Treeslaying Illinois style

[lego1970]

I think I saw that movie.

Some live it, and some sit back and watch it. Eitherway is fine with me, and no you don't have to enjoy the movie, it wasn't made for you. Never did see yours.

 

[mckeetree]

and you must be jeff's college roommate. You got anything good to say? besides how good you are, and I'm not? search my posts, others know me, and who vouches for you?

of the 1000 + people reading this thread, what have you enlightened them too? besides your disdain and disrespect for the mans uncle getting killed? I've known several people killed and even more maimed in this business, and people die in every hurricane I travel to. oh, but that a movie.

WTF?

I feel sorry for your kids, what a piss poor role model. they will grow up to be bullies, to compensate for the abuse you must heap on them as well.

sadly I regret starting this thread, even though others can learn from those of us with experience, I work all day and usually derive pleasure from interacting with others who share my love of climbing.

This is not a competition. we are brothers, and do what very few can or will do. stick together, be courteous, or shut the F#%& up.

Hey man, you know I do not disrespect someone getting hurt or killed. That was an awful thing for you to say. My kids are grown and they turned out fine. Some weeks I am full of wisecracks if anybody sets them self up for them. But you have got to see my side of this. First off if anything is funny it is going to be real funny to me. Now picture this: A guy that uses "climb to live" as his credo says "and how would you get to the canopy, Jeff?" Now maybe something is wrong with me, but to me, that's funny. Now picture some guy in the tree business blows into town driving an old retired fire truck. And in an industry where topping is a bad practice he has named himself Tree Toppers. Now that gets my wise crack motor running. Maybe it's not funny at all. Maybe I need some professional help.

 

[chappy2100]

oh, you're in it now, there's no retreating......

yea your stuck... im with treeman this is just ridiculous and not neccasary

 

[BakerTREE]

I'm not looking to add anything to this thread either However, I would like to say thanks for starting it -- good pics, nice and fun setup. I agree with the crab apple pruning. Why the heck not ...if you can easily have a lift on site... do it. Its fun being efficient. And yes, about the fire truck. Its old and retired eh? Dude! Its a firetruck. That's awesome! I bet the kids love it. I bet it attracts positive attention. And I bet its paid for and earning its keep well. 'nuff said there. Oh, and I don't know slayer personally (is it David? I don't recall and don't feel like trying to check it out); but I would vouch for his ability and his integrity <period>

Of course, I'm not looking to ruffle feathers or even add too much here -- just wanted to counter balance any perceived negativity.

Oh, and Mckeetree I understand where you're coming from with the humor there and you do seem respectable, and you're near my neck of the woods (so I'm even more inclined to give deserved respect).

that was too much typing for middle of the day, middle of the week (off early today... we accidentally did an estimated 14 hour job in 8 hours because someone found a better way to do it...gosh, i love when that happens)

(again, its a fire truck...that's just COOL!!!)
best of luck you slayer, and thanks for posting the pics of OD, really enjoyed those!

 

[Rftreeman]

on the tree topper thing.

If everyone of us that has (or will eventually) topped a tree was to die at once, this site would go lifeless........

and if all I had was that 100ft ladder fire truck to get me to the top of a 80 ft removal you can bet your azz I'd climb it in a minute....

 

[treeslayer]

Hey man, you know I do not disrespect someone getting hurt or killed. That was an awful thing for you to say. My kids are grown and they turned out fine. Some weeks I am full of wisecracks if anybody sets them self up for them. But you have got to see my side of this. First off if anything is funny it is going to be real funny to me. Now picture this: A guy that uses "climb to live" as his credo says "and how would you get to the canopy, Jeff?" Now maybe something is wrong with me, but to me, that's funny. Now picture some guy in the tree business blows into town driving an old retired fire truck. And in an industry where topping is a bad practice he has named himself Tree Toppers. Now that gets my wise crack motor running. Maybe it's not funny at all. Maybe I need some professional help.

And I appreciate your saying that. My apologies if I was too blunt or too offensive, I really hate to sound off like that. but I will speak up, comes with being aggressive and my type A personality.
jeff can kiss my ass though.

here's some of today's job pics.

One good thing about that lift is being able to block with this beast.
088 and a 42" bar.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

And in an industry where topping is a bad practice he has named himself Tree Toppers.

I've met the owner, and hes is a small town guy who started trimming trees before he knew that the name had bad connotations. He was saying that they work in the tops of the trees.

As for Jeff, he hates these mutual admiration threads, I don't know why he reads them.

Dave should have a two beer limit if he is posting threads, that must have been a six pack post. Dude, if you don't like a reply, then ignore it. Why derail your own thread?

 

[oldirty]

gotta love the fist pump brother. watching that top floats effortlessly away knowing you just saved your ass some serious rigging time......love it. lol.

whats the specs on that crane? handsome fella it is.


so whats the deal with the fire truck? you set it up, boom out and then you climb up? (that would freak me out a few times up) do you use it as a TIP?

100ft is a 100ft where i come from. use it if you got it.

 

[treeslayer]

 

[Blakesmaster]

Nice crane work, slayer. You and OD got me jealous as hell with those shots. As far as your new gig...I can get the apprehension from the AS crew. The name, unfortunate, and the ladder truck...well...it works but it's not industry specific and looks a bit hackish. I ain't rainin' on your ####, man, you can see what I got to work with down below but it is a bit unprofessional in the minds of the HO's. I just can't imagine rolling into a neighborhood full of $250K and up houses with that unit. Just like it's real hard to do with my equipment. I might be too obsessed with image though, but then again, image SELLS. That being said, I seriously wanna tie into that bad boy. Just not on my job site.

 

[treeslayer]

gotta love the fist pump brother. watching that top floats effortlessly away knowing you just saved your ass some serious rigging time......love it. lol.

whats the specs on that crane? handsome fella it is.


so whats the deal with the fire truck? you set it up, boom out and then you climb up? (that would freak me out a few times up) do you use it as a TIP?

100ft is a 100ft where i come from. use it if you got it.

Its a 35 ton without all the counterweights. we had to use the jib to reach the back of the tree, was around 140' +. the operator, Vern, was fantastic.

the firetruck ladder is incredibly strong, I set a big steel biner on a big prussik around the top 2 rungs, and rode it up like a ball.
Forget the ladder bro, pick me up.

this job rocks, They live on a lake with a ski boat, hot tub and a swimming pool, all expenses paid, and they feed the hell out of me. And 3 snowmobiles, 2 harleys and a car to drive.

 

[lego1970]

Hey man, you know I do not disrespect someone getting hurt or killed .

You did to me by calling my statement a movie, but no big deal. My climbing buddy, Justin, lost his Uncle in Springfield Missouri in August of 07. They were felling trees, and one of the tops busted out striking him on the head. He was in a vegatative state for a couple days and the family had to make the tough decision as to whether or not to pull the plug. With the Doctors grim outlook they decided to pull the plug. Talk about a horrible decision to have to make. I didn't know the guy, I just know his nephew really well. On April 28th 2008, we were sectioning out a large dead white oak. A piece that just been cut, violently swung back into me. It hard enough to put a hairline fracture in a Pacific Kevelar Hard hat, severely bruising my right shoulder, and snapping my lower left leg. Felt like somebody took a sledgehammer and slammed it down on my shin. Today I'm better, still walk with a slight limp after a hard days work, and sometimes my leg still swells up, but otherwise fine. It was a dumb mistake and in the post accident report I admitted what I had done wrong and what I should of done diffrently to prevent it.

If you don't believe my story or think it's funny, so be it. I'll never know you past this forum and I go down Dallas all the time. When my leg was still healing last year, I was hauling pre-form concrete slabs down to Baylor Univeristy Hospital three times a week. My close Cousins live in Plano and I have other friends and family down in your neck of the woods, you just ain't one of them so no big deal.

I apologize for getting involved in this arguement, and for now on will stick with only the topic subject.

 

[gr8scott72]

One good thing about that lift is being able to block with this beast.
088 and a 42" bar.

Don't let him fool you. That's really a 440 with a 24" bar. Dave's not very tall. :greenchainsaw:

 

[mckeetree]

If you don't believe my story or think it's funny, so be it.

I don't think anyone getting hurt is funny. Neither do I think the misfortunes of any kind of others is funny. Your rambling and detailed description of what you did that day that was actually a thinly veiled attempt to brag on yourself was a little funny.

 

[DK_stihl]

shaping with a lift

I often wish I had a lift to use on smaller trees that I reduce and sometimes top. even for some shrubbery it would be good.

+1
I've used buckets on many small ornamental trees for shaping. They are the way to go, especially when using hand snips. It is also nice to boom back and get a look at the tree from the HO's perspective, then boom right back to the tree and keep working!

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

and they feed the hell out of me.

Tom looks like he likes to eat, so I would say you might actually put some weight on

 

[Scottscape]

I bet the firetruck really gets the neighbors attention. They think the house is on fire when there coming home. I'm sure it stirs up alot up conversation and brings in leads neighbors walking over.

 

[deevo]

I bet the firetruck really gets the neighbors attention. They think the house is on fire when there coming home. I'm sure it stirs up alot up conversation and brings in leads neighbors walking over.

They are selling our ladder truck at our dept when we get our new one, likely for pretty much nothing. Only drawback is it doesn't articulate that well and its a stick, not a bucket. But yeah it would be an attention getter thats for sure, then we can water there plants while we're there!

 

[deevo]

and yes the fire truck is so f---ing cool!!

Its 100' and has a strong ass ladder which works well as a TIP, and runs like a scalded cat. 80 mph, easy. :jawdrop:

Of course, I choose to drive it when we are rolling all the equipment. everybody waves me thru the stop signs, and every girl waves back when ya hit that air horn.:hmm3grin2orange:
Oh yeah, the lights and siren work, too.

Is that an American Lafrance or a Pierce? Couldn't really tell from the pictures? Had it got the federal Q on it for a siren?:greenchainsaw:

 

[treeslayer]

The ladder is a 1973 Pierre Thibault and it has the federal Q siren.

everything was on it except the SCBA bottles. We have a welder making up a basket for it now.


And yes the neighbors all come out looking for smoke when they see it parked out front.