SkwerI
Treehouser
Also take a look at the articulating loaders like my Avant 528. Not much difference in price but twice the production and no turf damage from tracks. AVANT 528 - https://www.avanttecno.com/us/machines/500-series/avant-528
How'd it go today?
- Thread starter MasterBlaster
- Start date
- Replies 85K
- Views 4M
Treeaddict
Treehouser
John,
Glad to see you’ve gotten over there. Just my thinking and I’d love some real arborists opinions: I’d be inclined not to take that poplar leader off at the trunk. It would most assuredly kill the tree by introducing rot. If it must be shortened, take it back to the closest branch to the trunk. Or, If pollarded, it would sprout out I believe.
Glad to see you’ve gotten over there. Just my thinking and I’d love some real arborists opinions: I’d be inclined not to take that poplar leader off at the trunk. It would most assuredly kill the tree by introducing rot. If it must be shortened, take it back to the closest branch to the trunk. Or, If pollarded, it would sprout out I believe.
SeanKroll
Treehouser
It won't kill it. It will induce a decay column. Structural integrity is different than living and dying.
SeanKroll
Treehouser
John, they can always say no, and you can come back with a better price. Part of being 'unofficial', easier to come down on price.
Bidding accurately is sooo hard. If you're better at things than average, you will produce more per hour. Lots of guys haven't got a clue. Hanging around the TH distorts one's perspective.
I interviewed a guy yesterday who bought out a local arborist/ tree service about 5 years ago. He hated bidding and didn't really seem to understand the needs of trees. His employee stayed on after the sale and did basically all the climbing and chip truck driving.
Guy said it was lose the biz or lose his wife with kid.
I've been bidding for 15 years. Still very hard, especially as my tree skills get better and I keep picking up tricks.
No two jobs are ever the same. Way different than selling lumber where you can all around for the price of a 1x10x10 cedar board at a commercial lumber store.
I've got many tons of lumber coming from the local bandsaw miller "Brother Lennie". I need to get on marketing it.
I pushed my chip truck closer to the limit today than ever before. Almost didn't make a hill. I would have stopped, used the parking brake, and climbed it is super low 1st gear until the crest. I was skipping the biggest hill on the highway by taking a back road.
Now I have to see if it will dump. Lots of silver maple, which seems denser than native bigleaf maple. I couldn't have put more in the truck without a lot of hand loading. Never seen it sag so much with a full bed of chips.
I had lots of silver maple branches staged and filled my truck in about an hour to an hour and a half, almost all with the loader feeding it!!
Bidding accurately is sooo hard. If you're better at things than average, you will produce more per hour. Lots of guys haven't got a clue. Hanging around the TH distorts one's perspective.
I interviewed a guy yesterday who bought out a local arborist/ tree service about 5 years ago. He hated bidding and didn't really seem to understand the needs of trees. His employee stayed on after the sale and did basically all the climbing and chip truck driving.
Guy said it was lose the biz or lose his wife with kid.
I've been bidding for 15 years. Still very hard, especially as my tree skills get better and I keep picking up tricks.
No two jobs are ever the same. Way different than selling lumber where you can all around for the price of a 1x10x10 cedar board at a commercial lumber store.
I've got many tons of lumber coming from the local bandsaw miller "Brother Lennie". I need to get on marketing it.
I pushed my chip truck closer to the limit today than ever before. Almost didn't make a hill. I would have stopped, used the parking brake, and climbed it is super low 1st gear until the crest. I was skipping the biggest hill on the highway by taking a back road.
Now I have to see if it will dump. Lots of silver maple, which seems denser than native bigleaf maple. I couldn't have put more in the truck without a lot of hand loading. Never seen it sag so much with a full bed of chips.
I had lots of silver maple branches staged and filled my truck in about an hour to an hour and a half, almost all with the loader feeding it!!
If it were my tree, I'd leave it as-is. I think it's pretty cool. One thing the guy said, was the branches are lowering on it. He used to be able to walk under it, and now it hits his head(Maybe after the storm?). That got my attention. I looked on the back side, and I didn't notice the root plate pulling up, but it isn't my tree. I don't really see anywhere to cut that won't uglify it. His concern is parts falling on his dogs/kids, and I think it'll happen eventually with that section leaning out. Not really fall on anyone, but fall.
edit:
Regarding price... This is all fun stuff for me, so charge a nominal fee to cover wear/tear on gear, right? The problem with that, is twofold. For one, it cheapens the industry, and devalues the work as a whole. Not that I'm doing enough to affect local standards, but it's the point that matters. Secondly, I don't want to get a reputation as a guy that works for nothing. If I end up doing more with this stuff, that puts me in a bad spot, and it can be hard to get out of it. It also may become less fun working more and getting less.
The price I had in my head was around $500. Not sure how that compared to standards, hence the question. My goal is to hit about half what a company would charge.
edit:
Regarding price... This is all fun stuff for me, so charge a nominal fee to cover wear/tear on gear, right? The problem with that, is twofold. For one, it cheapens the industry, and devalues the work as a whole. Not that I'm doing enough to affect local standards, but it's the point that matters. Secondly, I don't want to get a reputation as a guy that works for nothing. If I end up doing more with this stuff, that puts me in a bad spot, and it can be hard to get out of it. It also may become less fun working more and getting less.
The price I had in my head was around $500. Not sure how that compared to standards, hence the question. My goal is to hit about half what a company would charge.
Last edited:
SeanKroll
Treehouser
@Burnham's post about how so few people have a proper ax made me want to share my thought from the other day.
Usually, I say that a half-wrap handle is fine, like manual brake or steering. I chose to use my MS261 the other day for small limbing and bucking. Ever other rear-handle saw, aside from my Husky electric, and Husky sitting in the shop, barely used and in need of repair (for years) have full wraps. I realized it was like having a car that only turns left. So much better than riding a bike all the time, but...
Usually, I say that a half-wrap handle is fine, like manual brake or steering. I chose to use my MS261 the other day for small limbing and bucking. Ever other rear-handle saw, aside from my Husky electric, and Husky sitting in the shop, barely used and in need of repair (for years) have full wraps. I realized it was like having a car that only turns left. So much better than riding a bike all the time, but...
flushcut
TreeHouser
BMG. And get the Scoops by far more versatile than the Vermeer grapple.
Marc-Antoine
TreeHouser
I want one !
flushcut
TreeHouser
It’s alive! It’s alive!!!!!!!
The first prototype should be called Franken Cobble.
The first prototype should be called Franken Cobble.
pigwot
M's, Juniper's, Lowen’s, and Inge’s Grandpa
Treeaddict
Treehouser
Where are you Pat?
pigwot
M's, Juniper's, Lowen’s, and Inge’s Grandpa
Yep, rambutan, rose apple, pomelo, papaya, guava, dragonfruit, - unreal, tasty, huge mangoes - daily delights here in Thailand.
CurSedVoyce
California Hillbilly
Down side of this fire.
Friday, all the bank tellers ran out an hour early since their homes were in the evac zone. Told me to just use the night drop and someone would see to it Monday. I thought , I'll just wait till Monday morning then. Just in case shit hits. Sometimes thell cut power in places like town for the fire if it goes bad.
Well, low and behold, no one came to work at the bank today. Guess anyone with keys was sheltering in place and such. Cant leave to go to work, you wont get back home. And if you have critters. Well...
So. I guess other businesses were caught in a bind with their corporate office wondering about where deposits were. No change for some to just go get. Just a few issues.
Now me. I have been filling every vehicle and fuel can since this started Friday. So I had a ton written out in checks and hardly a deposit all last week. I ran back up the hill, unloaded the flat bed and drove an hour to a Merced branch. Guess they been getting calls all morning. Apologized as they are also understaffed and cant send anyone up to 'Posa. Made my deposit. Bought a new couple of torque wrenches as I thought mine might be fritzy. Went home and installed the last four injectors in 100* heat.
I feel for my favorite fuel station. They never got their deposit in from last week. But thought they did. They have the fire contract so ALL the trucks and FF equipment and support vehicles fill there. They are running the fuel out and they need more delivered. They were not pleased with the news. As I mentioned before. Fuel stations pay up front for their fuel delivery and the associated taxes passed onto the consumer.
Friday, all the bank tellers ran out an hour early since their homes were in the evac zone. Told me to just use the night drop and someone would see to it Monday. I thought , I'll just wait till Monday morning then. Just in case shit hits. Sometimes thell cut power in places like town for the fire if it goes bad.
Well, low and behold, no one came to work at the bank today. Guess anyone with keys was sheltering in place and such. Cant leave to go to work, you wont get back home. And if you have critters. Well...
So. I guess other businesses were caught in a bind with their corporate office wondering about where deposits were. No change for some to just go get. Just a few issues.
Now me. I have been filling every vehicle and fuel can since this started Friday. So I had a ton written out in checks and hardly a deposit all last week. I ran back up the hill, unloaded the flat bed and drove an hour to a Merced branch. Guess they been getting calls all morning. Apologized as they are also understaffed and cant send anyone up to 'Posa. Made my deposit. Bought a new couple of torque wrenches as I thought mine might be fritzy. Went home and installed the last four injectors in 100* heat.
I feel for my favorite fuel station. They never got their deposit in from last week. But thought they did. They have the fire contract so ALL the trucks and FF equipment and support vehicles fill there. They are running the fuel out and they need more delivered. They were not pleased with the news. As I mentioned before. Fuel stations pay up front for their fuel delivery and the associated taxes passed onto the consumer.
treebilly
Student of the Jedi. OH-7106A
Well everyone that I talked to said to stick with the BMG so that’s probably what I’ll do if I decide to upgrade to a bigger mini. The capacity difference is huge between the 650 I have and the 160. I don’t really need the bigger machine but it sure would make my life easier since I despise borrowing equipment. I borrow/rent a full size skid loader at least a dozen times a year for various projects at the house and the camping property. This could eliminate most of that if not all with the right attachments. I need to go over the specs of the 160 some more and check the brush mower and rototiller requirements.
@SkwerI the avant- is tempting but doesn’t fit into what I need. I get into to many steep and tight areas. The mini skid seems much easier to make the quick recovery or save when I get in a bad situation. Let’s just say I need the severe off road package a lot.
The whole thing could be shut down if I can’t convince my wife. She’s already not to happy about my last purchase ( she forgets that we discussed it and she agreed to it) and this might push the limit. Financially I’d be fine but she’s stressing over the state of the economy right now.
@SkwerI the avant- is tempting but doesn’t fit into what I need. I get into to many steep and tight areas. The mini skid seems much easier to make the quick recovery or save when I get in a bad situation. Let’s just say I need the severe off road package a lot.
The whole thing could be shut down if I can’t convince my wife. She’s already not to happy about my last purchase ( she forgets that we discussed it and she agreed to it) and this might push the limit. Financially I’d be fine but she’s stressing over the state of the economy right now.
stikine
Treehouser
The two of you are not allowed to be together, at all!
SeanKroll
Treehouser
I'm looking forward to using my BMG scoops for the second time on this job I'm on. Grinding 6 smaller silver maple stumps that I've been removing. Nothing major. Not small, but I know silver maples get huge stumps.
Finished hauling the wood tonight except for the lowest stump cuts. Less than half of the chipping left for tomorrow, early, before the heat...97 forecasted.
Finished hauling the wood tonight except for the lowest stump cuts. Less than half of the chipping left for tomorrow, early, before the heat...97 forecasted.
BeerGeek
Tree Numbnutz
Was back at the dead ash house today for more fun with dead/hazard oaks. All of them 80+ ft. tall in the woods, but was only able to drop 2 without climbing (didn't want to kill off the smaller maples/oaks/beech coming up around them). Climbed 4 more, some up as high as 80 ft. to get tops out/set Maasdam lines and allow the brush monkeys some opportunities at felling. Junior did sacrifice one ~40 ft. Maple, but fairly uneventful otherwise. Last one was a 100+ ft. uprooted Red Oak that had it's main stem hung up in a neighboring tree. Had to do the reverse, shallow notch/undercut method about 6 times (each cut ~6 ft. each) to have the stick stand straight up next to the tree it was wedged into. Got a tag line through a crotch about 30 ft. up, then set to Maasdam in a 3:1 over 100 ft. away. Everybody got a turn cranking away, and the pig finally gave way and crashed to the ground about 15 ft. away from the Maasdam tree. Tree was 34 in. DBH, and still was about 2.5 ft. diameter/~100 ft. tall standing straight up. Dead as could be, but wood was all pretty solid. Heading back tomorrow for a last jumbo oak that I may actually get some speedlining in for. Oh, and look what the custy has had for the past 30+ yrs (original owner, no less; 20" bar):
Last edited:
CurSedVoyce
California Hillbilly
This was promising.
Lets hope, now that the valve covers and plumbing is put back, that is runs more than a couple days.
Lets hope, now that the valve covers and plumbing is put back, that is runs more than a couple days.
flushcut
TreeHouser
Two oak removals, some fun rigging with the GRCS. Back today to get the third oak real tight drop zone. I guess I am going to make it rain firewood lol.
SeanKroll
Treehouser
When do you use the GRCS instead of Sancho the mighty mini?
flushcut
TreeHouser
When space is at a premium. If I don’t have enough run for Sancho to do his thing.
flushcut
TreeHouser
Went back to get the third oak today. We got the top out and it started pouring and finished the last four eight foot log catches. Went back to the shop to dry off and go to lunch. Back mid afternoon for the finish, stumps and a few others tomorrow.
Similar threads
