Tree work series???

[CLEARVIEW TREE]

I'm often amazed at how many people complain about their day jobs. A friend says his pest control job for a large company is very rough on him, and he's home everyday at five ya know. Well anyways, i enjoy watchin this show Axe Men, and i respect them for the dangerous work they do, but how many powerlines do they encounter, how many days do they spend butt-hitching 30" oak next to houses, and how many times have they speedlined chunks of wood over someones deck while they sit there and laugh at you for looking nervous up in the tree as they sit there and sip sweet tea?
My family and friends often say, "Hey, seen that loggin show axe men?" "Those guys have it a lot more rough than tree guys huh?" It would just be nice to have a series dedicated to Tree Care and Removals by a big name Tree Firm, to show the public that we have probably the most dangerous and demanding job out there. I love doing tree work, and it does get tiring, but it's nice when people scratch their heads and say how those guys really put on a show, or man they made that look easy. Tree folks these days have access to great knowledge and tools and it'd be nice to be recognized for making what seems impossible, delightfully possible. I think most of yall will agree. We all earn every penny we make out here.

 

[newbym]

:agree2:

Try living in the county where they filmed the series and most of the loggers are based out of while doing this job... Actual quote from a customer: "Well heck, I bet you one of those Gustofsons boys could get that down in one cut." I politely pointed out that the tree couldn't even fit anywhere in just one cut and that while their job is difficult and physically demanding, they don't have to really worry about the tree going the wrong way. You watch them mess up and it's "oops, guess I have to go cut that other tree I just hit," you see us mess up and it's "sorry I just crushed your $500,000 house and you have a gaping hole in your living room."

 

[Mikecutstrees]

yeah I agree, Those big loggers work hard but the only things I see them lift is a chainsaw or a choker. Alot of big machines there. We load firewood into dumptrucks by hand here. Often times big stuff, two, three men to a piece, or rolled up a ramp. I wish we had a skid steer but we don't. Everything needs to get hauled to the chipper by hand. And yeah a tree removal over a house or power line is alot different than in a forest. I do wish they had a show about the average tree company.... Mike

 

[Rickytree]

ya that would be cool to get on t.v. doing some bad a$$ treework but don't want the headache of everyone telling me what we are doing wrong. get in and get out!

 

[Kogafortwo]

Well, one of the networks tried this with Nosack and "Saw for Hire" but it did way more damage than good. Just search the threads here for Nosack and you'll see what was up with that show.

Unfortunately, drama wins the ratings.

 

[(WLL)]

ax-men, lol the hard part of that job is walking on the slops. i watched a climber off the ax-men show, he went up with a big felling saw and using an Axe to bust off stubs on the way up. that was the stupidest f-n thing i ever watched a climber do. there job dont hold a candle to what we do.

 

[Rickytree]

WLL Ya saw that episode. the guy was baafed after one tree. and it wasn't even 60feet. lmao. The commentator was saying "if the top goes the wrong way he'll be crushed. Hilarious!! Should be on the Comedy Network!

 

[Raymond]

:computer: It is fun to show off sometimes, impressing the customer.
They ask me "So how do you plan on getting up in this tree"?
I tell'em I shop at the same place Batman does and have damn near as much money invested in the stuff in my tool as my truck's worth, to make it possible.

I like the guys that say I have a chainsaw (usually a cheap saw with a dry, sagging safety chain) and was going to do it myself. While looking at a large oak tree hanging over his house, deck, wires, etc. :monkey:

I just wish it was as easy to do as it is to say it.

 

[tree md]

ax-men, lol the hard part of that job is walking on the slops. i watched a climber off the ax-men show, he went up with a big felling saw and using an Axe to bust off stubs on the way up. that was the stupidest f-n thing i ever watched a climber do. there job dont hold a candle to what we do.

That's why we get paid the big bucks.

Loggers... Not so big unless you own the operation.

Would be cool to see a real tree service with a show... Not a bunch of hacks.

 

[clearance]

I work tree service, around powerlines and all that entails, have worked tree spacing (thinning) and the like, even bucked on a landing (road used as a landing) for a bit. Worked in the bush a lot, seen lots of logging.

No point getting into a "our job is tougher" talk.
Most production fallers are way better fallers than almost all the arborists out there, including me. I am so glad to have worked with a few of them, learned a lot. Never carried a haulback block uphill through the fell and bucked, but I have picked one up. Been told if I ever had the choice, to carry the block instead of the strap, even though it wieghs more.

I have seen Axmen, I have seen trees here that make the biggest tree on that show look tiny. I have seen ground way steeper than the steepest ground on that show. I have seen ugly ground logged by better men than me, logging can be very hard and unforgiving work.

 

[frodo]

That's why we get paid the big bucks.

Loggers... Not so big unless you own the operation.

Would be cool to see a real tree service with a show... Not a bunch of hacks.

who gets paid "the big bucks"? everyone on a tree crew? not unless you own the operation. axe men SUCKS. i feel like that show sucks the i.q. points right out of my ears. they are like " if tommy drops this sledge hammer on his toe his foot will be crushed" they take a normal situation and blow it way out of proportion. i have lots of respect for the loggers, there job is tough , and very dangerous.

 

[outofmytree]

Its threads like this that make me glad I don't have cable.:monkey:

 

[booboo]

FWIW, I've been picking up work as a faller this winter and it's HARD!

The lot we are on is steep, rocky and icy and there is a lot of snow. It's mostly small wood so we're running 70cc class saws with 20" bars. After throwing one of them around all day, I'm tired. Slogging through tops, pulling cable and slides, it's all hard. Nothing is light!

I'm getting great practice in with directional felling and I thought I was pretty good already. If you ever get the chance, I strongly suggest giving it a try for a few days. Not only is it eye opening but a nice change of pace. Words of wisdom from the guy I'm working with "Once you accept that you're going to bust up some of the little stuff, you'd be amazed at how little you actually hit." Very true!

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

I spent a few years doing line clearance tree work. It was tough hard work.

I've also spent a few years now logging. It is also tough hard work.

Personally I think that logging is a little harder than tree work. For example doing tree work we would not work/work shorter hours when it was super cold out/nasty inclement weather.

I was out felling trees this morning at -30*F with fresh snow, on a steep hillside on snowshoes. Have to dig a few feet of snow out on each tree to get to the stump. Try dragging out 100' of winch cable with 6-10 chokers on it with 4 foot of snow on the ground.

Climbing is tough, but once you get conditioned for it its not that bad (thus the guy on ax-men beat after that climb; he doesn't do it all the time).

But I have much respect for anyone who either logs or climbs day in and day out (done/do em both).. I suggest some of you arborists try logging for a few weeks and see if you think its easy, and vis verse.

 

[tree md]

I spent a few years doing line clearance tree work. It was tough hard work.

I've also spent a few years now logging. It is also tough hard work.

Personally I think that logging is a little harder than tree work. For example doing tree work we would not work/work shorter hours when it was super cold out/nasty inclement weather.

I was out felling trees this morning at -30*F with fresh snow, on a steep hillside on snowshoes. Have to dig a few feet of snow out on each tree to get to the stump. Try dragging out 100' of winch cable with 6-10 chokers on it with 4 foot of snow on the ground.

Climbing is tough, but once you get conditioned for it its not that bad (thus the guy on ax-men beat after that climb; he doesn't do it all the time).

But I have much respect for anyone who either logs or climbs day in and day out (done/do em both).. I suggest some of you arborists try logging for a few weeks and see if you think its easy, and vis verse.

No doubt that both are very hard work and respectable professions. Any logger has my respect and hope that I didn't imply otherwise in my last post.

 

[CLEARVIEW TREE]

I spent a few years doing line clearance tree work. It was tough hard work.

I've also spent a few years now logging. It is also tough hard work.

Personally I think that logging is a little harder than tree work. For example doing tree work we would not work/work shorter hours when it was super cold out/nasty inclement weather.

I was out felling trees this morning at -30*F with fresh snow, on a steep hillside on snowshoes. Have to dig a few feet of snow out on each tree to get to the stump. Try dragging out 100' of winch cable with 6-10 chokers on it with 4 foot of snow on the ground.

Climbing is tough, but once you get conditioned for it its not that bad (thus the guy on ax-men beat after that climb; he doesn't do it all the time).

But I have much respect for anyone who either logs or climbs day in and day out (done/do em both).. I suggest some of you arborists try logging for a few weeks and see if you think its easy, and vis verse.

My family started logging in 1851, and helped start the Great southern Lumber company, then Bogalusa Saw Mill, then The Bogalusa Paper Mill, better known as Temple Inland Bogalusa Paper Mill,inc. now. Logging is very rough work, but it is a fact that there are 99.9% of the time no houses to watch out for or power lines, no 64" dead red oak stumps to grind in the noon day sun,and you'll 99.9% of the time never see a logger dragging brush up a hiill, around a fish pond, and through a picket fence. Get it. I know logging, but it is not Arboricultural work by any means! With all due respect!

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

I know logging, but it is not Arboricultural work by any means! With all due respect!

We may not have power lines or houses to stress over, we have other stresses. Say I have to keep 6 miles of bush road open in 4-5 feet of snow, if i can't keep it open I make no money. If it rains and the road washes out I need to fix it before work continues. Get a skidder stuck and you are out of work for a day.

Each occupation has its own unique stresses and situations. And IMO they are both very hard labor intensive jobs. IMO the way we got paid in residential work made it much less stressful (when you finish the tree you get $$$), no worries about getting the wood to the mill, no worries about the wood markets, no worries about optimal log bucking, no worries about getting a large chunk cut in a short time to beat weather, etc.

Just IMO/IME. Like i said both are hard and respectable jobs. Generally loggers work in worse conditions though.

 

[booboo]

"Each occupation has its own unique stresses and situations. And IMO they are both very hard labor intensive jobs. IMO the way we got paid in residential work made it much less stressful (when you finish the tree you get $$$), no worries about getting the wood to the mill, no worries about the wood markets, no worries about optimal log bucking, no worries about getting a large chunk cut in a short time to beat weather, etc."

I agree 100%. It's pointless to get into a "which job is harder?" debate. They both are. Dragging brush uphill sucks but dicing down a pile of beech tops isn't a treat either. Rigging the top out of a big dead oak has a serious pucker factor but so does sending a big oak off a ledge with very little room to move, knowing that if you smash it up it just went from sawlog to pulp. And the part about not really knowing how much you're going to get paid and when is very valid. For example, the guy I'm working with has 2 skidders, 1 is down, he has a half finished lot with the landowner pushing to finish it and no skidder to work it right now. Stress? Yep.

I, for one, am pretty pysched to have the chance to work in both fields.

 

[CLEARVIEW TREE]

Good replies guys. I agree, it's not about which is harder and the like, you're right. it's all good and it can all go sour quick, Tree work or logging.

 

[Cbrexdogg]

Tree Work Series.

The guys I work with and I have debated about an arboriculture based t.v. series quite a bit. We saw the one that got cancelled and thought they were hacks and that we could do a much better show. But we always come to the conclusion that no respecting tree care company would want to be on a T.V. show because the sole purpose of those shows is entertainment. While some of what we do daily is entertaining, it is a very small portion. The show would most likely focus on any arguments, mess ups or other things that happen infrequently. The other day we had some guys squabling because they thought one guy wasn't pulling his weight. That would probably be a whole show. That is not the publicity or the image we would want to portray, but that is what people would want to see.