber free. The operator cinched so hard than he broke the steel sling!!! Log went on house.

3. Climber set choker, but not thoroughly, went down to do cut, operator tensions log after the cut is made, sling pulls bark off the tree as it slides off, tree falls across crane, operator OK.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Concerning that guy cutting the wrong tree, the simplest way to avoid that would be for the climber to leave his rope in the tree until the cutter calls for it to be removed, effectively identifying the tree to be cut.

Sounds like a good OSHA rule.

I bet those guys were crapping their pants!

 

[Gord]

Speaking of close calls with cranes...

A while ago a friend of mine was making the cut on the bottom pick of a large fir. Standing on the ground, makes a bypass cut, tells operator to take it away. Apparently sideways growing root fibres made the bypass cut ineffective, crane operator over tensioned line and when the piece broke off it shot up a good ten feet over my friends head and stamped down behind him. I don't think his hard hat would have helped him should the piece have not actually jumped over him.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Sounds like a crappy crane operator!

 

[Gord]

Combination of things really...he couldn't see the piece and was told that it was free...so he thought that it was heavier it was...but obviously over estimated. He shouldn't have put as much tension on as he did, no doubt.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I guess he didn't have a load sensor onboard. Those gizmos are nice, but they are usually an aftermarket item.
Still, I would thunk he would have felt the tension in the boom, and winch.

I would $hit if an operator did that to me!

 

[rbtree]

Gord,

That is a good reason to not use bypass cuts, though normally they should be fine. I almost always make one cut straight through. If there is any bar pinch, the operator can gently tip the log to free the bar. If the cut is started directly below the choke point on the log, and the operator applies direct upward force, the kerf will automatically open.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I've always put a small undercut opposite the shackle side of the sling, then started cutting on the shackle side.
The undercut allows the crane operator a little 'wiggle room' and allowed him to feel the load better.

Smaller trees I cut straight through.

Kranes r kewl!

 

[Gord]

I agree with you Roger. Although sometimes it's nice to have the option of moving below the piece before it's taken away and be watching for falling pieces rather than fiddling with your saw.

Here's a situation where a bypass cut would have been a useless complication- western redcedar covered in ivy. Glad it wasn't me in the tree.

ivy cedar