How'd it go today?

[stig]

Brian, don't you have some option for towing, like AAA.
I have my work ( and private) vehicles "insured" with a Danish company.
I pay a premium every year ( about 50 bucks and deductable) and when I get a breakdown or get stuck in the woods, they come and pull me out.
They must have an awful lot of never-stuck, never- brokedown clients, because they sure don't make money off of me.

My crew have been singing Willie's praises today.
We put the new GRCS to work on a nasty ash, with long branches hanging down over a thatched roof. It sure made easy work of lifting those branches clear of the roof.

When we were done, Richard told me that he had been reluctant about springing for the GRCS, but this job had totally convinced him.

We also had some ash trees along a road to pull.
Instead of setting pull lines with the Bigshot, we let our new apprentice have his first spur climbing experiences in them.
He'll sleep well tonight
After he had fought his way up some trees, Richard did a real smooth and fast climb up a tall ash, just to show him how it is s'posed to be done.
It was great to see the kid's face, when Richard just ran up that tree.
He just couldn't believe it.

 

[Burnham]

Last week my rookie climbing partner and I joined up with the district fisheries biologist to retro-fit the solar panel mount with the improvements I recommended. I elected to have Waldy do the whole job 'cause he's needing the tree time for experience's sake.

After Jack, the biologist, watched Waldy spur the first 40 feet or so, he looked at me and said, "I knew you looked pretty smooth and quick when I watched you climb this one the first time...but I had no idea how smooth and quick you really are".

Makes an old climber feel good, though I know in a few years Waldy will be beating me easily...ahh, youth is a beautiful thing!

 

[MasterBlaster]

just to show him how it is s'posed to be done

Then perhaps he shoulda done that first, just to show the fellow? Maybe he'd have learned something along the way?

They must have an awful lot of never-stuck, never- brokedown clients, because they sure don't make money off of me.

Hahahahaaa.

 

[stig]

Butch, my experience with teaching this stuff is twofold:

When you teach men, let them beat themselves senseless against a tree first, then show them how it is done.
Male rookie climbers have so much excess testosterone that they just know, they can do it better than the old guy trying to teach them.

When you teach women, you start out showing them the best way to do it, and they just do it that way.
They are so much easier to teach.

 

[sawinredneck]

They gave me the wrong ball joints, I need press in, they gave me bolt in and I can't get ahold of the girl so she can exchange them for the right ones.
BUT, it's 42, cloudy and windy outside, I'm not feeling much love for working on a silly truck anyways!

 

[SkwerI]

Andy, at least put some pants on. You have goose bumps on your ass.

 

[sawinredneck]

That's a Hell of an idea! Might make it warmer?

 

[Burnham]

Butch, my experience with teaching this stuff is twofold:

When you teach men, let them beat themselves senseless against a tree first, then show them how it is done.
Male rookie climbers have so much excess testosterone that they just know, they can do it better than the old guy trying to teach them.

When you teach women, you start out showing them the best way to do it, and they just do it that way.
They are so much easier to teach.

A whole lot of truth in this.

 

[MasterBlaster]

You have goose bumps on your ass.

That Skwerl must eat a ton o carrots!!!

 

[brendonv]

I was off to a bad start today. Planned for rain as I had so much shit to do at my house. Got up, not raining...went and met my helper. We pulled out of my street, took a right, then another right, then another right back into my driveway. Had so much to do for this weekends happenings we ended up getting them done. Finished some odds and ends of my floor so the hardwood guy can refinish them tomorrow. Installed a bunch of v-groove boards in my bathroom so I can install some baseboard for the furnace. And a bunch of other stuff.

 

[Underwor]

After Jack, the biologist, watched Waldy spur the first 40 feet or so, he looked at me and said, "I knew you looked pretty smooth and quick when I watched you climb this one the first time...but I had no idea how smooth and quick you really are".

Makes an old climber feel good, though I know in a few years Waldy will be beating me easily...ahh, youth is a beautiful thing!

Burnham, I know the feeling. We can outdo them with experience and technique until they learn those and combine them with youth. Then we just have to set back and take credit for doing such a good job of teaching them.

 

[SkwerI]

Bob, that would make an excellent signature line. Can I borrow that?

 

[Underwor]

When you teach men, let them beat themselves senseless against a tree first, then show them how it is done.
Male rookie climbers have so much excess testosterone that they just know, they can do it better than the old guy trying to teach them.

When you teach women, you start out showing them the best way to do it, and they just do it that way.
They are so much easier to teach.

I agree with Stig and Burnham on this one. Usually the first week of class, the women outdo the men just enough to frustrate the heck out of them. By about the 3 class session, they seem to suddenly decide to try it like you suggest and then the race evens out. I still have a couple of lady grads that I would not like to go up against in a climbing competition. They would most likely beat me so bad that I would have a real good feeling about how good I taught them!!!

 

[Underwor]

Use anything I say that you like. It makes me feel good that I taught you so well!!!

 

[sotc]

Haha

 

[Underwor]

Willie, I like the Shigo quote in your signature. I agree that the biggest change since I started in the business in 1967 has been that we now concentrate on doing things for trees rather than to trees. This is the whole basis of a "real" Plant Health Care program. I must say that in my opinion I have seen very few PHC programs that I feel live up to this goal. Most were a renaming of the spray and pruning programs. I am sure there are some great ones out there and I hope to see more.

 

[sotc]

Our program is still young but were getting refferals from lots of other tree guys on PHC stuff so that makes me feel like were on the right track

 

[Al Smith]

On that 300 plus tow bill B you have to remember where you're at .It would have cost Tom about 100 for the same thing but you have to remember where he's at .

It would not surprise me in the least if it weren't the engine control system .The average guy including myself has neither the proper analization equipment nor the knoweledge and tools to work on the damned things .The things are fly by wire ,no direct linkage from the accelerator pedal and a zillion other things .Freakin rocket science on a truck of all things .

 

[arborworks1]

I'm hoping to get my phc program in the category you mention, Bob. I like that line what have you done for your tree lately.

Al, you aren't kidding about rocket science. There must be 20 plus sensors on the top of the 6.0 engine.

 

[Underwor]

Willie, Is the photo on your website from Medford? It is a beautiful little shack in the woods!

 

[sotc]

The tree lined pathway? No, its a web shot. We have a street like that but the Am. Elms are looking sickly any more and my buddy won the city bid to prune them so I didn't want the shot after that

 

[Al Smith]

Well it looks like Tom's boys tried to kill another 020 t .Actually more old age than anything I'd imagine . The dealer told him the crank bearings are shot .So it looks like good old Al is going bring back yet another from the grave .

I just happened to have the parts in my stash of goodys .I'll document the rebuild and post it here and on Kevins site when I get it done .

Funny at one time I just hated to wrench on these little pups but I've done so many now it's just old hat ,who knew .

 

[sawinredneck]

I am even more committed to not buy a Chrysler product now! I guess tomorrow morning I get to go back and try the THIRD set of ball joints for this 3/4ton! First they gave me bolt ins, I have press ins, second they gave me press ins, but the bottom is too small and the top is too large, now I have yet another two part numbers to go through in hopes of finding the right ones! This is stupid! My wife and I just want the damn thing out of the driveway!

 

[brendonv]

Had the good day. Storm damage still. Chasing hangers, cleaning up the grounds. Picky customer, PITA actually, got the check at the end of the day and he said nice job. Last time we broke a branch (pencil size) on his Hydrangea, I didn't think he'd let me live it down.

Got back to my house to find the hardwood floor guys making my floors amazing. It rocked, totally sanded, brought back the beauty. They will be stained and three coats of poly by Sunday. Stoked. I might just live there before I hit the 1 year mark of "ownership". Wow this year went by.

Paul from Super splitter called me to. MY machine is shipping today, with a free upgrade to a Honda engine. I guess a customer backed out so mine ships early with an upgrade!

 

[SoonerFan]

they gave me press ins, but the bottom is too small and the top is too large

Turn them over Andy.

(sorry, couldn't help myself)