How'd it go today?

[sotc]

Takes me longer than ten minutes, I must be slow

For 1 or 2 removals?

 

[rskybiz]

For 1 or 2 removals?

For the time it takes to write the contracts.

 

[SouthSoundTree]

Stayed home hoping for storm calls. Hung around in the snow, in and out of the house, and felt calm. Not much to do. Usually, I've got a million things in my mind that I'd like to do. Good to have a chillin' day. Worked on my website a bit, little firewood stacking, odds and ends.

 

[SouthSoundTree]

Mine are quadruplicate. Bottom copy is quote, 3rd is work order (prices blanked out), 2nd is bill/receipt and top is mine. We get signature on bigger jobs on top copy that carries through next 2 layers.

Similar here. Went from triplicate to duplicate. I don't need work orders, since I'm always there. Top is their copy for easier readability (maybe I should keep the original.). I keep a copy. The contract has a place for their signature acceptance of the proposal, and that we are not responsible for unmarked utilities/ septic or permits. When we are done, I like to put both copies back together, and their is a place for them to sign off on completion of work including cleanup. I hope this gives me some protection from accusations of harm that we didn't clean up enough and someone fell and was injured.

 

[sotc]

Remove two large, dead oaks at west corner of home. Haul brush, leave wood in 16"-18" lengths. Cut stump within 3" of grade. There will be some lawn damage due to deteriorated condition of trees.

Shouldn't take long to write such

 

[arborworks1]

Paul if you have a smart phone. Search the apps for contract writer pro. I have been using that pretty regular. Email the contract in PDF and have them sign and send back. Even has the option to have them sign onsite with iPhone

 

[sotc]

I was gonna upload a pdf of my bid sheets but guess I can't

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Phone has been ringing all day. Most just nervous people. I no sooner got home from guying that tree, I had more. Making some schedule changes tonight to open time up for storm work. Snow has finally stopped but the freeze is coming. Finally got the chill off sitting by the fire after getting snowed on up in the tree Some hot chili helped too

 

[rskybiz]

Remove two large, dead oaks at west corner of home. Haul brush, leave wood in 16"-18" lengths. Cut stump within 3" of grade. There will be some lawn damage due to deteriorated condition of trees.

Shouldn't take long to write such

Yea Willie, I see it but I also when I worked for another guy I cut a tree that was self explainable and it cost near 600 to replace so since then I have when writing the contract been very specific.

 

[arborworks1]

I make the customers paint or flag their own trees. No questions afterwards you marked it, we cut it. Pay me now.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

I had a funny one that was marked by HO's just last week as I recall. They marked the trees to be removed all over the property. They were marked with X's and O's.
Note on the door said to start cutting and that the trees marked with X were the victims.
So we started cutting. Best I could figure was that the O's meant something other than removal or the husband and wife were just having fun marking them out in the woods with huggs and kisses or something. But I kept to the instructions with X's only.
Wife showed up at the end of the day... I told her my questions and thoughts about the marks. She laughed and told me that was how they were prioritizing the felling. X's first... O's next...

 

[rskybiz]

That is a good one till some dipshat moves the flagging! FWIW

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Paint is best.

 

[dandandatreeman]

Worked for myself today. Cut five trees into a wood line next to the yard, and cut them so they laid down. Rolled the part of the bases that were left in the yard into the woods also. That only took about an hour. Bidded another job for the same customer, and rescued a fat cat out of a tree. Also talked to some old bids and handed them copies of my licence and insurance. Busy busy day.

 

[SkwerI]

You gotta tell us more about the cat rescue.

 

[dandandatreeman]

O.k. While I was eating lunch I got the call that their cat was stuck in a tree. They got my number off www.catinatreerescue.com a web site started by Dan Kraus who is a champion tree climber and arborist. I am the only one in the directory for Baton Rouge. Ok back to the rescue. I pulled to the back of the house and there was the cat. He is a grey cat that is alittle over weight. He was about 15 or 20 feet stuck in a crotch. I always ask the HO for two pillow cases and put one in the other so after I tie off I can stuff the cat and hit my knot. On my way up the cat was like "meow, meow" and I was like "meeeeow meow". My brother was with and he was like "hurry up meow!" LOL. After we all had our comunication down of what was going on I stuffed the cat hit my knot and released the cat. He was hungry and thursty but other than that he was good. The lady was over joyed and ask how much I charge for my sevices. I told her that I was happy to help her and that 50 was fine if it was fine with her. she gave me 75. It was great to help them both out.

 

[rskybiz]

Nice Dan!

 

[Burnham]

If you really want to get into the cat rescue biz, make yourself up a specialized "grab bag". Take a good sized zippered duffel bag or stuff sack and cut a slit in the bottom, stick a glove up through that slit to the cuff and stitch it down all around.

To deploy it, put your hand in the glove and turn the bag inside out over your arm. Grab the cat, turn the bag rightside out over the critter and close the bag up. Pull your hand out of the glove and head down a hero .

 

[SouthSoundTree]

I fashioned a box on a stick for a top of a tree rescue in a crappy willow. I couldn't climb higher, so I took a lightweight wire bin (like a milk crate) with a towel in the bottom to remove the "exposure" for the cat, securely fastened onto a pole, and natural crotched a light line up near the cat to bear the weight of the cat getting into the box. I held at arms length upward, with just enough to reach the cat about 10' above me. He jumped right in, I lowered the bin down, bagged the cat, and made it down safely. It worked way better than a fishing net did in the top of one cedar, where I had to basically both scoop the cat at the same time as force him off the top laterals, the other hand ready for a hopeful mid-air grab if the cat didn't make it into the net, which he luckily did.

Burnham's suggestion would be especially helpful for an ornery cat, felinus pistoficus.

 

[dandandatreeman]

Good ideas! I have only done two and they are few and far between. I have also been lucky because the cats have been very nice and happy to see me.

 

[canadiantreeman]

Hah...nice work. The one rescue I've done was about 60' in a pondo, I had to lure the cat down with treats and it worked out well, but the blasted thing took some coaxing. It climbed higher a few times like it was unsure that it really wanted to be rescued. Thing was up there for 3 days prior. Used a pillow case and a rope bag. Didn't fighe me though

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Day was cold but the TD went like clock work.. Got paid and headed home to get warm.. I don't particularly like working in the snow and cold... But hey... Tree needed to come down and I needed the money
Tried something new today.. Floating anchor for the speed line. We had nothing to hitch to. Angle was too steep to hitch to the truck directly. Would have banged the heck out of it. Not enough room for a vertical line.. So we hitched a line between the HO boat and trailer to the hitch on the truck.. Pulled it tight. Added a prussic with a porty so we could tighten, secure and move the speed line anchor mid line. Worked pretty snazzy. It did add some flex at the anchor point in elongation.. Nothing unmanageable. Steep enough angle, keep the anchor line tight (1/2") and it all worked fine. I was only running a max of about 150# down the line.
Katy had school tonight. Kids are finally settled and in bed. I guess they were at day care today and came home all wound up. DUnno what they fed them over there. But daddy got his butt kicked but the rug rats TG I had already made dinner last night
Turkey day tomorrow. Should be a nice day

 

[treesmith]

I had a funny one that was marked by HO's just last week as I recall. They marked the trees to be removed all over the property. They were marked with X's and O's.
Note on the door said to start cutting and that the trees marked with X were the victims.
So we started cutting. Best I could figure was that the O's meant something other than removal or the husband and wife were just having fun marking them out in the woods with huggs and kisses or something. But I kept to the instructions with X's only.
Wife showed up at the end of the day... I told her my questions and thoughts about the marks. She laughed and told me that was how they were prioritizing the felling. X's first... O's next...

What I hate is when they mark them with little X's that are only visible from certain angles. When you're dealing with multiple trees it's hard to keep up with them. I like them to paint a ring all the way around the tree so it's visible from anywhere in the immediate vicinity. It's tough after the job's in progress and they ask about a couple you missed and you're left wondering if you really missed them or if they've added them by painting the X's on the back side.

 

[arborworks1]

Best to take a picture on the startof a multiday job.
Ran in the turkey trot 5k this morning. Had to envision some pumpkin pie to get through the last big hill!!!
Off to enjoy food and fellowship.
Happy thanksgiving, treehousers!!

 

[treesmith]

Got the fire going, mostly hickory, some pecan, and got the turkey in the roaster. Should be done in about five hours.........anybody else cooking turkey? I cook mine in a dutch oven roaster over coals. When it's done, it'll literally fall apart.