Hartford expo

[timber12]

Just returned from the TCI Expo in Hartford. Took the EHAP course yesterday and went to the trade show today had a blast and also got 6 ceu"s!

 

[Xtra]

I took the CSTP training & test, won't know the results for about two weeks.

 

[treeman82]

I'm gonna head over tomorrow.

 

[hornett22]

i live 5 minutes away.

had to work today after i chased parts all morning.plan on going the friday.can't wait.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

I would have liked to go, but cannot spend that type of money to travel now that I have a better half.

 

[Brush Hog]

I'm headed their tomorrow.

 

[teamtree]

just got in Today from Indiana. Found round trip tickets to Hartford for $138. Going to show this morning and to a few seminars later today.

Any good restaurants in the area?

 

[hornett22]

lots of great food around here.

there is a great spanish place on Wethersfeild ave called Costa del sol.860-296-1714 901 Wethersfeild Ave Hartford

Saybrook Fish House is in Rocky Hill.fantastic seafood and service.very reasonable!

Michael Jordans Steak House at the Mohegan Sun Casino.

Carbone's-italian in Hartford

Mill on the River in South Windsor.

Close to you U.S.S. Chowderpot is close to you.just south on 91 look for the Brainard Rd exit.

my cell is 860-916-3290 if you need any more info or get lost. steve

 

[treeseer]

well jps we hope to see you next year when expo is in milwaukee. i hope wifey lets you drive downtown.

Lots happening on the floor and the talks are interesting. I was surprised to see standing room only for my 7:30 talk today; lots of arborists with a passion for restoring trees; pretty cool.

 

[teamtree]

Just went to a seminar on tree risk assessment and all I heard was definitions on risk. I thought it would give me some insight on tree risk assessment but it really came down to "it is your opinion" or "level of expertise". So basically I will stick with what I know and my experience in dealing with "risky trees".

what is everyones take on the stump grinders? any favorites?

 

[treeman82]

I went today and walked around, had some fun. The thing I couldn't get over was that Big Beaver thing in the corner, not the one that they had walking around.

 

[teamtree]

i saw that machine and for the price tag I really don't see it taking the industry by storm. like any piece of equipment it has a place but from a standpoint of logistics it will really only add costs to the job without a equal return in efficiency. In the video they had in which they took two trees down i feel we could have done the faster with bucket truck or climber. Plus, when you are holding 20 feet of the top of the pine tree, what if the top snaps out of it.

Don't get me wrong it is a cool piece of equipment but i just don't see it working out so well. From a cost standpoint, you would have as much in that machine as you would a bucket truck, chipper, chip truck, bob cat. You would still need a chip truck and chipper on site so now your equipment cost have just went up more than before. What about the weight of the machine and how do you get it from site to site....semi truck?

 

[BostonBull]

i saw that machine and for the price tag I really don't see it taking the industry by storm. like any piece of equipment it has a place but from a standpoint of logistics it will really only add costs to the job without a equal return in efficiency. In the video they had in which they took two trees down i feel we could have done the faster with bucket truck or climber. Plus, when you are holding 20 feet of the top of the pine tree, what if the top snaps out of it.

Don't get me wrong it is a cool piece of equipment but i just don't see it working out so well. From a cost standpoint, you would have as much in that machine as you would a bucket truck, chipper, chip truck, bob cat. You would still need a chip truck and chipper on site so now your equipment cost have just went up more than before. What about the weight of the machine and how do you get it from site to site....semi truck?

I saw that too. For 300K you could get a nice new 38-42 ton boom truck or crane.

 

[Xtra]

Yeah, the tree risk seminar was a let down, all I learned is what "POETS" day meant.

Selling yourself wasn't too helpful either.

The biggest news I've seen so far from the trade floor is that Green Teeth have redisigned their product.

As for food I've gone too VIVO 3 x's (over priced, but good), since I'm staying here at the Marriott with my family, but earier in the week I was at The Holiday Inn Express and Black Eyed Sally next door was that was good eating!


If you see a shaved headed guy with a wife and 2 little boys roaming around, that's me, stop by and say Hi.

 

[Xtra]

BTW:
Stop by Sierra Moreno Mercantile Company's booth and say hi the Don Blair (author of Arborist Equipment - book/guide) ask him about the cool poster he has of old tree gear.

 

[teamtree]

i am going to a crane removal seminar in am and then off to the airport around 2

going to hit the trade show to see if i missed anything...not in the market for anything new although I would like to purchase a GRCS or least that is the only thing in my budget right now

went to Morton's last night for a great steak (bit pricey but i look at is a another stump i have to grind) and tonight i went down to Costa Del Sol and it was a great dinner although I was alone so I could not get the paella

staying at the marriott as well

 

[Xtra]

Mark Adams is the instructor for the crane class
(I just took the CTSP training with him) it should be a good class.

I'll either be there or "Wrongful Death, Personal Injury & Court Decisions" . . . haven't made up my mind on which yet.

[wife & oldest son are at the pool now, I finally got time to be online, jeez I hate those WebKinz*]


*WebKinz . . . addictive online animals for kids 4 and up.

 

[teamtree]

It killed me to leave my son behind this trip....he is almost 4 and he had his mind made up he was going....he even packed a bag with all the essentials.

I bought him a toy bucket truck and chipper at one of the booths.

I am looking forward to the crane sem and I hope it is more real world than technical classroom stuff....not much you can really learn in an hour though.

I had lunch with a bunch of guys from Mayer today. They were a real nice group of guys but they could have eased up on the Colts bashing....lol It was funny...i walked over to Arch Street Tavern to grab a bite and they were closed and they were all sitting out there so I followed them up to Peppercorn and had a real nice chat with those guys.

 

[Xtra]

My wife's a speech therapist for a school in NJ. Her and the boys (4 & 9) are off this week due to the teachers' convention, so we made it into a family, working vacation.

 

[hornett22]

if i'd known you were going to Costa Del Sol.......

i would have met you.the paella is friggin' out of this world.i'd kill the eat that stuff everyday.

as for the show,it was a neat experience but it didn't have much soul.a lot of vendors were turned down and it's a shame.could have been a lot more variety.i didn't see one fire wood processor or mill.the eager beaver thing was way overkill.i cannot see justifying that kind of money.it appeared very slow.

met a nice bunch at the Husky exibit but the display was kind of lame,folks there were very nice and informative.stihl had a decent display but their staff was stiff and arrogant.it was to be expected though.

no deals on anything that i saw.some stuff even seemed marked up just for the show.

best venders there were the Dolmar guys (awesome!),husky,bandit chippers(fantastic folks),a company from Clare Michigan who sells autofeed controllers and stump grinder controls.you guys have to check these folks out.i'm going back saturday to get the controller.

oh,there was a company from MN selling a climbing setup that was slick but he's sold out.i'll order one from him via the phone.

i liked the Terex mini-arborist and the spider lift on the Isuzu flatbed too,slick.

oh,forgot to mention the guys from Lift-All nice and very informative.