whadja do today?

[gorman]

Yeah, but I’m sure it would still help considerably. You’re using this as a wood truck primarily, or chips too?

99% chips

 

[tree MDS]

99% chips

In that case I would just skip the 1% wood and preserve that beautiful truck.

What truck do you carry all your gear in?

 

[tree MDS]

Box is 6’high and 15’ long. The hp is lacking, only 225 I think but it’s geared extremely low. Six speed allison and the rear end is a 6.22.

I like those gears with the auto. That’s basically the same gear my bucket has, mine runs 6.17. What model Allison?

 

[epicklein22]

Box is 6’high and 15’ long. The hp is lacking, only 225 I think but it’s geared extremely low. Six speed allison and the rear end is a 6.22.

I was gonna pm ya about putting wood in the back. How do you deal with putting plywood on the floor and walls and not destroy the sheets when dumping?

A lot of aluminum bed dump trucks have heavy duty poly liners in them. Bed floors stay really nice.

 

[DannytreeLLC]

Had two small removals this morning, told the guys I would buy them lunch if we could power through and do both without stopping. Finished about 1:30, packed up and we met at the Long John Silvers parking lot at about 2. They get paid from 8-5 today even though we finished 3 hours early!

 

[gorman]

I think the tranny is a 2500 rds

 

[gorman]

I got a chuckle when I saw this yesterday.

 

[epicklein22]

I got a chuckle when I saw this yesterday.

Good stuff, my buddy got a call for a tree like that earlier this year. Treetard went awol and left a tree standing with a notch cut out of it and another tree half done. Even left a portawrap about 30 feet up in the tree. Must have been rigging stuff by himself from his clapped out bucket truck.

 

[mckeetree]

Good stuff, my buddy got a call for a tree like that earlier this year. Treetard went awol and left a tree standing with a notch cut out of it and another tree half done. Even left a portawrap about 30 feet up in the tree. Must have been rigging stuff by himself from his clapped out bucket truck.

We see that fairly often around here...90% of the time it's the amigo yard guys. Everyone one of them is a "tree guy" as well as a grass cutter. But you can bet they aren't leaving us a portawrap because they never had one.

 

[gorman]

I’m in the midst of a five day job at the end of a association. No room for any stuff on the road so I have to spend all day playing Tetris with the trucks, Tetris with the trailers, and then Tetris with the logs in the bin.

 

[tree MDS]

Right on the chipper tailgate!! Too bad it was the wrong way around. Lol.

 

[NeSurfcaster]

Nice work fella's, I've only had some small jobs. I did get a big, dirty, viney, mullberry removal set up for october 10th/11th.

I also got my first contract climber gig this sunday, for a company I don't work for "yet". Business owner said he needs a climber occasionally and needs one for a pine removal. So Sunday I can try to seal the deal on being this particular company's "Climber". He said weekends are fine for all his climbing jobs. Which won't interfere w/ the company/friends I've worked for the past 7 seasons now.
I'm a little nervous about being too slow since he said it's a 2 hour job 70-75'er but google earth shows it in a corner over a shed and fence. It also has 3 co/dom stems starting at about 40'-50' up. I think it's a 3 hour minimum job w/ a speed line. Immaculate back yard so he said not much free fallin mainly riggin, hopefully speed line will work. It's on the books and I'm covered under his insurance/workers comp.
I plan on going to the tops first to set up a friction saver(I prefer to work a removal drt still)and tie the speed line on. Then come down and start pickin at it on way back up. Thats how I can do it the fastest I believe and only use the block/porta wrap for tops and chunks. He seemed older (60's?) and said he used to climb so hopefully he has some patience. I said I'm a medium to slow climber so I didn't lie and say I'm good or fast. Once my lines are set medium/slow speed is accurate. I'm glad it's a pine and not a 60'+ wide oak/maple over a bunch of targets/propertys for the 1st job so thats a plus.
Novel over, have a good weekend guys/gals.

 

[tree MDS]

Pics of some of today’s tree action. I pulled everything forward and flopped a 130’ white pine to end the day. Nicest older people you could work for (for a change). Repeat customers. He’s gonna let me stage the wood down by the wall for my new truck (if it ever comes), too, so that’s cool. No rush either. Tired. Back to it tomorrow, though. Guys got 58 hours this week so far. Pretty hard core.

 

[NeSurfcaster]

Big Top! and What a boom, looks like a pleasure to operate.

 

[tree MDS]

Big Top! and What a boom, looks like a pleasure to operate.

Thanks. It is pretty much a pleasure to operate (not as comfy as a bucket, though). I would still say there’s about a six month learning curve with these machines, however. Probably more than that to get really proficient. Just from my experience.

 

[tree MDS]

A salute to all of of us great tree men out there (and supporting crane ops, etc.). It really is a thing, what we go though to do what we love. Even the lower gene pool that we’re (usually) forced to work with isn’t enough to dissuade us from pursuing our dreams. We keep going. No sane person would really do this. We “endeavor to persevere”. That’s what makes us great. We truly are American Badass Motherfuckers. Just a shout out to all of us. It really is something to be proud of. Stay strong and persevere, my friends!

 

[DSW]

I'm a little nervous about being too slow since he said it's a 2 hour job 70-75'er but google earth shows it in a corner over a shed and fence. It also has 3 co/dom stems starting at about 40'-50' up. I think it's a 3 hour minimum job w/ a speed line. Immaculate back yard so he said not much free fallin mainly riggin, hopefully speed line will work. It's on the books and I'm covered under his insurance/workers comp.

I have no idea if the estimated times are high or low or on the money but these are just some thoughts.

Depending on how it's set up just those competing leaders could add 50- 70 foot of extra climbing. Not to mention targets.

Most contract climbers will go for a half days pay or a full days pay.

Guy says it's two hours but stays on the ground, well that could be vastly different from the guy who leaves the ground and actually does it.
I'd work at your normal pace. Safety of you, other workers, and property as a priority. You try to rush too much, cut corners and you end up making a mistake or everything goes fine and that's now expected every time.

Productive, safe, responsible climbers aren't exactly flooding the market. Badass, inhuman, models of perfection even less so. Work how you know to work and let the chips fall where they may.

 

[tree MDS]

I never wanted anything to do with the “contract climber” bit. Now that I think about it I even hate the term. I always figured if they can’t swim on their own (cut their own trees, all of them), let em drown.

 

[gorman]

Most contract climbers are addicts. There’s usually a reason why they can’t hold down a steady job.

 

[tree MDS]

Most contract climbers are addicts. There’s usually a reason why they can’t hold down a steady job.

Lol. Good point. And if they’re not they will be soon.