Fundamentals of General Tree Work on eBay

Years ago a friend went to see Tony Hawk perform skateboarding tricks. He didn't have anything for Tony to sign, so he had him sign his forehead with a marker. Still counted as getting Tony Hawk's autograph in my book, even if it washed off!
 
I bet it's too much and not worth it.

Pages upon pages can be written for every topic presented in the Fundamentals. Where do you spare words to keep it short and yet comprehensive? No matter how you dice it updating the Fundamentals would be a big project. To do it right I figure would take, even myself, at least 3 years.

The vast image database of Tree Work that's available on the internet today could sure make it sweet, though.

Just for the record, I was not trying to propose that Gerry re-write the whole book all over again. I'm just proposing the use of the Amazon self-publishing facility to take the best PDF version that currently exists, and making it available as a paperback book.

Having said that, I know nothing about publishing, and don't even know if a PDF document could be used in that way or not. Thanks.

Tim



Edit: Here is a link to the main page for Amazon's self publishing information.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/seller-account/mm-summary-page.html?topic=200260520

Clicking through on the hard copy link will lead to more details about the royalty arrangements. I'm thinking that Amazon's whole game in life is to try to make things as easy for people to do as it is possible to make it, and I would hope that they propose what writer's think is a fair deal. After all, it is in their interest to try to get as many writers in the world as possible to use their services, just like all of the customers who like to shop on Amazon. I hope this helps. Thank you.
 
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The first time I was going to meet up with Jerry, I brought my old, tattered copy all the way across the Atlantic to California, just to have him sign it.

Then I forgot it at the hotel.

So it is still unsigned.

How idiotic is that?
 
Pretty idiotic, for true. :)

I got Jer to sign mine, and another of his books as well, at the first West Coast getogether...Wraptorfest! Thank goodness I remembered to do that :D.
 
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  • #34
Published to audio, read by the author...

I'd buy that.

My old supervisor passed his CA by mowing his grass, listening to audio-study guide, repeatedly! Writing a two line email was challenging; jacking or beating over Stone-dead back-leaning trees with a 60" Cannon, by valuable infrastructure, 20 some years without significant injury or damage...
that was the job some days.

The amount of learning disabilities, such a dyslexia, ADD/ADHD, etc, in the tree worker/ laborer pool, that is a road block to success, is huge. This would really, honestly reach lot of people, Jerry.

Wouldn't have to be you, Jerry.

Seriously, an audio accompaniment to the text and pictures would serve a lot of guys, and help them be trade-professionals, not dum tree guys.




My retired logger neighbor was lamenting at the skill loss because of spotted owl-logging stoppage. Skills that retired out of,were injured out, or were otherwise removed out of the woods. Skills not passed down.
 
We have the same thing here, in the woods.

Because mechanical harvesters have mostly killed off the fallers, there has been a huge loss of skills.

Now we have a twofold problem.
Of the young kids who want to become fallers, most have NO idea of the hardships it entails.

That is why we've lost 2 apprentices in the last year.

Those who do, cannot find a place to apprentice, since old, knowledgeable fallers are getting scarce as hen's teeth.


The one, we have left, seems to know what it is about, and be willing to work for it.

His well used 441 started pulling the chain by idling too fast again today, so we sent him to the repair shop/dealer.

Then I called the dealer and told him to make a new 462 ready and to tell the kid, that we felt he had shown the skills necessary, to be given a new saw.

I imagine that quite made his day.
 
Pages upon pages can be written for every topic presented in the Fundamentals. Where do you spare words to keep it short and yet comprehensive? No matter how you dice it updating the Fundamentals would be a big project. To do it right I figure would take, even myself, at least 3 years.
I think the general suggestion, at least from these quarters, is simply a straight up reprinting (2nd edition), possibly with a new forward or introduction mentioning the advancements in climbing and rigging gear and SRT. But not discounting the basic fundamentals laid out in the book, which are fully still applicable and should be mandatory for any aspiring tree worker to become familiar with. That would make it instantly available and wouldn't require the 3 years of work you are describing.

If I had a desktop perfect binder, I'd give a volunteer hand up to print a short run of books. But as is, I only have a manual coil binder, which worked great for my personal workbook copy from the digital edition -- for taking notes, kicking around the truck, etc. But that for sure wouldn't work for any quantity.

I have purchased a couple of conditioning and fitness books from Ross Enamait and it was obvious he either self-published or had it done at a small local shop and it worked for the application and price point. It met my expectations and worked fine for my needs
 
Jerry told me he had to put up all the money for a printing himself and he didn't wanna do all that again.
 
That is part of the appeal of the Amazon book publishing deal. No up front money required, I don't think. Books get printed and shipped only after a customer orders one and pays for it.
 
I like the idea of an audio version, most especially if Jer would be the reader. I'd buy a copy in a heartbeat.

A complete re-write would almost certainly take something close to his estimate...fer gad's sake, it took me and a few similarly committed USFS climbers over 10 years to complete a full re-write of the Tree Climber's Guide, including all new illustrations. It's hard work, this writing clear and concise descriptions of complex activities, I'll guarantee you.
 
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  • #46
Guess I got a new book.

I haven't seen my original copy in at least 8 months, since I moved. Should be in a box.

Better two than none.

A much better price than the $8XX.XX price on the worst price on Amazon.
 
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