Powerlines

[Jed]

Mr. Propper: How old are you? Can I ask why you want to get into tree work?

I just sort of busted into tree work, at a relatively advanced age, because I had a weird experience out in the woods. If I can do it, then you can too.

 

[MrPopper]

I'm 22. My father in law bought and renovated a house that had been left vacant for a while. Once the inside was done, my wife's grandfather brought his trac hoe over and lifted me up in the front bucket. I used two straps and branches left out a foot or so to stand on and be tied in. I used that big chainsaw to clear some lower branches off the roof. I fell in love. It was amazing. We did that for several of the trees around the property. I started researching and educating myself. I did one pay job with inadequate tools equipment and ground skill. But I still had a blast. I've finally found something I'm passionate about That I can make a living at..... eventuallY.

I've also been climbing stuff since for I can remember. Mom says I climbed up on the fridge for candy when I was little. Like 1 or 2 years old

 

[ValleyArborist]

I think everyone is right about going to work for someone else. With exceptions, i would suspect nearly everyone on here worked for a company or with someone else before going it alone. It really does take several years to be able to do removals like that comfortably, without someone coaching you, at least for most people. You seem to have the right attitude and drive, and coming here is a great first step.

I think one thing that no one has mentioned that is so important is that climbing is only a means to an end. If you want to be a tree worker, you need to learn about trees. You need to learn how different species grow, what to look for as far as hazards in different species, and what is normal and low risk. You need to learn how different wood reacts when hinging, proper rigging, etc...I'm not saying that you need a PhD, but a little mentorship for a couple years will go a long way.

 

[vharrison]

I'm 22. My father in law bought and renovated a house that had been left vacant for a while. Once the inside was done, my wife's grandfather brought his trac hoe over and lifted me up in the front bucket. I used two straps and branches left out a foot or so to stand on and be tied in. I used that big chainsaw to clear some lower branches off the roof. I fell in love. It was amazing. We did that for several of the trees around the property. I started researching and educating myself. I did one pay job with inadequate tools equipment and ground skill. But I still had a blast. I've finally found something I'm passionate about That I can make a living at..... eventuallY.

I've also been climbing stuff since for I can remember. Mom says I climbed up on the fridge for candy when I was little. Like 1 or 2 years old

Mr. Popper, we are hiring. Google Marathon, Fl. We work the entire chain of islands, all the way to Key West.

 

[ValleyArborist]

I think i saw your shop the last time I was down there, late March. Can you see it off the A1A?

 

[Cobleskill]

Yeah, I had my service drop replaced at home. The power co. does the work and sells the parts. It was 2300 bucks. Might have been cheaper seeing how its a co op.

Here in NY they provide the tri plex to the house for free. From there they don't touch it. You have to install the service entrance cable and the meter channel. It seems wrong you have to buy the box that they install the meter in so they can charge you.

We can do our own work here if you have an inspector come and give your work the OK. $50 or 75 to have that done.

 

[Raj]

Same here for the most part.

 

[flushcut]

Being huge and with all the electrical issues it sounds like a good chance for TARFU....maybe FUBAR.

These guys are steering you right...it's not worth getting hurt by power or big wood...you need outside help.

Using a power saw up in a tree is a whole 'nother learning curve...TIT rule and all that.

Avail yourself of good knowledge here and put it to work...sometimes putting good knowledge to work means realizing there may be a whole lot of stuff you don't know that can get you bad hurt if not dead.

You sound like a level headed guy not trying to be all macho but with good insight into reality. Keep us posted...we'll do what we can to help...and steer you right as we can from out here.

TARFU? That's a new on me. Translation please.

 

[pantheraba]

In between sit normal and f,d up beyond all recognition is an important transition phase.

Things are Really f,d up. You have been there, just didn't realize it.

 

[FireFighterZero]

Up here they charge for everything. I can do my own work too, and build all my own meter loops, unless like the one at home that is hot.

 

[Cobleskill]

I have switched them over hot, but that isn't for most people. When I was a kid I watched a local very professional electrician working on hot wires. He was on a metal roof and using a foam pad to insulate himself. I asked my Dad aren't those wires hot? He told me no problem, he knows what he is doing. As I was watching he slipped with the wrench and there was an arc.

The guy is about 90 and still working. I saw him a couple years ago and asked him if remembered the incident. He pulled up his shirt sleeve and said " remember, how can I forget?" He had arced into his flexible metal watch band and burned a permanent scar in his wrist.

 

[MrPopper]

Valley, whats cool about that pay job is I was confident in how the rigging worked. I just had inadequate rigging rope (snap. gotta love other people's dry rotten rope lol) but in many... many ways... you are right. I need a mentor. Finding one wont be all that easy. I've talk with a few business owners, and they've said it isn't worth training someone who will leave. Anyone with a good head on their shoulders wants to start their own business. I think most anyone will catch on what I want to do rather quickly. That's going to make finding a mentor rather difficult.

 

[MrPopper]

Not cool, but good. (On the rigging aspect). What should i say to a potential employer? I don't want to put/off by any means.

 

[Jed]

I'm 22. My father in law bought and renovated a house that had been left vacant for a while. Once the inside was done, my wife's grandfather brought his trac hoe over and lifted me up in the front bucket. I used two straps and branches left out a foot or so to stand on and be tied in. I used that big chainsaw to clear some lower branches off the roof. I fell in love. It was amazing. We did that for several of the trees around the property. I started researching and educating myself. I did one pay job with inadequate tools equipment and ground skill. But I still had a blast. I've finally found something I'm passionate about That I can make a living at..... eventuallY.

I've also been climbing stuff since for I can remember. Mom says I climbed up on the fridge for candy when I was little. Like 1 or 2 years old

Ha! We sound like we could be brothers... but that would be to insult the breading pedigree of someone I hardly know, so... I won't go there. But seriously, If I had time, I could relate an exactly parallel story. Passion is key man. It'll take you as far as you can go in this work... unless you get electrocuted first. But.... Forget that, man... I've high hopes for you.

 

[cory]

I only read the first page of this thread, but it seems you are getting plenty of good advice re don't mess with power lines. I would only add that you should also look on youtube for vids of people accidentally touching power lines, there are a lot of them there. At best, they simply drop dead, instantly. But more often they are instantly and spectacularly torched.

 

[Merle Nelson]

Show any potential employer how he can get enough of what he wants by hiring you and you are set. (Give far more than you are asking.)

The right offer could get work with any person on this Forum or anywhere else.

 

[Merle Nelson]

Cory, I like you! Always concise and to the point.

I gave up trying to talk people into what is best for them. "Hey, stop! You're about ready to back over a cliff. " Then I just watch and see what they chose.

 

[cory]

 

[cory]

Nasty electrocution vids help keep me honest, too.

 

[ValleyArborist]

Not cool, but good. (On the rigging aspect). What should i say to a potential employer? I don't want to put/off by any means.

Just tell them you want to pursue a career in tree care. Tell them that you are a beginner at best and that you need to learn. No harm in that. You shouldn't jump ship right away anyway, because that defeats the purpose. It takes several years to get good at this kind of stuff, 5 years in my opinion. You will learn a lot within the first couple months, mainly about whether you like the work or not. It's not for everyone. You've had a blast in your backyard climbing trees, but it all changes once you have to do it for a living and have the pressure of making jobs come in on time. Add to that the pressure of not breaking real estate or coworkers down below, on top of working long days in all kinds of weather. Better to get a handle on this sort of stuff working for someone else than with your own capital invested. Not trying to be a downer, just realistic. This is a fun job, but with the potential to be very dangerous. Right now you don't seem to have to that healthy fear yet. You have the right attitude and ambition, just don't go it alone for right now.

 

[MasterBlaster]

5 years? After only a couple, three years I was a Master Treeman!

 

[MrPopper]

I've never been good at promoting myself. That's why I asked. I'm rather awkward on the phone too lol.

I know that I need to get proficient at ground work. I can't effectively instruct a ground crew on what I want to do unless I know how to be a ground crew. Yes, I want to be up the tree or doing the falling, but to be a good treeman, I need to be good at all aspects. In my own opinion

I am so anxious to get going. Tree climbing is all I've been thinking about. I have a book on pruning as well that I try to read when I can. Rigging is really cool. I've done a ton of research on rigging. I'm familiar with a lot of things just not practiced.

 

[Jed]

Stick around man... It'd be really fun to watch your career develop over the years via the Treehouse. Lots of Yoda peeps in the house.

 

[bstewert]

I don't think time is as much a factor as is quality of the instructor and aptitude of the student. Altho, throw in some strong desire, and that can make up for a lot.

 

[MrPopper]

That's an idea. What if I started a thread about my career. That way yall could see and I have a record for myself and of Where I came from. Lol. Would that be acceptable?

I think, once I wake (I'm just now getting ready to leave work to go home), that today I'm going call another local tree service about a job.