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"all us dumb old farts" LOL!!!

I can't speak for Nick here, but I know that personally I haven't even begun to learn half the stuff that you older, more experienced guys have forgotten over all of your years in the business.
 
I have 2 companies i climb for on a weekly basis and another that I do for a few days a month. So nothing has changed there.

Have one moderate sized (for me at least) consulting job going on in IL.

Have a few jobs lined up for the trip out west, though most that sounded good faded away when I explained the billing system. Some think $600 a day for 2 good, equiped climbers providing W-9's for tax purposes is a steal, other look at it as highway robbery. "Thats twice what I pay my guys!"

$30/hour when I cover my payroll taxes seems reasonable to me? It is negotiable based the work and relationship. Give it time, I guess.

A few others were up front on their work situation.

So the subcontracting thing is is still paying the bills and supporting my travel habits without wearing my body and enthusiasm down. Which is probably the greatest reason I want to sub; I don't have to milk the OT on the weekend anymore and the work does not become a grind.
 
Thank You

I was apprehensive about the response that I would get from my last post but I think that we are coming to a better understanding for each other here on this board. I am proud of the way that my last post was not taken in haste but read and understood by those who responded thus far. I was certainly not trying to lash out at the board but just try and let everyone understand the animosity I have been feeling since I got here. The seas have definitely calmed and I am happy to say that I am feeling a bit more warmth from this crowd. This is the way I like things. Open, honest and friendly.

Darin....I havent published any books yet because I am currently on my first one. I have published a number of poetry pieces though.

KEN GREEN....I would definitely like to talk to you at TF 2002. Is there any way that I could find you there without too much searching? If so, let me know how to get in touch with you there and I will do it. I appreciate your offer to talk to me. It would be extremely helpful to get to talk to someone in person as opposed to trying to write back and forth on the board. Thanks.
 
right on john , keep those price's up. i currently work for 3 companies as you. one of them gets most of my time the other 2 is only a few days a month. i might quit one of them this week because they do not have a competant ground crew. i can't trust them to land big wacks or to just let the stuff "down" on dead tree's. i'll be dammed if i get hurt because of a ground man. plus the owner does not and has never climbed. so he does not know what is a " hard tree".
i enjoy working at the other company because i work with another climber with over 20 years exp. we have a great rope man who is a certfied arborist (he does not climb) who has been working with tree's for 20 years. the owner of the company was injured in a fall a few months back and still cant stand in spikes with out exreme pain.
its nice working for some one that climbs. i was in a dead oak the other day i only had one cut left to make to get the top out. i was too afraid to butt tie it because i thought the tree would fail. i asked a ground man to call the owner. he was on the job in 10 min.
i set a pull line on the lead and showed him where i was going to notch it. i told him i might take out the fence because of the lean. his first response was if your not comfortable we could leave right now. then he said take out the fence if you want, its cheap to replace.
well i slapped a notch with my new 357xp and cleared the fence by 10 feet. but i felt i was kind of his call to make. it's nice working for some one who knows what its like up there. besides he's getting a brand new 68ft bucket truck in 2 weeks. i love new toys.
i'm going to move to GA at the end of the summer and can't believe a climber only makes 140 to 160 a day. unless i could make a name for myself and out shine the other climbers.i would sooner be a bum on the streets than give my talent away like that.
 
It will take a while to get people to listen. But then you've been there before.

One thing to remember though is that the cost of living is much less then The City. Even in the Atlanta area driving is nothing like what you are used to.
 
Forrest, I'll have a green shirt on that has Green's Tree Ser. on the back w/ my ph.#of 746-2670. Just ask when you get over to the climbing school-see you around lunch time. Ken Green
 
Forrest, you`re no Beeboo, you may have had your sights set a little high initially but what you lack in experience you make up for with enthusiasm.
You`ll soon know the dangers involved and what you will be capable of doing in the field.
You`re still here and Beeboo didn`t last but a day or two.
For his first removal he blocked off a street with his car and dropped the tree over the road!
I miss those horror stories. :D
 
Thanks Kevin

Its becoming awe inspiring to finally here words of encouragment from this gallery. Beeboo does sound like a horror story. Hopefully I wont be able to provide you with any of those kind of stories. My mom just got a divorce from my stepfather and in the divorce she is getting a lawn mower and said I could have it for my new business! I dont know what it looks like yet or if its even commercial sized but I am always willing to take a free mower. That was to be my 3rd largest expenditure in this venture(behind buying a truck and trailer). Anyway, thanks again Kevin for your kind words.
 
Forrest, do you plan on extras for back up, will you buy two of everything or rent something when your equipment fails?
 
Two saws are better than one

I will most definitely be buying two saws on top of the one I already have. If I can get a couple edgers and weed eaters for a good price I will do so as well. I already have a blower but will probably get a backpack blower as well. I am still excited to see how big this mower is that I am getting for free!
 
Not sure

Well unfortunately she is even unsure of what the mower even looks like because he bought the mower after they were already seperated. But she somehow ended up with it in the divorce. We will know soon enough.

I went and priced some saws today. I found a Stihl CS3000 for 199.99. I was thinking of getting that one because its right in my price range and it felt lightweight.
 
Forrest, don't wear a name tag, you may get your a$$ kicked. My advise is to let some of your ideas and questions rummble around in your head a little before you type them out. I bet you find yourself walking down the street when a "great question to ask the tree guys" hits you, you then run home and start typing. Just remember that you opened yourself up to all of this abuse, I'm pretty sure you probably are a nice guy, but you are quickly becoming an annoying joke.
Greg
 
Old News

Ok so I made the mistake in calling the CS3000 a Stihl saw when in fact its an Echo. Simple mistake. Here I thought we were over all of the name calling. Oh well. I guess you can't please everyone. Well if I am that annoying put me on your ignore list because I am not going to stop asking questions in fear that someone is going to think I am stupid because in all honestly when it comes to this business I am extremely ignorant about many aspects. This is why I am here. If anyone doesnt want to hear my novice questions PLEASE by all means put me on your ignore list or simply ignore me. If you see a post by "SpikedSupra" dont even click on it.
 
Reasons why Gump is soooo annoying

1) He already knows EVERYTHING
2) He continues to make everyone aware of the fact that he knows EVERYTHING
3) ANYONE who offers anything close to constructive criticism is labeled as a 'jerk'. Refer to reason #1.

Gump,
Do you honestly think that EVERYONE here has singled you out for ridicule for absolutely no reason? Read back through the last couple hundred threads. There are tons of 'newbies' who have come here asking for advice, and it has always been freely given. IF you are capable, reread your own posts, from the perspective of an experienced treeman looking to help a 'newbie'. Think about how you have grated on the nerves of those who would otherwise enjoy helping a 'newbie'. Nobody here OWES you anything! Why do you think that people in your life react to you the same as we have?

Time for you to **** and READ some of the advice already given! And BTW, everyone here HAS read (and FULLY understood) ALL of your attitude-filled posts! :angry:
No one here has called you stupid. You are obviously very smart. But intelligence will get you nowhere with your attitude.
 
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Brian, some of us get labeled Morons As well, :blob2:I must have Really gotten under his skin. :p
 
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The biggest problem you may have is finding commercial liabilty coverage. I don't know what it's like in FL but my experience is that a minimum of 3 yrs in the field exp is required before a company will consider carrying you. Tree trimming,etc. falls under a completely different category than lawn care or landscaping.
 
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