Traditional tree felling in urban environment?

[SRT-Tech]

I used to spend a lot of time with some old timer loggers in the Kootenays of BC, Canada (where i grew up). I learned how to run a two man log saw, one man saw, and how to fell a tree using double bit and single bit axes. Have'nt forgotten those skills, and recently have been getting back it with a vengenace.

i've been considering offering traditional logging methods, in a urban environment. Using a shortened single bit to knock branches off & to fell the top, and a one man saw for the rest of the takedown. A lot of people here are fascinated by these methods, and have commented that they would prefer it to hearing a noisy chainsaw all day.

Wondering if this niche market has appeal?, how would I market it? perhaps do it as a special service? hobby?

thoughts?

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

They're fascinated by it, but are they willing to pay for it? I'm fascinated with alot of things I ain't willing to pay top dollar for. Obviously, it'll take you longer, and you'll work harder to get the same amount of work done. So unless you're going to take it in the shorts for your rate, you'll have to find someone who's willing to pay more for a job that will take longer to do. I think it's a neat idea, similar to horse logging. There's a niche there, and it's land use and access. It's just a matter of finding if fascination and a quiet worksite are enough to pay the bills. I'd certainly not give up your day job or sell your saws! But if you wanted to make that a part of your business and offer it as an option that'd leave you room to play with it and pay the bills on conventional jobs with saws and noise until you see if it works or not.

Edit:
Your profile says you're a groundsman...so you don't have your own business? Like I said, I'd not give up my day job to concentrate on turn of the century urban logging until I knew it was going to take off. If you could embed it into a conventional chainsaw service you might watch it grow into it's own thing.

As far as making it a hobby...that's up to you.

 

[SRT-Tech]

oops, have'nt updated my profile in a while. Been windfirming on my own, various odd jobs to pay the bills, and green firewood sales.

I hear you on the "will people pay for it" scenario.......sorta why i'm leaning towards this as a hobby (for $ though), and definately not as a primary job. we have a lot of "environmentalists" here in the Lower Mainland BC Canada, who appreciate the use of no Petroleum driven equipment, so i definitely think that with proper marketing, there would be paying customers.

of course, i could always target the women demographic.....offer them a hot, musclebound hunk, no shirt, snug jeans, chopping, sawing wood in their yard :hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

of course, i could always target the women demographic.....offer them a hot, musclebound hunk, no shirt, snug jeans, chopping, sawing wood in their yard :hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange:

Where ya gonna find one of those? :hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange:

You walked right into that one!

If you can keep busy with the treehuggers, more power to ya. My only concern after that would be making it cost-effective for the time and work spent. But if it's a hobby, and you've got food on the table, who cares?

 

[Mike Barcaskey]

my concern would be if your body could hold out. keeping up that kind of work, in the amount needed to pay my bills, would be impossible. I wouldn't last a year.

 

[Gologit]

my concern would be if your body could hold out. keeping up that kind of work, in the amount needed to pay my bills, would be impossible. I wouldn't last a year.

You're probably right. Ever see the old-time pictures of loggers hand-falling? Look close and theres probably not any of them over thirty. If you decide to do this make sure you get paid by the hour. From what little I remember about misery whips and falling axes its not exactly a high volume show. Also,in a big tree its real hard to make a back cut with a handsaw faster than the tree can want to barber chair.

 

[clearance]

I hear you on the "will people pay for it" scenario.......sorta why i'm leaning towards this as a hobby (for $ though), and definately not as a primary job. we have a lot of "environmentalists" here in the Lower Mainland BC Canada, who appreciate the use of no Petroleum driven equipment, so i definitely think that with proper marketing, there would be paying customers.

[/SIZE]

I bought a mint Walters double bitted falling axe head at the Cloverdale flea market for $15, what a score. I put a handle on it, sharpened it up and boy does it cut. Especially when you get into it and just start whaling into a tree or log. Now, about these tree hugging, do-gooding people you call enviros. Hyp-o-crits, the lot off them, they whine when trees get cut down around powerlines, then cry when the power goes out cause of the trees they saved. Everything they use and consume is brought to them by big, diesel sucking trucks but its wrong to use a chainsaw? Its like spurless or lowering down all the wood, when they find out the cost, most peoples beliefs take a back seat. Anyways, find some old stuff, fix it up, sharpen it up and have some fun.

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

I bought a mint Walters double bitted falling axe head at the Cloverdale flea market for $15, what a score. I put a handle on it, sharpened it up and boy does it cut. Especially when you get into it and just start whaling into a tree or log. Now, about these tree hugging, do-gooding people you call enviros. Hyp-o-crits, the lot off them, they whine when trees get cut down around powerlines, then cry when the power goes out cause of the trees they saved. Everything they use and consume is brought to them by big, diesel sucking trucks but its wrong to use a chainsaw? Its like spurless or lowering down all the wood, when they find out the cost, most peoples beliefs take a back seat. Anyways, find some old stuff, fix it up, sharpen it up and have some fun.

Darn fine post Clearance, on every point!

 

[treebogan]

Offer it mate!

A freind of mine who works in London(England) would routinely dismantle smaller Sycamore trees using no gas powered tools.This seemed to be appealing in high people density area's to clients who were prepared to pay more for that option.He'd even leave a high stump and pull the root plate out using a windlass!KEEN!

 

[SRT-Tech]

I bought a mint Walters double bitted falling axe head at the Cloverdale flea market for $15, what a score. I put a handle on it, sharpened it up and boy does it cut. Especially when you get into it and just start whaling into a tree or log. Now, about these tree hugging, do-gooding people you call enviros. Hyp-o-crits, the lot off them, they whine when trees get cut down around powerlines, then cry when the power goes out cause of the trees they saved. Everything they use and consume is brought to them by big, diesel sucking trucks but its wrong to use a chainsaw? Its like spurless or lowering down all the wood, when they find out the cost, most peoples beliefs take a back seat. Anyways, find some old stuff, fix it up, sharpen it up and have some fun.

AHAHAHHAHAA!!! :hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange: damn near shorted out my computer, spraying coffe when i read that!

Cheers man,