whadja do today?

[gorman]

It took a while but I’m finally starting to get the hang of this thing. It’s really about the placement of the chipper so that you have room on one side of the feed tray to back to the side of it and pivot.

I was always hell bent on getting the chipper as close as possible to the work but with this machine proximity no longer matters. Gotta have that pivot spot and if it’s gonna be in a lawn you gotta have one or two sheet laid out for it.

 

[tree MDS]

Beautiful Ash takedown ruined by the rain. My stump guy was right there too, but by that time it was raining and about to get worse. Oh, well,, was still a sweet day. Finish up tomorrow.

 

[tree MDS]

Cut and toss, baby!!

 

[hitoppa]

Hi Guys. Question...bout to spring for a puddle jumper like Stubs but buying a diesel. I know most of you guys use single buckets and I have about 30 years to my first bucket of 2 manners. I can put a 661 in there and can put 500 lbs or more of wood in there too if nec. How do you handle even putting a 200 in there or do you put the scabbords outside the bucket? Also I know Paul you had trouble buying Stubs from Schmidy...anyone had problems recently. Can't find my truck anywhere else. Thanks

 

[tree MDS]

Hi Guys. Question...bout to spring for a puddle jumper like Stubs but buying a diesel. I know most of you guys use single buckets and I have about 30 years to my first bucket of 2 manners. I can put a 661 in there and can put 500 lbs or more of wood in there too if nec. How do you handle even putting a 200 in there or do you put the scabbords outside the bucket? Also I know Paul you had trouble buying Stubs from Schmidy...anyone had problems recently. Can't find my truck anywhere else. Thanks

Too bad you didn’t get a chance to tell them to hold off on the white paint!!

Lol, sorry, had to.

 

[tree MDS]

I can fit in a one man bucket with a 395. I never really thought about it, just do it. It works. Far as wood goes, you need to adjust the bucket and then slowly “hinge” (tear) the log onto the rim while holding it with your left arm (if right handed). Then fanagle you way to the controls and move the piece to wherever you’re going to drop it (if you need to move). There’s no putting the piece in the bucket with you. Hope that makes at least some sense.

As far as SM goes... they always do seem to have something or another to catch our eye, don’t they? I think that’s part of their deal. I would just say go check it out and then double check it. Drive it/fly it (over center especially) yourself. Don’t take their “word” for anything. That’s about all I can say. Oh, and crawl underneath and make sure their squirrels haven’t eaten the hyd. lines. They must have a lot of squirrels or big rats there. Lol.

Good to hear from you, Hitoppa!! Post some pics if you get it!!!

 

[gorman]

You crazy if you’re trusting your life in a schmittys bucket.

 

[hitoppa]

Its got 3500 total hours on it and 20,000 miles. Not much damage you can do that is not apparent with that little use on it. Buy that same bucket somewhere else and it it way more expensive.

 

[hitoppa]

I can fit in a one man bucket with a 395. I never really thought about it, just do it. It works. Far as wood goes, you need to adjust the bucket and then slowly “hinge” (tear) the log onto the rim while holding it with your left arm (if right handed). Then fanagle you way to the controls and move the piece to wherever you’re going to drop it (if you need to move). There’s no putting the piece in the bucket with you. Hope that makes at least some sense.

As far as SM goes... they always do seem to have something or another to catch our eye, don’t they? I think that’s part of their deal. I would just say go check it out and then double check it. Drive it/fly it (over center especially) yourself. Don’t take their “word” for anything. That’s about all I can say. Oh, and crawl underneath and make sure their squirrels haven’t eaten the hyd. lines. They must have a lot of squirrels or big rats there. Lol.

Good to hear from you, Hitoppa!! Post some pics if you get it!!!

Thanks Paul. I will miss the "bath tub" but you can't get overcenter without a single manner and I want that now. Keeping my 75 foot Teco. Me and my guy will go over it with a fine tooth. And yeah I have used the old put em on the rim of the bucket a million times but nice to dice up small pieces into the bucket when too far over the roof to get past the gutter with a toss. I love that tracked lift you got but that must have cost a hundred thousand. I am way over due for a new one but so many things I want. About $70 k is it for me.

 

[Jed1124]

Thanks Paul. I will miss the "bath tub" but you can't get overcenter without a single manner and I want that now. Keeping my 75 foot Teco. Me and my guy will go over it with a fine tooth. And yeah I have used the old put em on the rim of the bucket a million times but nice to dice up small pieces into the bucket when too far over the roof to get past the gutter with a toss. I love that tracked lift you got but that must have cost a hundred thousand. I am way over due for a new one but so many things I want. About $70 k is it for me.

I wish that lift cost $100k. That extra 20’ sure is spendy......

 

[Jed1124]

But worth it....

 

[hitoppa]

20' is a big fkn deal sometimes. 92' will get almost any tree when you think you can take 20 or 30 feet above the lift and butt hitch it to the trunk, cut it off and let it hang and then slice it up while hanging. Or pick it up with a/my crane.

 

[tree MDS]

Yep. It’s worth it. This is basically my day to day bucket now. I usually have a handsaw tied in there or whatever else. But I’m completely used to running this thing every day now and love it.

 

[tree MDS]

Thanks Paul. I will miss the "bath tub" but you can't get overcenter without a single manner and I want that now. Keeping my 75 foot Teco. Me and my guy will go over it with a fine tooth. And yeah I have used the old put em on the rim of the bucket a million times but nice to dice up small pieces into the bucket when too far over the roof to get past the gutter with a toss. I love that tracked lift you got but that must have cost a hundred thousand. I am way over due for a new one but so many things I want. About $70 k is it for me.

$160,000 for the lift, plus the trailer was like $6800 on top of that. I wouldn’t recommend anyone buys one though. Total rip off. Wink, wink. Lol

 

[hitoppa]

Best looking one out there or atleast what I've seen. Kudos.

 

[gorman]

I did a job for a guy who’s friend owns a tree service in CT. Older fellow, but he says his buddy bought a CMC83 years ago and loved the lift... until the computer pooped the bed. Then bought the same one you have and never looked back.

It’s nice there tread on the floor of the platform so your bedtime slippers don’t scuttle all over the place.

I’m still having terrible trouble hiring. Can’t get anyone to come on board. I tried one guy out who seemed interested but never texted me back. I can’t pay someone 20 an hour who has entry level skills. I’d have to bump my guy up then. So what does that leave me with to leverage them to cdl-up? I’d have to off 22-25 for someone who can’t climb.

Not only myself, but many economists see an recession on the horizon. Maybe not next year but soon and when that happens wtf am I going to do if I have a weekly payroll of 2k for two guys?

 

[tree MDS]

I’m trying to fit a lifetime of equipment purchases in before that next recession ever even has a chance to think about it. That’s my plan anyway. Lol

 

[tree MDS]

Of course I’m no economist...

 

[tree MDS]

I just interviewed a young climber (if that’s what you’d consider what aspy does). I think in the end what it came down to was his skills weren’t as valuable as he figured they would be here. Plus, like you said, he seemed totally disinterested in ever getting his CDL (probably a pothead). Sure wanted top pay for those line trimming skills though. Same old story. Thank god I don’t have any real need for a climber.

 

[Jed1124]

$160,000 for the lift, plus the trailer was like $6800 on top of that. I wouldn’t recommend anyone buys one though. Total rip off. Wink, wink. Lol

Did you look at the 89’ Tracked Lift? Curious how it would compare with the Ommi.

At 90k we’re probably going to wind up with the 72’ Aborist by Tracked Lift. That extra 20’ sure would be nice though.