Guido's Last Hurrah: Part I

[asthesun]

Nothing is easy in a campground, dude. There's trailers, electric lines, water pipes, sewer pipers, decks, BBQs, sheds, fireplaces, boats--you get the picture? It's not how big the tree is sometimes, but where it stands.

I wonder how you do pruning big live oaks--oh yeah, I forgot, you spike everything.

i do quite well with spiking live oaks. i really do very little 'pruning'. i just cut off large limbs over houses or other obstacles. i'd love to get into an area where there were nothing but tall straight conifers. thats totally easy imo. limb, limb limb, top, wood, wood, wood, etc. dont get me wrong, i've seen some hairy pines before, but they are the exception not the norm

 

[Shaun Bowler]

It would be very difficult to show up in Nor-Cal and have any tree service hire you to do "Biguns'" without trusting you.
We have here lots of HUGE trees. Eucs, Bays, Elms, Sycs, all surrounded by homes, and all the things that everyone of us out there work with every day.
In the SF Bay area these things are really big, and twisted.
Eucs were brought here in the gold rush era from Australia for ship building.
Due to the weather the Eucs here grew much faster than in AU and the grain of the wood was convoluted: no good for anything but windbreaks and firewood. Euc firewood is even dangerous because it burns so hot.
Like anywhere we work in the world, trees are the entity that dictate to us how we work with "them".
I learned that lesson a long time ago, that is why I am still doing it.

 

[Mapleman]

It would be very difficult to show up in Nor-Cal and have any tree service hire you to do "Biguns'" without trusting you.
We have here lots of HUGE trees. Eucs, Bays, Elms, Sycs, all surrounded by homes, and all the things that everyone of us out there work with every day.
In the SF Bay area these things are really big, and twisted.
Eucs were brought here in the gold rush era from Australia for ship building.
Due to the weather the Eucs here grew much faster than in AU and the grain of the wood was convoluted: no good for anything but windbreaks and firewood. Euc firewood is even dangerous because it burns so hot.
Like anywhere we work in the world, trees are the entity that dictate to us how we work with "them".
I learned that lesson a long time ago, that is why I am still doing it.

Right on, bro.

 

[chip's-tree]

mapleman
great story
keep them coming....

 

[Mapleman]

mapleman
great story
keep them coming....

I'm over at the other thread--THE LAST EPISODE

 

[TreEmergencyB]

It would be very difficult to show up in Nor-Cal and have any tree service hire you to do "Biguns'" without trusting you.
We have here lots of HUGE trees. Eucs, Bays, Elms, Sycs, all surrounded by homes, and all the things that everyone of us out there work with every day.
In the SF Bay area these things are really big, and twisted.
Eucs were brought here in the gold rush era from Australia for ship building.
Due to the weather the Eucs here grew much faster than in AU and the grain of the wood was convoluted: no good for anything but windbreaks and firewood. Euc firewood is even dangerous because it burns so hot.
Like anywhere we work in the world, trees are the entity that dictate to us how we work with "them".
I learned that lesson a long time ago, that is why I am still doing it.

how they ever gonna trust anyone with seeing them do it, they dont trust everyone the hire off the bat. And just cause there bigger than what i got in PA its still the same concept just bigger wood, limbs, trees, and oh yea bigger rope. Its the same thing if the tree 60' or 160' just different scale.

Im sure i could do biguns!!

 

[asthesun]

how they ever gonna trust anyone with seeing them do it, they dont trust everyone the hire off the bat. And just cause there bigger than what i got in PA its still the same concept just bigger wood, limbs, trees, and oh yea bigger rope. Its the same thing if the tree 60' or 160' just different scale.

Im sure i could do biguns!!

you prolly can. them people just think they're special and their trees are bigger than anyone elses. well, special olympics aren't in town so just go home

 

[TreEmergencyB]

we got some pretty wicked white pine around here there not that tall but they all grow different. First time i grounded one of them couldnt belive limbs off a pine tree the more resembled another tree. Id think trees with a MASSIVE canopy are harder then tall trees

 

[tree md]

It helps to learn on large trees. I learned tree work in GA where the trees are a hell of a lot bigger than where I live now. Nothing as big as they have on the West coast but some pretty good sized trees. I worked for a few companies that mostly did large removals. Two of the services I worked for had cranes and I rode around with the crane and did aerial lifts for the most part. It was excellent experience for me. The trees where I live now are nowhere near as tall or as large as where I come from and learned on. They are a piece of cake to me. I do a lot of work that others walk away from. I advertise for the ones no one else wants to touch in fact. Learning on big trees will give you a huge advantage.

 

[TreEmergencyB]

It helps to learn on large trees. I learned tree work in GA where the trees are a hell of a lot bigger than where I live now. Nothing as big as they have on the West coast but some pretty good sized trees. I worked for a few companies that mostly did large removals. Two of the services I worked for had cranes and I rode around with the crane and did aerial lifts for the most part. It was excellent experience for me. The trees where I live now are nowhere near as tall or as large as where I come from and learned on. They are a piece of cake to me. I do a lot of work that others walk away from. I advertise for the ones no one else wants to touch in fact. Learning on big trees will give you a huge advantage.

I'd loved to do a crane job! only ever grounded them, set some chokers and rode the hook b4 but boss man didnt wanna let me cut, lol i was pretty green

 

[Mapleman]

how they ever gonna trust anyone with seeing them do it, they dont trust everyone the hire off the bat. And just cause there bigger than what i got in PA its still the same concept just bigger wood, limbs, trees, and oh yea bigger rope. Its the same thing if the tree 60' or 160' just different scale.

Im sure i could do biguns!!

Sorry to break your bubble, but it ain't the same. I've climbed east coast, west coast, northeast, southeast, etc, etc. On a daily basis, doing big trees in San Francisco is a whole 'nother level to anything I've done or seen before. Thems the facts. But don't take my word for it, go out there yerself. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that an individual tree or an individual job located in PA, OK, or Chicago could not be as challenging as trees in SF. What I am saying is that, in my 30 years of experience, day in and day out, the trees and tree situations in SF are a whole other animal.

I believe what Shaun was trying to say as far as the trust issue is that any competent tree service owner is not going to turn you loose on a 8-foot DBH blue gum that spreads out over 10 million dollars of residential property until he sees what you can do with something a little less, shall we say, challenging.

Also, although the basic principles of tree work apply whether a tree is 60 feet or a 160 feet, not so with the inherent anxiety factor of working in massive trees in extremely tight spaces nor taking out leaders the size of east coast trees.

 

[Mapleman]

It helps to learn on large trees. I learned tree work in GA where the trees are a hell of a lot bigger than where I live now. Nothing as big as they have on the West coast but some pretty good sized trees. I worked for a few companies that mostly did large removals. Two of the services I worked for had cranes and I rode around with the crane and did aerial lifts for the most part. It was excellent experience for me. The trees where I live now are nowhere near as tall or as large as where I come from and learned on. They are a piece of cake to me. I do a lot of work that others walk away from. I advertise for the ones no one else wants to touch in fact. Learning on big trees will give you a huge advantage.

Great advice. Crane work rocks.

 

[Mapleman]

you prolly can. them people just think they're special and their trees are bigger than anyone elses. well, special olympics aren't in town so just go home

I'm assuming you wrote that tongue in cheek, or maybe not. No one thinks they're special except people who call themselves treemen and spike trees they're pruning. I know you said you're in it for the money, so here's a quick rich scheme for yer'.

Have your friends buy you for what you're really worth, then have them sell you for what you think you're worth.

 

[Slvrmple72]

The great trees beckon to the heart of the climber. His soul aches for the freedom that only facing his anxiety will give. In the midst of this work one must pause and wonder which has the greater spirit. Those who do not know have been crushed in their folly. The trees will not remember us when we are gone they will have their water and sunlight. We are but mere shadows to them.

 

[Mapleman]

The great trees beckon to the heart of the climber. His soul aches for the freedom that only facing his anxiety will give. In the midst of this work one must pause and wonder which has the greater spirit. Those who do not know have been crushed in their folly. The trees will not remember us when we are gone they will have their water and sunlight. We are but mere shadows to them.

I like the idea that I'm a custodian to the oldest and largest living things on the planet, but in the end, that's all I am--a custodian. Trees deserve respect, even when being removed...

 

[asthesun]

I'm assuming you wrote that tongue in cheek, or maybe not. No one thinks they're special except people who call themselves treemen and spike trees they're pruning. I know you said you're in it for the money, so here's a quick rich scheme for yer'.

Have your friends buy you for what you're really worth, then have them sell you for what you think you're worth.

if the had the trillions of dollars needed to do that, they'd break even.

 

[Mapleman]

if the had the trillions of dollars needed to do that, they'd break even.

Dude,

You're such a cliche I've written you into the story, and it ain't Guido or Geena...

 

[TreEmergencyB]

i know i just cant show up at someones company and expect to get thrown into the 250 footer or anything like that but, they got to sometime ya know after they see you do a smaller tree they will let u do a big one. Its the same wherever you are here around pittsburgh we got trees that hang over millions of dollars of houses,cars, etc. I really just want to do one HUGE tree more tall than anything, cant wait for the rush of poppin the top and watching it fall 150 or so. And for having the sack the be that high i worked on cell phone towers for a summer about 300 feet metal that sways in the wind when u up there so the height wont bother me. Plus i would rather fall out of a 150' tree then fall 30' because you fall at 150 your dead wont feel a thing you bounce from 30' and alot survive to suffer.

 

[tree md]

i know i just cant show up at someones company and expect to get thrown into the 250 footer or anything like that but, they got to sometime ya know after they see you do a smaller tree they will let u do a big one. Its the same wherever you are here around pittsburgh we got trees that hang over millions of dollars of houses,cars, etc. I really just want to do one HUGE tree more tall than anything, cant wait for the rush of poppin the top and watching it fall 150 or so. And for having the sack the be that high i worked on cell phone towers for a summer about 300 feet metal that sways in the wind when u up there so the height wont bother me. Plus i would rather fall out of a 150' tree then fall 30' because you fall at 150 your dead wont feel a thing you bounce from 30' and alot survive to suffer.

The trick is to not fall at all grasshopper. There's no living in dieing.

You need to hook up with a company or treeman who is willing to teach you and let you climb. Of course no one is going to let you start off doing removals over million dollar homes but if you show enthusiasm and the aptitude to learn you'd be surprised how fast some will advance you. There are not a lot of people out there that can do this stuff. The field is wide open for you. Best of luck!

 

[Mapleman]

i know i just cant show up at someones company and expect to get thrown into the 250 footer or anything like that but, they got to sometime ya know after they see you do a smaller tree they will let u do a big one. Its the same wherever you are here around pittsburgh we got trees that hang over millions of dollars of houses,cars, etc. I really just want to do one HUGE tree more tall than anything, cant wait for the rush of poppin the top and watching it fall 150 or so. And for having the sack the be that high i worked on cell phone towers for a summer about 300 feet metal that sways in the wind when u up there so the height wont bother me. Plus i would rather fall out of a 150' tree then fall 30' because you fall at 150 your dead wont feel a thing you bounce from 30' and alot survive to suffer.

TEB,

It sound like you have the motivation and the nerve to do the "biguns," and that's half the battle, now you just need the experience. Different species of trees in different parts of the country at different times of the year have their own pecularities: elm has stringy bark and sometimes if you don't side notch chunks the bark will strip on you and canter the piece 20 degrees from where you wanted it to go Seasonal sap flow in certain trees can also effect the way they break.

And out in the SF area there's a tree called a Bishop Pine. It gets big--massive trunk and canopy that mushrooms out making the tree "top heavy." These trees often have internal cankers due to branches that have broken off and "grown inward" sort of like an ingrown toe nail. There have been guys not experienced in doing Bishops that knock the tops out in one or two shots--and I guess you can see where this is going. The trunk shakes when the top breaks off and then snaps off at a canker halfway up the trunk and twenty feet below the climber.

A lot of the bigger services run several crews. Usually one of them does nothing but the "biguns." Starting out on one of the other crews and working your way up (pun intended) is an option. Another one is to work in a rural area where there are big trees in more open spaces. Sometimes you can hook up with an old timer--like Frenchie--who's been saving a few 150 footers for the young guns. I can suggest a few places if you contact me privately.