Clean up techniques

[Page]

Clean as I go most of the time, but the other day my employee just couldn't keep up and I was doing an awful lot of waiting, so I bombed out the rest and came down to help. usually I like to keep things clean. if I'm the one on the ground I am constantly raking up around the tree to keep the ropes clear, and so I'm not tripping on things. on the other topic I've done a lot of climbing with people above or below me. Just pay attention, try to stay on opposite sides of the trunk. I see the danger in it of course but in the right tree it is fine IMO.

 

[PCTREE]

I used to always clean up as we went, however since the wheel loader with grapple I have been putting all the brush on the ground, preferably pointing towards the chipper then bomb the wood on top. Makes for more raking but way less turf damage and man with the loader and a conehead we can clean up in a hurry...

 

[SouthSoundTree]

Next, invent a super power raker for a loader.

 

[bonner1040]

Don't get caught in the habit of thinking that everything you do at Big Green is correct....

How right you are!

 

[flushcut]

I usually run two to three guys climber, chip truck, mini and dump trailer. I like to clean as we go but there have been trees when I have a bucket on site and a big LZ I will fill the area and come in hard and fast with the mini and feed the chipper.

 

[SouthSoundTree]

Clean as we go, generally. Sometimes stacking brush, sometimes chip as we go, depending on the roping and the drag.

I try to stay in the tree, but come down sometimes to help clean. Once I get a Wraptor, I'm sure I"ll come down more often.

 

[woodworkingboy]

If there is a huge pile to clean up, generally start to lose self discipline and more think about wanting to go home. Generally like as you go for the most part.

 

[Husabud]

We clean as we go. I hate cleanup, but I make darn sure it is perfect. The BMG rake makes really quick work of big jobs, usually only the blower to finish up.

 

[brendonv]

I have a rake, brought it to only one job in its life. Should really start bringing jt, thanks for the reminder. Will add a spot on the chipper tool rack build for it.

 

[cory]

ok, I'll bite, what do you mean, you never rake?

 

[brendonv]

Lol. A rake that goes on the branch manager grapple we are talking about. Typically dont rake that much anyways, use a br600 which leaves the yard spotless. But yes, i have manual operating rakes.

 

[cory]

Nice. What's the br600, a Stihl sweeper?

 

[rangerdanger]

A br600 is like a gift from the gods for clean up. It's a big ass back pack blower. Everyone makes fun of me at work for using it so much, but damn, it's so quick and leaves everything spotless.

 

[rangerdanger]

I had Carl's old BMG rake, loved it until I broke it with the Gehl. Might have Dave make an hd model if I ever get extra money.

 

[cory]

I had Carl's old BMG rake, loved it until I broke it with the Gehl. Might have Dave make an hd model if I ever get extra money.

Cool. Nothing like a big backpack. I got by for years with just a handheld, but now, a backpack rules.

 

[mccauleytree]

I have a rake, brought it to only one job in its life. Should really start bringing jt, thanks for the reminder. Will add a spot on the chipper tool rack build for it.

I have the rake but I barely use it as well. I think I am a little to aggressive with it, as I always seem to tear up the grass. I do use the br600 to blow everything in piles and use the bmg scoops to pick everything up. Saves a ton of time vs tarping the stuff or putting it in trash cans and dumping it on the truck.

 

[squisher]

Those scoops work well for you eh? I don't know if they'd fit my BMG. It's 'custom' now. The small tine is shorter as I kept bending it. I've bent the whole thing up a handful of times. I feel like a blacksmith when I repair it. Heating and pounding. Ever since I shortened the small tine ever so slightly I've never bent the grapple up again.

 

[brendonv]

Mines the same squish. All torn up, modified, glued together and stiffened.

 

[squisher]

Do you use the scoops Brendon?

 

[brendonv]

No, they would never fit. Nor do i want to carry them around.

I use a 22oz rubber coated tarp, 4x8. Folds and fits in the chipper tongue tool box. Doesn't rip either.

 

[rangerdanger]

Almost forgot about the scoops, I have the hd scoops and man, do they save so much time on big clean ups. And they're the bees knees for stump grindings. I had to talk Dad into them, now he brags to people how great they were like it was his idea haha.

We've been doing a lot of Ash tree removals, and dead ash just explodes on impact and you're left picking up a million little twigs. The scoops are great to pick up the little piles quickly and make one big one to scoop up and throw in the trailer.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

We got some sand from Home Depot for the pool pad this year. The sand comes in 1000# bag. Mini can move it... We kept all the bags (3) on this trip (80.00 deposit for all three) for clean up on job sites. They are basically one of the tuff bags with handles. REALLY speeds up clean up of the small rakings and such. Same with pruning... If you are pruning small shrubs or ornamentals, you just carry the bag around with you and then haul it all to the chipper... Good for hauling stuff off slopes (up or down) as well...
Nice thing about the small prunings never hitting the ground is that the chipper seldom eats rocks any more. With all the gravel and slate drive ways around here... It really makes sense. Fill it with all the smalls and set the bag in the back of the truck or trailer.


We will be buying three more full of sand next summer and keep the bags as well...
Katy uses one for the loose alfalfa for the critters as well.. Rake and serve.

 

[squisher]

Heh you're flying Willies colors there!

Cool ideas. I've been a bucket boy but maybe will try out some kind of tarp.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

We use both the bucket and these bags... They work well together. Forks come with us on every job for the wood anyway... They fit in the bucket along with the receiver plate for moving the chipper around...
We took down a medium size pine not too long ago..
Slash went to a staging area for burning via mini.. then it was time to rake... you know what a mess a crispy pine will make... Wood went 600 feet down a driveway to act as barricades for an access that some 4WDs were using to get around the guys gate.. then I went back up the drive way and Rob would have two of the bags full of rakings. I would pick them up with the forks at the same time, haul them up the hill to a burn area and drop them.. Then go move the next log while he dumped them and raked some more in to the bags. Clean up was a snap.
BMG would be nice, but the forks are pretty versatile for now. Mini will move some serious rounds with them.. Let alone a log.