How'd it go today?

[CurSedVoyce]

We break at the end of the day with the client.. My break as the climber comes from a water rest while in the tree, or lunch once I am out of the tree and the tree is on the ground. Or in between trees....Everyone else breaks as necessary and alternates..
Only one coffee break between trees today. But I only climbed for about 3 hours. Two trees

Nice pay check. Early day and got an estimate to the guys MIL for some pruning and stub removal. Seems a family member lopped off some cedar branches (really poorly) and I am taking the dead and stubs off. Couple of the trees have been topped by PG&E for line clearance. Can't make them real pretty, but better than they are now:roll:
So I am going back in a week after I prune out a Mulberry that is only going to take about 3 hours. Will make for a nice Zen day
Parents stopped by the job today and dropped off my B-Day present while I was hanging off (or is that on) ropes... LOL Dad needed some chain too so I gave him a couple brand new loops I had in the truck for one of his saws.. Guess they lost a set of live oaks near the garage. Said him and a bud were going to make fire wood of it and did not need me to come by. Cautioned him on the chain as it is NOT safety chain Told Mom to keep an eye on him and buy him the chaps he won't buy for himself.. :roll:
Good day Just felt good to climb on such a lovely day

 

[sotc]

silence is good, i hate coming home to noise. vaccuum, radio etc

 

[Dave Shepard]

I am extremely sensitive to sounds, especially if I'm not making them.:roll: I had to explain to my boss today what a migraine was like. I told him every time he used the air nailer, it was like he was simultaneously firing a howitzer, and hitting me across the face with an axe handle.

 

[wiley_p]

Yeah, it is a little drag azz right after lunch, especially after a little snooze. Ours is an hour.

What do you guys think about one of your crew sitting down on their own accord for a couple 2-3 minutes break, when they feel the need. Assuming they work hard and the timing isn't messing anything up, are you cool with that?

No problem at all. If ALL is in order, they have earned the right to sit, spin, whatever they please, as long as they are ready to go any second when needed. I've always told people that a good treeman gets slacktime.

 

[MasterBlaster]

One hour? Completely outta the question. Annually, that adds up to 6.5 weeks "eating lunch!" Frig that! Finish up and go home.

 

[No_Bivy]

One hour? Completely outta the question. Annually, that adds up to 6.5 weeks "eating lunch!" Frig that! Finish up and go home.

ditto

 

[sotc]

occasionally ill buy the crew lunch, if were having a good week and are between jobs around lunch. then it can be an hour

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Ditto ..
I will often buy breakfast however... I want their energy up in the AM and I have found most the younger guys skip breakfast ..
But you are looking at about 2 bucks. maybe 3 at most. I will make that on them in less than an hour

 

[Tucker943]

No breaks for my crew. We stop and shoot the breeze periodically about a game plan and stuff like that but thats it. I tell the guys, "If your hungry, squeeze in your food while were on the road, or sharpening a saw, and so on. If your thirsty, go get a drink. If you just need to chill for a minute in the heat, than go sit in the shade for a few minutes."

But I dont actually do formal breaks. I leave it to good judgement. I feel there is plenty of downtime in tree work. Either, while the climber is getting set up, or we're headed to the next job. I do stand firm about taking all the time you need to stay hydrated in the heat.

 

[Burnham]

My job is different, of course, but anyway...I ALWAYS have more to do. There's no such thing as "finish up and go home". Besides, I need to stop for a meal at midday, or I crash in the afternoon.

30 minutes is what I take, or less...I have to be off the clock for 30 minutes, like it or not. We're allowed a 15 minute break midmorning and midafternoon, paid, but I don't usually take notice of that.

 

[Newfie]

No breaks for my crew. We stop and shoot the breeze periodically about a game plan and stuff like that but thats it. I tell the guys, "If your hungry, squeeze in your food while were on the road, or sharpening a saw, and so on. If your thirsty, go get a drink. If you just need to chill for a minute in the heat, than go sit in the shade for a few minutes."

But I dont actually do formal breaks. I leave it to good judgement. I feel there is plenty of downtime in tree work. Either, while the climber is getting set up, or we're headed to the next job. I do stand firm about taking all the time you need to stay hydrated in the heat.

You paying your crew on the books?

 

[Tucker943]

Nope, subs.

 

[Tucker943]

I have a light understanding of labor laws, enough to know that breaks are mandatory. Breaks are not forbidden. You want a half hour to go have lunch, I wont refuse you the need to eat. But in general we just dont do that. The guys that work for me prefer to keep movin and get hours.

I didnt intend to come off as a slave driver. Its just how we do things, and me and my guys like it that way.

 

[woodworkingboy]

After this time, I don't know if I could ever get used to not having formal breaks and an hour lunch. Must be a puffter :roll:

I did get used to not taking a big cup of sake before starting the job, when I stopped working with the old schoolers. I became very fond of that custom

 

[sotc]

good day, finished a job thats been hanging over me for a while, got a bunch of checks, suns shining. saw these ol boys working their horses so i turned around to click some pics and chat. the horse on the right in the second and 3rd pics weighs 2600 pounds!

 

[MasterBlaster]

It amazes me how people can work beasts of burden like that. Tre cool.

 

[Che]

Thanks, Willie....great pix.

 

[Stumper]

It was a lovely day. Sometimes i am amazed at how access can drag out the removal on a small tree. I had an apple in a back yard-tight space so it had to be pieced down. It was about 22"dbh not a lot of top -not much over 30 feet tall........... and I spent almost 2 hours in the silly thing getting it down due to the funkiness of the top and the obstacles-then carrying it all out and grinding the stump ate up the whole day.

 

[OTGBOSTON]

Met another treehouser today, good peeps, Butch has got something great here..

 

[cybergeek23851]

OI! I'm back man... passed 4 trooper(other side of 9) within the last 4 miles of the drive back. It was great meeting you Greg.

 

[MasterBlaster]

That has suprised the hell outta me.

Butch has got something great here..

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Worked on one of our first clients places today... Pretty place with a pond and streams through it. We go there about 4-6 times per year depending on his needs. A lot of storm damaged ponderosa there.. Small ones but a lot of them. Willows broken everywhere also. Finally got his big burn pile done from last years work Scheduled another day in March and June.
Got another removal this AM. On the way to today's job we dropped off some eggs at the day care. Live oak about took out the husbands truck.. So that got scheduled
A good day save for working in the snow

 

[Paul B]

I did a consult this morning, 2 estimates then lunch with an old friend. then a site survey for a pruning course I am one of the instructors on in a couple weeks. took a call from a treehouser from Mississippi then off to one more estimate and home to shepherds pie. Now some computer and tv before bed.
tomorrow is a 2 hour volunteer stint at the bc home and garden show then 3 estimates hopefully home by about 5 for supper.
Come on Spring, lets get busy!!

 

[sawinredneck]

Mama stayed home yesterday and we all went to see the childrens theatre production of Jack and the beanstalk. It was VERY well done and made to be interactive. There was close to 200 kids there!! It was neat to say the least!!
I had to go and help bail some people out today, bunch of "wood" they want to sell next season but it was piled in the way.
Piss Elm and Sycamore, 8-10' lengths 30" rounds. Cut it to length then rip it down to managable peices to fit on the splitter. One Elm log was a quarter full of mudd!! I went through chains like a banshee!!!
I have split dry Sycamore before, but never green. I hope to never see green agian!! Take dry, (it's a PITA) and multiply it by a factor of 200%, God awful stuff!!!

 

[rangerdanger]

We worked today finishing up this one place we've been at for awhile. I climbed 3 Ash trees, 2 Willows, a Sycamore, and a Maple pruning out storm damage and cleaning them up. Wind picked up around lunch, 40mph gusts. So we packed up and headed over to a near by job to chip another brush pile, which wasn't too bad with 6 guys dragging and chipping.

Best part of the day, NO PINES!!!