August Hunicke Videos

So how do you stand'er upp'er guys account for the hinge breaking before the pick is finished? Butt tie? or sumthin?

Stone cold dead ones DON'T stand up. THAT is when I'd use two slings... I think I've done that twice.

So just a simple undercut? Like a reverse barberchair?

Meh, more like using a hinge.

Great videos August, nice to see fun at work and work getting done. The chipper looked a little weak for it's size, but I've not used one that big. I know a 14" seems underpowered on 10" stuff.

How the heck are you going to stand up a limb when the whole tree is overhead of the limb and you aren't removing the tree, just removing lower limbs? It aint possible. Cmon man.

MasterBlaster said:

Rock on - it's your business. To each their own. I don't believe in a god, either... go figure!



Seriously, I don't understand this attitude. Face plant? Not "developed?"

Really??? I guess it's good that I retired... youse "developed" guys can take over.

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Face palm is the term.
I was fishing those limbs out from under the canopy Butch. Not at all like the ones you pictured. I'd have one point picked what you showed as well. Not that Damien or Joe would. I've said it before here but I'll say it again, I don't micro-manage much.
The "never develop" jab was in response to the "overuse of speed-line" comment. That was bs. I don't over use that. It's my field of expertise. It's under-utilized by those who don't no when it's better because they've not used it enough to master it (and it's easy.)

Here's my latest vid. Its a fun one I think.

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That looked like a fun day! But why not set pull lines instead of beating wedges, I mean somebody was already up there.

I've seen guys fumble around speedlines, like anything else.

I can't imagine how shooting 5 limb to the chipper in the time to lower, land in a tight area below the rigging point, release and drag is slower. Just can't. IF you have a bad climber and a bad groundie, you can overcomplicate and slow anything down to molasses-speed.


At least one of my recent work areas was planted on 2'x2' spacing, everywhere in the dropzone.
I've worked in open lawn on occasion, as well.
For every open lawn job, I've got heavily-underplanted job.

MasterBlaster said:

I don't believe in a god, either... go figure!

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What on god's green earth does god have to do with this tree work question? smh

I’ve always enjoyed seeing John and Missy Sue. They both have great attitudes.
Nice videos August. Keep em coming.

Don't break your neck, Cory.

And it IS possible, but I'm done. My mistake was criticizing A. Hunicke... I shoulda known better!

August: Thanks for the new vid. You are such a (loved the piano usage btw)... no... you are the undisputed videographic genius of our age, and my hat's off to ya. Pretty sure everyone around here would echo that sentiment.

Second: There really does seem to be something rather transcendent in your work. Not just treeework or vidwork or what have you... ohh... let's just quit beating around the bush... as one brother in Christ to another... I can really feel your love of God coming through your videos. (I'm done, Corey. Honest.) What does God have to do with treework? Ohh... nothing. Just... EVERYTHING! But anyways.

3) What kind of a weird axe were you beating with? Looked like a Genuine Norlund. I got one of those. I pretty much hate it. Nice and heavy, but It sucks for splitting.

4) All PNW tree guys (Yes, all. I said "all," didn't I? So why would I have said all if I didn't mean ALL?) are extreme newcomers to the cranework world with reagard to our more Eastern (and evern Southernly ) brethren. So when a man who fought in the Vietnam War, and started killing pines when you and I were in diapers tells you that you might have been faster if you hadn't bothered with a second sling, maybe next time just say, "You know what?... Yer probably right." O.k.?.... Well... That was easy.

5) If you ever mention the name Sean Ruel again without fully acknowledging that he is MY INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, my lawyers will take any last vestige of your tree service that you once held dear. I taught that poop-stain kid everyting he knows... except fer that stuper-munter or whatever he calls it. What moron would ever mess with all that mess anyways? Man... there's one apple that fell WAAAYYY far from the tree. My dear Sean... what have you DONE!!?

6) Dude, why do you use Heard Heads? Everybody knows they suck for stacking, don't they? Thanks.

flushcut said:

That looked like a fun day! But why not set pull lines instead of beating wedges, I mean somebody was already up there.

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Nobody climbed the fir there. We did use a pull rope on one of them (as per super-munter). I guess I just wedged the fir there because I could. It was wedgeable

Jed, thanks on the props. The lines have been fairly well trenched into the sand on the God subjects around here if you haven’t noticed though, so don’t go stirring that up over here (unless you just gotta be you
Jed, it’s the ax that “buddy” sent me from here on the treehouse. Heavy head, I like that. I think I’ll shorten up the handle though.
Jed, I feel like I’ve agreed ample times on here about single attachment point being faster/sufficient most of the time. I’ve even agreed that it’s hard not to fidget around when they’re carving the stem to origami to float it out.
-——> I just seldom MICRO-MANAGE MY CREW ON THE MATTER. <——— each time I have said that here, it hasn’t seemed very inflammatory to me.
I’ll not fight them or anyone here much about crane-pick strategies. I’ll speak plain about speed-lining use though. I’m qualified to do that even at the tender young age of 50-something.

Oh crap, not just 50, a vague reference to 50-something.


Are Adam and Damien from the area?
Where did you find them?

5.5 minutes of pounding is a lot of work on an old guy.

By the time I'm stacking, I'll usually remove some heart wood, especially on a green tree...less wood to bend. Hinge looked thick, especially on the Right, facing the layout.


As always, Solid!



When you're not paying $2-400 an hour for a rental crane and CO, I feel that the need to crank out production with the fastest possible scenario is not as important as crew-harmony.

Would be nice to find guys that can get crane work done, one way or another. Would be nice to find people who can just not put a saw in the dirt, and show up without having forgotten stuff. Two skilled, reliable guys that you seem to like to work with is Gold.

How much crane-cutting experience did Damien have before you bought yours?

Ya 52. All my work buddies have sought me out from YouTube.
Damien had a couple 3 crane jobs he did with Reon in Wisconsin before I bought mine. Joe had none. I have several years of climbing for crane before the age of YouTube in which I only spider legged once or twice and all my cuts were one cut picks. That was the Seattle area and also OR. I never operated a crane before I bought mine except on fishing boats. So yeah IMA treework crane op newbie cept for the climbing part.

August: Fair enough, and props on the no micro-manage stuff. Wish I cld do that!

Oh, these ol boys?... Don't sweat them!... They're all gonna become Christians pretty soon!!!

Why would they do that?

Jed said:

August: Fair enough, and props on the no micro-manage stuff. Wish I cld do that!

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Whats it like running a crew for a big company, about the same if they were your own crew for your own company?

I'm thinking not the same.

MasterBlaster said:

Why would they do that?

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You'll see.

Corey: No. Absolutely nothing like it. I had to go fall a fir for another foreman today... you can have no possible idea how completely backward his crew's SOP was to the way that I prefer to run mine. But due to the staffing exigencies that this new millenial generation continues to pose for my managers... I've got guys filtering through my crew like nobody's business. I can't keep anything running smooth for long. I could talk for a week on this and bore everyone to tears.

I'll see? I won't be holding my breath!

Wait, you can't find a guy worth a shit. No way. Wait, still not sure I got that right. Guys...not worth a shit???


How big's that show up there?

I'd like to come wreck some trees with you. Show 'em what some salt and pepper (little by little) can do (we're no gray-beards).

August Hunicke said:

Nobody climbed the fir there. We did use a pull rope on one of them (as per super-munter). I guess I just wedged the fir there because I could. It was wedgeable

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"because I can" Is an acceptable answer

Jed said:

I've got guys filtering through my crew like nobody's business. I can't keep anything running smooth for long. I could talk for a week on this and bore everyone to tears.

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Please, bore us, I insist!

If you don't have good help, does that reflect in your paycheck or is it strictly hourly? Just curious. If too nosy then yeah nah.