How'd it go today?

[CurSedVoyce]

I had a girlfriend of a handy man with a chain saw tell Katy they were going to be our new competition and watch out... I L'dMAO!

 

[woodworkingboy]

Squish, maybe you could hire a retired person with the ability to do what you need. It could maybe be by a day by day arrangement so no commitment to the extent that it makes you fearful. Lots of retired dudes working around here to supplement their social security, and many can do an excellent job. For physical work their recovery rate is obviously slower, which may be problematical.

 

[squisher]

I've thought about that Jay. My uncle who worked with me for years sort of fits that description but he's still on the mend from having his gall bladder removed.

Honestly I might just be to cheap and neurotic to hire someone else. I'm a bit of a control freak, but I do my best to keep it in check.

 

[squisher]

I had a girlfriend of a handy man with a chain saw tell Katy they were going to be our new competition and watch out... I L'dMAO!

That right there is funny. 1st thing I do to any of my 'new' competition that seem to creep up now and then is give them a handshake and a card. I'm real friendly and sure enough they send me everything they can't handle. One of my yellow page advertising competitors has been starting to send me his bigger jobs that he can't really do with his set-up. Works for me, thanks for advertising buddy!

 

[CurSedVoyce]

I welcome them all and do just that Justin. Trade cards and keep tabs. If they are worth a shat I will refer jobs to them. Often times I get the job right back even if I am too busy And those are the good ones

 

[SkwerI]

Always good to have a working relationship with the competition. You never know when you might need their help, or they might need yours.

 

[squisher]

Ha ha, I've been referring some work lately too...............like chipping homeowner piles.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

 

[woodworkingboy]

LOL You must have read about Tom Sawyer painting that fence. Telling the guy that took over how much fun it is.

 

[squisher]

A neighbor had recently insisted I come over to give him a quote while on a job. I looked at his criss-crossd pile of crap and said, "Yah we don't actually do that". And gave him a name of one of my competitors. Meanwhile the chipper and chip truck are blaring away in the background. I would've been tempted if the mini was on-site and the money was right.

 

[Burnham]

I've had good luck so far with JB Weld, Scott...give it a try!

 

[MasterBlaster]

Hahahahaa.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

 

[treesmith]

I've had good luck so far with JB Weld, Scott...give it a try!

I would, B, but sure as I did, the heat would cause the JB to separate from the wood fibers, and I'd have a mantle crashing down in the middle of the night. Guess I'll hold out for another good candidate log. The thing about hewing one out of oak is that I want to do it while the wood is green. Cured red oak would be tough with broadaxe and adze, I figure. Cured cedar prolly wouldn't be so bad.

 

[Tucker943]

Whacked a big mulberry today. No height, but loads of width. Targets under the whole thing. It was a heqdache. Not enough height over the roofs for me to put any decent wood on the rope. I had to nit pick the whole piece of garbage. Ughhh!!!!

 

[Burnham]

Thank heavens you're such a talented and amazing treeman, otherwise...
.

 

[Tucker943]

B, sometimes I get in trees and realize "I didn't lock this job based on the price I offered. I also, did not lock this job based on a good reputation. I got this job because all the other, smarter, tree guys, knew to run away from this one"

 

[woodworkingboy]

Chris, it is funny and bitter at the same time. Maybe there is some good in everything.

 

[Burnham]

We've all been there, realizing we've not quite calculated right.

See my signature line, Chris...words we all come to understand quite well if we do this stuff for very long.

 

[Tucker943]

There's always good in it Jay. It's another days work, which I have come to appreciate. It also keeps me Sharp as a climber. Sometimes tedious work makes me reach deeper into my bag of tricks and forces me to apply myself more.

 

[brendonv]

I helped Harlan today, wrecked six big oaks with that magical bucket truck. Sigh.

Got home late, but a good day none the less.

 

[treesmith]

I just got in from "work" myself. A guy called me this afternoon. Had a lady with a dead pine that broke off about 5' up from the stump and hung up in another pine. Several throws to isolate the top and get a rope around it. Then another line in the green pine to run a block up to. Pull/cut/lower...repeat several times. Took all of two hours. ~25 mile drive, spur-of-the-moment type thing. He charged her $450. I charged him $250. He thought I should have cut him some slack. I thought $200 for standing around watching was pretty good, myself.

 

[bonner1040]

Ill sit around and watch for $200 anytime Scott, just call me. Hell I can just watch on Skype, but you will have to download the app on your phone first.

 

[Burnham]

Such a helpful young man, our Nick.

 

[treesmith]

Ill sit around and watch for $200 anytime Scott, just call me. Hell I can just watch on Skype, but you will have to download the app on your phone first.

I appreciate your willing helpfulness, Nick! He called me, though, so the ball was in his court. He asked up front how much I'd charge. I'm looking up at a hung-up, stump-broken dead pine, and tell him I have no idea. He wants a rough guess, so I tell him $300. When all was said and done, I told him $250. He'd already told the lady $450, so he cleared $200. He asked me if I couldn't do it for $200. I asked if he knew of any other tree services that would drive 30 miles, spur-of-the-moment and get a storm tree down for $250. He didn't.