Treeslaying Illinois style

[treeslayer]

This is the m and effer I did yesterday. White pine. 1 of 11 I did the previous 4 days. No drop zone, brittle as hell from the cold ( think massive branches snapping off with a little bump ) . Windy, colder n' ####, no drop zone. Service drop on one side, brand new house on another, 1000's of dollars worth of landscaping directly under, plus another house under the canopy, a shed and a stone fireplace, not too mention the ground sloped toward the new house pretty seriously so even chunking down blocks became more of a barracade building endeavor for the ground crew. Like I said, NO ####in' drop zone. That's me about 12 feet up with a 390XP sportin' a 24 inch bar. I used it for the last 60 feet of this 100 plus co dom.

:jawdrop: well done.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

God, I love them small clients, people who want what's right for the tree.

I try not to prune more than 25%, which can be too much for some species, especially with homeowners pointing.

I try to go even less then that if it is all in one general area, 25% of the lower canopy on a spruce can be 70% of the dynamic mass of the tree.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Big difference between a spruce and most pines if ya gotta clean up, but a cut-n-run with a tractor? Sweeeeeet.

I think spruce will fill a chiptruck up faster then any other tree.

 

[Blakesmaster]

I think spruce will fill a chiptruck up faster then any other tree.

I'd agree with that. I think it was you who said a few months ago that you almost always underestimate the amount of debris in a spruce. It still always surprises me how much those things have.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

I'd agree with that. I think it was you who said a few months ago that you almost always underestimate the amount of debris in a spruce. It still always surprises me how much those things have.

I'll own that I also have a problem with the amount of wood that needs to come out of willow removals I'll ballpark it then do an auto doubling.

When with my clients running 1-ton's I'll figure at least one load for each large spruce. "You sure all that'll fit?" Don't do any medium wood til the brush is all gone!" The flipside is that they are the fastest to get on the ground. I can usually bury a 3 man ground crew if I feel like it.

 

[treeslayer]

I try to go even less then that if it is all in one general area, 25% of the lower canopy on a spruce can be 70% of the dynamic mass of the tree.

True that, what I meant by too much for some species.
raise one 5' - 8' thats 40 feet tall and you've pushed it.

I've done one recently that was huge, we chipped onsite, and would have filled a one ton with chips and then some. brush? LOL

 

[treevet]

No more then two hours.

Have you been to Foxwillow Pine out in Woodstock IL yet? You should do it in spring/summer before you leave the area. Rich has some of the most outrageous dwarf trees in the nursery.

Here is that dwarf weeping beech I was told is over 40 years old.

 

[brnchbrkr]

MidAmShow-Chicago

http://www.midam.org/Exhibit Locators/exhibit_locators.html

 

[treeslayer]

http://www.midam.org/Exhibit Locators/exhibit_locators.html

Tim, you going? How about you, JPS?

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

I can't afford to go to that, the WAA is in February for which I'll be able to make 2 days of, with school being on Tu/Th schedule next semester. I do hope to be able to afford a few days at the ISA shindig this summer. TCIA will be in PA next fall, which would make it impossible for me to make.

Annual Conference

The 2010 WAA/DNR Annual Conference and Trade Show, "Introducing A New 'Variety' of Tree Care Options" will be held in Green Bay, February 7-9th, 2010. Featured speakers include Gary Johnson, University of Minnesota, and Christina Wells of Clemson University. View the complete Conference Brochure. Secure on-line registration is now available. SAVE $20 by taking advantage of our Early Bird Registration.

 

[brnchbrkr]

Ice!

Have to watch your step today. May even put a few extra ice screws in your boots this morning.

Still dark here, but getting some wood for the morning stove, noticed my Redbud hanging pretty low over the sidewalk this morning. Normally can walk under, no problem. This morning, the dog can just about get under it.
2-3" ice hanging off of all the trees.

Rain and flood warnings for this afternoon when things warm up.

hohoho....

 

[treeslayer]

wish me luck guys........I'm flying from Milwaulkee into Baltimore friday afternoon with my GF, to pick up my kids saturday and go to my parents in Wmsbg. for a week.

The weather looks iffy, but we have a nice hotel room in the inner harbor and are going to barhop and party up a little. ok, maybe a lot.
of course have lined up some tree jobs in VA, got a big sweet one in Kingsmill.

I have flown almost 15,000 miles this year, all to climb trees. God I love it.

 

[treevet]

Wishing you luck Dave...."Good Luck and Merry Christmas"

 

[huskystihl]

So if a customer asks you to top his maple tree knowing it will be the demise of the tree you will do it? I would try to educate the HO on the proper way to prune the tree and risks involved from bad pruning techniques. Maybe you should stick to pushing lawnmowers.

I agree on the educating the homeowner part but you should have picked a different tree for your example. We set one on fire by the burnpile and the dam thing grew back! Whirly gigs and all. But yes take a norwegian maple like we have in our front yard and if I was to take the wrong approach it would be charley browns christmas tree. As far as tree slayer goes, calm down bud! People are just razzin ya and getting all defensive does no good. Tree service is dangerouse work and if you don't know what your doin some little old lady will turn pit bull on ya in a hurry and put ya in the hospital. Trust your ability's and who care what others think.

 

[jefflovstrom]

Hey Slayer, I was wondering about your traveling with your gear. Are you able to bring your saws? I went to Catalina Island years ago to take out eucs and it was difficult to bring my stuff. Do they make you remove anything?
Jeff

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

These days it is better to fastfreight work gear, especially saws. The last gig I flew into I did one carry on and freighted everything else.

Back in 03(?) when i worked with Dave we freighted most of our gear back home that would not fit in trucks. Most of us left with more then we came after 5 weeks or more of hurricane work.

 

[treeslayer]

Back in Illinois after a long painful trip home for xmas, and got my laptop fixed, too.
TSA regulations will not allow a chainsaw anywhere on a plane if it is not brand new in an original box, (never fueled). then only in checked baggage.


I managed to sneak my 200t powerhead on a few times buried in my clothing duffel bag after a super cleaning, to remove all traces of gas and oil, (they use sniffers in baggage areas). bar and chain packed with gear.
I always tell the people at baggage what the bag holds, and what I do. they always trip out, a traveling tree climber? then they search the heck out of it.

I tried to check it through Newport News VA (flying to Houston) in my gear bag once, and they paged me at the gate, and busted my chops about it. I had to :censored: leave it. my dad had to go back and retrieve it.

I always go home with twice as much, too. After Isabel in 03, my guys were drop shipping gang boxes full home.

 

[jefflovstrom]

I was wondering how you did it.
Jeff

 

[treeslayer]

All I really need is my duffel bag of climbing gear, and my duffel bag of clothing.

Boots on the ground, a laptop and a couple cellphones and I'm in business.
saws, ropes, and big items are locally assets easily found.

that and a good woman, I'm in business.

 

[NCTREE]

All I really need is my duffel bag of climbing gear, and my duffel bag of clothing.

Boots on the ground, a laptop and a couple cellphones and I'm in business.
saws, ropes, and big items are locally assets easily found.

that and a good woman, I'm in business.

All the above easily found like you said except for a good women. They seem harder to find now or days, especially the older I get.