Cleaning up from last October's nor'Easter, big pines blown over and hung up. Mini for the win.
That was the AM, then I tipped Svens mini on its side after lunch! Felt like a right twat. Portable winch to tip it up, popped the glow plugs and cranked a bunch of oil out. Fired up, oil and filter change tomorrow
My oldest son took that pic. I'm glad that he chose the B&W . When my boys care enough to take a good pic I see promise and get excited to teach them how to climb. I'm fairly sure that the few climbers that made it in front of Mr. Beranek's lens felt flattered and though they may not have let on, were willing to have shared a little extra with him. Pure speculation on my part.
I think the mini is better, more traction and more maneuverable. Wide open field, probably a full sized truck. Mini makes for a less jerky pull, especially with the 2:1 setup
I backed my Ram 3500 (1200#) a bit too far last year into a wet spot, and pulled it out with the Boxer via a 2:1. I frequently use 2:1 to pull, and many times go to a 4:1 setup. Biggest factor in 4:1 is running out of room/rope.
I wanted a straight-shift again, but the Ram is auto. I worked out of a '95 Chevy 3/4 ton 4x4 for years. I had by-passed the clutch safety switch so I could tension in 4-LO, cut it off, notch and start my back cut, go to the truck, reach through the open window (standing on running board), and wind the starter a few times and winch most trees right over. Can't do that with the auto.....
Here’s a tree I did in three hours yesterday, not counting the twenty minute break to rehydrate after getting it down. Heat index was 107* when I got done.
Yup, hem-rot...western hemlock 24" dbh, slow to taper.
Miriam been working with me for about 5 months, on and off, every other week, since her gig teaching music to kids, and caregiving to a fellow with early dementia dried up with Covid.
I've done almost all the lowering so far, if not all, though she's done speedline work.
She cut her teeth. Winched up long, low limbs over the house yesterday.
Had the bollard on for wood today, after I lowered the top, natural crotched.
Had a dogleg, and exposed cavities. Kept pieces reasonable/ manageable sized, as the lowering point is a bit over a fence, and tree is structurally lovely, with the wobbly fence on one side, house on the opposite side.
Having pulled with mini and my Ram 2500. The mini wins when pulling off of dirt. On pavement the truck is the hands down the winner. It all comes down to traction.
There’s no way my Boxer will outpull my Ram 3500, regardless of surface. But being able to inch is nice, as well as being able to get it into tighter quarters for redirects.
The beauty of the mini in concert with a 3500...this was last summer. My wife and I took a road trip up to Smith Lake to take down several trees for a customer who owns a house up there. Worked nearly til dark, cleaned up, went into town for supper, then camped out by the lake. Got up and finished the job the next day.
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