Hows work

[WolverineMarine]

How many hours do you have on you lift and how do you find that product thanks

http://www.spiderlifts.com

Been thinking about one myself..they are VERY pricey though..a new one is around $120,000-$160,000 depending on the model and features..my god..talk about being able to get ANY where..no one around here has one I am aware of..might be a great way to snag a ton of business...

 

[tree MDS]

Yeah, just get a spider lift, the tallest one you can possibly afford- even if you have to remorgage your house. Then just hire some mexicans to cut and hold and pelt that lawn right up all day long while you drive around town looking for more work to sic your mexicans on. Screw roping and tree climbers- a thing of the past. At least thats the mentality of thes crossover lawn jockeys I've seen around the state lately- now finally an answer to having actual skill...the "spider lift". Oh wait still pretty much useless for pruning.... :monkey:

 

[WolverineMarine]

Yeah, just get a spider lift, the tallest one you can possibly afford- even if you have to remorgage your house. Then just hire some mexicans to cut and hold and pelt that lawn right up all day long while you drive around town looking for more work to sic your mexicans on. Screw roping and tree climbers- a thing of the past. At least thats the mentality of thes crossover lawn jockeys I've seen around the state lately- now finally an answer to having actual skill...the "spider lift". Oh wait still pretty much useless for pruning.... :monkey:

hey man..I climb predominantly myself..all I see it as is a lightweight backyard bucket truck...I love the art and skill of the trade and take alot of pride in it..every tool has its application..this is just another one..a really expensive one..

 

[tree MDS]

Yeah, I know what you mean there wolverine, its just that what I said above seems to represent the mentallity I've encountered with regards to those things. Not meant to be an attack on you, I meant to say that, sorry dude. Of course as a climber primarilly (well before the recent bucket), I feel like this is just another way for the suck a$$ hack to weasel his way into the back yard- and still suck! But take work. I liked the divisionary line that climbing jobs set. At least if you lost a bid and knew it had to be climbed it wasnt so bad because you knew least someone with actual skill (or big balls and a big ladder) had to do it.

 

[Blakesmaster]

Yeah, I know what you mean there wolverine, its just that what I said above seems to represent the mentallity I've encountered with regards to those things. Not meant to be an attack on you, I meant to say that, sorry dude. Of course as a climber primarilly (well before the recent bucket), I feel like this is just another way for the suck a$$ hack to weasel his way into the back yard- and still suck! But take work. I liked the divisionary line that climbing jobs set. At least if you lost a bid and knew it had to be climbed it wasnt so bad because you knew least someone with actual skill (or big balls and a big ladder) had to do it.

Having a bad day MDS? I like the little spider lifts. Or at least the idea of them, I haven't heard a lot of positive reviews regarding them though. I was reading in the TCI mag recently some salesman for one of the backyard bucket companies saying that climbing was a lost art to which I chuckled. They may make it easier for some but in no way will they ever replace a good man in the tree. Plus, with their price tag do you really think a lot of lawn boys can afford to jump on one. I don't.

 

[HolmenTree]

Having a bad day MDS? I like the little spider lifts. Or at least the idea of them, I haven't heard a lot of positive reviews regarding them though. I was reading in the TCI mag recently some salesman for one of the backyard bucket companies saying that climbing was a lost art to which I chuckled. They may make it easier for some but in no way will they ever replace a good man in the tree. Plus, with their price tag do you really think a lot of lawn boys can afford to jump on one. I don't.

Yes and the way the economy is going in North America the lifts are even less attractive.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Yes and the way the economy is going in North America the lifts are even less attractive.

You will be able to buy some repo's pretty soon.

Like he said, a lift is a tool, there are people who use them right and those who use them wrong. Just like a polesaw. I'm sure there are a lot more people who have ef'd up trees with a polesaw then with a bucket. It is so much cheaper.

Of course you can ef-up a lot more trees in a day with a bucket...

 

[oharatree]

Work is is the toilet here in NE Pennsylvania for me right now. I am in my second year in business for myself and man did I pick a bad time. This is a brutal journey I'm on, but, it will turn around eventually.

 

[HolmenTree]

Work is is the toilet here in NE Pennsylvania for me right now. I am in my second year in business for myself and man did I pick a bad time. This is a brutal journey I'm on, but, it will turn around eventually.

I've been there,had to keep my costs down and and the price of my services up. My being on the job with my business name and phone# on my rig was my advertising, work comes in from word of mouth or from the customers neighbors. Maintain you own equipment and find one good employee, look after him. Take your time in growing. My first few years in the business I started out with a large stake side trailer and pickup truck, then 3rd year bought a stumpgrinder, then 4th year bought a chipper,now my sig. tells what I now operate with. Low overhead,one good employee and alot less headaches then alot of guys have that I know.

 

[sharkfin12us]

tough times

Work is is the toilet here in NE Pennsylvania for me right now. I am in my second year in business for myself and man did I pick a bad time. This is a brutal journey I'm on, but, it will turn around eventually.

Yes i hear you.Just hang in there if you business cards try to put them in pizza places.I get work from referals i dont advertise in phone book is a waste of money unless you do full page ad and your first.Hope you pick up

 

[capetrees]

Still waiting to hear from the guys in Texas and Louisiana after the storms. I'll bet they're still busy. My point is, every once in a while, a good storm is needed to fix the down times. Anyone interested in going to Worcester, MA in the next few months? Lots of work going after that beetle! Might be worth the trip.

Other than tha, part time, this is still a pretty good gig. Its slowing down and that not a bad thing in the winter. Can catch up on some issues. Setting up some big jobs for the cold season though.

 

[Groundman One]

This seemed the right place to post this.

We we're taking down a few trees at a longtime client's house. At the bottom of a set of stairs going down the hill, we took down a 60" hemlock, maybe 16" across. Being a ground pounder, I get to carry it all up the hill. After about twenty trips, I'm pouring sweat. I flip a respectable sized hunk o' hemlock onto my shoulder and start my way back up the stairs. I hear the client, a lady, standing at the top of the stairs say "Oh my goodness!" Hey, cool, she appreciates the hard work I'm doing and is impressed by my carrying capabilities. Then she finshes the sentence with, "The tree was hollow."

Groan... I am not but an ant going up and down and up and down. No appreciation.

However, at lunchtime she brought me and my climber each a slice of apple pie AND a slice of pumpkin pie (it was Thanksgiving here yesterday) and a pretty decent espresso. We even got a $10 tip each.

A good day after all.

 

[wtbuck12]

As you may have guessed, here in south La. we have been working seven days a week since the storms. We, however were lucky and did not get hit that bad, much worst further north...Baton Rouge etc. I have just about finished the major storm damage work and I will be getting back to my pre-storm work. As of today, I have about six weeks of work on the books. Bad way to get work, but we take it anyway we can get it.

 

[HolmenTree]

This seemed the right place to post this.

We we're taking down a few trees at a longtime client's house. At the bottom of a set of stairs going down the hill, we took down a 60" hemlock, maybe 16" across. Being a ground pounder, I get to carry it all up the hill. After about twenty trips, I'm pouring sweat. I flip a respectable sized hunk o' hemlock onto my shoulder and start my way back up the stairs. I hear the client, a lady, standing at the top of the stairs say "Oh my goodness!" Hey, cool, she appreciates the hard work I'm doing and is impressed by my carrying capabilities. Then she finshes the sentence with, "The tree was hollow."

Groan... I am not but an ant going up and down and up and down. No appreciation.

However, at lunchtime she brought me and my climber each a slice of apple pie AND a slice of pumpkin pie (it was Thanksgiving here yesterday) and a pretty decent espresso. We even got a $10 tip each.

A good day after all.

I built an oversize log dolly with big wheels for my groundie. Works good even on some hills, but for next season I'm going to spend $2500 and buy a Muck Truck [gas powered 4x4 wheel barrow] with the skip and dolly attachment . Check it out on the net[ Muck Truck Canada ]. They have some good videos.

 

[Groundman One]

I built an oversize log dolly with big wheels for my groundie. Works good even on some hills, but for next season I'm going to spend $2500 and buy a Muck Truck [gas powered 4x4 wheel barrow] with the skip and dolly attachment . Check it out on the net[ Muck Truck Canada ]. They have some good videos.

Well, y'all can send me that Muck Truck straight off. I'd be much obliged.

Unfortunately, my walk today was stairs. The hill was steep with terraced gardens. Impassable with any load. Sadly, I know no way around stairs; you just gotta climb 'em.

 

[SLlandscape]

Work is is the toilet here in NE Pennsylvania for me right now. I am in my second year in business for myself and man did I pick a bad time. This is a brutal journey I'm on, but, it will turn around eventually.

I know exactly how you feel. I'm in my 3rd year of having an official "business" and it's friggin butt busting work. Between the taxes, employees, estimates that get turned down, and fuel bills it's hard enough. Then you add the economy factor, and it really sucks. As for how the year is going, work has been pretty steady. Not as many big jobs as I want, but hey, work is work, right. Right now I'm booked solid with fences to build and several trim jobs coming up soon, and the removal of about 45-50trees to make way for a privacy fence.



Before anyone starts to go postal or pms about that many trees getting removed, let me say this. The trees being removed are mainly elm trees more than 20 years old. all except 2 are under 12'-15' high, and they define the phrase "fubar". the other 2 trees are around 25' high and contain mostly dead branches and are full of spilts, and have the bark falling off. There original purpose was to form a wind break around the house. but, between bad care and inadequate water they basically didn't do much.