My First Crane Removal - Plus

[CurSedVoyce]

Quality pictures.

Did you get any footage of the crane picks?

Here we go Rich.. Sorry this took so long. I have been sun up to sun down with dead trees and such.
Happy we got the footage. Lucky to get a few angles on the work as well.

So as I stated, the tripping of the lead off the other tree looks a tad sketchy, but it was really not all that bad.
All the guy lines were color coordinated so we could get tension on a line. Hook up the choker from the crane. Release a guy and retie 8 or so feet under the next one. So always 2 guys supporting the limb during the pick and one or two holding lateral movement.

Here is the mini movie of the wood removal picks. I will post up some still in a bit... Just got home
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qdqv0zgffuI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Cool deal, hope you made money on it as well. I know I learned to bid heavily for the crane and a couple hours longer than I expected after my first

Willie, we actually did really well with it. Crane only came to under 6 bills at 140.00 per with trip and I billed out 12 hours on the crew. Chipper was only there 1/2 day. I did let her initial emergency visit go toward the removal. She paid 1/2 the removal so I could pay the crane straight up and still have some labor room is she paid by credit card or something.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Oh... and there seems to be a blank spot 1/2 way through that vid... it comes right back. I will try to fix it another time.

Looks like a funny way to tether your 200t. Is your ring missing from the rear of the saw. I don't like things near the trigger and throttle interlock. Possible breakage.[SUP][/SUP]

Never had a problem in 10 years of doing it that way. The ring is there, I just have a biner in it to click into my saddle. Keeps that sucker tight to me. Having the lanyard girthed to the handle, I can switch it between saws if need be faster.

Nice pictures, what was the temperature?

It probably hit 100 that day but we were out and headed to the bank by about noon. Beat the heat.

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

I see. when I see something different. I am curious why people do what they do. I could try to figure everything out myself, but would rather take other people's tricks.

I haven't really been a fan of my one longer lanyard, and how the saw flops. I see some people clip their chain brake to their harness, which I would not think to do.

I suppose that the choke of the lanyard wouldn't really want to move forward. I guess its different than a groundie double-half-hitching to the top handle to send a saw up.

I'll try it. Thanks.

 

[sawman]

great job man!!!
bet it felt good to pop that cherry
when that tree popped on that pick I jump from my couch
almost got your hand no?

 

[CurSedVoyce]

I was prepared. I kept my hand pretty much on the other side of the limb as well as my body. Using that part of the limb as a shield. If you watch how easily I push it away, you get more of a sense how little the pressure and impact was on that Y part of the branch.

It was Mikes turn now. He was itching to pop his crane cherry as well. So I promised him he could crane out the leader he had stripped.
Here Is his ride up...
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zfD-g9gNJVE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>


You can tell he is kinda happy about it... See the smile ?

 

[flushcut]

Nice work!

 

[thattreeguy]

glad you 2 finally bust yer cherries..looks like fun
oh yeah, i saw a dingo in there as well

 

[PCTREE]

great job man. Huge truck for that lil ass boom. I really feel that using a crane is really cheating, just makes it SOOO easy

 

[Steve Mack]

Nice going, Stephen.

Never had a problem in 10 years of doing it that way. The ring is there, I just have a biner in it to click into my saddle. Keeps that sucker tight to me. Having the lanyard girthed to the handle, I can switch it between saws if need be faster.

My mate and I do it just like that, always have.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

glad you 2 finally bust yer cherries..looks like fun
oh yeah, i saw a dingo in there as well

I thought some of the Dingo footage would be to your liking Dave. She is running sweet with her new motor.

great job man. Huge truck for that lil ass boom. I really feel that using a crane is really cheating, just makes it SOOO easy

Thanks Paul. I probably could have pulled it off if I had a GRCS.... But it would have been a horrible removal. Surrounding trees were kind of small limbed and not real tall. So everything would have been on the horizontal.The stress loads on the rigging and trees would have been such, we would damn near be taking firewood sized pieces on a trolley.. Crane was a much better option and a good tool to help stabilise the loads between picks. Good tie in on horizontal work when needed. IMO safer.

Thanks for all the compliments all. This was a challenge of a job. Sure made my day when the hard bits went well. (not the clapping of hands and grins at certain points in the videos.)

Here Is Mike's pick. He got to do a bigger pick under the guidance of the operator. He told Mike where to put the choker and where to cut.
I had originally thought of doing in in two picks with different placement to offset some of the forces on balance the dog leg would throw. Then again, it was nice to see what kind of picks he could take for the future.
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ur9BywjIa4I" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Tipping the spar... We just used the large guy for pulling and holding the split codom together whilst felling it. Hollow bugger.
Alls well that lands well... Her kitty still has a hollow stump to play in and ambush squirrels from. Also to tease the pooches in the kennel
We will be going back on a scheduled date to dead wood and reduce the rest of the trees around the kennel. She will be planting a fruitless mulberry next to the stump to replace the lost shade for the dogs.
The end...... I think
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JjNtujyS3Js" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[MasterBlaster]

Thump!

 

[pantheraba]

Ha!...thump is right..."Oh my God....look at the hole!"

Good stuff.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

The insides was pretty uglies....

You can see why the kitty likes to run up the hole and scare squirrels

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

Two thoughts

A two sling attachment would have been more stable,

A tagline to a ground anchor would have reduced the swing.

A third. looked like he needed to swing the cab as he lifted the piece, with a goal of staying over the center of the mass. Was it a snap-cut or face-cut to stand it up, with a hinge that failed before standing it up, fully?

 

[MasterBlaster]

I hate using two slings.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

He used a snap cut. There was also a lack of communication between climber and operator.
Climber did not know terms and did not communicate to the op about boom placement, action or cable tension.
Tag line would have helped. Op made the choice of single choker and no tag line. Felt he could mitigate swing and rotation. Two chokers would have kept only the rotation down IMO.
A hinged cut would have been more optimal. Wood was green and would have hinged upward. I could have done it with a bypass cut/snap cut, just cut slow for the release. Mike went a tad quick. Op had the boom a tad off and kept closing the kerf with cable up. Just my observation and eval. But this was my first time as well.
Operator was all ok with it. Most guys shock the shat out of his crane. Dave Burns once saw a vid of local competitor and called the crane a false crotch on wheels.. as I recall.

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

I envision one short sling for the top, one long sling to the butt. Should mitigate swing and rotation, I think.

 

[FJR]

Great job Stephen!

 

[rskybiz]

Nice tread good read and visual!
Congrats I can picture your smiles as the picks happened!

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[treebilly]

Nicely done. Definitely a nasty one. Cranes just make things so nice. Glad it all went well for you guys.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Prolly right Sean...
Thanks guys..
I feel like I should put a disclaimer on it like a Murph vid...
Do not try this at home or on a ladder...........................................................
Joel... the grins were seriously genuine glee. Nothing like it when a plan all comes together on a job like that.

 

[sawman]

called the crane a false crotch on wheels.. as I recall.[/QUOTE]
lovin it Stephen cant wait for the next one

 

[CurSedVoyce]

On a final note from me.
I want give a big Thank You to the Tree House and it's members that have helped me achieve this level of work through sharing their methods and expert advise. The constructive criticisms over the years that helped hone my skills and guide me.
Big thanks to Paul in putting together the comm systems that made the job go sooooooo damn smooth. And his HH that I rode part of the process.
Big thanks to Jamie and his hybrid prototype that shined on the second tie in.
All of you with your sharing of crane jobs and sharing your tips and questions in them.
I could not have done this job or be where I am at today with out the input I have received over the years here.
I can not find all the words I wish to express my gratefulness and gratitude to all the names that are many here. You have me and my families sincere thanks.