Pass, maybe?

[Treeaddict]

I’m most likely passing on this long dead ash removal. Bucket would be a better option as it’s accessible. I’ve climbed long dead ash and stayed tied to the largest limbs in compression configuration and/or stayed on the main stem. I would not fall this one as it could take out the corner of the house because it won’t hinge. Tag lines could help steer it though but still a risk imo. I could climb the trunk and take off many limbs using a power pole saw but I don’t necessarily trust the tree roots with all the fruiting bodies. I may put a line in it and do some pulling and see how the base and canopy behave. I’m like 80% sure I don’t want to do this one. It probably won’t be economical for the customer to have me do it with lift rental.

 

[SeanKroll]

Everyone will use a lift.

Price it for the lift, plus overhead on the lift.

 

[SeanKroll]

IF you can get the guy rope anchored at 90⁰ or rearward of 90⁰ a bit, it will stay with the rope. Use a low-stretch, well-tensioned line.

 

[SeanKroll]

Not your problem; it is theirs. You're the problem fixer. Charge accordingly or walk.

 

[Treeaddict]

Everyone will use a lift.

Price it for the lift, plus overhead on the lift.

Just the price to rent vs what someone owns will be a big difference. Somebody may have a used bucket truck they paid $15 k for.

 

[lxskllr]

How much chance of hitting the house? If it's a "maybe" and it could go anywhere but the house, maybe a trick cut + tether would be enough to keep it from hitting it. OTOH, not cutting it at all will keep it from being your problem. Money can be made any time, and this stuff should be fun. Smashing houses isn't fun.

 

[Treeaddict]

If it want totally where it wanted, it would hit the house. It could be pulled to fall to the right. I’m 98% sure I could do it but I don’t like the 2% doubt. I’d have to de limb it if I’m doing it. I feel ok climbing on the trunk only but nervous of dead limbs coming off and walloping me as well as uproot due to all the shrooms and soft roots. Although, it hasn’t uprooted yet and it’s leaning hard. My 200lbs probably wouldn’t topple it. I may put a rope up there and shake it hard and gain some confidence or price out the smaller lifts.

 

[lxskllr]

@Patrick A made this comment in the work pictures thread...

For this one, my tie in point was inline with the top of the tree so I was barely putting any weight or side force on it. I rarely climb an ash without any other close tie in point. If there is one rule, it would be based on the bark coming of in the first few feet of spiking up. I have refused many ash trees. Clients understand and I refer them to a bigger outfit.

Sounds sensible to me.

 

[SeanKroll]

If it want totally where it wanted, it would hit the house. It could be pulled to fall to the right. I’m 98% sure I could do it but I don’t like the 2% doubt. I’d have to de limb it if I’m doing it. I feel ok climbing on the trunk only but nervous of dead limbs coming off and walloping me as well as uproot due to all the shrooms and soft roots. Although, it hasn’t uprooted yet and it’s leaning hard. My 200lbs probably wouldn’t topple it. I may put a rope up there and shake it hard and gain some confidence or price out the smaller lifts.

I wouldn't shake a shitty, leaning tree with the house in the fall zone.

A tow-behind lift is $300 plus a day, here. 4 hours is less.

TOWABLE MAN LIFT 45 FOOT Rental Olympia WA, Rent TOWABLE MAN LIFT 45 FOOT in Olympia WA, Lacey, Tumwater, McCleary Washington, Fort Lewis

Rental equipment we carry -- aerial equipment, air equipment, compaction equipment, electric tools, floor care tools, forklifts, garden equipment, generators, painting equipment, plumbing equipment, saws, tractors, traffic control equipment, trailers, trenchers, trucks, water pumps and welders

lewrentswest.com

 

[WoodCutr]

id rent a lift, should only be 5-800 a day for an 80 footer

or, crane, crane is always the answer LOL
yes, thats a firehouse pickle bucket holding my rope

 

[cory]

Not your problem; it is theirs.

Yes indeed, I used to encounter some custys who would definetly present their problem as your problem now, kinda hard to explain but I've definetly felt it. These days I just hit em with a nice high price and listen to the deafening silence in return, or get the job and make money on it.

 

[Treeaddict]

I’ll probably do the tow behind lift.

 

[SeanKroll]

How much side weight/ How much to turn the tree off the lean to clear the house?

 

[pigwot]

My inclination would be: do not climb it - if there are that many fruiting bodies it has been dead too long. Ash affected by EAB gets downright punky quickly.
Lift or get to know the local outfit with a crane. Much safer!

 

[treebilly]

Not your problem; it is theirs. You're the problem fixer. Charge accordingly or walk.

Took me a long time to realize this. I used to try to keep the prices down because I felt bad for the people. Most trees don’t go from healthy to dead and rotten in one season and a homeowner waiting years only makes it worse. Should’ve had it removed when it was declining, not completely rotted out.

 

[Treeaddict]

How much side weight/ How much to turn the tree off the lean to clear the house?

I can get the canopy out easily and drop the stem. Really only 25’ needs to come off to avoid the roof. But, while I’m up there ….

 

[Treeaddict]

Took me a long time to realize this. I used to try to keep the prices down because I felt bad for the people. Most trees don’t go from healthy to dead and rotten in one season and a homeowner waiting years only makes it worse. Should’ve had it removed when it was declining, not completely rotted out.

I hear you. I have a repeat Custy with 2 ash. One is 30% dead. Just today I told home not to wait more than a year as it will cost more to remove. Pay a lot now or a whole lot more later kinda thing.

I did the same (tried to keep prices low) when bidding plumbing service jobs at folks homes. Maybe bid it to where if everything went great and the stars aligned, there’d be a small profit. I got sick of the stress and stopped doing that.

Part of the problem is that I really want to do the tree work. Need to divorce those feelings. If I don’t get that one, there’s plenty more. Gotta keep that in the front of my mind.

 

[Mellow]

Never assume what the customer is willing to spend. Price it with a lift rental fee included and let them decide.

 

[flushcut]

Took me a long time to realize this. I used to try to keep the prices down because I felt bad for the people. Most trees don’t go from healthy to dead and rotten in one season and a homeowner waiting years only makes it worse. Should’ve had it removed when it was declining, not completely rotted out.

But every potential customer will say it was fine last year.

 

[davidwyby]

Cowboy me would tether opposite the lean and slightly towards the lay…maybe another pull line to the lay. It ain’t gonna swing or hinge that’s for sure. Might chair.

Safe me would use a lift.

 

[SeanKroll]

A strong rope will do the job, maybe with less force than you might expect.

Like with a pull-line. Height gives leverage.

You're not trying to lift it, just prevent something somewhat balanced from tipping the wrong way.

 

[WoodCutr]

hook a wrecker opposite the lean with about 10-20 separate anchors to spread the load on the tree?
seems crazy, but just maybe? this job takes someone just a little crazy anyways

still think lift or crane and piece it out, ive got a job possible in a few weeks where im more than likely riding the basket on the crane, basket pins to the boom and now its a 120foot bucket truck basically

 

[SeanKroll]

Have you worked from a basket?

I have worked from a rope, double tie-in.

Baskets move in reaction to cutting. I don't think back-chaining works.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

If you had the right kit.
You could literally set it all up using throw lines and a block in the tree to the left. HOBBS or GRCS could quite literally pull that tree towards the tree to the left after some one had faced the death tree mostly towards it. Cripple it with a back cut. And guy the tree back to something, if nothing else, picketts. Once it seperates and swings over, lower and pull it into the spot or butcher it shorter as it get closer to the ground paying attention to balance.
That ground looks to steep to set up a towable lift proper.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

I really dislike these kind of threads.
Its like quoting over the phone. I tell the potential client I cant and wont.
With out being there and actually seeing and assessing the tree and targets and options, it is folly.
Dead trees bottom line.
If you feel it is beyond your gear or experience, dont you dare climb it or take on the job.
I cant tell you how many jobs over my career I simply referred out until I got more experience or kit that allowed me to do it the proper way with less risk.
I had one tree I kept telling the HO no on over his roof for years.
After I got the KK devise( similar to HOBBS) I did eventually take the job on. No crane or bucket access for anything local we had. Needed over 100 foot of stick to do it safely. We lowered it all off the roof into a tight car width slot. Zip lined, drifting some and lowering. Took all day and paid well. I bet we went three years of referring and refusing until he asked me the last time.
He really respected us after that and we got a ton of work from it.
Just my .02