MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
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Sexy.
How'd it go today?
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woodworkingboy
TreeHouser
Had a dicey deal with a crane pick today. A not so large appearing Zelcova, but it had to be swung around a tall out building and over a drop off. The computer said that the crane had three something tons of lift at that extension and angle, a conservative readout. Putting some heads together we figured three tons max for the tree. After getting it cut it turned out to be five tons six hundred. Couldn't make the lift and the outside outriggers were lifting up bad when the op tried. Fortunately we could swing it around little by little on even ground the other way through a narrow gap between the structure and some trees. Inched it along with a big ol pry bar until close enough to the crane to lift up over another structure. Heck of a gross weight underestimation, lots of water in the wood at this time of year. I thought the crane might go over at one point. Some laughter at the break, but a little nervous like. Have to say that the operator stayed pretty cool, an independent with twenty years experience. Good to work with people like that.
Thor's Hammer
Wolfish. Sometimes Bites.
Holy shit Jay. Who took the decision to cut?
Sent from my SM-N910F using Tapatalk
Sent from my SM-N910F using Tapatalk
woodworkingboy
TreeHouser
Ed, the guy running the job, I was a hired hand. 
Apparently when the crane guy came out to look at the site the previous day, it was mutually decided to do the pick without removing limbs. That wouldn't have been a problem to play it safe. By my guess I never figured that weight either. Some luck for sure. Those Elms are a very heavy wood.
Apparently when the crane guy came out to look at the site the previous day, it was mutually decided to do the pick without removing limbs. That wouldn't have been a problem to play it safe. By my guess I never figured that weight either. Some luck for sure. Those Elms are a very heavy wood.
Peter
Treehouser
All to easy to underestimate, the time of year makes more of a difference than one might think.
We underestimated pretty much every pick on my last crane job, fortunately as we started small it didn't really matter.
We underestimated pretty much every pick on my last crane job, fortunately as we started small it didn't really matter.
pete mctree
Treehouser
Glad it ended well Jay. I struggle to guess canopy weights seasonally.
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
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I hate seeing an outrigger start to levitate...
CurSedVoyce
California Hillbilly
Scary stuff Jay. Glad nothing failed catastrophically.
Thor's Hammer
Wolfish. Sometimes Bites.
That was my fault on that job too. I underestimated the first pick by 1 tonne if I remember.Ed, the guy running the job, I was a hired hand.
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Mick!
TreeHouser
Back to climbing tomorrow after some time off with my back. Still very sore, strimmed and mowed the lawn.
Payments to make.....
Payments to make.....
CurSedVoyce
California Hillbilly
I feel for ya Mick. Been nursing my hip this weekend after falling in a creek last week. Still had to climb some last week even though. Hate lying about and don't much care for the pain and lack of sleep or tree man prowess.
Raj
TreeHouser
Hope it's better soon, the both of you.
Nothing like majesticly flying through a tree only to fall on the ground
HO's usually giggle when I keel over trying to get out of my saddle.
Nothing like majesticly flying through a tree only to fall on the ground
HO's usually giggle when I keel over trying to get out of my saddle.
The 33t was reaching out as far as possible, he was only good for about 600lbs, the pick was small but we did this just for a little extra safety cushion. The CO has been doing the work for a long time, knows all about modern cranes being subject to failure before tip over in some situations, he said go ahead and we positioned the 'bota with virtually no pressure on the farthest outrigger.
NickfromWI
King of Splices
Sucky sap covered pine to cable today.
love
nick
love
nick
Raj
TreeHouser
My fingers are sticking to the mouse just looking at the picture.
Al Smith
Mac Daddy
A lot of irons in the fire .Income tax is done to be mailed today .My lady friend is on an extended visit,nice.
Replaced a toilet yesterday ,new Kohler. Cooked the compressor on my geothermal from clogged air filters due to my lack of maintainance .I could change it myself but still working 7 and 12 I don't have the time .Guy coming over this morning .The sad thing is I installed that system myself but forgot all about one set of filters .Plugged tighter than a bulls azz at fly time.Discharge was over 135 degrees which "slugged" the compressor and ran the head pressure up so high it cooked the motor before the safety circuit could shut it down . Technical BS,short story,it's toast .
I did take a three day weekend,first days off in about 50 .Retirement is looking better all the time.
Replaced a toilet yesterday ,new Kohler. Cooked the compressor on my geothermal from clogged air filters due to my lack of maintainance .I could change it myself but still working 7 and 12 I don't have the time .Guy coming over this morning .The sad thing is I installed that system myself but forgot all about one set of filters .Plugged tighter than a bulls azz at fly time.Discharge was over 135 degrees which "slugged" the compressor and ran the head pressure up so high it cooked the motor before the safety circuit could shut it down . Technical BS,short story,it's toast .
I did take a three day weekend,first days off in about 50 .Retirement is looking better all the time.
Al Smith
Mac Daddy
One more thing .Dar passed on two years ago this May .It has taken nearly that long to find a suitable place of entombment and get a nice monument .It just worked out that way .It's long story but I did my best to make it more timely .
woodworkingboy
TreeHouser
Respect beyond the life, good job on that, Al.
Steve Mack
Life Member.
Glad you got it done Al, it's not an easy job. Doesn't seem like nearly two years, time sure gets away.
Mowed the grass. The back with my 21" push mower and the rest with my ''new" ebay self propelled.
Don't think I could ever be a lawn guy.
Mowed the grass. The back with my 21" push mower and the rest with my ''new" ebay self propelled.
Don't think I could ever be a lawn guy.
Al Smith
Mac Daddy
The novelty of mowing the lawn became less enticing for me at about 8-9 years of age .It's somewhat tolerable at my age now with a super duper Toro zero turn mower but it's still not my favorite past time .
CurSedVoyce
California Hillbilly
Shakin the money maker today.
3 hours of driving for less than 2 hours of work.
Took one of my best ground men. HO clean up.
Tree was too crispy to rig off of and the tree nearest I could have rigged from was removed since I was last there.
Tree had been green last year.
Had to set my TIP lead style SRT every 4 feet to the stem above 8" dia. Cut and chuck.
Made bank and came home.
Glad I climbed it and not one of my guys. Bark peeling, punky and cracked. Had to peel the bark to make sure I had good wood to get as high as I could to throw the top out past the deck.
3 hours of driving for less than 2 hours of work.
Took one of my best ground men. HO clean up.
Tree was too crispy to rig off of and the tree nearest I could have rigged from was removed since I was last there.
Tree had been green last year.
Had to set my TIP lead style SRT every 4 feet to the stem above 8" dia. Cut and chuck.
Made bank and came home.
Glad I climbed it and not one of my guys. Bark peeling, punky and cracked. Had to peel the bark to make sure I had good wood to get as high as I could to throw the top out past the deck.
Attachments
Wow! Gotta love that job given the cha ching and HO clean up.
Just wondering about those trees- green last year but you describe the hazards for today, so, they apparently lose strength very quickly after death?
Around here, I would say most trees are still plenty sound 1 year after.
Just wondering about those trees- green last year but you describe the hazards for today, so, they apparently lose strength very quickly after death?
Around here, I would say most trees are still plenty sound 1 year after.
woodworkingboy
TreeHouser
Safe and home, nice work, Stephen.
I observe with our Pine infestation here, that once the needles are looking a lighter shade of green, it's only about two or three months approximately that the tree is looking undeniably dead. I don't know if it has already been mentioned, but a simple check to see if there is infestation when the color appears lighter, is to drill a small hole an inch or so into the trunk, and within a day or so of waiting to see if any sap is evident will give the answer. The sap doesn't always run out, but a small stick stuck in the hole will show sap on the end if the tree is ok.
I observe with our Pine infestation here, that once the needles are looking a lighter shade of green, it's only about two or three months approximately that the tree is looking undeniably dead. I don't know if it has already been mentioned, but a simple check to see if there is infestation when the color appears lighter, is to drill a small hole an inch or so into the trunk, and within a day or so of waiting to see if any sap is evident will give the answer. The sap doesn't always run out, but a small stick stuck in the hole will show sap on the end if the tree is ok.
CurSedVoyce
California Hillbilly
18 months after I looked at it and there was almost no water content in it. I was picking up 18" plus rounds and tossing them off the deck with little effort. Hinge wood was non existent. Dang wood just popped and broke. Hand pushing and undermining COG was helping things fly the right direction. Lack of water has really taken it's toll. There were large balls of pitch coming out of the collars almost the size of baseballs in some cases. Golf balls others. IPS beetle, western pine beetle (bark beetle) and friends have really had their way with these trees.
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