whadja do today?

[treebilly]

16x24 had 24 sheets of 3/4. Knowing the customer I wanted zero impact. It was cross layered for added support. After using a blower to fluff the lawn, you couldn’t even tell we were there.
On the rate per hour. Let’s just say I’m comfortable paying it for the time saved.

 

[tree MDS]

Mr. MDS. How is the new diesel bandit holding up? Specifically the diesel engine ?

Pretty good so far. Only have a little under 500 hours on her so far though. I guess time will tell. She is a beast (JD 173).

 

[tree MDS]

Great pictures.

Thanks, bud! I had fun looking at them. I had forgotten about a lot of them.

The FL one is awesome. It looks like a blue collar album cover.

 

[Jester3775]

View attachment 768851 View attachment 768852 View attachment 768853
did a bit of mek ing around yesterday morning. I left the ground at 8 am and that was the second to last log being loaded at 11:20 am. Damn am I glad I hired him for this removal.

Thanks for sharing, looks awesome. I think I need one of those Mek things !

 

[bck]

Pretty good so far. Only have a little under 500 hours on her so far though. I guess time will tell. She is a beast (JD 173).

Good to hear. I’m looking at a new chipper and the gas motors just don’t cut it!

 

[hitoppa]

If you're gonna do a lot of crane work you need a 200 plus hp diesel. Boom em right into the chipper.

 

[tree MDS]

If you're gonna do a lot of crane work you need a 200 plus hp diesel. Boom em right into the chipper.

Mine seems to somehow sneak by on the occasional crane job. I think there’s a chipper pic in here somewhere.... lol just sayin.

 

[jzack605]

Did a walk through this morning to put together a proposal for a big PHC client for my sales rep. Owner had three sweetheart young black labs that were way too friendly, especially considering they were obviously eating their own **** with the goatees to show it. Had me running in circles away from them. Normally it’s a nice bonus when the clients pets are outside and friendly.

 

[Jed1124]

Nice. I’m curious what your mech guy gets for a rate?

The closest guy to me gets 2k for an 8hr day portal to portal.

 

[gorman]

The closest guy to me gets 2k for an 8hr day portal to portal.

What boon does he have?

 

[Jed1124]

What boon does he have?

Palfinger. It came in real handy when we had tornado damage in May of 2018. I think it’s 90’-95’.

 

[treebilly]

This guy has pk65 (I think that’s what they refer it as). Somewhere like 102’-112’ range. He’s still kinda new to the game but I’m happy. Some things could’ve went faster on both ends but that comes with time. I’ve really never worked with a mek before (well I took a great three day class) and he’s still fairly new on it. It was bid for two 10 hour days conventionally until the home owner added no equipment on the driveway. We we’re done in six hours total. His rate is $375 an hour and a 4 hour minimum. I had him for 3 hours and 40 minutes.

 

[gorman]

The only problem I see with getting a truck like that is you have to only do work that is worth while for a truck like that. You can’t really leave it sitting for a couple days a week. One day maybe but pruning jobs will get put to the back burner after a purchase like that.

 

[treebilly]

Yeah he’s feeling it. I know a lot of pruning jobs are being farmed out now. I know the guy that’s getting them and he is grateful. It’s what he prefers to do anyhow. Turning into a nice symbiotic relationship. Hope I just chose the right big word for that as I’m an uneducated hack according to a lot of the snooty people I’ve met.

 

[treebilly]

By my calculations, he needs 6 days a month to cover all his cost for that month for that truck.
He’s a go getter and works his ass off. Well now he walks around and plays real life video games

 

[gorman]

In my area there are not many options for guys who crane trees. It’s either a 23-33 ton stick for 150 an hour (three hour min) or 2100 a day for 55 to 70 ton. So getting a big crane is a pain cause you have to organize two or three jobs and not clean up right away and leave some logs. Not the most professional looking.
I tried another tree company once just for their crane and they snaked the job from me.
There’s a good market for my area for a truck like that but it’s too much an investment for me.

 

[tree MDS]

Well now he walks around and plays real life video games

This is the part I don’t know if I could handle. I don’t know if it would really feel like treework to me anymore at that point? But then again, time wears us all down eventually, and I suppose it’d be nice to still be kicking some ass when it really starts to catch up with me.

 

[treebilly]

Yeah I’m starting to feel it a bit at 41. I’ve done tree work for 24 years, 6 days a week. Plus an 8 year stint doing concrete work while still doing trees. I ache most mornings worse than when I went to bed. Doing crane work even as a climber could prolong my career immensely. Owning a mek might give me a heart attack but I could go on for a real long time before my body would break down.

 

[Oldmaple]

I'm at 38 years for doing tree work, mostly climbing plus some bucket work since I bought one three years ago. Never did crane work, just watched it when I got the chance. Would like to see a tree-mek in action. Thinking it might be my last year, still enjoy the tree work, running the business not so much. Only chronic pain I have is in my hands and some ringing in my ears. Pretty lucky I guess.

 

[tree MDS]

Nice day for killing scrawny little dead ash trees. Just me and my ground dude. So nice having zero tail swing working next to a house like this. Driveway was sweet too with a nice spot to swing brush in with my mini... er,, Giant.