nothing but climb?

[squisher]

Yah that's what I am and that's what I have (1 ton dump) but I'm finding I've been getting some bigger jobs and it's just not enough capacity. My reduction in trips to the dump which is a bit of a drive here I think will help in part pay for the forestry unit. Also here to get work with our city or regional district you almost have to have a lift. I've talked with the city and they give all their big tree work to one outfit because they beleive it can only be safely done with a lift and they have a 100' ladder truck. All of the big guys around here climb and use buckets so that's the direction that I'm hoping to head.

So I think for me it will make sense to invest but that doesn't mean that I think everyone needs to or should.

 

[elmnut]

"Gun" is a New Zealand term for someone with excellent skills in what they do.Unlike here in the states theres not as much money in Arb work in NZ so most of us who started out ten years ago didn't and don't have/own a bucket truck.I've worked in Six countries contract climbing and or as part of a company full time,outside of the states only once was a quizzed as to wether I had bucket truck experiance.My international experiance has been that bucket work is done by the locals and climbing is doen by the pros.

Where wlse have you worked?

I have heard that it is illegal to climb a tree in Germany, anyone know if this is true? I've been everywhere man...

 

[SmokinDodge]

I'm the new guy in town and very small. The only bucket I could hire is from the same company that I turn the work to if I don't think it can be climbed safely. I don't think I would be building a good reputation or doing right by the customer if I just threw some extra money on and then had another tree company show up to do the work. I have not found anyone who will just rent me a bucket for anything reasonable enough that would still make the job worthwhile.

I did a job for a friend in a small town with a Bill-Jax lift I rented from the local rental store. It was around $250 for the lift for the day. First time in a lift for me and we did one removal and four deadwood trimmings. We managed to do it all in three moves of the lift. The lift worked well, not real fast but well. I don't have any experience with other lifts so I can't compare I do remember this model had a 37' boom, not real tall but it worked for me.

You might line up a couple lift jobs and rent it for a day and knock them all out at once.

 

[squisher]

To late for me I just bought a forestry boom truck yesterday. 1990 f-700 with a vo-50 Versalift. Just put it through CVI today and will be putting her into service by monday. I know that it won't get in and access everything but I'm already quite experienced with spiking trees and am really working and practicing my rope techniques for pruning and to make me more adaptable at removals. I'm hoping that having the big rolling billboard will help to get me some more work too and maybe some work with the city.

 

[elmnut]

To late for me I just bought a forestry boom truck yesterday. 1990 f-700 with a vo-50 Versalift. Just put it through CVI today and will be putting her into service by monday. I know that it won't get in and access everything but I'm already quite experienced with spiking trees and am really working and practicing my rope techniques for pruning and to make me more adaptable at removals. I'm hoping that having the big rolling billboard will help to get me some more work too and maybe some work with the city.

CONGRATS!!!

 

[9th year rookie]

Original thread

For those of you that actually do tree work full time. Do you climb everthing, ie. don't have a bucket? I do and it seems that so many people (customers) look at me like I'm high when I tell them that i can do this or that w/o a lift.

I don't have a bucket or a crane.
About 25% of the time they, at some point, pause, look up into the tree of discussion, and ask something like....How're you gonna.....?

Last week the guy asked me if I had a bucket.
"No."
He said the other company that bid on the job said it couldn't be done without a bucket.
I said that he is either telling the truth and does not know how to climb or he's not telling the truth.
Easy job, nothing tricky, medium sized maple takedown for house edition/
I gave my bid and won the job

I starting to do alright (moneywise), not breaking any records bu growing very slowly.
By my plan, my next purchase (about a year from now) will be a bucket.

 

[jmack]

For those of you that actually do tree work full time. Do you climb everthing, ie. don't have a bucket? I do and it seems that so many people (customers) look at me like I'm high when I tell them that i can do this or that w/o a lift. There are a few outfits around here that don't climb at all. From my experience that leads to problems ie, dropping trees that shouldn't be, trying to get a truck into places that no truck should be or at best calling me to do it for them which I think is bad for business. You hire X company and Y company shows up to do the "technical" work.

buckets dont go into back yards the math is simple if you roar a bucket over grass to get to a tree you are a hack!

 

[TreemanFJR]

buckets dont go into back yards the math is simple if you roar a bucket over grass to get to a tree you are a hack!

I respectfully disagree. Are there many questions to be asked before you enter a backyard with a bucket? YES. Can you always use a bucket in a backyard? NO. Just because there is a bucket in a backyard doesn't mean you are tearing up the grass. When the ground is frozen in the winter it is a great time to get a truck in the back. During other times of the years it is not as easy. Is there a septic? How many other root systems are you going to affect with compaction? How much has it rained lately? What kind of customer is it? There has been property that I have worked on that has been nothing but a clover patch surrounding a run down house, and the customer had no objections to driving on the property. On the other end of the spectrum there are high end clients that don't even want a bent blade of grass. So what I am trying to say is that, yes, I do climb the majority of backyard jobs. But under the right conditions a truck can be in the backyard.

 

[Koa Man]

Depends on the kind of bucket, or I should say, aerial lift you are taking into the back yard. I have many high end clients that do not object at the least me taking my lift into the back yard, as seen from the photo I posted earlier.

Below are some photos of 2 different homes in the $20M+ price range that do not mind me taking the lift into the back yard.

Alturnamats or plyboards work very well to protect the lawn.

 

[squisher]

So you only work in backyards? You forgot to post your simple math

Roar+Bucket=hack Just messing with ya. I agree but I do think they have their place in residential work but you need to assess your own market to see if it's worth the expense.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

I agree but I do think they have their place in residential work but you need to assess your own market to see if it's worth the expense.

It's not your market, but your buisness. I allso know micro comapanies that own buckets.

One advantage with a bucket is that you can easily add other trees to the job on wooded lots. If face to face with the prospective client you can say "I'll get that deadwood too for $xx more, all I have to do is swing over there to get it." where a climber may have to desend, shoot another line and climb up.

Often as a climber i can set a scond line in an adjecent to transfer to, but a bucket is quicker.

They get a bad rep due to poor practitioners using them, but if you can generate the revenue to support one it is well worth the investment.

 

[beowulf343]

It's not your market, but your business. I also know micro companies that own buckets.

True. The company I work for has two buckets but they primarily are used for contracts with the county and town for trimming and removals along the roads. Most backyard jobs are done by the climbing crews. Besides, around here from November till March, there is too much snow on the ground to even consider launching a bucket into a backyard. If it weren't for the contracts, the company probably wouldn't even bother with buckets.

 

[squisher]

That is exactly what I meant. Are you in the market for strictly backyard work or are you in the market for all the work you can get. I am a tiny tree business and have got a bucket so that I can get in on some of the city and regional district work around here $$$

 

[jmack]

To late for me I just bought a forestry boom truck yesterday. 1990 f-700 with a vo-50 Versalift. Just put it through CVI today and will be putting her into service by monday. I know that it won't get in and access everything but I'm already quite experienced with spiking trees and am really working and practicing my rope techniques for pruning and to make me more adaptable at removals. I'm hoping that having the big rolling billboard will help to get me some more work too and maybe some work with the city.

congrats squishy

 

[jmack]

I don't have a bucket or a crane.
About 25% of the time they, at some point, pause, look up into the tree of discussion, and ask something like....How're you gonna.....?

Last week the guy asked me if I had a bucket.
"No."
He said the other company that bid on the job said it couldn't be done without a bucket.
I said that he is either telling the truth and does not know how to climb or he's not telling the truth.
Easy job, nothing tricky, medium sized maple takedown for house edition/
I gave my bid and won the job

I starting to do alright (moneywise), not breaking any records bu growing very slowly.
By my plan, my next purchase (about a year from now) will be a bucket.

holy camoly, say yes you have bucket crane but you wouldnt need it for this job this small, btw make freinds so if you do need one you have one, be careful working for someone who wants to inform you of what equipment you will need, ex. you need a bucket for this tree.... really dont have one... you have to have a bucket...... tell em you didnt need one for yer 9yrs previous climbers rule bucket goons are fools

 

[jmack]

I respectfully disagree. Are there many questions to be asked before you enter a backyard with a bucket? YES. Can you always use a bucket in a backyard? NO. Just because there is a bucket in a backyard doesn't mean you are tearing up the grass. When the ground is frozen in the winter it is a great time to get a truck in the back. During other times of the years it is not as easy. Is there a septic? How many other root systems are you going to affect with compaction? How much has it rained lately? What kind of customer is it? There has been property that I have worked on that has been nothing but a clover patch surrounding a run down house, and the customer had no objections to driving on the property. On the other end of the spectrum there are high end clients that don't even want a bent blade of grass. So what I am trying to say is that, yes, I do climb the majority of backyard jobs. But under the right conditions a truck can be in the backyard.

weak

 

[jmack]

Depends on the kind of bucket, or I should say, aerial lift you are taking into the back yard. I have many high end clients that do not object at the least me taking my lift into the back yard, as seen from the photo I posted earlier.

Below are some photos of 2 different homes in the $20M+ price range that do not mind me taking the lift into the back yard.

Alturnamats or plyboards work very well to protect the lawn.

your volume dictates you need several

 

[jonseredbred]

bucket goon ? hey jmack when you get in the tree business let us know, not all tree services that have buckets are hacks.

Most climbers that bad mouth buckets is because they dont have the talent to make them work or ....just jealous.

 

[clearance]

Jmack, I would usually say to use the right tool for the job, but if you ran a bucket, then it would be the right job for the tool. Bucket trucks have thier place, they can make things a lot faster and safer.

 

[jazak]

Around here its best to 2 crews;

1- climber, 2 good rope guys with a F-550 inclosed body w/ rigging, saws, ropes, ext.

2-climber/bucket guy, 2 good rope guys with a F-750/ International 4300 75' bucket. That way you have 2 crews out + the climber goes and does the harder trees while the bucket guy get all trees near driveway,road,ext. Then you have a 2x chipper crews and stump crew; and if you get big and really want to do this you have a crane crew that tagsalong with either crew 1 or 2 depending on trees being taken down that day and finally a log truck that goes around during the day and takes the sticks. So it would look like this;

1- F-550 inlcosed body
2- F-750 75' bucket on flatbed
3- F-650 14' chip dump w/ Morkbark 18
4- F-550 11' chimp dump w/ morbark 12 (paired with climbing crew for tight areas)
5- Peterbilt 357 w/ 125' crane
6- Pete 357 w/ Prentice 120 log loader
7- F-350 pickup w/ Carlton SP 7015