Questions from a new guy

[pdqdl]

O.K. a hypothetical example.A pin oak about 30" dbh,tall and ...

The homeowner wants the tree felled and bucked for firewood so no cleanup involved..

About $150-200.00. Max!

That should take only 1.5 manhours to slice & dice an oak up, not counting roadtime. That also presumes that you are not trying real hard to maximize the firewood

 

[redheadwoodshed]

$85 per M/H in the Wash DC area, and plenty of work. I guess because you said you were getting licensed and insured the guys took a liking to you. In most cases of guys trying to make the jump from one occupation to tree work you get taken to task pretty hard. I've found tree work to be as much of a life style as a job. Once you get into it you live and breath it. I'm 4th generation (retired) and you see I still hang out here. The only advice I'm giving out today is tree work is one of the most deadly jobs you can pick. Few people survive a fall over 30 or 40 feet. A saw dropped 30 or 40 feet makes you dead too, if you're the one it lands on, touch the wrong wire, dead. In the fatality thread a climber hooked himself in the leg and bled out before they could get him down, dead. If you don't know what I mean by hooked, you'll learn. There is an awairness level that 99% of the people out there just can not comprehend. They say I know, I know, I'll be carefull, and they do not have a clue about what carefull is. You have to know what's going on around you 360*, and over you, every second of every minute all day long. The first time you let up you WILL get bit.Good luck and keep us posted as to how things go for you, Joe.

Joe,
I can understand about being taken to task about getting into the arborist trade.I've thought about it long and hard and put it off for a while now, but I'm really sick of working offshore and would like to do something I enjoy and still make a living.
The one good thing about working out here is all the safety training we have to do.I know it's not exactly the same, but you start to look at your surroundings a little differant, looking for hazards and "what ifs".I'm no John Wayne, for sure.
Thanks for the advise, and I will keep you posted.Eddie

 

[redheadwoodshed]

There's been a lot said about clean-up time, which I can understand from cutting firewood.My question is, do any of you guys use a tractor with a landscape rake or something like that?

 

[flushcut]

I know it has been done but hard on the turf. I think the best way to minimize your clean up is to lower stuff instead of bombing and tipping whole trees. Like anything with experience you will know when to do what is called for. Also look at how much crap you are taking to a job and how you are going to get it there and take away the tree at the same time. Time is money!

 

[Kottonwood]

I have been learning that the hard way lately. I have been taking the attitude of cutting trees down in the least amount of cuts possible. It makes your climbing time nil but you spend all day on cleanup..... I think I am going back to spending more time in the tree.... Or maybe more ground guys

 

[flushcut]

I think I am going back to spending more time in the tree.... Or maybe more ground guys

It's a fine balance of both.

 

[redheadwoodshed]

I know it has been done but hard on the turf. I think the best way to minimize your clean up is to lower stuff instead of bombing and tipping whole trees. Like anything with experience you will know when to do what is called for. Also look at how much crap you are taking to a job and how you are going to get it there and take away the tree at the same time. Time is money!

Very good points to consider, thanks.I thought about putting on turf tires, and I asked because I will probably work alone.The tractor would mean 2 trips minimum since it takes up the trailer I would use to haul off the tree.Just something I was considering.

 

[flushcut]

You could always look into a mini skid steer takes up less space or a bigger trailer.

 

[flushcut]

Also will those two trips offset the time it would take to rake? If it does then it is worth it but if not then you are loosing money driving. Then you go from making a Bengie an hour to twenty just like that, poof it's gone.

 

[rarefish383]

Eddie, my concern for any one new to the trade is that they get to live long enough to enjoy the benefits. If you've worked off shore I'm sure your attention level is far above the average person. Now, to let you know it can be done. Back in the 50's my Dad and some of the other local tree guys would get lunch at a DGS grocery store in Wash DC. They would tease the owner by dropping big checks on him asking if he could cash them. He always did. One day he got my Dad and said, "You know I only make about half a penny on a loaf of bread, how do I get into the tree business?" One thing lead to another and they started a new company on Dad's license. For some reason Dad turned him down on a partnership and just worked on the payroll and commission. He, the store owner, didn't know beans about tree care, but he knew how to get the right people, and built a multi million dollar business. For good or bad they had a falling out and Dad went on his own, by then I was working for Dad. I can tell you that I have never wanted for anything my whole life. Oh, and Dad never finished High School. He went from the 11th grade into the Air Force in WWII, and never finished. So, you can do it. Being a good business man, and surrounding yourself with the right people, can make the difference. Good luck, Joe.

 

[redheadwoodshed]

Eddie, my concern for any one new to the trade is that they get to live long enough to enjoy the benefits. If you've worked off shore I'm sure your attention level is far above the average person. Now, to let you know it can be done. Back in the 50's my Dad and some of the other local tree guys would get lunch at a DGS grocery store in Wash DC. They would tease the owner by dropping big checks on him asking if he could cash them. He always did. One day he got my Dad and said, "You know I only make about half a penny on a loaf of bread, how do I get into the tree business?" One thing lead to another and they started a new company on Dad's license. For some reason Dad turned him down on a partnership and just worked on the payroll and commission. He, the store owner, didn't know beans about tree care, but he knew how to get the right people, and built a multi million dollar business. For good or bad they had a falling out and Dad went on his own, by then I was working for Dad. I can tell you that I have never wanted for anything my whole life. Oh, and Dad never finished High School. He went from the 11th grade into the Air Force in WWII, and never finished. So, you can do it. Being a good business man, and surrounding yourself with the right people, can make the difference. Good luck, Joe.

Again Joe, thanks for the encouragement.I make decent money out here but I'm gone all the time and I've done it for almost 20 years and I just don't seem to care that much any more about whether we get the next well drilled on time or not, I prefer to concentrate on what I'm doing right now and let tommorow take care of itself, and they are starting to like that attitude less and less out here.Last year they killed 11 of my coworkers trying to get to the next well, instead of finishing the one they where on.
I've been mulling this over for a couple of years now and I think the time is good at least to get started.Thanks again for all the advise and encouragement.I'll keep you posted on how I'm progressing.Eddie

 

[FanOFatherNash]

how many hours x $ 100
tweak it a little here and there based on risk , acceptability , travel distance ,


jeff learn how to spell spell before start your nonsense,

you call it thick skin , I call it rude

 

[FanOFatherNash]

If you can keep your expense down
working for yourself is a dream.

 

[jefflovstrom]

how many hours x $ 100
tweak it a little here and there based on risk , acceptability , travel distance ,


jeff learn how to spell spell before start your nonsense,

you call it thick skin , I call it rude

Someone is having a bad day or got a pimple on their butt. To go back to a 4 month old post? That is Rude! :tongue2:
Jeff

 

[FanOFatherNash]

Someone is having a bad day or got a pimple on their butt. To go back to a 4 month old post? That is Rude! :tongue2:
Jeff

you prove my point

"pimple on my butt " what place does this have in grown up conversation?