Loggers & climbers

[Tigwelder83]

Who else keeps a feller on the tree crew? I do, they are incredibly skilled, and almost opposites from climbers. Its like the difference between surgeons & butchers. Today my feller was having fun with an ash job where 12 had to come down. He chained the two together, cut the smaller opposite its lay, and then cut the larger, using its weight to pull the smaller with it into the yard. Saved needing to go up the smaller.

 

[TheJollyLogger]

If you are hiring climbers that aren't also good fellers you are hiring the wrong climbers

 

[Tigwelder83]

My climbers can fell, but in my experience a logger who cuts 100 stems a day is a better feller.

 

[TheJollyLogger]

My climbers can fell, but in my experience a logger who cuts 100 stems a day is a better feller.

Hmmm... different industries... not sure where you are, but in my experience climbers drop them crushing beer cans and fellers are happy if it doesn't hit anything... probably geographical

 

[TheJollyLogger]

and when you say a hundred stems a day, that is production felling, he didn't crush a beer can with every one... that is not precision, that is production

 

[TheJollyLogger]

Oh ****, it just hit me... I was getting ready to ask why you didn't train them yourself, and then I got it

 

[jefflovstrom]

lol, you chased him away! We fall trees in urban settings with lots of targets, I don't see how a feller is equal to that.
Jeff
It was a beautiful day!

 

[TheJollyLogger]

Good to see you, Jeff! Yes, it was a beautiful day!

Ok, all kidding aside, to the Original Poster, the real question you should be asking is what should I be looking for in a climber? I don't know any good climber... no, let's call him what he is, arborist, that didn't prove his worth on the ground before he was allowed in the canopy....

So going back to your original question... why would you have 2 quarterbacks on your team? Just hire one that has all the game, and pay him well.

 

[treebilly]

There is a big difference between a feller and a logger. At least in my part of the woods.

 

[tree MDS]

I’ve done that trick before with a short piece of scrap 9/16 dB and a couple clove hitches. Many years ago. Worked good!

 

[Tigwelder83]

Oh ****, it just hit me... I was getting ready to ask why you didn't train them yourself, and then I got it

I run my bucket truck truck, and do some felling, usually my day consists of phone calls, estimates, & solving problems. A climber in general is much more reserved than the logger. I live in a very rural setting, probably 1/3 to 1/2 of what I do just needs the proper knotch and maybe a tug. If you can climb the tree, and piece it down or just fell it sideways, its nice to have both skill sets

 

[tree MDS]

I run my bucket truck truck, and do some felling, usually my day consists of phone calls, estimates, & solving problems. A climber in general is much more reserved than the logger. I live in a very rural setting, probably 1/3 to 1/2 of what I do just needs the proper knotch and maybe a tug. If you can climb the tree, and piece it down or just fell it sideways, its nice to have both skill sets

So you’re one of those guys. That’s okay, man!! No need to be ashamed!!

 

[TheJollyLogger]

Ok, so to answer your original question, no, I have never seen a need to have a "climber" and "feller" on the crew. It sounds like you have a climber that only knows half his job.

I am going to go out on a limb here, lol, that if you are in a rural area, and have never climbed yourself, that you may have never seen a really good climber. I remember showing up for a pipeline contract, and everyone was telling me what a badass climber the other guy was, had been climbing 20 years... turned out he couldn't even rope climb... spurred everything. They had never even seen a climber rope climb. The first time I went up SRT was an eye opener for them. Keep in mind the title "climber" covers everyone that leaves the ground, just as much as the kid in junior high gets to call himself a "quarterback" just like Tom Brady.

 

[Tigwelder83]

Ok, so to answer your original question, no, I have never seen a need to have a "climber" and "feller" on the crew. It sounds like you have a climber that only knows half his job.

I am going to go out on a limb here, lol, that if you are in a rural area, and have never climbed yourself, that you may have never seen a really good climber. I remember showing up for a pipeline contract, and everyone was telling me what a badass climber the other guy was, had been climbing 20 years... turned out he couldn't even rope climb... spurred everything. They had never even seen a climber rope climb. The first time I went up SRT was an eye opener for them. Keep in mind the title "climber" covers everyone that leaves the ground, just as much as the kid in junior high gets to call himself a "quarterback" just like

 

[Tigwelder83]

I'm going to go out on a limb and say you have never seen a good feller. Yes, you probably have seen a guy that can smash a beer can and take all day to do it, but can he cut 25,000 feet of timber a day? I know a couple that can average that and on a good day in good timber double that. Turn a faller like that loose on a residential job where your clearing an entire yard and your done in a day rather than a week.

 

[TheJollyLogger]

Yes, I have worked with and been trained by some very good fellers. Is your climber untrainable? If he learned to climb, why can't he learn to fell?

 

[mikewhite85]

I live in a similar rural setting. Lots of loggers around and a few climbers, most of which are old school and only climb on spurs and/or a blakes. We do a lot of felling using a farmi winch. Each of my guys has strengths in different areas but everyone fells. I do leave the biggest baddest ones to one in particular.

 

[tree MDS]

I’m not the best “feller” ever, but I get it done. Sometimes things don’t go exactly as wanted, but always good enough (generally, lol). I guess I could see how a one trick pony could excel at that one particular trick eventually.

 

[Tigwelder83]

Yes, I have worked with and been trained by some very good fellers. Is your climber untrainable? If he learned to climb, why can't he learn to fell?

Its not that he's untrainable, there's no replacement for experience though. A good faller cuts 100 stems a day, all year long, they are very good at what they do. All you need to do is remind them that the tree isn't the goal

 

[Tigwelder83]

Ok, so to answer your original question, no, I have never seen a need to have a "climber" and "feller" on the crew. It sounds like you have a climber that only knows half his job.

I am going to go out on a limb here, lol, that if you are in a rural area, and have never climbed yourself, that you may have never seen a really good climber. I remember showing up for a pipeline contract, and everyone was telling me what a badass climber the other guy was, had been climbing 20 years... turned out he couldn't even rope climb... spurred everything. They had never even seen a climber rope climb. The first time I went up SRT was an eye opener for them. Keep in mind the title "climber" covers everyone that leaves the ground, just as much as the kid in junior high gets to call himself a "quarterback" just like

So you’re one of those guys. That’s okay, man!! No need to be ashamed!!

What's "those guys"?