spiderlift

[sawinredneck]

Are the legs always extended that far?

Or can you set them up narrow for a tight access?

The legs fold in and it will go through a 38" gate easy.

[Koa Man]

which unit is that?

It looks like the 23GT to me.

Regarding the outriggers, the 23GT has multiple leg positions. It can be set as narrow as 9 ft. to a max. of 13.5 ft. Some of the other makes, like the ReachMaster,[on most models] have a fixed position of about 12.5 ft.

[No_Bivy]

23gt = how much reach?

[Koa Man]

Teupen measures their units in meters. 23GT = 23 meters, about 76 ft.
It has 35 ft. of side reach. I would really like to get one, but I have to stick with the 15GT for now.

[No_Bivy]

how much...120k?

[arborworks1]

They have a 60 ft model now, correct?

As the legs go I was referrring to the setup width when working the bucket.

[sawinredneck]

The 23GT goes higher than I care to!!!!!

[brendonv]

I think a 60 footer would be sweet.

Better start saving.

[Skwerl]

The most realistic way to get into any high dollar piece of equipment like this is to just get it and let the equipment earn enough to make the payments. I'd never be able to buy a bucket truck if I had to pay for it up front, but having it has multiplied my income.

[arborworks1]

Sorry Koa didn't read your whole post. got my answer.


Brian you at right about letting the equipment pay for itself. New buckets or spiders should be around 1500 to 2000 per month depending on your finances and terms.

Easy to swing that kind of payment with increased productivity.

[lumberjack]

They make a 50ish footer, the 76 footer, and a 150 footer in articulating chassises. Unless I worked in tight areas like Wesely, I'd get the 75' unit. As it stands, my trailered 56' unit is still working dandy for me and my needs.

[arborworks1]

Here are the specs on the 60 ft lift.

http://www.spiderlifts.com/18gt/index.html

[DTW902]

Does it move any slower when it's cold?


Well back for 1-day then head back up around Fort-Riley. Anyway yes it moves slower when cold, as does any hydraulics. I just start it up and let it warm up.


Are the legs always extended that far?

Or can you set them up narrow for a tight access?

You can set up in as narrow as 7.5ft and wide is 13.5ft, you can use many combinations, narrow on 1 side, 1 leg narrow, ect ect. But when you set up narrow you loose full rotation, you can not rotate past the outriggers. So you want to be facing the area you need to work in. We always try and set up in the full width as much as possible. Here is the specs on outrigger placement.

http://www.spiderlifts.com/23gt/specs.html

Go to the top left of the picture and you can change it to the footprint diagram to see the outrigger placement.

One thing to remember on the 15GT and 18GT, is the outriggers are straight. So that means if the terrain is steep or say working in or next to a ditch you will have to use cribbing to get the machine level. The 23Gt outriggers are hooked you can have 1 outrigger as much as 3ft off the ground if need be, so they will level in some pretty extreme places. They have some pretty good pictures on there web site.
http://www.spiderlifts.com/23gt/photos.html

They have several pictures of my machine, they are numbers 2,3,4,5,6,7,87,88,151,152,153,154,155,156,157,158, 159,160,161,162. They also put us in there add in Lift And Access magazine for Jan and Feb....8)

So thats just somthing else to think about, what the terrain is like in your area....:D

[DTW902]

I will add some picture's I forgot we lost all of the older pic's.

[DTW902]

Looks like we can only upload 1 picture at a time?

[DTW902]

Some more.

[lumberjack]

Showoff!

[DTW902]

Ha i'm bored, just thought I would get some pic's back up.
Digging around to see what pic's I have on this computer.

[lumberjack]

In other words, you're at work.



:lol:

[Mr. Sir]

Dang, I want one. :D

[DTW902]

No specific order just random pic's I can find.
Thats enough for tonite, Maybe Wesley will add some later....

[No_Bivy]

is that the 75' model? 23GT

[DTW902]

Yes.

[DTW902]

Ah hell a few more.

[DTW902]

The exception being when I can put the basket right under the limb, reach out, and let it lay down on top of the basket. Then I grab it and off it goes.

Kinda like this Carl.

[Jamin Mayer]

Videos!? :D

[MasterBlaster]

How are you doing that w/o another man in the bucket? :P

[stehansen]

Pretty sweet.

[DTW902]

How are you doing that w/o another man in the bucket? :P

:what: I forgot the other guy. :/: :P

[lumberjack]

Ha precisely, Dave. You have the advantage of a rotatable basket.

For the record I said that I occasionally use 2 folks, its hardly the norm and it's not slower.

[MasterBlaster]

Not necessarily "slower," but an inefficient use of manpower.

[squisher]

If it takes two guys to do the same work. Then it is slower right?

Heh Derek.:P

[MasterBlaster]

Actually, that too but I didn't wanna bring a tear to Carl's eye. :lol:

[lumberjack]

Cuz everyone knows that trees are all the same, just like tree companies and their setup.


You lose.

[MasterBlaster]

Really?

[lumberjack]

Yep.

[MasterBlaster]

Thems the breaks, I guess!

[Koa Man]

On jobs that require cut and toss, like removing branches over a roof, etc., it is much faster to have a 2nd guy in the bucket.

[MasterBlaster]

I can do that perfectly fine all by myself, just refer back to my video.

[Koa Man]

I can also do it fine by myself also, but it is much faster with someone else to hold the branch or log while you cut. I would bet any amount of money against anybody in the world that if I had a 2nd guy in the bucket with me I would be able to remove a similar sized branch faster than a guy working by himself, if it all had to be hold, cut and toss. I am talking about a situation where you have to actually toss a piece about 15 ft. or more to clear obstacles, not just tossing something 3-5 ft. I just did a job (alone in the bucket) where I had to throw branches 20 ft. to clear targets near the tree to the drop zone. After I got high enough, I speed lined the branches.

[MasterBlaster]

I'd take that bet.

And, again, I maintain that it's a waste of manpower.

[Skwerl]

I'd take that bet, and your money. 8)
I can one-hand 3 small pieces faster than two people can work together to cut one larger piece. But I'm also working out of a one-man bucket and can just swing the stuff around the side. Working on one of those lifts is different because the basket is so large. Another factor is that my controls are all in one pistol grip so I can maneuver the bucket with one hand. I never have to set my saw down.

[MasterBlaster]

I never thought about that - the difference in the actual bucket. Yet another reason for me sticking with conventional aerial lifts.

[Koa Man]

You guys would lose. Would you trust yourself to hold with one hand a 4ft. long, 6 inch dia. log? If you do, you must have huge hands and the strength of a gorilla. A guy using two hands could easily hold a 6 ft. long piece.

Skwerl,
I can easily manuver the spider's bucket with one hand and without looking. In fact, I rarely look at the controls and after almost 700 hours in the machine, I move the bucket around without even having to think about which lever to push and in which direction.

On Dave's lift, the bucket rotates so you can actually work off the small end, much like a standard bucket. I personally like the 2 man bucket. It allows me to take my small ice chest with my drinks with me. I also take a 20 gal. trash can in the bucket when doing palms. I put all the paper like fiber in it. That saves a lot of ground clean up time.

[MasterBlaster]

The final word is (99% of the time) two people working in a bucket is the mark of an amateur, and I'm finished discussing it. Ya'll fit three people in there if you think that's what you need.

[Mr. Sir]

I'm with Butch and Brian on this one. I can easily cradle a 6 foot by 6 inch log in one arm, slip the saw into the scabbard without looking, and toss it 10 or 20 feet(depending on the height). I do it all the time. I can also manipulate the 3 bucket control levers one handed without looking. That second guy is much more efficient on the ground dragging and chipping.

[Skwerl]

On a 6' long, 6" diameter log I would slide the bucket up under it, then wrap one arm over it and cut it off with the other hand. All I gotta do is balance it on the bucket.

And my bucket rotates out 90 degrees as well, so that makes it even easier to get into position. I'm not saying that you're slow with 2 men, I'm just saying that I can work just as fast or faster by myself and my setup. And I can also work a little bit closer to power lines than you when necessary.

Those spiderlifts are fantastic machines with lots of capabilities, but on a straight-up tree wreck I will flat out beat you every time. ;)

[MasterBlaster]

Hear hear! :beer:

[JIML]

I guarantee you cut and toss with 2 buckets is even faster :P

We run 2 buckets to a crew, nice sometimes to set up close enough together, one guy hold it and throw it and the other cut it. great for cutting limbs hangin over wires.

Sometimes don't have somewhere to throw it so we will cut with one truck and "crane" with the other, whatever you can hold onto. Never rig anything off my bucket.

[Jonseredbred]

All this talk of wood handling makes me think you guys need some more rope.

[Mr. Sir]

I've got plenty of rope and I'll use it if necessary, but it's often faster and more efficient to cut and throw.

[MasterBlaster]

Cut and toss (and I wondered why I was aching all the time) was all I ever did in the beginning. In my old age I'll rope the limbs every chance I get. I can work bigger pieces, get it done quicker, and save wear and tear on my body.

[lumberjack]

If only it were possible to get another set of hands in the basket that weren't attached to your body. That way, on the bigger stuff in this mystical world, all you would have to do is run a saw and move the lift. Oh, and since we're in the dream world and all, give the other set of hands 5+ years experience with you, so all you have to do is cut and they are already on it.




ETA: In this mythical world where anything's possible, how about extra set of arms also throws the piece straight into the back of the portable bottomless abyss that I have exclusive ownership over.

[MasterBlaster]

As a climber, I've always wanted another arm coming out of the center of my chest. THAT would be awesome!

[Jonseredbred]

Cut and toss (and I wondered why I was aching all the time) was all I ever did in the beginning. In my old age I'll rope the limbs every chance I get. I can work bigger pieces, get it done quicker, and save wear and tear on my body.

:thumbup: Thank You

[Mr. Sir]

Well, I'm still a youngster so I'll cut and toss for a while yet till I get old like you'se guys. 8)

[MasterBlaster]

Hey, if you're not worried about production, then more power to ya.

[Mr. Sir]

Huh? :?

[squisher]

Rigging whenever possible is way faster for my set-up with a mini. Big pieces = way faster clean-up.

[MasterBlaster]

Huh? :?


Cuting and tossing when you should be roping = diminished production.

[squisher]

Yup as I said I find it(rigging/roping/whatever) faster on the getting the wood down and then way faster on the clean-up.

Of course if it's bombs away I won't rig or if I can even just cut and push pieces into a safe landing zone. But once you're actually cutting and tossing, if there's much there I look to the ropes.

Each situation and tree being unique of course this is all open to alot of interpretation.

[Mr. Sir]

Of course it depends on the situation. If I'm climbing, it's usually more productive to use rigging. But from the bucket, I find it's often more productive to cut and toss. Not always, of course, and each job will be evaluated as the situation demands. For example, today I had to take off two oak limbs over a roof. About 8" diameter and about 30 feet long. The tree was about ten feet from the house, so about 20 feet over the roof. I cut and tossed the brushy ends in 3 or 4 pieces, then chunked the rest down in 6 -8 foot pieces. Total time aloft, about 5 minutes in the bucket. It would have taken at least ten minutes to set up a lowering line, tie them off and lower them down. Then my ground guy would have had to cut them up small enough to drag to the chipper.

[squisher]

Then my ground guy would have had to cut them up small enough to drag to the chipper.

Buy a mini.:D

[Mr. Sir]

First the Spiderlift. :|:

[lumberjack]

A mini will seriously change how the average tree company does average removals.

I'd rather have my mini before my lift, and my lift before my dump trailer.

[Koa Man]

I love rigging and will rig out a branch IF it will be more efficient. The tree I worked on last week had a branch going 20 ft. over a roof and was only 6 ft. above it. It was faster to cut and toss, especially since their was no good rigging point for it. I have worked both ways, alone and with another guy in the bucket. The times I had another guy in the bucket, it was much more efficient in that particular situation.

And Mr. Sir, how can having to cradle a log in one arm, cut it and then put your saw in the scabbard to toss it with 2 hands be faster than one guy holding the piece, I cut it and as soon as it is cut it is tossed. I can start cutting the 2nd piece while the 2nd guy just grabs it. You guys need to try working with a 2nd guy in a 2 man bucket (not all the time, only certain situations) before knocking it and assuming it is slower.

[arborworks1]

I'll second the mini before the spider lift. I would rather rig down pieces, But most of the time it is way faster to toss it, if its not huge.

[Mr. Sir]

I still think that extra man would be more useful on the ground rather than up in the bucket, that's all. 8)

[lumberjack]

I've had 3 people in the lift before doing tree work!

We crazy like that.

We were picking pears. ETA: I flew, my cousins picked, no way doing that solo is faster :tounge out:

[NeTree]

Doesn't bode well for your skillz, a statement like that!

[lumberjack]

You sure? Highlight my text and all will be revealed.

[NeTree]

HAHAHAHA!

[woodworkingboy]

You guys who are so down on two in a bucket, would you feel that way if the set-up was two buckets attached? We have a home-made arrangement that attaches to the crane boom, two drum cans actually, attached together and on a pivoting shaft. We use it when there is no drop zone. One guy usually does most of the cutting, while the other is stuffing the brush into his can. It works well. I'll have to get a photo the next time.

[NeTree]

I dislike exceeding the rating of the bucket. If it's rated for two people, and one really thinks it's better or faster, then go for it.

Myself, I prefer to work alone aloft.

[lumberjack]

Mine is rated to 500lbs unrestricted.

[Mr. Sir]

You guys who are so down on two in a bucket, would you feel that way if the set-up was two buckets attached? We have a home-made arrangement that attaches to the crane boom, two drum cans actually, attached together and on a pivoting shaft. We use it when there is no drop zone. One guy usually does most of the cutting, while the other is stuffing the brush into his can. It works well. I'll have to get a photo the next time.

Sounds kinda Red Green-ish, if ya know what I mean. :/: ;) :D

I'd like to see those pics. :)

[DTW902]

This is a cottonwood we did a while back for the state. We had to go through the timber to get to it. It was a 3 way codom. The leg the state was worried about was leaning out over a old iron bridge. It was a drop and leave piled at the base of the tree, just nothing in the creek or on the bridge. It would have crushed the bridge if it failed, I took pictures of the base. They had good reason to be worried.

[DTW902]

Some more. These are getting to the tree.

[DTW902]

And these are working on the tree, still had some tree above me, with the spider at 76ft....:)

[sotc]

cool! you couldnt drop in the creek or you just had to clean it back out if you did drop?

[DTW902]

Ya we had to get in the creek to pull some way ward limbs and chunks. We just couldn't leave it in the creek. Oh and it was a 15ft drop from the edge down to the water. Thats what the yellow strap is for in the last picture. We had a pulley set there so we could get the wood out of the creek.

[sawinredneck]

Should have called Dave, I would have ridden the bucket and helped out:lol:

[CurSedVoyce]

The spider lift looks amazing. I love the track drive and the reach. Sure could use one around here. Just not enough market to help pay for it. :(

[DTW902]

Dang I forgot to call Andy.... Mabe next time. :lol:

[sawinredneck]

Dang I forgot to call Andy.... Mabe next time. :lol:

Yeah, I'll hold my breath, and white knuckles!!!

[DTW902]

Another cottonwood drop and leave grind stump. Windy as hell before we got done. The granddaughter got a little tied up on this job. :)

[Mr. Sir]

Haha, nice pics! "Hey kid, this is a big piece. Better take a few wraps!" :lol:

[DTW902]

This was a hackberry removal, the customers were worried about it falling on the house. They had a cool old barn. The camera battery went dead so not to many pictures.

[Skwerl]

Haha, nice pics! "Hey kid, this is a big piece. Better take a few wraps!" :lol:

LMAO! :lol:

[DTW902]

Haha, nice pics! "Hey kid, this is a big piece. Better take a few wraps!" :lol:

That was a good one Brett. :lol:

[Burnham]

Indeed!:lol:

[rangerdanger]

Awesome pics!!! Looks like you have a great set-up with the Spider Lift. I've seen them once or twice at the shows and these things look like the perfect tool for tight access work.

[DTW902]

These are from a recent trip to Tulsa OK. We had to take out the dead top from this Cottonwood tree. They could noy get a crane to the tree and it was to dead to climb.

[DTW902]

This customer's back yard was like a jungle, anyway a pic of the tip going over a few others and the last one is one of several Dawn Redwoods she had back there also. The one pic looking up threw the Magnolia tree's.

[squisher]

Looks like a pita job. Nice.8)

[DTW902]

They are adding on an addition and decided that this Hackberry tree had to go. They already had the stem walls up, so we took the heavy stems over the new construction and let the grab truck help make it go the way I wanted. All we had to do was get it on the ground.

[MasterBlaster]

Lordy, that looks like an easy climbing job.

Why break out the big guns???

[DTW902]

Ha I'm spoiled, why climb when you can ride. That job was on the way to another that day. You have to remember it's very rural were I live, you have to do it all in 1 trip. Can't afford to go back, the nearest decent size town is about 45 miles away.

[Koa Man]

Dave,
Looks like you need an 85 ft. wh lift. I find my 23GT about 5 to 7 ft. too short on some of the coconut palms I trim. MLE is coming out with their A87TD, 93 ft. wh in the 3rd qtr of this year. Drawbacks of that lift compared to the Teupen is no multiple outrigger positioning and the bucket cannot go lower than the boom knuckle. I did ask for a price quote a week ago but have not heard back from them.

[DTW902]

I hear ya Wesley. Seems like no matter how high your lift is you always would like to have 10ft more at times. The tip on that Cottonwood tree was probably 20 to 25 above me. It shattered when it came over, brittle as hell.

[DTW902]

Well finally rounded the maintenance guy up long enough to change lights for the football field. They have there first game next week and they have 11 lights not working.
We are able to drive on the rubberized track as long as we go in a straight line. We use a piece of plywood to turn on. You can see the plywood in the first picture.

[stehansen]

That's cool. Is that the company guard dog there?

[DTW902]

He thinks he has to go everywhere we go. Thats Bandit he showed up with the wife. So the wife snapped a few pictures while she was there.

[Skwerl]

Bandit, huh? Bet he steals your heart. ;)

Brett made a quickie little mod on his Spiderlift. He made some plywood outrigger pads that hook over the outriggers, and he has a bungee cord holding each one on the outrigger. This way he can raise the outriggers, move the machine and reset without having to climb down out of the basket every time. Seems it would be easier if they just made bigger feet on the outriggers to begin with, but that would make too much sense.

[brendonv]

The guy I'm working for now has pads like that Brian. They are plastic, and slide over the aluminum pad. Just drive around and drop your legs.

Pretty nice.

[DTW902]

The new one's do what your talking about Brian. Like this on Wesleys new 23GT.

[CurSedVoyce]

Those spider lifts sure are the shitz nit... Nice shots of the action :)

[MasterBlaster]

Wow. I need me one of those critters!!! :thumbup:

http://www.clipartof.com/images/free_hosting/large/0180-0909-0420-1507_spiderlift.jpg (http://www.clipartof.com)

[tntree]

that thing looks so sweet, David you lazy dog