The cutting edge of tree removal

  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #52
Ha I like that.

But I'd guess their entire lifestyle was considerably more laid back, so while they're was likely bouts of manic activity, overall things were more mellow. Heck they had to be, their nutrition sucked! Any of you read any of those books on how use of fire enabled humans to bloom?
 
From what I’ve seen of Stone Age societies in Papua and the Amazon forest (on telly and some reading) there’s a lot of sitting about doing nothing, I mean if you have shelter, a full stomach and a forest full of food out there then what’s the point in running around worrying about stuff.
 
Mick! said:
From what I’ve seen of Stone Age societies in Papua and the Amazon forest (on telly and some reading) there’s a lot of sitting about doing nothing, I mean if you have shelter, a full stomach and a forest full of food out there then what’s the point in running around worrying about stuff.
Click to expand...

Exactly. It wasn't until agriculture that land possession became a thing, and lineage of a family existed to pass on possessions. Only then did the parentage become an issue, before then most tribes were nomadic and matriarchal. The whole tribe raised children communally, and the need to expend more energy to aquire more resources simply wasn't there. Once agriculture developed to the point of storing grain, cities formed and job specialization was needed. This however led to trading labor for food, and the system was designed so much more labor was required than in a nomadic tribe so people would remain productive. This continues today, with human productivity reaching new heights continuously.

Ancient man wasn't stupid, in fact, was just as intelligent as we are. They are, after all, human. Using very simple tools at first, then obviously more and more complex machinery, they were able to build huge monuments that still stand to this day. Some buildings and stone working technologies are so advanced that they are still not even understood to this day. Their mathematics are astonishing, plotting the movement of the heavenly bodies and them designing, locating the perfect spot, and building structures that kept time better than most timekeeping technologies today. Cavemen would have definitely developed trapping, fishing with nets, and other time saving food gathering techniques, so they didn't even have to go hunting all the time, just go around and pick up their dinner.

Certain societies even developed medicines and surgical techniques to treat the worst diseases, to the point that aboriginal and tribal societies now have almost a similar life expectancy... If you survive childhood that is.
 
I haven't entered into this topic yet, but have been following it with interest. I had the realization today while doing the double hackberry takedown that really, our current mode of operation is actually very similar to this machine. But instead of just the machine doing the cutting, we have a climber aloft doing the cutting with a chainsaw. But the methodology is very much the same with our grapple truck: it grabs the limbs, the climber cuts them, the machine takes the limb safely to the ground -- either directly into the chipper or for manual separation of brush & logs by the ground crew.

Swift & brutally efficient -- client was shocked how fast the first tree was down & loaded on the truck -- by the time he got back from lunch, we were well into the 2nd tree. No one else in our area has this type of equipment. Now with the new, medium size grapple and the soon coming bucket truck, we can operate both in tandem and dismantle a tree very swiftly if we have good access and working room.
 
ALways good to find a niche and get a competitive advantage.... I just bought a couple heavy duty aluminium ramps, weighing only 40 lbs each they should help the skid steer and stump grinder to make a 2.5' retaining wall fairly easily... may not need them often, but a chance to charge for it when they are used!!!
 
Stumpshot said:
I haven't entered into this topic yet, but have been following it with interest. I had the realization today while doing the double hackberry takedown that really, our current mode of operation is actually very similar to this machine. But instead of just the machine doing the cutting, we have a climber aloft doing the cutting with a chainsaw. But the methodology is very much the same with our grapple truck: it grabs the limbs, the climber cuts them, the machine takes the limb safely to the ground -- either directly into the chipper or for manual separation of brush & logs by the ground crew.

Swift & brutally efficient -- client was shocked how fast the first tree was down & loaded on the truck -- by the time he got back from lunch, we were well into the 2nd tree. No one else in our area has this type of equipment. Now with the new, medium size grapple and the soon coming bucket truck, we can operate both in tandem and dismantle a tree very swiftly if we have good access and working room.
Click to expand...

There are many methods to skin a cat. I also have a similar system using just one truck, a bucket truck with material handler. I can't take as big of pieces but I only need access for one truck and a landing zone. Been working well for me for about 14 years now (since I bought my first bucket truck). I've never really had a need for a separate truck or machine to move material. A skid steer or grapple truck would only get in the way.
 
???
Brush is laid down behind the chipper, logs are lowered into the dump trailer. Sometimes I have to move the truck to load logs if we can't get the dump trailer close enough during the removal.
 
Brian's system does seem to hit a very sweet spot...low manpower, relatively low iron, making high output. I think that has to require a high level of skill on the part of the owner/operator to make it work. Plus a fairly obdurate one :D.
 
The material handler bucket truck definitely has a huge advantage. I'm really surprised I don't see them more often.
 
I think a few things factor against them, speed(of boom movement), weight(accessibility), articulation, and lastly cost. Otherwise I'd bet you would see more of them. No denying the versatility and usefulness of one though. I think anyone who's flown a non-material handling boom has wished they had one at some point, and bet their shoulders wished they had too.
 
It's not as fast as a forestry bucket but it's still faster than the portable track lifts that everybody is buying.
 
The material handler rear mount would be my choice if I had to pick one.
Line clearance companies are the only ones I've ever seen that chip into the forestry package. Chipping into the bucket truck is rarely convenient doing residential work IMO. Excellent secure tool storage on the forestry though.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #74
Jonny said:
Excellent secure tool storage on the forestry though.
Click to expand...

Meh. Those doors can be pried open and ripped off toot sweet. And then the rods can be worked on. Ya know, by enterprising addicts.
 
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