Start my Own Tree Service

[Redbull]

Clearance, I respect your opinions and knowledge in the area of utility line clearance. Its where I started, so I know whats involved. But, just like pulling overhang from a three phase is not an easy thing to do, neither is the proper diagnosis of a diease and proper execution of the solution. Granted, tree preservation is not as dangerous as line clearance, but we both climb, just to reach different goals. I guess my point is this, we both work on different ideals and work to accomplish different goals. I dont feel like I have any business remarking on line clearance work because I dont do it, and sometimes I feel like new guys might get the wrong ideas by taking your advice to heart whenever the issue of tree preservation is at hand. Please don't take offense, I am not trying to be offensive.

 

[clearance]

Red-well said, you have done line clearance, you have the experience to talk about it. I have been good to some conifers, because I like them but generally I have to be honest and admit I am not the trees best friend. Point taken.

 

[Redbull]

Glad that we're on the same page. Be safe. You do a very dangerous and under aknowledged job and I'm sure you are very good at what you do.

 

[rebelman]

Palmersfirewood-- get a ladder. My forty foot aluminum werner and smaller ones are key for efficient, standard pruning.

 

[jeffrockhall]

i went to arbormaster training, i think there web site is arbormaster.com
it was very informitive, htey teach all the old and new techniques in climbing, rigging and most of all teach safety. be safe dont get fast and sloppy and stay in your abilty it only takes one accident to change your life. try arbormasters they have classes all over the country.

 

[Diesel JD]

A ladder may be helpful, but be very careful...from the stories I've seen here, pruning or doing any type of tree work ona ladder may be more dangerous than climbing...

 

[mtvigilante]

startup wish list

i dont' have all this stuff, but use it every day at work:
*HELMET!!!, glasses, ear protection, chaps, first aid kit, fire extinguisher, etc
*2 ton farm or chip truck
*chipper (expensive, but way faster to load up truck)
*boots-i have whites linemans (10"), chippewa (8"-shanks suck for climbers), and a pair of sketchers hiker style steel toe shoes
*saddle -DONT BUY UNTIL YOU TRY MANY DIFFERENT ONES- comfort and fit are key
*climbers-for removals and that impossible junk cottonwood out back
*climbing rope-150' arbor-plex is inexpensive, and stiff, i love it. new england hi-vis is good too..for 40% more money though
*2 in 1 work positioning lanyard w/aluminum snaps (3 strand with prussic)
*rigging rope-dont use your climbing rope
*stihl 020 or 200t-echos belong on the shelf at home depot, and husky small saws suck for balance and power.
*husky 372 or equivilent and a hand blower with rakes and pitchfork for ground cleanup and firewood
*silky hayuchi pole saw-quick and easy way to pull hangers and reach 20' out
*silky zubat or similar hand saw-BEST FOR STARTING OUT! HELPS YOU CONCENTRATE ON TECHNIQUE FIRST
*misc rope snaps and carbiners
*the book
*insurance-hard to get unless you get more than 75% of your income from your business
*life insurance
*learn the prussic knot-better hold IMHO than the blake's hitch-
*get two lenghths of rope and practice knots till you are 18 and can legally climb trees for a living

if you had these things by the time you were 18, you could have them paid off and use all your knowledge that you gained during those years to go out and make some money.

 

[mtvigilante]

startup wish list

i dont' have all this stuff, but use it every day at work:
*HELMET!!!, glasses, ear protection, chaps, first aid kit, fire extinguisher, etc
*2 ton farm or chip truck
*chipper (expensive, but way faster to load up truck)
*boots-i have whites linemans (10"), chippewa (8"-shanks suck for climbers), and a pair of sketchers hiker style steel toe shoes
*saddle -DONT BUY UNTIL YOU TRY MANY DIFFERENT ONES- comfort and fit are key
*climbers-for removals and that impossible junk cottonwood out back
*climbing rope-150' arbor-plex is inexpensive, and stiff, i love it. new england hi-vis is good too..for 40% more money though
*2 in 1 work positioning lanyard w/aluminum snaps (3 strand with prussic)
*rigging rope-dont use your climbing rope
*stihl 020 or 200t-echos belong on the shelf at home depot, and husky small saws suck for balance and power.
*husky 372 or equivilent and a hand blower with rakes and pitchfork for ground cleanup and firewood
*silky hayuchi pole saw-quick and easy way to pull hangers and reach 20' out
*silky zubat or similar hand saw-BEST FOR STARTING OUT! HELPS YOU CONCENTRATE ON TECHNIQUE FIRST
*misc rope snaps and carbiners
*the book
*insurance-hard to get unless you get more than 75% of your income from your business
*life insurance
*learn the prussic knot-better hold IMHO than the blake's hitch-
*get two lenghths of rope and practice knots till you are 18 and can legally climb trees for a living

if you had these things by the time you were 18, you could have them paid off and use all your knowledge that you gained during those years to go out and make some money.

 

[palmersfirewood]

Ok i understand why not to use spikes on pruning but the ladder thing I'm not sure about. I have a 1 ton flatbed with 4 foot sides to use as a temporary chiptruck and can borrow a chipper anytime. Is sherrill better than wesspur, I ordered a catalog from them both but he sherrill hasn't arrived yet so I am basing my ?'s on the wesspur equipment. Few More Questions:

Are aluminum and titanium spurs worth the price difference?
How much rope (rigging and climbing) should I have?
What kind of ascenders and carabiners do I need?
Should I try to work with a partner when I start up or is it better to fly solo?
Is clearing ROW good experience for general tree work? The guy I work with now clears ROW mon-thurs and does general work fri and sat so I help him with the general work but when I am 18 he is hiring me to clear ROW, is it good experience?


THANKS

 

[PTS]

Ok i understand why not to use spikes on pruning but the ladder thing I'm not sure about. I have a 1 ton flatbed with 4 foot sides to use as a temporary chiptruck and can borrow a chipper anytime. Is sherrill better than wesspur, I ordered a catalog from them both but he sherrill hasn't arrived yet so I am basing my ?'s on the wesspur equipment. Few More Questions:

Are aluminum and titanium spurs worth the price difference?
How much rope (rigging and climbing) should I have?
What kind of ascenders and carabiners do I need?
Should I try to work with a partner when I start up or is it better to fly solo?
Is clearing ROW good experience for general tree work? The guy I work with now clears ROW mon-thurs and does general work fri and sat so I help him with the general work but when I am 18 he is hiring me to clear ROW, is it good experience?


THANKS

OK Ladders.... Work well if you have a groundsman who can remove them once you are in the tree you may find that one that extends to 20 ft is more appropriate but depends on how high you first limbs are in your area. Down south a 40 footer wouldn't get you there but in Iowa a 20 will do the job. They will bend if you hit them with a tree

Spikes... personally I don't think they are worth the money to go to the light weight ones but that is just my opinion

Ropes.... I would have two climb lines in a 16 or 24 strand. HyVee or Blaze I would suggest. You should have a three strand 150 ft for natural crotch lowering and Samsons Stable Braid for rigging on false crotches and I would recommend a porta wrap in large size. You can use a bigger rope with the large the medium you only can go up to a 9/16 rope.

Ascenders.... It depends on your climbing stile. I am working on footlocking and if you can get that down there is no need for one but until then I am using a left and right hand pentzl ascender and a pantin foot ascender. I use the right as my life line hooked to me and then my left I have a foot loop and also have a back up lifeline going to me off of it. You can do this with a single rope (SRT) over a limb and tied off to a tree or you can do a double rope technique (DbRT) in which you rope goes up over a limb or through a false crotch and comes back down to you one end is tied off to you and the other is the one you will be pulling on to ascend. Make sure you have someone show you this before you try either style.

Carabiners.... Ansi requires the posi lock carabiner for your life line. I like the Auto Lock Steel ones for rigging. If you are going to be hanging gear off of yourself which you will you can get the carabiners that don't lock. I like the screw locks for this because you can lock them if you want or you can leave them unlocked if you want.

Partners.... They can be good if money becomes a problem or if they fill a void for example if you are the worlds greatest tree cutter but can't talk to a customer then someone who is good with people and knowledgeable about trees but maybe doesn't like climbing around in them would be a good possibility. However a partner is like a spouse in many cases you have to ask for permission to do something like spending money or changing something.

Personally I say go solo. No one to answer to and if you can handle it on your own it is the only way to go. Then you will find a good staff that will complete you and your picture of the perfect business.

I think any experience is good experience unless the experience is bad experience. Confused yet???? If they are a reputable company with good work ethics then it will be good but if they are hacks then you don't want to learn from them. You will pick up bad habits and learn how to do things the wrong way.

Hope this novel helps.

 

[Redbull]

I dont blame you for not wanting to work off a ladder. I wont do it either, but when I have to I am always tied in. I think the ladder is meant for access, not working.
As far as spurs go, it comes down to preference and personal comfort.
I cant speak for climbing and rigging lines because I dont know what size trees ya'll have. I use an 80' Hi-Vee climbing line and 150' Blaze climbing line. My rigging ropes range from 75-150'.
I would not recommend a partnership. If you need help on a job thats too big for you to handle, hook up with a trustworthy tree service in your area and sub out the work.
Triple lock carabiners for climbing.
I would recommend reading Tree Climbers Companion and any other book you can get your hands on that addresses tree climbing.
Good luck and be safe.

 

[daveyclimber]

Kliens with Euc pads are the only way to go , Split tail , 16 strand climb line with aluminum snap , 16 ft steel core with gibbs ascender .

 

[clearance]

Davey's advice is good steel snaps over aluminum, same with biners, is what I use though. Aluminum scares me, when I took the course to climb utility a guy from Asplundh hung a small fir top and bang, his aluminun biner snapped. I know it is rated but you can cut it easily with a framing blade in a skilsaw. My figure 8 is aluminum though, but I never use it, they are banned here......Ladders, not, hump up the tree or be a hack, people fall from ladders everyday, they are for construction work, Where they can be placed agianst something solid.

 

[rebelman]

Palmersfirewood--I've no doubt clearance is a fine utility arborist. But there is a huge difference between utility and residential arborists. If a utility arborist tells you there is no need for a ladder in residential work, consider carefully. Using a ladder is no more dangerous than any phase of tree work if done properly. Ladders are more effective than bucket trucks, putting a climber into the tree where he can move about the tree and make cuts based on what the tree needs rather than what his bucket can reach. Ladders get you into trees Bucket trucks can't get to, which in residential work is many. I can't see how rope climbiing from the ground can be competitive in the real world. Spikes are not to be used for residential pruning. The solution for me for seventeen years and many thousands of trees is a ladder. I was taught certified methods in the eighties, yes, good instruction is key for safety and efficiency. Put a ladder up it. I'ts that simple.

 

[Koa Man]

....... people fall from ladders everyday, they are for construction work, Where they can be placed agianst something solid.

I think a tree that can be climbed is pertty solid. I use ladders on almost every job I do. Most common scenario for me would be leaning a 12 ft. straight ladder against the trunk to just get me pass the part of the tree that has no side branches. That is a tremendous energy saver. It is also very handy if you need to get up on the roof to either cut something or clean off the sawdust, leaves, and twigs that may have gotten on the roof while you were working the tree.

I still laugh when I think about this guy from Texas who was watching someone at the TCI demo tree set up all his fancy acension gear. When he was done and was about to climb the rope, the guy told him, "I can have my groundman set my 28 ft. ladder in the tree and I'll be tied in and cutting before you even got all your gear on." You know what? He was right.

Ladders are good, and an orchard ladder is sometimes the only way to do a small tree's tips properly.

 

[Redbull]

Don't get me wrong. I'll use a ladder any day to get into a tree, but you wont find me pruning off a 40' extension ladder. Also, I agree Koa, sometimes the only way to prune the tips of some smaller trees is with a ladder. Just another tool that has its place.

 

[Koa Man]

I'll use a ladder any day to get into a tree, but you wont find me pruning off a 40' extension ladder.

You got that right!

 

[OutOnaLimb]

If your gonna be a Bear, be a Grizzly Bear. Not a panda bear, or a koala bear.Take heed and learn from the pros. Ambition is good, but ya gotta learn from the guys that came before you. My advice would be to hire on with a reputable tree service and hone your skills.

Kenn

 

[clearance]

If spureless climbing is so easy what do you need ladders for? I just throw my steelcore around it and start walking up.......If you use ladders be carefull. Make sure the legs are well planted, stuck in the ground. Use the 4 to 1 rule, that means that for every 4ft. up it leans out 1ft.. 24ft. leans out 6ft. for example. They kind of give me the creeps when I work construction after being so comfortable and feelling safe with my spurs.

 

[Redbull]

Even when Im wearing spurs for a removal, I'll use a ladder to get in the first 20'. Its just that much more energy that I'll have when I get up there. I think you're stretching a little with that one, man.