How'd it go today?

[Al Smith]

Now it didn't happen at all that way .I was in a position as a general foreman for a union contractor who had an agreement with Honda .The little people thought they had the same blind obedience they had in Japan but it was not so in red neck Ohio .For the most part though in spite of my bullheaded ways I made some friends among the Japanese and found out aside from the cultural thing we're pretty much all the same .

I'll tell you what I did do though .I got some smart assed German who came through on a Canadian passport tossed off the job for bringing in non union labor after I warned him not to. --I was also the president of the IBEW local at the time ,all it took was a phone call ---

 

[HolmenTree]

I've dealt with the little people before too on a 2 year job building a Honda plant .Oh lawdy do they hate loosing face .

Al , I've had similar experiences with writing up tree removal or pruning estimates for immigrants from Pakistan and other Hindu places.
Must have done at least 50 of them estimates over the years and not once have I got any work out of them.

 

[HolmenTree]

Here's a spruce removal job I did here in northern Manitoba's cottage country the other day,
1st picture shows the gap where the spruce used to stand. All the trees are leaning towards the cabin. [Common south-east lean.]
2nd photo shows where I felled it alongside the cottage.
Last photo shows where the former govenor of Alabama spends his summers across the bay on the point way yonder.

 

[rbtree]

Beauteous, Holmen.

There was some wind today. We were removing a dead 48" dbh Douglas-fir, about 145-150 feet tall, via speed lining the limbs over the house, then planning on lowering the top onto the zip line, and doing the same with a few sections, till it was at about 110 feet, then the crane was to show, a 38 ton, with a tip height of 140 feet. Brought in Cowboy Dave for the first time in close to 18 months. But the wind spooked him at 110 feet, so we bailed. Cancelled the crane 20 minutes before it was due to drive out of the yard. Good weather expected Monday. Replaced lifeline with access line, for easy Wraptor re-entry, left zip line up as well---1/2 inch spectra, zero stretch. Will post pics and video sometime....I hope. The tree may have armillaria, and tapers down to a reasonable size, so we may be able to get a bunch of 26'10" sawlogs , then a 16 off the butt..or two. just gotta keep the pick weights under about 6200 lb...... and be dead on accurate in our weight calculations. A bigger crane would have been nice, but that would increase the risk of driveway damage.....48-50 foot radius.

 

[vharrison]

I flew a bucket for five hours - killing here, trimming there... a great way to spend a day off!

No pictures?

 

[SkwerI]

Gigi, how goes the vehicle search? Have you test driven any new trucks yet?

 

[vharrison]

Gigi, how goes the vehicle search? Have you test driven any new trucks yet?

Eh, nothing worse than looking for a vehicle. I have talked to quite a few salesmen about anything from a truck to a sports car, hahaha. Since it was my vehicle that was totaled, John said I could get anything I want, but really, does that make sense for us? I don't know but I don't think so. So, still looking. We may go to the mainland this weekend and test drive a F150 but not sure yet. All I can tell you is is stinks not having a car/truck I can jump in when I want to.

 

[stehansen]

Mustang!

 

[Al Smith]

so we may be able to get a bunch of 26'10" sawlogs , then a 16 off the butt..or two.

So with that said then I assume the log saw logs would bring a premium ?? Seldom here in the cornfield do you find much lumber over 20 feet but they say you can order 24 footers .I've never as yet needed long lumber and I have no idea of the price but I'd bet it would be a little steep .

 

[Dh1984]

well this morring it went pretty good went and got tags for my S10. and then gave it a good wash i used the degreaser to make sure i got all the crud off of it. and then loaded 4 ricks of fire wood and went a delivered it up in kodak tenn.and still got 4 more to go to the same person.but thats ok i got 25 ricks stacked and ready to go. and still cutting down seasoned trees that been down for 2 years.

 

[HolmenTree]

Beauteous, Holmen.

There was some wind today. We were removing a dead 48" dbh Douglas-fir, about 145-150 feet tall, via speed lining the limbs over the house, then planning on lowering the top onto the zip line, and doing the same with a few sections, till it was at about 110 feet, then the crane was to show, a 38 ton, with a tip height of 140 feet. Brought in Cowboy Dave for the first time in close to 18 months. But the wind spooked him at 110 feet, so we bailed. Cancelled the crane 20 minutes before it was due to drive out of the yard. Good weather expected Monday. Replaced lifeline with access line, for easy Wraptor re-entry, left zip line up as well---1/2 inch spectra, zero stretch. Will post pics and video sometime....I hope. The tree may have armillaria, and tapers down to a reasonable size, so we may be able to get a bunch of 26'10" sawlogs , then a 16 off the butt..or two. just gotta keep the pick weights under about 6200 lb...... and be dead on accurate in our weight calculations. A bigger crane would have been nice, but that would increase the risk of driveway damage.....48-50 foot radius.

Thanks Roger, yes I like that lake picture too. The lake is called Clearwater Lake here in northern Manitoba. Its colors are always changing with different light conditions. Once claimed to be the 3rd clearest lake in the world. One in Siberia claims 1st.
Clearwater is spring fed only and visability is 30 ft down on a good day. 50 lb plus lake trout have been pulled out of this lake. About 15 miles across [round shaped lake] and 150 ft deep in the middle.

I admire the big crane removal jobs, I can see where the big rates in dollars come in in those jobs. I just flop them on the ground.
The white spruce in my pic are only about 80 ft but I have dropped a few 110 footers in my time, only thing with them I have to get permission from the neighbors

 

[Al Smith]

People are usually good about that in the country .In town they get a bit fussy though .

You know you never know when the favor might need to be returned .As long as you clean the mess up you're usually good to go .

 

[brendonv]

Rain this morning, ended up being a shitty day. Taped up all my windows, plastic, and plastic sheet on the floor. We spray primed this evening, just finished. Wow that was quick! Walls and ceiling, done stamp! We're going to final coat the ceilings, then I can get the floors refinished.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Pruned a couple little 40-45' blue oaks today. They were originally scheduled for last year. HO ran into money problems and had to cancel. Needless to say, the winter storms had their way with them and there was a lot of broken limbs in them.
I was only supposed to do one today and HO added the other. I believe I may even get to cable that one. HO wants it close to the roof and the insurance company wants them cabled or removed. See if we get it. Crazy amounts of dead wood in them and they looked a tad over pruned when I finished. Oh well. Hope the HO likes what we did. He had to scoot to work and left a check.
I am whooped.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Damn.. just got a call on a good sized cedar TD and they canceled
I have clients that will fill the void, just really would have liked that job ... oh well Probably trying to get a better deal ...

 

[rangerdanger]

That sucks man, there is always others though.

Rain day today, spent the day running some errands, doing a quick bid. Took my car to a quick car wash and vacuum place, so it's clean and ready for the road trip. Pruning a huge Burr Oak tomorrow, then grinding stumps Saturday, and then getting everything sorted out and organized for my road trip on Sunday. Planning on leaving around 5 or 6 in the morning. Tis a 14 hour drive to Hartford, longest solo run so far.

 

[Dave Shepard]

Last week one of Dunkin Donuts minions dumped a large hot coffee in my lap due to an ill-fiiting lid. They are getting rid of the proper lids, for what, I am guessing, is a cheaper design. The new lids don't have the tear up flap, they just have a hole in them, and they pop off. The minions and supervisory goons don't seem to give a shit, so I'm going to do some stirring, if for nothing more than some entertainment. You can hardly carry the cup with the new lids without it shooting coffee all over the place, assuming they stay on at all.

 

[squisher]

Still swamped here and it's getting cool. About -2 to -5 at my place the last few mornings. Winter seems to be coming fast. I'm booked for Saturday again, to many six day weeks in a row now. It's starting to grow old, people really pressuring me to book them into this year. I'm almost at the absolute cut-off point of anyone new possibly getting anything else done this year and I've already accumulated quite a spring list so I can look forward to being 2 to 3 weeks behind as soon as I start the season next early spring.

I'm thankful to have the work, but feel like I'm going to have to take atleast two or three days off soon. Problem is even with the one day off of production right now, I no longer seem to know how to relax. Always something that needs to be done.

 

[Paul B]

worked all day then went to dinner and met up with Canadiantreeman, cool guy.

 

[MasterBlaster]

So, you warmed to him?


I crack myself up!

 

[rangerdanger]

Good day today, expect for getting rained out on this awesome climb. Dad and I are pruning a huge Burr Oak, at least 250 years old. Mostly just getting suckers and minor dead wood. Me and him have been working on this tree for a few years together, and he's been working on it for a good 8 years. Awesome tree. Loved climbing it. Everything was clicking on my climb, awesome TIPS, some sexy swings and limb walks. Then the rain started coming in. We worked through it for a bit, then it just got too slick and it was raining too hard, so we called it. Hopefully he waits to finish it until I get back from my trip. We took a few pics I'll try to post up soon.

 

[SouthSoundTree]

Adrian, are you planning on traveling West?

 

[rangerdanger]

Yeah man, gonna try to head out west June or early July of next year. Doing it in time with the ITCC in Portland. Hoping I can catch some work from people out there and along the way. Last big road trip before college.

Right now I'm getting ready to head north east to MA and CT, going to the TCIA Expo, working with Mayer Tree, and attending the crane seminar.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Adrian, I think folks would appreciate a jist of the crane seminar, and maybe a posting of a scan of any literature or whatever that might be made available. A vid would be awesome if it is a possibility. Thanks, and have a good trip, albeit a ways off.

How long is the seminar, and is it both classroom and in the field?

 

[rangerdanger]

Two and a half days long Jay. I'll take any pics I can, and some video when possible. Its both classroom and in the field. The reason this seminar is one of a kind is that each student will get a chance to evaluate a pick, set the rigging, and make the cut. So its very hands on. Last year was the first one, got great reviews from everyone that went to it. Everyone said they walked away with a lot more confidence for doing crane removals.

And thanks bro! I'll try. Heard the forecast is for 4 to 8 inches of snow in the next few days for that area, so should be fun times for everyone lol.