Excellent site!

[RED OAK]

Wow! This place is a gold mine. I am new to this place and am very surprised at the wealth of knowledge you all possess. I am not an arborist but I am very interested in becoming involved in the profession. Everyone here seems to take thier job seriously and truly care about what they do. That is why I will probably be spending a lot of time here hammering away with questions. As I stated before I am not in the industry, but would like to be. My question is this- how much money does someone just starting in the business make? I know how to climb using a tautline and I have spiked trees (only to take them down), and I feel I have what it takes to do the job(I know, every idiot with a chainsaw that can climb a tree suddenly thinks they have what it takes). I was an ironworker for 7 years and built radio towers for 3 years, so heights are not a factor. The other thing is that right now I make over 50k per year and have great benefits and can't just leave that behind for $14 and hour. Do you know of anyone who uses only weekend help? Somewhere that I could get a litte experience to make myself more valueable before I decide to go full time?
Thanks for any replys!:blob6:

 

[Toddppm]

You'll be hard pressed to make that kind of money being a climber, even starting your own business!

But if it's what you like , you can't beat it. Money isn't everything

 

[Stumper]

Todd is right. 50k and benefits isn't going to come to you right away. If you have the time to pursue tree care as a second job you might get there less traumatically. In any case-WELCOME to the site.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

You would need to be running your own buisness and working a few crews to net 50k a year in this industry. Though it is fun.

There are a few big tree guys who subcontract and bake that type of dough. They got a lot of experiance under their saddle though, not just a few years. You need to net 300 a day though.

I did a search on Sugar Hill, GA and got 3 hits. Which one are you in, Dooley county?

 

[RED OAK]

Thanks for the input. I was quite sure I wouldn't make the same money I make now. But, as Todd said "if it's what you like , you can't beat it. Money isn't everything".

I am however still very interested in learning what I can from any of you. Which brings me to my next question: I recently bought a used Husky 272xp. Thing starts fine and only takes a few seconds to warm up, but it seems sometimes when I try to really sink it into the wood it kind of boggs down sometimes the chain stops turning altogether. Do you think it is because the saw is used and is worn out or is there something I may not be doing to make it run properly.

John, I am in Gwinnett County. 'Bout 35 min. NW of Atlanta.

 

[treeclimber165]

Hi Red,
Welcome to AS, I hope you learn as much as I have in the last year and a half.
As to your saw, you might want to take note of the different forums on the main page. We have different forums for different types of topics. We even have a Chainsaw forum where all the saw gurus hang out. Most of them don't climb trees, but many of them know lots of stuff about saws. We try to keep the topics to Climbing and Tree Care on this particular forum. I'm sure several guys can help you with your saw on the other forum.

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

Hey Red,
If your saw as a good chain, it should not need to much presure to stop the chain. If you need to push down with about 5 or 10 pounds of presure to stop the chain, it may be dull.
Cutting with a dull chain ruins bars and other parts fast.
I hope that makes sense.

 

[RED OAK]

Right on 165. I will keep my questions in their respective forums.
thanks,
Red Oak

 

[RED OAK]

You know I just had the chain sharpened. I thought that might have something to do with it but heres the thing. I thought that when your chain was sharp that you would have nice long shavings being spit out and mine didn't. Don't know if it was the wood I was sawing (oak) or the chain wasn't as sharp as it should be. Maybe it was working just fine and I only thought it wasn't. Thanks Bro! I'll take it out tomorrow and try it again.



Red Oak:alien:

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

If you rip wood the chips come out long, when you cross cut they are short. If the saw is spitting out dust, it may be dull.
I notice the the top plate of the saw tooth will get a brown stain if it is dull, but will stay shiney clean when it is sharp.

Will you tell us some about the climbing gear you used doing your other high angle stuff?

 

[treeclimber165]

Originally posted by RED OAK
You know I just had the chain sharpened. I thought that might have something to do with it but heres the thing. I thought that when your chain was sharp that you would have nice long shavings being spit out and mine didn't.

Red Oak:alien:

ummmmmmmm.... Maybe they didn't sharpen it well. Do you know what a sharp chain is supposed to look like? Can you tell the difference between a dull chain and a sharp chain (without using the saw)? If not, you might consider working with some tree guys who DO know before attempting your own gig. There are LOTS of basics that most people will assume you know, but if you don't know then you will not get far.

 

[Stumper]

Dittos to everything that Mike and Brian have said. Improper carburetor adjustment can cause bogging. Low compression due to wear CAN be a factor but it is more likely a sharpening or carb adjustment problem. There's at ton of help to be had over on the chainsaw forum. Even if you have to have a rebuild on the 272 you bought a great saw.

 

[TheTreeSpyder]

i think that if you cut down into a stump from the top, you can get 'dustier' chipping by how you are hitting the grain in this 3rd dimension of attack on the grain.

Also, the finer the chips/dust, the more the performance is affected by clogging the air filter i think.

i might go to a saw shop and pull slowly on a like saw's recoil rope, then try the same on your used saw, trying to discern the compression that your's has left.

A lot of it is about power, a given powerhead only has so much power; spread this out over a longer bar, slightly dull chain, wider chain, tough wood etc.; any single event or combination can make an ok saw seem sad; as the powerhead starts to show it's ceiling at some point.

Feel the nose to see if it is hot after running the saw, the bearings might be going out, make sure that oil delivery is okay.

Hop over to the chainsaw forum, let them guys tear it up!

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

To restate what others have said, a sharp saw is agressive enough that if you bare down on it it will stick in the curf.

Let the saw do the work and dont put any real pressure on it. Sounds like it is sharp, but your putting muscle into the cut.

Also to add to the approach to the grain, if you are cutting down the axis of the grain, cutting a stump, you get fine powder and dull the citters real fast. They work so much cutting so little.

 

[treeman82]

Red,
I have a "friend" who gradually left his job as an ironworker to get into the tree business. The guy had some prior logging experience. The guy doesn't make a whole heck of a lot of money which he flashes around, but I do know that all of his nice, new trucks (5) and chippers (2) and skidder (1 or 2) are paid for along with his house and property he owns up north. The guy started with a sound head for business, and went from there. Of course being an ex-iron worker helped him get paid on quite a few jobs for some reason

So that being said, welcome to the site, and best of luck to you in your new venture.

 

[RED OAK]

John Paul, thanks for the input. You are correct,without alot of pressure the saw does fine (must be the ironworker mentality in me-"If it doesn't fit, beat it in").

Treeman, sounds like your friend has done well for himself. Even if h e doesn't flash alot of cash, everything is paid for. Better yet he may be like the coolest of people- you know the ones who do have money but you'd never know by the way they act around others. Right now I am a Network Manager for BellSouth. Firrst job since high school that I worked inside. Sit behind a desk most of the day. Dude, it sucks! I am really starting to get out of shape. Doesn't help that I have 2 kids under 3 years old, so I don't get to do much physical activity these days. Another reason I would like to be working in the field again. I have come to terms with the fact that it will be a gradual process getting into arborculture. Hopefully with the knowledge I gain from all of you here and working weekends, I will be able to spread my wings soon.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

I think there are a few people in your general area on this site and others. I'm sure some could uses a weekend ground man.

Just be prepaired to be treated like a New Guy, and told to not use the chainsaw till properly trained. Nothing scarier then seeing a guy who "thinks" he has saw skills.

 

[DDM]

Hmmmmmmmm........O well nevermind

 

[treeclimber165]

Back to the original post in this thread

My personal opinion is that this and other sites are best suited for people already in the industry with some knowledge and EXPERIENCE to share with others who encounter the same situations on a daily basis. I don't feel this is the place for someone with no experience to come and 'learn' climbing and tree care.

Imagine what would happen if I decided that I wanted to take up skydiving. I have no experience but heights don't bother me and I have a friend with a Cessna. What would happen if I went to an online forum for skydivers and said I wanted to skydive and I had access to a plane, pilot and parachute? Could they teach me how to skydive?

This forum is better suited for BUILDING skills, rather than teaching basics. Basics are best learned in person, by someone with experience and safety training. :angel: