The Official Work Pictures Thread
- Thread starter MasterBlaster
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woodworkingboy
TreeHouser
Took me years to finally get hired by the city owned hot spring hotel across from my shop. Someone gave them a crane assisted bid, and I told them I could do it without a crane and came in way under. Three trees with some lean across the road towards a house where the owner was complaining. Got a good friend to help and we used a Tirfor endless wire rope puller, which I consider a superb tool. The pick up is so positive and no chance of slip, so reliable, have had great results with it. Tax money job, taking photos before and after while wearing PPE is part of the rigmarole we have to go through.
The ancient excavator with the grapple had been sitting in a guys shed and hadn't been used in years, the owner said if I could get it running I had free use whenever. Some hydraulic cylinder seals are shot and it leaks, but it works ok for such a relic. Just needed a starter rebuild and a decent battery. Time warp operating it, a bit jerky with a lever to throw to change control functions, but it sure helped with the cleanup. It took awhile to get the hang of it, you often need both hands to get the grapple to clamp down, depending on the position. They were very happy with the work, said they would be hiring me again, probably not looking for competitive bids now that I have their attention and being right across the road. There are lots of trees on the property that need be removed, I figure about fifty.
I suggested they hire me to maintain the property. The head guy said he would think about it. Good day's work, I enjoyed it.
The ancient excavator with the grapple had been sitting in a guys shed and hadn't been used in years, the owner said if I could get it running I had free use whenever. Some hydraulic cylinder seals are shot and it leaks, but it works ok for such a relic. Just needed a starter rebuild and a decent battery. Time warp operating it, a bit jerky with a lever to throw to change control functions, but it sure helped with the cleanup. It took awhile to get the hang of it, you often need both hands to get the grapple to clamp down, depending on the position. They were very happy with the work, said they would be hiring me again, probably not looking for competitive bids now that I have their attention and being right across the road. There are lots of trees on the property that need be removed, I figure about fifty.
I suggested they hire me to maintain the property. The head guy said he would think about it. Good day's work, I enjoyed it.Attachments
SouthSoundTree
Treehouser
Nice, Jay!
woodworkingboy
TreeHouser
CurSedVoyce
California Hillbilly
Very cool ! I hope that they keep using you Jay.
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #933
What's up with the first pic, the chalkboard?
SoonerFan
TreeHouser
woodworkingboy
TreeHouser
Soaking...ha! Yes, a standing offer to use the hot spring. How I wrangled into working for them was by cutting the odd tree for free, like when the PTA (they call it that here too), would have to tell them that a tree was looking dangerous for the kids walking to school down that road. The people that run the place wouldn't know a dangerous tree from a sapling, nice folks, but slow on the uptake in certain areas. I'd hear about it and while they were debating what to do, go over there and tell them I would knock it down for free, as getting paid involves various complications through the main office in Tokyo. I always hoped it would lead to getting paid at some point for time consuming jobs. I know it generally isn't a good idea to do stuff for free for mere acquaintances, but hopefully it has worked out since the paying job came through. In the mean time before, they would always just tell me to use the spring, not open to the general public unless an overnight guest. Sometimes I mosey over there and take a plunge, a great way to spend a few hours, most relaxing.
The chalkboard.... This is the tree we are going to cut, and now this is the tree that we have cut, see that it isn't here anymore! Just follow the bouncing ball for the evidence that your dollars are being properly spent....:roll:
How I wrangled into working for them was by cutting the odd tree for free, like when the PTA (they call it that here too), would have to tell them that a tree was looking dangerous for the kids walking to school down that road. The people that run the place wouldn't know a dangerous tree from a sapling, nice folks, but slow on the uptake in certain areas. I'd hear about it and while they were debating what to do, go over there and tell them I would knock it down for free, as getting paid involves various complications through the main office in Tokyo. I always hoped it would lead to getting paid at some point for time consuming jobs. I know it generally isn't a good idea to do stuff for free for mere acquaintances, but hopefully it has worked out since the paying job came through. In the mean time before, they would always just tell me to use the spring, not open to the general public unless an overnight guest. Sometimes I mosey over there and take a plunge, a great way to spend a few hours, most relaxing.The chalkboard.... This is the tree we are going to cut, and now this is the tree that we have cut, see that it isn't here anymore! Just follow the bouncing ball for the evidence that your dollars are being properly spent....:roll:
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #936
That's a mighty odd way to do business.
woodworkingboy
TreeHouser
I concur, an odd plan. I wouldn't want to make it a regular thing. In my defense, they are unusual people to try and do business with, very forgetful and unable to see advantages. I think mostly retired from other occupations and got jobs running the joint. Being an odd situation with management there, so I had to play it by ear. Often trust doesn't come easy here, first you have to get connected in some way, then you can talk about doing business. Without some introduction by someone, you are often out in the cold. Try to work around that whenever possible, and the fact that I wasn't born here and don't have noodles in the brains.
pantheraba
More biners!!!
I like the way you played that out...slowly working your way into a position to bid and then getting the work. A good, patient and focused plan..hoorah!
woodworkingboy
TreeHouser
Thanks, Gary, I believe that you describe it precisely. There were times when I questioned the wisdom of the plan myself, to be honest.
PCTREE
Treehouser
Jay, nice job. Funny thing about the story is the use of the Tirfor winch. I say funny because I dont know any US tree guys who use them. The company I first worked for in England had one and we used to cut a tree down then leave a stub as high as the site would allow and then winch and cut the roots till it pulled over then dig it out
I saw a Tirfor years ago at a pawn shop without a cable, bought it cheap. Its been at a friends house for 10 years now, should go get it before he passes and it is lost forever.....
I saw a Tirfor years ago at a pawn shop without a cable, bought it cheap. Its been at a friends house for 10 years now, should go get it before he passes and it is lost forever.....
woodworkingboy
TreeHouser
Hey Paul. I also have a Maasdam, and the lightness of device and rope is sweet, but when it comes to a potentially risky situation, I will take the Tirfor. I have used three sizes of Tirfor up to 1 1/2 ton, and they all are great. The 3/4 ton is quite light. They all work very well, but I like the 12mm cable on the one ton plus, as opposed to 8mm on the under one ton models. I know the rating, but it just seems skimpy. There is one sitting in a recycle shop in town with no cable. A big one rated to five tons. That is a lot of pull! A heavy sucker too. It's hard to describe the benefits of a Tirfor, you have to have used one. It seems guys in the US aren't big on cable, as opposed to rope. With the Tirfor, I find that the slow steady pull with minimal stretch gives security. Easy to quickly back them off minimally as well while keeping constant tension. They are well made devices, have seen ancient ones still in regular use. Well worth the bread, imo.
Steve Mack
Life Member.
Good plan Jay, it paid off.
I bet no one has used a Trewella then.
A couple of guys on Arbtalk have, they were hard work. I gave up on them and bought a 5 ton Tirfor, still got it but haven't used it for a few years.
Not much call for one around here now but I used to use it nearly every day once. Pulled some big trees over with it when we were clearing blocks for all these houses they built.
I bet no one has used a Trewella then.
A couple of guys on Arbtalk have, they were hard work. I gave up on them and bought a 5 ton Tirfor, still got it but haven't used it for a few years.
Not much call for one around here now but I used to use it nearly every day once. Pulled some big trees over with it when we were clearing blocks for all these houses they built.
woodworkingboy
TreeHouser
I wonder how much pull you can get with the average skidsteer, would it be anywhere near five tons? Steve, what size cable does a five ton require? I guess if I wanted to buy one Tirfor, it would be the ton and a half, for my area. A five ton would be cool to have in your bag of tricks, but I can only recall one or two instances where it might have been needed. With bigger trees that have severe back lean, even if a five ton would pull them over, I think I'd fear the hinge breaking first. Barberchair a possibility too. Pulling trees is cool!
Steve Mack
Life Member.
We used to pull them out of the ground, no stumpgrinders then. Whole trees or top them down to where they'd fit, then dig around them and cut the roots like Paul said and pull them over.
The ton and a half is plenty for just pulling them over.
Cable is 16mm.
The ton and a half is plenty for just pulling them over.
Cable is 16mm.
pete mctree
Treehouser
I have always used tirfors for hard pulls. On occasions a matched pair for awkward/heavy back leaners. They are cumbersome & hard to set up, but reliable. Good tool IMO
Agree completely.
We have an 800 kilo and a 5 ton. I've yet not had a tree that the 5 ton couldn't shift. Great for freeing stuck machinery as well.
We had 10 large ashtrees to pull today.
This one had to have a few branches lopped off, so it wouldn't roll on impact and smash a grave marker.
Martin, the apprentice, did the job, before heading off to school next week to learn how
We used a forwarder to pull instead of the Tirfor, since we had one handy.
We have an 800 kilo and a 5 ton. I've yet not had a tree that the 5 ton couldn't shift. Great for freeing stuck machinery as well.
We had 10 large ashtrees to pull today.
This one had to have a few branches lopped off, so it wouldn't roll on impact and smash a grave marker.
Martin, the apprentice, did the job, before heading off to school next week to learn how
We used a forwarder to pull instead of the Tirfor, since we had one handy.
woodworkingboy
TreeHouser
Big Ash! There must be some lovely clear wood in the lower section.
SouthSoundTree
Treehouser
I've only use a Tirfor/ griphoist on a trail project to move large boulders and pull trees out by the roots with a high stump. Nice tools. Nice that they have a shear pin in the handle, so you aren't overloading the working parts.
If they could make a puller like that for Amsteel, it would be sweet.
If they could make a puller like that for Amsteel, it would be sweet.
Yes!
We got 6 saw logs of that quality out of those trees. One was nothing but a hollow shell and the rest full of knots and splits.
But those 6.........Oh boy
CurSedVoyce
California Hillbilly
Big one... Nice photos Stig.
