Solo Tree Work
- Thread starter RegC
- Start date
- Replies 207
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Altissimus
TreeHouser
?
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
Shock absorber, bay-beeee!
Marc-Antoine
TreeHouser
Yes absolutely, even more when there's nobody around
, as I'm not a showman at all, more on the shy side.
I often talk to myself when it tends to become difficult, to be sure that I agree with what I have planed.
It's a little embarrassing if there is somebody to hear my blattering.
CurSedVoyce
California Hillbilly
Excellent vid Reg. You are hard core mang. You put out an amazing amount of work.
I wish you had a little more efficient SRT gear, but you seem to have a good zone for yourself and it is hard for me to criticise when you produce results. I would also prefer your climb line being your second tie in instead of two flip lines. Faster self rescue. More feasible with a severe cut. But as Burnam told me more than once, you are a full grown adult, you can make your own decisions for yourself.
I prefer some things solo. Gives me a break from the manage the crew thing. Keep it simple. But the more complex stuff, I crew it. I hate getting out of a perfectly good tree to clean up a mess, get my gear back and climb it again.
Keep the vids coming man. Totally appreciate your voice and mind share in what we do. I can only aspire.
I wish you had a little more efficient SRT gear, but you seem to have a good zone for yourself and it is hard for me to criticise when you produce results. I would also prefer your climb line being your second tie in instead of two flip lines. Faster self rescue. More feasible with a severe cut. But as Burnam told me more than once, you are a full grown adult, you can make your own decisions for yourself.
I prefer some things solo. Gives me a break from the manage the crew thing. Keep it simple. But the more complex stuff, I crew it. I hate getting out of a perfectly good tree to clean up a mess, get my gear back and climb it again.
Keep the vids coming man. Totally appreciate your voice and mind share in what we do. I can only aspire.
I see no issues with an owner working solo from time to time. It isn't any kind of bravado, or anything special, or even fancy. If you know yourself and what you're capable of, and stay within those capabilities, you can work to a ripe old age even if you work solo once or twice a week. I typically bang out a few small jobs on stump grinding day. It covers the cost of the rental on the machine and can normally pad payroll a little bit for the week. I don't consider myself cheap, but why spend money that doesn't need to be spent?
For the record I will not even consider sending an employee or a subcontractor to do a job solo, nor will I go solo when I sub for someone else.
For the record I will not even consider sending an employee or a subcontractor to do a job solo, nor will I go solo when I sub for someone else.
kevin bingham
TreeHouser
- Joined
- Nov 10, 2010
- Messages
- 4,788
What seemed inefficient about his SRT gear?
CurSedVoyce
California Hillbilly
Just the handled ascender and loop runner for a foot loop. Knee ascender would be a nice addition.
CurSedVoyce
California Hillbilly
I did not call it "inefficient", just said it could be "more"....
I was quite efficient with my handled ascenders as well. But adding a knee ascender seemed to make my movements more efficient and need less energy.
Please not, I do NOT sport shiny Sherrill stuff, nor will I purchase from them if I can help it.
Please note that I said he works well with it.
I am not giving him a hard time about this. Only expressing my mind while feeling admiration for the man. He is some one I really look up to in this industry...
And Sherril can get Stuffed
I was quite efficient with my handled ascenders as well. But adding a knee ascender seemed to make my movements more efficient and need less energy.
Please not, I do NOT sport shiny Sherrill stuff, nor will I purchase from them if I can help it.
Please note that I said he works well with it.
I am not giving him a hard time about this. Only expressing my mind while feeling admiration for the man. He is some one I really look up to in this industry...
And Sherril can get Stuffed
Not trying to dog pile. A haas would be nice, and I only say that because I just bought one after using a foot loop and a hand ascender forever. In my case I was shown how to do it that way and just did that until I impulse bought one from treestuff about two weeks ago. Never would have thought it would be that much easier.
(full disclosure, I logged into treestuff under the influence of a small amount of alcohol about two weeks ago to buy a split tail and may have spent $500 on other stuff as well, or I would still be using a hand ascender and foot loop to this day.)
(full disclosure, I logged into treestuff under the influence of a small amount of alcohol about two weeks ago to buy a split tail and may have spent $500 on other stuff as well, or I would still be using a hand ascender and foot loop to this day.)
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
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Administrator Emeritus
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RegC
TreeHouser
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #43
Thanks all, for your opinions. I thought it a relevant subject, that not too many people talk about for fear of criticism. Interesting, if you look at the comments on youtube that there's dozens of people say they run a business much the same way.
There are obviously limitations....so, you pick your battles. Cimbing aside, I use the cart, winching, skyline and any other method I can devise to make it easy on the cleanup. Or I'll just haul stuff out by hand if it comes down to it. It doesn't bother me at all. I appreciate the work and opportunity, whatever form in comes in.
Some people prefer the idea of having workers and growing their business etc. That's not really me. I don't really want people turning up at the house every day. I don't want them slamming my truck door, leaving there coffee cups and friggin' up my gear in general. I don't want to be chasing work out of responsibility to emoloyees and overheads through quiet season either. That's why I use sub contractors when I need them. It's a lifestyle thing as much as a work style. I will get away with it as long as I can.
I don't dont like the way the HASS was marketed. I won't go into details, but I won't buy one for that reason. I would would consider Richard Munfords SAKA, but I just haven't gotten around to it. My hand ascender thing looks out dated, but it's still easy enough, and nice to get a hold off as I don't wear gloves as a rule.
I can see the benefit if having a the climbline as the second tie in....but I just find it too floppy and slow for conifers as such. If I worried about all the things that might go wrong, and let those thoughts dictate how I go through life, I'd probably never leave the house. So, I have faith in what works for me, and rarely get distracted with the what if's.
There are obviously limitations....so, you pick your battles. Cimbing aside, I use the cart, winching, skyline and any other method I can devise to make it easy on the cleanup. Or I'll just haul stuff out by hand if it comes down to it. It doesn't bother me at all. I appreciate the work and opportunity, whatever form in comes in.
Some people prefer the idea of having workers and growing their business etc. That's not really me. I don't really want people turning up at the house every day. I don't want them slamming my truck door, leaving there coffee cups and friggin' up my gear in general. I don't want to be chasing work out of responsibility to emoloyees and overheads through quiet season either. That's why I use sub contractors when I need them. It's a lifestyle thing as much as a work style. I will get away with it as long as I can.
I don't dont like the way the HASS was marketed. I won't go into details, but I won't buy one for that reason. I would would consider Richard Munfords SAKA, but I just haven't gotten around to it. My hand ascender thing looks out dated, but it's still easy enough, and nice to get a hold off as I don't wear gloves as a rule.
I can see the benefit if having a the climbline as the second tie in....but I just find it too floppy and slow for conifers as such. If I worried about all the things that might go wrong, and let those thoughts dictate how I go through life, I'd probably never leave the house. So, I have faith in what works for me, and rarely get distracted with the what if's.
I love the' slamming doors' remark, lol, what is it about most people and knowing how to close a door. Or the flip side, not fully closing it and then driving so the hinges wear out.
Good reasons you listed re employee headaches. I wish I could earn enough $ to get by without employees. Lord it was ages ago but I clearly remember when I started, saying I wish I could work alone full time!!
Trying to grow a business rapidly sucks the joy of doing tree work. I really get along with the two guys that I have now, but in the past having people beat up trucks, abuse your saws, cut ropes with chainsaws, not care about customers property, not be reliable, complain, drag stuff out to milk the clock, drop cigarette butts on customers property, and on and on and on. It can really drive you nuts. So much so when I first started moving away from contracting and working for others and more into working for myself it was the first few helpers I had that almost kept me from doing it. I still work solo these days even though I have help everyday. On some jobs it just makes the most sense.
I don't really like using my climb line as a second tie in on the way up, especially if Im cutting as I go. If I'm cutting and there isn't anyone to move brush on the ground its too much of a pain to have a climb line wrap around a limb on the ground and stop the whole works, and if I have it in a bag on my back it likes to get hung up on stuff as I move around, fall out, and in general be in the way. On the way down I use it all the time though.
I don't really like using my climb line as a second tie in on the way up, especially if Im cutting as I go. If I'm cutting and there isn't anyone to move brush on the ground its too much of a pain to have a climb line wrap around a limb on the ground and stop the whole works, and if I have it in a bag on my back it likes to get hung up on stuff as I move around, fall out, and in general be in the way. On the way down I use it all the time though.
RegC
TreeHouser
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #46
I love the' slamming doors' remark, lol, what is it about most people and knowing how to close a door. Or the flip side, not fully closing it and then driving so the hinges wear out.
Don't get me started. A 6 inch gap, is all you need, then push....or pull. Lost count of how many times Ive had t demonstrate this. Nothing makes my blood boil more than people slamming doors.
Altissimus
TreeHouser
Hehe , .... Thus the sounds of working alone , plus the satisfaction
Haha, I like the technical specs, I'm gonna try that approach next time.
I'm lucky, my main guy, even though he could fook up an iron ball, he's good about doors. He's mechanically inclined, perhaps that helps. Ya know, gives people a feel for some things.
I'd love to see you close the door on my VW Transporter with a 62 inch gap, REg.
I know you are a strapping lad, but I'm no wimp myself.
The thing is simply not buildt to American Standrads, the gaps between the doors and the frame are way closer, so with the windows closed and nowhere for the air inside to escape..........good luck.
I know you are a strapping lad, but I'm no wimp myself.
The thing is simply not buildt to American Standrads, the gaps between the doors and the frame are way closer, so with the windows closed and nowhere for the air inside to escape..........good luck.
