Air Spade

[John Paul McMillin]

I have tried the air spade and liked it for root collar excavations , so i just purchased one. I will use it for what i just mentioned and the irrigation tech will use it for utility work also. This is funny , when i called the company who makes it , i told them who i was and that i worked at a country club. then I told them i would call them back. when i called back i said this is john and they said is this John Sanborn? And i said no this is John Paul McMillin , but i know all about JPS. He must have called them right before me LOL . I just cant get away from John Paul Sanborn. Ha Ha , John ps. anyone else use the air spade?

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

I've talked to a number of people who have, I know Rainbow in MN loves theres for Macros.

I plan on trying it with cavity inspection.

What are you using to keep the dirt out of your shirt?

Man you to bad you didn't say I told recomended it. I'lda got a kickback. I've been plugging it so much on the web that they said if anyone said they bought it on my recomendation they would "do something" for me.

 

[John Paul McMillin]

Today i used it for the first time since i got it . And this may be a new use for it . I have three Japanese Cutleaf Maples that are worth $5000 a piece. They are in an area that we are building a new pool area. They have to be moved but there is underground utilities right under each one , so i cant spade them out. So i am trying to dig under them with the Air Spade ( which i did today ) and tomorrow im going to try to lift them out with forks on my big loader . Will let you know if it works John I have a 185 cfm compressor i am using it with. and yes JPS i do wear a face sheild but my shorts and boots are filling up with soil

 

[monkeypuzzle]

Damn,I sure wish I could wear shorts.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

I think he means his undershorts , those things blow dirt everywhere!

I tried a rain cape for my Peltor helmet (I use it for spraying tall trees) but it realy did not help.

I wish I could find coveralls that fit! And one of theos hoods that welders wear too.

 

[John Paul McMillin]

Hey it worked , I moved 2 japanese maples today each with a 9 foot root ball, but only 2 and a half ft deep. After i used the air spade to undercut the root balls, I put a chain around the root ball and pulled it with a tractor to competely undercut the ball. then I put forks on the bucket of the tractor and slid them under the ball, then i tied a running bowline around the trunk of the tree with burlap on the trunk of course. and made 3 more raps around the trunk and back to the bucket. and i lifted the tree and It worked. when you are an arborist at a country club you can wear shorts but i always carry my husky chain saw pants with me in case i have to start up my saw.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

I climb too much to wear shorts.

Another thing I plan to do is plow out the soil around suckering crabs, cut the sprouts down to the root and paint with NAA (suckerstopper) and hort oil.

 

[Sudo Tsuga]

wow what a coincidence

i had to write a current event article for intro to forestry so i used may 2001 article on Air Excavation to Improve tree Health

 

[treeclimber165]

Sudo Tsuga

You must be one a dem 'book lernin' fellers! In chaki's and loafers! Kin ya run a chain saw, boy?

(tongue planted firmly in cheek)

 

[Sudo Tsuga]

ive felled my fair share of trees prior to going off to college to get an education in utm. Just think in two years i might be your boss ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

just foolin'

 

[Sudo Tsuga]

actually to be less harsh, I attend paul smith's college i spend pert-near 24 hrs. a week on an almost 14,000 sq acre campus in the middle of the adirondack national park my studies this semester include eng, math, intro to dendrology, introduction to forestry, and insects and deseases of trees. the last three which include lab hrs where we go out and about on the campus to learn hands on and get dirty while wearing arborwear pants and wolverine boots. we learn the basic of logging including felling, bucking, skidder opperation, two man cross cut, surveying, stand managment, horse team managment; also in lanscapes, insect collection, damage collection, insect morphology, tree taxonomy and much more.

so next time just to benifit us all, talk with your eyes open so you can see what a fool you are making of your self.

 

[treeman82]

Don't forget you got a Stockbridge student in the house too I got a class with Dr. Ryan tuesdays and thursdays.

 

[Chain Gang]

Hey Treeclimber165,
Your comment about "kin ya run a chain saw" was funny! You may be the first to tease Sudo Tsuga about his education. But you won't be the last! I wonder if there is a class on how to blip the throttle betweeen cuts while limbing. Here in backwoods NC, engine reving has a genetic pattern.

Hey Sudo Tsuga,
Sounds great! I'd love to be able to spend years in Adirondack Park. Sounds like you have found a great place to study.

There will always be those who learn and those who carry out the work. Making the connection between those two sides is the key to success.

This reminds me of Joe Gibbs: He is a friendly, soft-spoken man who personally neither plays football nor races cars. BUT, he has successfully led teams in both sports to national titles. It would seem the key to success is not knowing everything nor being able to do everything. But instead, being able to effectively lead and work with anyone.

Sounds simple doesn't it?

 

[Toddppm]

Originally posted by Sudo Tsuga
actually to be less harsh,

so next time just to benifit us all, talk with your eyes open so you can see what a fool you are making of your self.

Dam@ that was less harsh? I'm pretty sure he was just kidding with you . I don't think anyone here would give you crap for going to school. Wish I had gone to a school like you described, sounds good.

 

[sslester]

I'm new here and was just looking around and have to say that I'd hate to read a harsh statement from Sudo Tsuga. Personally I didn't have the fortune to recieve my college education PSC, but at Iowa State University where I did recieve my B.S. The Profs. tried to teach humility

Now If I'm outa line U just let me know, OK


Lovin' Life with a view

 

[sslester]

By the way I've never seen an Air spade is it like a jackhammer with a shovel?? or what got any pics?

 

[Sudo Tsuga]

i didnt say that an education any where else was any better or worse than at psc i was standinbg up for all those who did decide to recieve an education and that just because we did or do go to school doesnt mean that we can do the work that is the only point that i wanted to make make any implications that you wish but i'm letting you know what i meant to say

 

[sslester]

Its cool I personally don't like people insinuating that I can't do physical work since I'm educated, it's a choice.

Lovun'life with a view

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Geeeeez Louise, can't take a little ribbing! Sheeeshkabobb!




JPM,

If you haven't worked out a way to get through turf yet, I've found the best way is to make small squares with the A/S and then just pick 'em up and chuck 'em. I tried using a sod cutter first, but it went real slow.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

sslaeter,

Check out the AirSpade at this site. It is the cats behind for doing any subsoil work.

http://www.air-spade.com/horticulture.htm