How'd it go today?

[Tucker943]

@ RD

YES. You have come so far in just a few short years. You are pretty much on fire at a young age. If you can develop into an all out tree wrecking monster, combined with your strong business wisdom you have gained so early on, you will roll in money down the road if you aren't already.

 

[NickfromWI]

Yes, and you primarily prune small trees for a living. There's much less pressure in that setting.

Depends on how you define pressure. There is less mass, but there is a lot of pressure. Everyone expects perfection. We've got to deliver on that.

I think it's less dependent on your position in the company and more on who you are as an individual....


love
nick

 

[mastermind7864]

Ha! Not far from me. Two yrs ago I was at a rigging seminar and met this guy Walter. Older guy for sure but was obviously there because he was looking to learn. Anyhow, when the seminar was over we were chatting and I asked him how old he was. "65" he said. Then I asked how long he'd been climbing. "3 yrs" he said. Goes to show that you're never too old to start something new. With that being said, I figure I won't be starting a saw rebuilding shop either.
I may be sending a 200t your way soon.

I built houses for years. Framing the big ones with steep, cut up roof systems. The tough ones were my favorites. Sorta wore out my joints if you know what I mean. That's the main reason I work in this shop now.

I bought some gear to climb with a couple of years ago.....studied some knots......even went up a few trees. Hurt my knees and hips too much to get serious about it though. I ain't afraid of heights, and am a bit of an adrenaline junkie......but I ain't really up to it anymore.

 

[Tucker943]

You make valid points Nick. But a 110' Beech removal over a house where a crane cant get is a whole different ballgame then pruning. You can move around that tree like a jack rabbit with $2000 worth of gadgets strapped on your saddle but unless you have invested your career into being a strong climber that knows how to wrangle wood, you wont make a penny. Look at guys like Graeme and Reggie. I don't know them personally, but they're not up there filming themselves screwing with toys. They're roping wood that will kill them in an instant and printing cash at the same time.

 

[Husabud]

I hear that Randy. Twelve yrs of Framing beat me pretty good too. When you find your tools and your method, things really start to fall into place.

 

[PCTREE]

Tucker, I do big wrecks because I dont like the stress of having to make a tree look like the customers dream. I cannt stand trimming, I tell them a price on a wreck and how much damage to expect and if they are good with that I have no headaches. I have friends who only trim and I send all mine to them.

Each to their own my friend.

 

[NickfromWI]

... unless you have invested your career into being a strong climber that knows how to wrangle wood, you wont make a penny.

Disagree. That's the most common way to do it. And that's kind of my point. The easy money is in removals. There is a more clear cut understanding by the clients. The big wood is heavy and they understand why it costs $1,000 to move it. It's physically more challenging, riggingly more challenging, but what's harder- selling and $2,000 removal or a $2,000 pruning job?




love
nick

 

[ClimbMIT]

Hey Tucker, I can agree with what you saying from some experience. Big equipment and moving big wood is much more stressful and hazardous then pruning small trees. If something goes wrong it is on a bigger scale. On the other hand different people deal with stress differently. Haven't had a crane job yet but am willing.

 

[cory]

I built houses for years. Framing the big ones with steep, cut up roof systems. The tough ones were my favorites. Sorta wore out my joints if you know what I mean.
.

Did you have tele handlers and/or Luhls to help you or was it all muscle power??

 

[bonner1040]

The easy money is in pruning. Its not uncommon for my 2 man crew to do $6,000 in pruning in a week and only $1500 or so in removals.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I never worry about people bothering me over a trim. I ain't had a complaint yet!

 

[Tucker943]

Disagree. That's the most common way to do it. And that's kind of my point. The easy money is in removals. There is a more clear cut understanding by the clients. The big wood is heavy and they understand why it costs $1,000 to move it. It's physically more challenging, riggingly more challenging, but what's harder- selling and $2,000 removal or a $2,000 pruning job?




love
nick

You took my quote out of context. Read before that where I mention taking down a big tree.

I don't sell pruning when a removal is necessary. I don't live in the city either though. My turf is wooded neighborhoods. When people call me because their red oak over the pool is dead, pruning is a moot point. Regarding pruning, if you can climb, you will make money. Spending never ending money on gear wont make you a better climber. Might make you more comfy in your saddle and speed up your movements. That is worth something of course. But you either have the skills and confidence to move around a tree or you don't. You cant buy that. Lots of guys try.

RE easy money in removals. you obviously haven't rigged down 130' trees.

 

[cory]

you been hanging around your uncle too much, Chris

 

[Tucker943]

Cory, his style has affected my mentality. A few other mentors too. These men I speak of learned how to work a tree from day one. They made money over the years as a result. Some of their climbing set ups are outdated, but their knowledge of the work made them money that has far surpassed shaving minutes off of their ascent time. I think using modern gear is neat. I read Bonners threads and watch his videos and love it. More so then he knows. My point though originally was observing at the buzz, the great majority of those guys are hung up on mailing out $300 more dealers tomorrow because that will change everything for them. No, it wont. Scrolling down to the rigging and roping thread is where their careers will take off. These are trees. Not rock climbing walls. You can race up them in 5 seconds flat, but what you are capable of when you get to the top is what determines if you eat steak or cat food in life.

 

[ClimbMIT]

The easy money is in pruning. Its not uncommon for my 2 man crew to do $6,000 in pruning in a week and only $1500 or so in removals.

Here removals are more common and likely to make you more profit at the end of the day. Selling pruning jobs is much harder to do in my local area. I try to educate my customers but most don't care especially when you tell them the price.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Stream line in the comfort zone and get on it...

Pruned 4 Liquid ambers, an ash, a friggen bradford pear and a Chinese pistache today.. I am whooped. All of them restoration from storm damage. Going back to do her live oaks so she can see her view next month. She was happy and I got some good dough for the effort. PITA all covered from almost three year of epicormic growth from tops breaking out. Her son had been topping the bradford pear.. So I decided I would start restructuring the POS. Oh well... She loved the results.
Stage one removals tomorrow. Bringing the chipper instead of the mini.. Should be a good day regardless. Have to rig most of some crown reduction we have planned on two trees. The oak will survive, but not the grey pine

 

[MasterBlaster]

I trimmed three large Live Oaks, one a backyard climb - the other two up front and bucketable. I'm whupped!

 

[cory]

, Tuck

 

[Tucker943]

Butch, lets see some recent work pics. I haven't seen any fresh material in forever.

 

[BOTS]

Stream line in the comfort zone and get on it...

Pruned 4 Liquid ambers, an ash, a friggen bradford pear and a Chinese pistache today.. I am whooped. All of them restoration from storm damage. Going back to do her live oaks so she can see her view next month. She was happy and I got some good dough for the effort. PITA all covered from almost three year of epicormic growth from tops breaking out. Her son had been topping the bradford pear.. So I decided I would start restructuring the POS. Oh well... She loved the results.
Stage one removals tomorrow. Bringing the chipper instead of the mini.. Should be a good day regardless. Have to rig most of some crown reduction we have planned on two trees. The oak will survive, but not the grey pine

Nice work CV!

I love bradford pears.....when Im chipping the whole tree!

 

[CurSedVoyce]

YUP.. Made nice chips for our garden

 

[BOTS]

Speaking of grey pines, I have 5 big ones to fell next week, brother biX will be helping me, should be Epic...

 

[Al Smith]

Frost warning tonight .Pulled all the tomatoes and the vines .Ran the wire brush through the wood stove flue and damned near got it stuck.Really not much creosote,I was pleased .

Toms boys dropped off so far 4 dump truck loads of white oak and they aren't done yet from 3 trees ,big ones . Some of those butt ends are close to 4 feet in diameter .They'll have to move them with a skid loader to split them .

 

[MasterBlaster]

Butch, lets see some recent work pics. I haven't seen any fresh material in forever.

It all looks the same.

 

[MasterBlaster]

That last pic, we didn't get the job - don't think anyone did. They still look the same.