terminology/slang

I just curious. I have always yelled headache when I'm about to drop a branch. I was taught to do this early on. For years people have look at me funny for yelling this. Recently I worked with a climber from back east and he would yell headache before cutting a big piece. Is that universal? How about ,"dog leg, school marm, pecker tracks, hat rack? Any other colorful slang words from your area? I like," witches hats", a term for cones I heard use by a down under tree guy.

If I accidentally drop something, it's "headache". If I am making a planned and controlled cut it's usually "stand clear" before making the final cut.

I often yell move or die.

BRCCArborist said:

If I accidentally drop something, it's "headache". If I am making a planned and controlled cut it's usually "stand clear" before making the final cut.

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This is my Rule of Thumb too. Headache is when things are going not quite as planed and I'm sayin RUN AWAY, otherwise it is the textbook "stand clear" and I wait for an "all clear" from the ground crew.

Many see the headache as an unprofessional way of communication, since it is a command without a response.

It's an old linemans term I think, been around for a long time. There is a 1930s movie called "Slim" (Kirk Douglas I think), about a lineman. They use "Headache" when they drop a wrench or something off a pole and almost hit a groundman.

I've used "watch your teeth," this guy I climbed with a couple years back would say it all the time.

I'll yell "heads up" before i cut a bigger piece or one i'm not to sure about. My ground guys know when they hear the saw fire up to stop and look to see what i'm doing, and i make eye contact with both of them before i cut. I'll also tap the saw on the branch i'm about to cut, just incase they can see something i can't. If were rigging stuff out, i'll give a "thumbs up" and wait for a "thumbs up" back before i make the final cut.

My father-in-law always says " A sorry set of legs lets a body get hit"

I always say headache. When starting with a new crew, I also tell the groundman if they hear the chainsaw or hydraulic saw, don't look up and get out from under there quickly.

Stand Clear or Heads Up and on rare occasions OOOPS and sometimes SORRY.

I miss the days when I worked with real groundsman, and when I yell,"headache," I would hear, Clear. I have tried to get groundsmen(laborers) I work with today(last 10 years)to practice this to no avail. I'm happy if I can get them to wear their helmets. It a Spanish thing I think, machismo.

We use the thumbs up signal mostly. Climber indicates which branch he's doing, groundies rig whatever is needed and then look up, climber gives the thumbs up, groundie gives thumbs up and climber cuts the branch. Sometimes there's yelling, but we try to avoid that. Occasionally we'll use cell phones.

I always yell "ready" and wait for a "yes", that is unless eye contact is made and I know he knows. My old man is a big fan of "headache".

Always used headache too, my old foreman liked the "run or die" also.

Bearcreek said:

We use the thumbs up signal mostly. Climber indicates which branch he's doing, groundies rig whatever is needed and then look up, climber gives the thumbs up, groundie gives thumbs up and climber cuts the branch. Sometimes there's yelling, but we try to avoid that. Occasionally we'll use cell phones.

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That brings up a good point. I've worked with a Mexican crew once that only spoke spanish, and "thumbs up" or a couple revs of the saw works decent when there is a language barrier. Luckily it was a decent crew and everybody pretty much knew what the other guy was doing and also what to do without needing to be told.

most of the terminology I use looks like this ######## on the forums...

the guys at truck driving school called road cones Schneider eggs. (schneider is that trucking company with the big orange trucks)

371groundie said:

the guys at truck driving school called road cones Schneider eggs. (schneider is that trucking company with the big orange trucks)

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I've driven more then I've done tree work so I'm pretty familiar with all the trucking slang. They also call Asplundh trucks, "baby Schneider trucks" or "Schneider kids".

I only use "headache" in emergency situations as well. Something breaks and goes sailing unexpectedly and the like. When rigging, I yell, "Rope!" and the further communication is done through eye contact and hand signals. When sending a piece without rigging I'll yell, "Airmail!", but still make eye contact with at least one groundman.

371groundie said:

the guys at truck driving school called road cones Schneider eggs. (schneider is that trucking company with the big orange trucks)

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HAHA I went to school and got my CDL back in 98.We called them schneider puppies.

lego1970 said:

I've driven more then I've done tree work so I'm pretty familiar with all the trucking slang. They also call Asplundh trucks, "baby Schneider trucks" or "Schneider kids".

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Hadn;t heard that one,but makes sense.

So you guys must know what Co drove weiner wagons?









My father and uncle both were bed buggers[household goods movers]for over 30 yrs.
They had their own names for the different moving Cos

Al lied

Untidy

Wheatie

May ship

North african

Bikini

I had an uncle who drove for Schneider Tank Lines. He drowned trying to put in load locks. :hmm3grin2orange: Seriously, if you're old enough you can remember when "punkin" was a first class trucking company.
Phil