Newbie - Starting Next Week

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Thanks for the reversing tips Boots and Brian...I'll try that next time, it's the connect/disconnect in my brain that turning the steering wheel one way will make the trailer do...what!!! (without looking)

Sounds like your big leap into tree work has found you land with a good outfit, keep the updates coming, they are interesting to read and follow you in your new venture :)
 
This Friday will mark 4 weeks in! It definitely doesn't feel like a month has gone by, that's for sure. On Monday it was just the boss and I, so in the morning we worked on getting the bucket truck un-stuck. That was a whole other story, but no fault/involvement of mine, thankfully! It didn't take too long; some digging and laying down plywood. The afternoon was fun though. I got to ascend my first real tree. There were some cable anchor failures from last season that needed attending to, so we both went up to work on replacing them. It was really just an intro to getting into the tree for me, but I was able to help tighten some anchors and hand over one of the slacked cables. It was certainly a little intimidating going right up to around 70 feet (large maple) but I got more comfortable after 5 minutes or so. We went up basal tied SRT using a foot and hand ascender, with a rope wrench, VT hitch and pulley for positioning/descent. No cutting or anything, just the cable work.

As for other news/updates, I've gotten a few hours behind the Avant mini loader that we use. That's pretty fun. I'm studying the CDL driver's manual so I can get the permit soon, and then take the road test. For now he's let me maneuver the bucket truck around a bit on-site and at the yard, just to position the chipper and dump chips. That large climbing-intensive pine job is coming up this weekend and the following weekend (taking out dead wood in a ton of pines for someone building a ropes course) so I'm looking forward to that.

This week is consisting of a job at a really nice old, large mountain house with quite a few dead tree removals. Lots of winching up the hillside to the chipper (hydraulic winch on the Bandit) but everything stays on-site, chips and logs.
 
You gotta be working for my buddy mike, got to see him this past weekend down here in nc and he was talking about the avant, and the stuck bucket. Small world...
 
Boots it really sounds like you've struck it lucky with your first employer getting into tree work!
 
Eric H-L said:
Bootsmagee
How?s it going?
Click to expand...
It's going well! Damn hot here this week. 100 yesterday, back down to 92 today. I believe there was talk about water in this thread :lol:

Done early today though, just a pin oak prune this morning. It was covered in grape vine and had quite a bit of dead wood.

As for updates..I got my class B CDL, so I'm the bucket/chip truck guy now. I've been climbing when it's appropriate; a good amount of pruning and I think just one complete removal so far. Just starting to get into rigging, really. Most of the climbing I've done hasn't required it. The jobs that need lots of rigging would just take me too long at my current level. I'm getting there though.

The diesel engine on the chipper called it quits a few weeks ago; working without one is quite the experience. We've staged brush all week and used a rental later in the week twice so far. The boss is working on getting a new one.

But so far so good, all in all. I'm still getting stronger, it's taken a while to adapt after so many years of desk work!
 
Yep , stage waste for later Chipping ... Used to do it all the time when I rented , stage and hog up space then run around and clean up three jobs the same day. More than twice the work I always thought.
 
Hey Boots, seems as if we have a lot in common (aside from us both being guys :/:) -- similar stories and work progression. Glad to read of your progress and development! It's hot here, too -- hovering at 100 all week, but doing nothing but helping me out, I think: detox & weight loss!

Altissimus said:
Yep, stage waste for later Chipping ... More than twice the work I always thought.
Click to expand...
That's why I've been of the opinion that an arbor trolley would generally be more work for us -- staging it would take excess time vs. direct chipping. 5% useful on rare jobs. So maybe we'll get one someday after the priority list is obtained.
 
This was a fun thread to read.
Give us an update next time you check in, Boots. Sounds like you found a good guy to work for.
Feel bad bitching about the heat yet?
 
Johnny Hart said:
This was a fun thread to read.
Give us an update next time you check in, Boots. Sounds like you found a good guy to work for.
Feel bad bitching about the heat yet?
Click to expand...

Things are still going well! Two raises since I started in April (after I got my CDL and started climbing regularly) so I'm happy with the quick progress there. One of my biggest worries before making the career change was handling the pay cut and I'm already close to my previous hourly rate, so no regrets there. The cold is definitely another challenge. I'm fine with it up until my hands start to hurt, then it sucks. Keeps me moving though! It's funny how the harder work is quite welcoming once you start getting cold!

Consistency with throw line is one of my biggest hurdles so far, besides being faster/more efficient in the tree overall. Some days I'm right on, some days I struggle. Last week though I set two climbing lines when we got to the site. Nothing crazy, but decent heights around 50-60 feet. I nailed both throws back-to-back right where I was aiming, each on the first shot. It felt like a miracle, haha.

The boss is quite good at throwing; usually after 10-15 minutes of fumbling around if one of us hasn't made the shot, he'll come over and usually get it on the first toss. We've got the big-shot, but I try to only use it when it's not a realistic throw for me. It's really nice when I'm in the tree and need a tag-line on something I can't easily reach, or some other funky situation; he'll grab the throw-line cube and have it set literally within a minute or two. Mastering that skill is really valuable, I've come to learn quickly.

I definitely feel incredibly lucky to have found this particular gig right out of the gate. It had a lot to do with my lengthy search and digging around before I made the career switch but still, I know it could have been way less enjoyable had I gotten in with the wrong outfit to start off with!
 
Most excellent! You are indeed fortunate to be working for a good outfit.
If you can fairly reliably throw to 50 60 ' you are doing well, I rely on my bigshot, hand throwing is not my strong suit :)
 
A good trick when the weather gets cold is to wear a pair of surgical gloves (nitrile from harbour freight work great) under your normal gloves. It adds a very small layer, but will keep you hands much much warmer.
 
A hot thermos or 3 helps, depending on the cold.

A single-burner propane camp stove heats soup and water quickly at lunch.
 
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