My first crane job... Tips?

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One guy setting chokers works nice for widespread trees. On a tight skinny tree you don't gain much. It's been a while since I've done a crane removal. Think I'm due for a bunch of them. My tip is don't have the saw attached to you while cutting. If it does get snatched, you don't want the operator pulling on you
 
That system only works if your climber is allowed to ride the hook. Our safety regs don't allow it.

BTW, nice PPE your groundies are wearing. I always think that if you're going to put company videos on the web, you crew should look professional, ie not in shorts and wearing their ppe when the chipper is going, not ear muffs up and visor up.

It must take a lot of salesman effort to keep that dragon fed.
He wasn't on our crew, part of the lawn service that gave us the job. We don't wear shorts during tree work, but you can't stop other's from wearing them. Everyone else is wearing the proper PPE.
 

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Setting straps with a larger chainsaw, isn't the easiest thing to do either. Try packing a 460, 660, or 880 around in the tree. I have had two herniated disks, and two hernias in the last twelve years...the down time really cost me. I want to work smarter, not harder. The guy strapping doesn't have to be as sophisticated as a climber/cut-man. (Example, No spikes for the strap person and he can also perform other duties on the ground.) If you try it, you might see the difference that it makes. How much is your crew averaging each hour on the job? That's the question to ask yourself on a continued basis.
 
He wasn't on our crew, part of the lawn service that gave us the job. We don't wear shorts during tree work, but you can't stop other's from wearing them. Everyone else is wearing the proper PPE.
Why is a lawn jockey near your equipment? U were hired to do the job that means your crew, not your guys and who ever else feels like helping.

No need for a second climber on my crew my climber waits on me he don't loligag if u stick two guys up a tree neither one of them has to be too skilled....
 
He wasn't on our crew, part of the lawn service that gave us the job. We don't wear shorts during tree work, but you can't stop other's from wearing them. Everyone else is wearing the proper PPE.
you need to be aware that to comply with ansi z133 you need to tie in above the hook not in the hook as your climber is shown doing in your video
 
I am well aware of the z133 requirements regarding crane use for tree removals. I was just commenting on you calling out Climb-Ax. It seems whenever there is a thread regarding crane removals, it inevitably degenerates into someone pointing out what the other one is doing wrong.
 
I am well aware of the z133 requirements regarding crane use for tree removals. I was just commenting on you calling out Climb-Ax. It seems whenever there is a thread regarding crane removals, it inevitably degenerates into someone pointing out what the other one is doing wrong.
not calling out anybody sale. just pointing out something he may not be aware of. i personally could care less how he or you run your operation. i thought this site was everybody's benefit. i learn new things from what i read here, but apparently you already know everything, congratulations!
 
You guys are something else. I'm going to cut down some more trees today and make some money. Have fun tormenting each other.
 
You guys are something else. I'm going to cut down some more trees today and make some money. Have fun tormenting each other.
What's with having to force feed that chipper? The thing won't even pull those "big" pieces in? Our 12" morbark would pull those sized pieces, now yes it would chip it much slower but it has the balls to pull it in... not even talking about when u get to the crotches and everything even just when you have 10 feet of straight log going in first
 
What's with having to force feed that chipper? The thing won't even pull those "big" pieces in? Our 12" morbark would pull those sized pieces, now yes it would chip it much slower but it has the balls to pull it in... not even talking about when u get to the crotches and everything even just when you have 10 feet of straight log going in first
Good eye my friend. A Vermeer BC2000 with the grapple does have a few problems, just like any other equipment. The grapple can work like a battering ram with a log. The problem was that the single bearing on the shaft was being crushed by the force of large logs being put in the chipper. It's only rated for a 20" log, but it has a 20"x 24" opening. Which makes it capable of eating a 24" log, because you can swing the log back and forth with the grapple. With the bearing being crushed, this puts more stress on the rotostators shaft. The shaft, nor the bearings inside them the rotostator is not intended to be side loaded with that amount of force. This caused the feed wheels to contact the blades. It also caused damage to the tines on the feed rollers and of course the blades. During the video the blades where pretty sharp, but the feed rollers had missing sections of the tines that run down the rollers. Since the video, when we had a little more spare time. We dismantled the feed roller assembly, added one additional bearing to the top of the drums on each shaft. Replaced both shafts, both rotostators, and repaired the feed drums with new sharp tines. It works great now, problem solved. It will out eat a 12" Morbark on bad day. I wish they still manufactured them, but they stopped. I think they had problems with individuals having to shell out the $118,000 price tag. To this day, I haven't seen a chipper that is as compact, light weight, maneuverable, versatile, and more aggressive than a BC2000XL with the grapple attachment. We have three of them and would like to find another.
 
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