Rabid K9
ArboristSite Guru
What timber do they use on those decks?
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What timber do they use on those decks?
Rabid K9
ArboristSite Guru
Thoughts on the 500i so far?
My guys love it! I'm not much of a saw aficionado. I usually grab the one with the sharpest chain.
There is a 600 dollar price difference between the 400 and the 500i. The 500 is definitely more flashy but I think the 400 is plenty of saw for climbing and cutting big wood in the tree.
I mean, I don't think we get done any quicker using the 500 than the 400 but it gives something exciting for the guys to use. I'm all for company morale. The guys love using flashy new saws... we also took out the 881 for that butt log. That saw is an absolute monster.
What do you think? Is the 500 worth the extra expense? I'm kind of a sucker for cool.flashy things.
Helmstein
ArboristSite Operative
That was most definitely us! That truck proceeds itself!
Pretty cool! We are based out of Great Barrington.
I love both of my 500i’s. I run one with a 36” skip tooth and it eats well. Not quite the power of the 661 but a heck of a lot lighter. On the ground not a big deal. On spurs I need every advantage I can get over the young bucks.
Not sure if it’s worth the price jump from the 400 as I’ve only ran one (400) for a few cuts a few weeks ago. Wasn’t a fair comparison as it was brand new and had not woke up yet. And by new I mean first cuts it ever made.
Not sure if it’s worth the price jump from the 400 as I’ve only ran one (400) for a few cuts a few weeks ago. Wasn’t a fair comparison as it was brand new and had not woke up yet. And by new I mean first cuts it ever made.
Rabid K9
ArboristSite Guru
The price point isn't that disparate in Au, but I think most certainly the 500 is worth it.
Amongst other things, have found it really shines on recent big production jobs, where effectively running into forestry type work, so the power to weight, chain speed & agility for a larger saw really makes a difference for operators productivity. Think the 400 will be another great saw (don't have one yet), but the 500 is outstanding for all day larger wood & climbs well.
Overall I think saws are a small expense in equipment terms & with significant return on investment, it makes sense to get the best. To get the top of the range trucks, chippers, loaders, EWP etc, run into the millions quickly. For under 30 grand, can walk out of a Stihl shop with a duplicate of the entire commercial that is going to have itself paid for in a few months.
mike515
ArboristSite Operative
I like the 500. It starts cold on the second pull every single day and then mostly on the first pull after that. The thing I like a lot about it is that I got it for free. Long story short.....we damaged (destroyed) a fairly new 462 a while back and I took it to our local shop. Those guys have been around for about 60 years or so and we obviously know each other pretty well. The owner told me a few years ago that we have spent more money with them than anyone else in the history of their business. So the owner goes to the back and walks out with a 500 and handed it to me. I asked him what he wanted for it and he said "Nothing, man. It's yours. I know you wanted one so I ordered it a while back for you and haven't given it to you yet because you haven't billed me for my last tree job and I didn't think you would actually bill me if I gave you the 500 first". And he is right. We did a $600 job for him so now we're arguing over whether I'm going to bill him or not....I'm not.
But I think the 500 is nice. I don't know if it really blows the doors off a 462 or a 461 but it's a nice saw. I think the advantage is supposed to be that it senses resistance as it moves through the cut and adjusts fuel to compensate and keep the rpms the same. I don't know that it is 100% successful in doing that but I like the saw. And I like that it was free. Aside from all the other stuff those guys do for us....and they do a lot....that definitely makes me feel good about our history together.
Edit to say......I feel like maybe I'm minimizing the 500 a bit. I don't mean to do that. It's my favorite saw I'm running right now.
But I think the 500 is nice. I don't know if it really blows the doors off a 462 or a 461 but it's a nice saw. I think the advantage is supposed to be that it senses resistance as it moves through the cut and adjusts fuel to compensate and keep the rpms the same. I don't know that it is 100% successful in doing that but I like the saw. And I like that it was free. Aside from all the other stuff those guys do for us....and they do a lot....that definitely makes me feel good about our history together.
Edit to say......I feel like maybe I'm minimizing the 500 a bit. I don't mean to do that. It's my favorite saw I'm running right now.
Not true. I got a silver maple in my back yard that was split to the ground, and it's joined back together rather nicely.
At one point, the gap was at least an inch wide. I don't recall that I did anything to fix it...
I guess I'll have to check.
mike515
ArboristSite Operative
I am not sure how that can happen for a handful of reasons but I would interested in hearing more about it and possibly seeing some pics. Maybe I'm wrong. I've just never seen that happen. I've seen it look like it happened but......Not true. I got a silver maple in my back yard that was split to the ground, and it's joined back together rather nicely.
At one point, the gap was at least an inch wide. I don't recall that I did anything to fix it...
I guess I'll have to check.
I would even go as far as saying that it's impossible for split (or even unsplit) co-dominant stems to somehow fuse themselves together and become safer. I've just never seen that situation grow into something safer.
Rabid K9
ArboristSite Guru
That sounds like a win. My local loo after me, haven’t scored a ‘free’ saw yet though.
Yep, the 462 is my old favourite.
Was going to get a third, but all sold out, so grabbed a second 500. For big lonely hail mary’s way out on an overextended euc, a lightning struck skeleton or some fire parched monster teetering on 5% of it’s base, the 462 is the saw like to have in my hands.
The 500 is like some lean, lively & pretty lass. You think she’ll just be good for an hour of power & find out she’s still going hard in all manner of positions twelve hours later….
I'll try to get home before dark and remember to take some pictures. I'll admit, I've never seen a tree mend so nicely, either.
The problem is it looks healed because the outer little bit of tree started creating wound wood that contacted the other side and it may appear "healed" but in reality 95% of the original wood is not fused back together. You can get multiple layers of wound wood that may over time cover over the split but its just not the same. Think of it this way you cut your leg off and you only stitch the skin with no internal repairs to bones or muscles. Then every year you put a wrap of tape around the cut yes it does get stronger but all internal integrity is gone. Is it guaranteed that the tree will fail? No, but it is definitely at Higher risk.
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Trees don’t heal, they seal…generating new live tissue around ‘dead’ tissue. The more live tissue they put on the stronger they will get but there will always be an inherent weakness. I’ve nut and bolted many trees that are still alive, most having long since engulfed the metal work. I pity the arborist who takes those trees down…but an experienced eye will see the signs
I never thought I would like one of these things, but I have to say, this thing is pretty bad ass!! Comes with 6’ steel ramps, but I have these 8’ aluminum ones I bought off Dave.
Helmstein
ArboristSite Operative
Looking real clean. That will do the trick. Is that the 16'? Good luck MDS. It's going to be a good year!
Snowy day today. Back at it tomorrow.
mike515
ArboristSite Operative
That cat is looking out there and probably thinking "Nah...I'm not climbing today!"
First part load in the new trailer. What a pleasure it was to load with the mini giant! We had it set up so when we were done chipping, we just pulled up a little and the dump trailer was right there waiting. Very efficient for just a little bit of wood like this.
Next step is junking a couple old vehicles out behind my shop, selling (two) trailers now, then I’m going to spread processed gravel all the way out to the edges. I have a plan where I can get every square inch of this place properly utilized, then it’ll be just big enough for operations to run smoothly.
One of the big things is I want an area I can keep open to back the trailer in and dump loads like this during smaller jobs, then back the log truck in when there’s enough junk wood to make a good full load. I make out much better at the dump this way, plus it’s just more efficient for the smaller jobs bringing them home like this.
The 6" of snow is already gone. Nice job at a residential property today. Jason's trying to remember how to set up the GRCS. I think it's the first time this year we've used it... also installed the porty upside down. 0 for 2!
The tree came down nicely though. We span rigged it between the spruce on each side and took out 4' chunks at a time from the bottom.
Also cabled a couple big gnarly walnuts. Little bit of cleanup left for tomorrow. Corning, NY has treated us well.... I am still stunned at how cheap workers comp is in what I thought was a very liberal litigious state- 7.83%! We'll be working up here a lot more.
The tree came down nicely though. We span rigged it between the spruce on each side and took out 4' chunks at a time from the bottom.
Also cabled a couple big gnarly walnuts. Little bit of cleanup left for tomorrow. Corning, NY has treated us well.... I am still stunned at how cheap workers comp is in what I thought was a very liberal litigious state- 7.83%! We'll be working up here a lot more.
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