N
Nails
Guest
welcome to da houze Nails! Your profile is somewhat lacking....
Dat aint the only thing, lol.
Dat aint the only thing, lol.
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
Thanks for filling it out!
B
Blinky
Guest
I definitely prefer pruning. I don't like climbing dead trees and I don't like killing healthy ones... but 70% of my work and 90% of my income is removals.
W
Wagnaw
Guest
OTGBOSTON
punk in drublic
From AS
Dan, you just gotta say F-em' and move on. That's how I roll, and look how great I am
Just another forum reality. The old "set up" trick, they'll get theirs. The fire in the master's house it set.
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
Yea, I PMed him about that.
Whassup, Nails?
Whassup, Nails?
N
Nails
Guest
No correlation to this site in anyway fellas. It pertains to a completely different situation. I replied to your PM, Blaster.
Not really fair for me to vote since I don't climb >>> but I voted anyways.
As a groundie, removals are just so much more exciting & predictable. Love the crash & 'crunchiness' of removals; love the challenge & risks.
What I really like about pruning is there's room for interpretation. I dig seeing other arborist's work... critiquing it or simply admiring it.
Seeing my own work 8 years in is humbling & rewarding. Can't really say that about a tree that ain't there anymore !
As a groundie, removals are just so much more exciting & predictable. Love the crash & 'crunchiness' of removals; love the challenge & risks.
What I really like about pruning is there's room for interpretation. I dig seeing other arborist's work... critiquing it or simply admiring it.
Seeing my own work 8 years in is humbling & rewarding. Can't really say that about a tree that ain't there anymore !
sawinredneck
Treehouser
It's lyrics from a song, I know the song. It came off wrong, he posted a reply explaining as much.
Bad choice of words, nothing more IMO.
T
The Branch Doctor
Guest
I like a nice mix of both pruning and removing. I know my groundie can only handle a few removals a week or he'll be whining too much for me to handle. lol
I enjoy driving by trees that I've pruned and the "well done lad" feeling I get from them.
I enjoy driving by trees that I've pruned and the "well done lad" feeling I get from them.
woodworkingboy
TreeHouser
Not really climbing, but sometimes I get to hanging off the end of the crane hook to do pruning. I like removals, big sense of accomplishment at the end of the day, both looking at the stumps, and the logs on the ground. I like to contemplate stumps, offer up a critique on my cutting. Sometimes, I can be great , other times, 
, other times, 
I like both, but the continuing satisfaction from seeing my pruning work over time kinda tips the scale!
Although this week I had to tiptoe all around a big ficus 50' or so tall, with a silky and secateurs, multiple vertical stems, previous severe storm damage has rendered it a vertical nightmare with stags heads at the top that are almost inaccesible, except with a considerable amount of exertion...that tree beat me up, and its the second time!! If I could convince them to remove it...I'd REALLY enjoy it! But it is a repeat $$ generator...
Although this week I had to tiptoe all around a big ficus 50' or so tall, with a silky and secateurs, multiple vertical stems, previous severe storm damage has rendered it a vertical nightmare with stags heads at the top that are almost inaccesible, except with a considerable amount of exertion...that tree beat me up, and its the second time!! If I could convince them to remove it...I'd REALLY enjoy it! But it is a repeat $$ generator...
Attachments
SkwerI
Treehouser
Funny to think that in central Florida those Ficus are small ornamentals kept in pots that get dragged into the garage on cold nights, and further north they are houseplants! 
The 4'-5' tall multi stem with braided trunks in a 20 gallon pot are a common sight around here.
The 4'-5' tall multi stem with braided trunks in a 20 gallon pot are a common sight around here.
Old Monkey
Treehouser
- Joined
- Mar 9, 2005
- Messages
- 8,764
That's a really cool tree.
treetx
Traveler extraordinaire
I hear that sap irritates skin. The Aussies made me cut the ficus trees as they said I wouldn't have the allergy to them they had. Maybe Ek and Colin were just pulling my leg.
The answer to the question is it depends. You do what brings you the best margins for the capital(equipment) and skill set you have (sales and climbing skill).
For me running a crew that means pruning. Plus you get repeat biz.
As a part time hit man with no crew, no truck, no chipper, that means removals. You have what may be $2k in removal and I can usually put it on the ground in 2-3hrs, parting with $500-600 in my pocket. For me those are wide ass margins and I don't have to tangle with wood when it hits the ground. I bring a buddy for groundy if I must. I have found a market for this work with landscape companies.
I think my talent lies more in running through a canopy pruning but after Hurrican Ike, I could have gone climbing, removing large broken hangars. My greatest return was in using that new 460 Mag, throwing and bucking trees. My throwline, z rig, and pull rope with the 460 pocketed me over $1K a day.
It is also what you can collect the fastest at. With cut and drop removals, you can get paid when it hits the ground. Oh, and do - when they get to that mix of big logs and brush, they won't be as happy.
.02
