How'd it go today?

[Bodean]

How much does the operator fees ceu's etc add up to a year in order to be able to operate it yourself?
Special licensing? Is it a pain in the butt?

 

[Arborkeith]

We get it certified annually, which is 200$ at our local H&E equipment shop. They do us a favor. We don't have a certified operator because until very recently OSHA didn't require an owner/operator to be certified. As far as insurance, I'd have to look all of that up for you. But if you are on fairly flat ground , and have a heavy removal schedule, it pays for itself quick. And butch I read yours wrong , I read "it sucks to be a tree co w/ a crane" ....oops yeah it does suck if you don't have one

 

[woodworkingboy]

I think it might be easier for a crane operator to start a tree company, than for a tree company to incorporate their own crane. Lots of jobs are a piece of cake for a crane, but my observation is that it takes a lot of experience to be competent at all the aspects of using one for tree work, given the variables that can occur with the weight factors and reach, and needing to work expediently. Without that, what can you do but not take on some jobs or run the risks? As Butch's situation shows, a climber shouldn't have to tell a crane guy his job, there should at least be a basic foundation of ability to build on for tree work. I don't see that as so easy to develop by just buying a crane, education is on a par with the device in importance. Some situations can get pretty tricky, along with dangers if it doesn't go the way you want it to. I've been on some jobs where even thirty years competent at the controls wasn't enough, a more skilled and confident operator was required. I'd say it more sucks to have a crane, and not have enough under your belt to not yet be extremely smart with it.

 

[SouthSoundTree]

Damn, Stig. Heal up, you two.



Yesterday, after joking about how light our Silvey jacks are (mounted on a backpack frame), trucking them up a short distance to a 5-6' dead fir, cutting a double jack seat (I've been using a bore in and bust out the minimum width method to keep maximum wedging areas (that is, as far back from the hinge), rather than a long cut out across the back) hooking up the hoses, and starting to pump the rams up tight, there was no pressure. All the fluid leaked out in transport hanging around the deck of our bucket truck. We have our new tool box where the jacks and stuff will be stored, but it needs to be painted and installed. I didn't know that the jacks could leak out, and we didn't have extra fluid with us. My boss knew, but didn't think about it, or didn't think it would be a problem.

Luckily, I didn't cut any unnecessary amount off the back side, because we had to wedge the crap outta it, hoping not to have any large branches or bark plates fall off. He called it the Bark Express, potentially deadly.


Its funny, a large reason that I took the State Parks job is for the stability income and retirement income when we were planning to have a baby. Now, I'm thinking of the risk factor in relation to having a baby, and the inflexibility of the work and hours (don't see Amy or Dahlia in the morning 4 days a week) in relation to the pay, and the requisite travel. If/ when there is a big storm, I won't be able to do storm work for myself, because I will be out in the Parks, possibly traveling for long stretches instead of a few days, here and there. Until I told Amy recently (minus examples, shhhh), she somehow thought that the State Parks job was SAFER than residential! Holy crap NO. Less tiring most days that my own business, but over times I'll be buying more machines and getting more employees to do the hard work.

I'll be looking for a used mini this spring...anyone.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I think a climber would make the best crane operator.

 

[Tucker943]

I agree Butch. Climbers make the best ground men. That's for sure.

 

[cory]

Bought our national 23 ton new in 05 after hurricane Katrina hit. It's on a 2005 peterbilt 330 with a 315 horse cummins engine.

Rear mount? Stand up?

Whats a swing can, a cab that swings with the boom?

 

[cory]

Do you have a 104' boom? Blowing through alot of removals, do you have a log truck to get rid of all the wood?

 

[Arborkeith]

We have two dump trucks, two kubota R520s articulated loaders, a morbark 2400xl morbark model 13 and all kinds of other stuff. Ours is a 23 ton national stand up mounted behind the cab, 92' of live boom. 100' hook heigh when set up. No jib on our rig, as I don't feel they are appropriate for tree work. We move FAST, ask Adrian. He spent two weeks with us in December. It was too wet for a lot of crane work, but he has the idea

 

[Arborkeith]

And dad is our operator, he climbed for nearly 30 years before he started operating so he knows the ins and outs

 

[woodworkingboy]

Great gear. Jib use frequently in these parts for tree work when the additional reach is required, what would make them inappropriate?

 

[cory]

Nice! Tree services with their own cranes rock!!!

You mentioned trading up, a respected salesman just called me today re a used 30t in excellent condition, garaged, owned by an quality company, pm me if you want his number.

 

[Arborkeith]

Is it a national on either an international, Mack or peterbilt truck? I'm very particular . I've seen the boom broken off of a crane before and 3 laid over in my short life time, I don't like the idea of putting on a jib and giving either an inexperienced operator or climber the ability to more easily overload the rig.

 

[MasterBlaster]

On those smaller cranes, swining the jib really decreases the load it can handle, Jay.

 

[woodworkingboy]

I understand about the hazard of jib use if you are talking about overloading a pick, but knowing weight limitations seems like it should be a given for someone at the controls. It's one reason why they have computers that will tell you now, if they aren't disconnected. We do many jobs that without the added length of the jib, they wouldn't be doable. Two days ago on a steep hillside, having the jib was pretty critical. That's why I was trying to say earlier that experience seems a pre-requisite for safe crane work. With the 23 ton and jib on and way extended, I can't recall many picks where we didn't have minimum near 7-800 to a thousand pounds of lift to work with. That will take a lot of tops safely. Safety margins get extended with good operators.

There was one job where the operator had a fever and forgot the locking pin on the jib. The thing crashed with the pick when the jib folded, and could easily have killed someone, not just wreck a roof. Totally messed up the boom to a very expensive tune, but call it lucky.

 

[arborworks1]

I'm going to have to agree, paying for a crane after a storm would be pretty easy.

The simple fact that a competent crew can burn thru a backlog of work quick!

I stopped and talked to a homeowner that just had a crew remove a large pecan tree. They spent 4 days rigging everything in between 2 brick fences. Open field next to one fence. $2000 dollar tree at max with the crane. She payed 4200!

I spared her the let down...

 

[Bermy]

Well the dead tree is down, someone else got the job, had their own cherry picker and apparently were considerably less than my $600...glad for them...

I got to climb and reduce my first Eucalyptus yesterday...60'ish, dead branches to remove next to power lines...outside 10' so I was ok...bit nervous to start but just got on with it. Bit of beetle damage in the main trunk below my tie in...pretty thick trunk so I played the odds. Boy, those things sure are smooth, loop runners are essential! Strong wood fibre, heavy timber but it sure smells nice. Big property, looks like I'm in...macrocarpa hangers next week, then a leaning pine to section down, nice to have work lined up and no time pressure.

Hey Stig, glad you are ok! We had a bit of a close one, a hanger got caught about 10' up, it was fine till Bob went to pull up my saw after a refill, the rope shook it loose and it fell and hit him a glancing blow, he's got a big graze and bruise on his arm, it deflected off his helmet...I'd noted it and shouted down, but we both lost track of it over time and it was camouflaged in the leaves...could have done a better job, but glad it was only a learning experience and nothing worse. Good PPE and insistence on wearing it, but bad situational awareness for both of us.

 

[cory]

$2000 dollar tree at max with the crane. She payed 4200!

So I say its a $4200 tree, just do it one day with the crane instead of 4 days by hand.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Last few days been felling, bucking and brushing out grey pines. Two days on rocky slopes in pasture with cat faced and compromised POSs. Got permission to go ahead and whack some trees, minimized damage please. No problem.
Today at least I had flat ground to work with. Another big one tomorrow we have already done 1/2 of that tore off. Then 1/2 a pondo to rig down Saturday... Big saws all week. I need Stig to come show me how to do these with a smaller saw
42-45" DBH.... was the biggest one Tuesday. Tomorrow is/was bigger.



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This one had already lost 50% of what it was... Tried to get more than 90 degrees out of it, got 90. Trunk was all buggered from the big tear out previous..
I told her that splitting wood for her was extra.


Today was nice on flatter ground.. little 32 DBH only needed to go 15-25 degrees out of head lean. Brushy sum biatch though
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[MasterBlaster]

Poor tree!

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Small sacrifice to save the twenty or so behind it.

 

[Burnham]

Pretty shitty day, today, but could actually have ended worse.

My good dog, Thais has been dragging his right rear leg lately, so this morning I took him to the vet.
As he jumped into the truck, he blew his left knee completely out.
Both meniscus and ligamenta cruciata. So when we arrived at the clinic, he was dragging two useless legs after him like a spinal injury.
I figured that was the end of the line for him, left him with my friend, the vet, so he could find out if we were to pull the plug or operate.

I went logging, and learned a lesson. Don't log when you are thinking of something else.
I flopped an oak with a thick, low branch which made the whole log corkscrew into the air and on top of me.
Sure didn't see that one coming.

Pinned me down but I could reach the saw and cut a section of the log off of my leg.

I can't believe I only got bruises to show for that. That log was right on top of my leg across the shinbone, should have broken my leg.

Bout an hour later the vet called, they are going to reconstruct the knee. 6 mths of PT and Thais should be able to go back to the woods with me.
Good thing that vet is a good friend who owes me a favour

So the day ended well after all.

For a toughish guy, I sure have a huge soft spot for my dogs.
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Sorry that I was out of circulation for a few days and missed this, Stig. Hated to read it. How's your leg doing, and Thais' surgery?

 

[HolmenTree]

Well the dead tree is down, someone else got the job, had their own cherry picker and apparently were considerably less than my $600...glad for them...

Thanks for the report Fi, that tree I haven't forgot about..........but I thought you bidded $700 on it

 

[stig]

My leg is fine. Bit sore around the knee, but compared to what could have happened, I pretty much got out of that one for free.

Thais has been whimpering all night, but my friend came by 15 minutes ago and gave him a shot, so he is starting to nod off now.

His leg is shaved and all stitched up, black and blue.

If you rubbed it in oil and crushed garlic, it would be ready for the barbeque.

 

[HolmenTree]

If you rubbed it in oil and crushed garlic, it would be ready for the barbeque.

Speaking of oil Stig, I hear the latest "cure all" is coconut oil.