Ultimate Set Up for Residential Tree Work

[Canyonbc]

Now that i think about it...i like the way ASD company works with a hooklift truck.


So first a good crew 3-4 men, one good climber...two that can run ropes and move alot fast....of course all the ropes, blocks, pulleys, saws (200t, two 260 pro, two 441, Ms 660) pole saws, big shots, friction savers, grcs...all in one truck. Oh a good 10,000 pound winch on the front. In the back of the truck put a Bandit 2800sp Stump Grinder; 4x4 with a 61 hp diesel engine. Oh the truck i would have a 350, 4x4 diesel, all boxed out to carry everything. I would pull a Multi Trac extreme skid loader...the largest one that will still fit through a 36 inch gate.

Then have a hooklift truck with a 30 yard dumpster on the back...pulling a Bandit 280 xp 18 inch chipper with a 185 hp John Deere diesel.

 

[Canyonbc]

My post above is if i had funds out the gazoo...right now realisticly with my set up i would love a...

Ford F 550, diesel, 12 ft dump bed.
Chipper - Bandit 150 xp, 12'' with a 100 hp John Deere
Stumper - Bandit HB20 Sidewinder with a 20 hp Kohler
GRCS
More ropes, blocks, pulleys, etc.

 

[Canyonbc]

With both set ups i am blanking on a nice 65 ft aerial lift truck.

 

[undercut]

nice

i am wondering if having a cdl is necessary for the ultimate set up. Is a 650 the largest you can go with out a cdl? I am planning on selling my S1900 dump and my toyota with a plow, new holland L-35, maybe a few stumpers. Getting a new bob cat if they still are on sale for 22,000, a teupen and the 50 foot high Ranger for line work. Hang on to the cam super line dump trailer. Get a sweet flat bed trailer maybe put a log grapple on it. Get a wicked nice self prop stumper and a kick ass tow behind, maybe the 7500 from carlton, seems like great bang for the buck and i love my proven carlton 4500 stumper. Nice new dump, i was thinking about a roll off dump or a hook body. can i get those under cdl?
it would be great to have a dumpster nice and low for loading Any body do this?

Tractors, all wheel steer skidder, wheels, tracks, mini?? some one kill this is driving me nuts lol
:greenchainsaw:
what is the best machine for moving wood and not messing up yards.

I Dare some one to list the ultimate set up. It is getting more interesting I don't think any one has nailed it yet! lol...

 

[Canyonbc]

Ya you can get hooklifts under CDL...

talk to ASD, he has a few...and nows a lot about them

I think they are awesome...drop it off at the job...makes bringing large wood into the truck...much easier..can use a log dolly...and roll it right up and in.

Canyon

 

[Slvrmple72]

monkeys with squirrels on there shoulders.

Dont forget Beavers for the stump work!

 

[Canyonbc]

Haha...

Good times.

Not really...but good to have a laugh.

 

[TheKid]

well put fastbub, it all depends on what you're doing of course. sometimes i can ride my bike to a sidejob i do with felcos and a folding handsaw and use their ladder and do quite a bit. put the debris in the curbside bin!

 

[Slvrmple72]

Too true! Keep it simple. I have an F-350 Single Axle Diesel Long Bed (want to put a dump lift in it) Rigging gear-blocks,GRCS,etc, plenty of rope, 4 saws, Logrite, sub out the stump work, haul out the brush, and wood 3" dia or larger becomes firewood. Would like to do some milling on the nice stuff-Cherry,Oak,Walnut so a trailer would be nice and so would a 6" chipper- I have been working on a trailer/chipper idea so I dont need to make several trips. I base my equipment needs/wants on the level of work I am doing and anticipate doing in the future.

 

[Canyonbc]

I think a mini skid steer...something similar to what EKKA runs, his Kanga.

Save the back breaking work for the machine...hauling brush, logs, etc.

Heck, i have seen on EKKA videos, that has a a stump grinder attachment.

Just my two senses on it all.

 

[diltree]

my ultimate set up would be a frontmount log truck with the sides all steeled up with an open end and a winch. just load brush right in and put the logs on top. and for a chase vehicle a 1 ton with the tool box setup with a very well equipped rigging bag, ropes, and saws from climber to stumper. and a couple poles along with the big shot. and of course all the tools needed for field maintenance.

no chipping mess to clean up with this set up but you would need to somewhere to get rid of the brush.


oldirty

This is a nice set up, Add a nice crane and a tub grinder yard to this set up and your in business for some serious profits. (I would also go with a rear mount loader, over the center mount, I have both designs and the rear mount is far superior)

 

[arbor pro]

Same question but, what if you're part-time?

Unaware of this topic until now, I just recently posted almost the same question in the Large Equipment forum. However, I am part-time and work alone. I am interested in the ideal setup for a part-timer...

Please respond to my post in the Large Equipment forum. Thanks.

 

[wildbill]

One/Two man ops..

I like to roll up in one rig.
A tandem axle crane truck, minimum 80ft reach with detachable bucket and a dump bed. Towing my 15" Discone chipper. My pride and joy is my 80ft 4x Snorkel lift with 8ft bucket, solid enough to float a few limbs and love that wide bucket to work down a tree with less movement although I can travel at full extension all around the yard but heck, with full 80ft. reach I can do a 360 around the yard leaving little imprint on lawns. Don't really need a Bobcat, etc. because I float the limbs in a bouquet right over to the chipper and logs right on to the truck, zilch hits the ground, less clean up and no dents. Cranes are indispensable, leaner's, overhangs, speed.. I work from the telescoping bucket lift slinging everything to the crane. National is one crane company that has buckets that attach to some model cranes since I have to truck the Snorkel lift with a flatbed, the thing weighs 16.5 tons so the crane bucket is a nice option for some jobs although someone has to run the controls from the truck.
I don't have a stump grinder, lots of people have grinders they bought after the hurricanes so i give them that business. One less thing to buy and haul, not enough money in a stump to justify expensive purchase so I farm that out.
For real small jobs I have an electro-hydraulic dump box that fits in any full sized pick-up bed and tow the chipper.
Saws; 200t's, 250, 361, 066, 088, (two each) and an FS-250 brushcutter w/pole saw, hedge trimmer attachments. I find the 361 a handy mid-size, fairly powerful and yet light enough i can work in the tree.
Climbing gear; Heavy duty iron workers harness, 5/8 wire core flip lines, solid steel carabiniere/gibbs/descenders. 13mm kernmantle ropes (life safety) 5/8 and larger for rigging wood and cargo straps.(solid steel scaffold hooks and screw eyes for clipping straps)
While I haven't tested this method, a broke #### low height trick is scaffolding secured thoroughly on a trailer.
I plan on trading my 80ft self propelled Snorkel lift for a 100ft model w/jib, telescoping booms is only way to go, pick a hole and shoot, and you have ALL that horizontal reach. Also considering a 45ft Snorkel lift that I can trailer with one ton truck for smaller jobs.

 

[(WLL)]

well im just a small guy and by watching my my new neighbor i must of did it all wrong . if you want the ultimate setup in USA by today standards you will need. 50 illegals, some of asplundhs old throwaway chip trucks a few Vermeer Spanglish chippers so the crew can read how to work em, because safety is first. 2 salesmen you bribed away from from the ford dealership that could sell salt to a slug. a foreman from the UK like(axehole) who speaks the lingo and will work em like my fathers father worked.and after a month of undercutting and shutting out the small guy, you go buy a mansion in Mexico and use bank of America to transfer all that monies ya makin and start buying motels to expand the biz

 

[brookpederson]

mini/articulated loaders

The best thing we ever bought was the smallest multi-track. It dosn't tear up yards and lifts 1100#. I can't emagine going to work without it.

 

[(WLL)]

The best thing we ever bought was the smallest multi-track. It dosn't tear up yards and lifts 1100#. I can't emagine going to work without it.

welcome to A/S

 

[woodchux]

The best thing we ever bought was the smallest multi-track. It dosn't tear up yards and lifts 1100#. I can't emagine going to work without it.

Welcome to the site...

Are you saying that you have a tracked articulating loader? Got any pics?

 

[undercut]

multi tack

i am leaning towards this myself

 

[ropensaddle]

The best thing you could have is genie the one on I dream
of genie she just wiggles her nose and you have what you want lol.

 

[murphy4trees]

I AM surprised to no one mentioned two climbers... That is crucial for optimal efficiency... Sometimes trading off on removals or crane work, or both pruning the same tree on big trees, or different trees at the same time. cabling is also much faster and better with two climbers.

The chipper... I would say minimun 15", 140 HP with a winch, though if your truck can pull, it would be really nice to go with 18" and 200+ HP.

The bigger the chipper the bigger the chip box you'll need. I AM happy with a 14' forrestry body right now, though I could probably benefit from upgrading to a 16-18' extra tall box... Last crane day we dumped three times and that was end of december with short days..

I AM also happy with an rg super-50 66HP, 4x4 self propelled grinder, though I wouldn't mind going to the super 90... I tow it with a SUV... one of my peers has the same grinder towed behind and f-350 grain body dump and he puts a mini skid steer (to haul dirt and chips) side by side on the same trailer as the stump grinder.... That is the ultimate residential set up for stumps...

for the true ultimate set up you'd need a) two buckets, 75' and a 65 or 55', b)two cranes, a 30-35 ton 110-127' (without jib), and a back yard crane, rear mounted, or possibly mounted behind the cab with bunks for hauling logs, at least 23 tons and 85-90' of stick, and c) two log loaders, the big tri-axle with a prentice 120 (or better) and bunks, as well as a smaller truck, dump box, and the telescoping boom with 50' reach...

You'd have to run 5-6 crews minimum to make it pay having all that hardware... More leadership than most desire or are capable of, myself included... So maybe for most people, one crane and a 75' bucket would be enough. Rent a bigger/smaller crane when needed and sub out the log hauling until you are sure it will pay to have your own truck.