Craning some biggies today1
- Thread starter rbtree
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This crane company is rigid with the darned OSHA rule of not riding the ball...no fun fliplining 105 feet up a 2800 board foot monster. But the other outfit I contacted was dragging their feet...not sure of the job. the narrow tight site, placement etc..maybe didnt have the right crane either.
Now that's some trunk taper.....
not!
just camera angle.
This behemoth was 23 inches inside the bark at 98 feet, 25 at 73, 28 at 46, and 32 at 19 feet. and about 52 on the butt. give or take an inch...
not!
just camera angle.
This behemoth was 23 inches inside the bark at 98 feet, 25 at 73, 28 at 46, and 32 at 19 feet. and about 52 on the butt. give or take an inch...
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The sloppy crane co didnt bring a long enough 3/4 inch choker, so I had to wait 5-10 minutes while they rigged up some hokey double 9/16th cable and sheave setup.
Normally, for upright craning, I prefer one choker. Start your cut directly below where the choker runs to the ball, and the kerf will open right up. That's why, in this pic, i'm attaching both chokers similarly, instead of opposed. No need to mess with any snap cuts, mismatch, hinges, anything. Besides, I want a smooth cut for less trimming time, and have the log premeasured for sale.
Wiley_p likes two chokers opposed, attached to a spreader bar flown from the ball. The log should automatically pick straight up and off.
Plus you have a built in safety factor with 2 slings.
Normally, for upright craning, I prefer one choker. Start your cut directly below where the choker runs to the ball, and the kerf will open right up. That's why, in this pic, i'm attaching both chokers similarly, instead of opposed. No need to mess with any snap cuts, mismatch, hinges, anything. Besides, I want a smooth cut for less trimming time, and have the log premeasured for sale.
Wiley_p likes two chokers opposed, attached to a spreader bar flown from the ball. The log should automatically pick straight up and off.
Plus you have a built in safety factor with 2 slings.
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Sorry bout this sideways video, i forgot and held the camera wrong again. This is the third tree, which was added on today, by the neighbor. We had to go home and get the chip truck. This is Edwin's first ever crane pick! 50 feet of tree above him, limbs and all. We had to talk him through it a bit, but he did well!
Notice the crane operator had a bit too much tension applied, so it jumped off the cut. But that was a good thing,as he got the limby stick up and away from Edwin quickly. I had tried to estimate my weights closely and tell the operator, so he could apply correct line tension. I was off quite a bit, but all went smoothly anyhow. After listening to wiley, i'm gonna work on getting this down better.
The three trees probably will scale out at close to 5000', and weighed 44000 lb. 8 picks total, which we made into 9 logs and some firewood. Lots of really bad wood, but I'm crossing my fingers we make enough $ from the logs to get a few hundred extra after crane and log truck fees of $1200. A couple logs were pretty good. Plus the customers paid $2900. About 32 manhours over portions of three days.
Warning, it's 3 mb.
Notice the crane operator had a bit too much tension applied, so it jumped off the cut. But that was a good thing,as he got the limby stick up and away from Edwin quickly. I had tried to estimate my weights closely and tell the operator, so he could apply correct line tension. I was off quite a bit, but all went smoothly anyhow. After listening to wiley, i'm gonna work on getting this down better.
The three trees probably will scale out at close to 5000', and weighed 44000 lb. 8 picks total, which we made into 9 logs and some firewood. Lots of really bad wood, but I'm crossing my fingers we make enough $ from the logs to get a few hundred extra after crane and log truck fees of $1200. A couple logs were pretty good. Plus the customers paid $2900. About 32 manhours over portions of three days.
Warning, it's 3 mb.
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Lumberjack
Banned
Looks like fun!!!
Was there not a local company that had a suitable crane, that would let you ride the ball? That takes all the fun outa it.
Was there not a local company that had a suitable crane, that would let you ride the ball? That takes all the fun outa it.
Yeah, there's a couple companies that sometimes will, but I was short of time and busy...shoulda called them.
Ness is huge, they may have 40 cranes. Except for their strictness, they've always done well for us.
Gee, is it morning already in Ole Miss?
GF kick you out o bed?
Ness is huge, they may have 40 cranes. Except for their strictness, they've always done well for us.
Gee, is it morning already in Ole Miss?
GF kick you out o bed?
jokers
Addicted to ArboristSite
Great pics as always Rog!
You and your guys make it look too easy, don`t your customers ever complain that they`re paying too much after seeing the work done? LOL.
Russ
You and your guys make it look too easy, don`t your customers ever complain that they`re paying too much after seeing the work done? LOL.
Russ
MasterBlaster
TreeHouse Elder
Not being able to ride the ball is STUPID. I would like to see the injury data concerning this.
Nice trees, RB. Ours down here don't grow quite so large.
Nice trees, RB. Ours down here don't grow quite so large.
Dadatwins
Addicted to ArboristSite
Pretty work, tight spot too. Like to see how that guy that thinks cranes are stupid and no blocks handle those trees
ROLLACOSTA
Addicted to ArboristSite
rbtree ..great workmanship...what size bar did you need for the trunk sections????
RB, great pics. Did you brush the trees out before calling in the crane? Who is buying those city logs? No one down here wants to pay for them, either too big or too much metal.
Both crane co's I've worked with(Ross out of Salem, Campbell out of Portland) won't let climbers ride the ball, bummer.
Both crane co's I've worked with(Ross out of Salem, Campbell out of Portland) won't let climbers ride the ball, bummer.
Here's the appx 100 yr old monster's stump. This tree was 135 feet tall or more, had a 35 foot dead top...You can see the pitch wood, plus large amount of pitch oozing, and the center wood splits. Not a good tree. The other two had grown no new tops since the topping about 25 years ago..Thus, they had top to base rot columns.
ROLLACOSTA
Addicted to ArboristSite
theres definatly no riding the ball overhere....health and safety gone mad i think....i think id have a job selling those sections overhere as well........
Here's another stump.
Or climber....I've never had a problem selling residential timber. All the sort yards buy it. Hardly ever have a metal problem either.
But since the market collapsed, prices are poor, and the graders don't let any defect go unnoticed, however small. Our best log yesterday, at 890 bf, had minor defects that willl end up putting it in a lower sort....I'm guessing 450-620$ per mbf, depending on luck, the scaler's mood....back 8 yrs ago, the log would have paid $1100 mbf.
We brushed the first two out a while back...and was having trouble getting a crane company in...mainly cause I'm so busy with other work to properly follow up. They'd been thinned and high skirted, so that part was a slam dunk.
Or climber....I've never had a problem selling residential timber. All the sort yards buy it. Hardly ever have a metal problem either.
But since the market collapsed, prices are poor, and the graders don't let any defect go unnoticed, however small. Our best log yesterday, at 890 bf, had minor defects that willl end up putting it in a lower sort....I'm guessing 450-620$ per mbf, depending on luck, the scaler's mood....back 8 yrs ago, the log would have paid $1100 mbf.
We brushed the first two out a while back...and was having trouble getting a crane company in...mainly cause I'm so busy with other work to properly follow up. They'd been thinned and high skirted, so that part was a slam dunk.
