Towable lift

[lees trees]

had that choice

many years ago I had a 1ton with 36'' of electric lift. not good enough, not good enough, rented a 60" jlg. wow I wanted it soo bad. got the low down cost, weight, new, used, trailer, heavier truck. then I fell into a 60" high-ranger and that took my little business to another level never looked back. Go for a truck. I like short wheel base rear mount get you in those tight places. good luck.

 

[treevet]

Thanks for the support Ryan.

Every once and a while these weird comments come out,

Still, in retrospect, seems a valid observation to me Sanborn. Just an observation w no negativity though. Marketing can take many forms........Guy w 3 posts appears and on a 3 day a week income (or the bank being impresses by his 3 day a week income) he can materialize $34,500.00. Then (then) all these indignant(after the 1st post) portalift guys show up concidentally and a fairly well versed tree guy ( yourself) supports an obvious wrong decision by this fellow (the sage advice seeking Toby). A "weird" deduction? Wrong, maybe, but not weird.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Still, in retrospect, seems a valid observation to me Sanborn ..a fairly well versed tree guy ( yourself) supports an obvious wrong decision by this fellow (the sage advice seeking Toby). A "weird" deduction? Wrong, maybe, but not weird.

I allways find it interesting that some people get bent out of shape when they are told they are wrong, but cannot admit that others may have a valid point of view.

I know of a number of tree companies running TBL's in the MKE Metro market. The do mostly small trees and building clearance in suburban locations where the equipment works well and has a low impact. It fits their buisness modle.

Just because the equipment does not fit your buisness modle does not make it dumb for another person, in another part of the country.

but a bucket will be much more versitle. They do not replace a bucket. They are hared to position, and need a lot of moving. You can not layover the boom...

Here is a snip from my first post on the page, so he is aware of the drawbacks to a TBL, but wants an easy quantifiable outlay for equipment he can use right away, and not have a huge maintinance/insuarance/liscensing/fuel/ect cost for in the long term.

If he does well with the buisness, he can get a good trade-in on the TBL towards a real lift.

 

[treevet]

It always amazes me when someone characterizes another person that challenges their authority as "bent out of shape". Just feel a little responsibility as a veteran arborist to point a newcomer in the right direction when asked to do so. W 35k$ the kid can afford a picker. He and his wife will (will) see immediate return on investment if he never did a day s tree work before. The other way,well, maybe not. You need to work on spelling Sanborn.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

You need to work on spelling Sanborn.

That has been a know factor for years, not one I care much about.

It always amazes me when someone characterizes another person that challenges their authority as "bent out of shape".

How do you challenge my authority? I have very little, I'm a vollunteer for the site who tries to police incivility.

My contention is that there are differances of opinion here on budgetary concerns for differing buisness modles. It sounds like he already has the truck to tow the TBL, maintinance is minimal and included for the first year or two with purchace of a new rig.

Do the math for us on a bucket with all budgetary concerns and tell me how much it needs to make per week to pay for it's self on a 50 week year with 3 days and an average of 25 miles per day.

Include an assumed average fuel economy for an older truck, and a maintinance cycle/budget for an in experianced owner.

Show me that the bucket will not break his budget, otherwise we are in a :deadhorse: contest. I do not have hard figures, just what I've recall from looking into it for my own use. Neither unit was practical for my current buisness model, my current clients could not afford what I would need on a regular basis.

 

[ozy365]

Mr Spider

I would gladly rent one of your self propelled rigs for $300/ day. I don't know anyone in the area with one to rent (between Syracuse and Cortland, NY)

I love renting. I get the newest equipment, some one else servicing the damned thing, some one to call with problems. I went to rent one one morning and the batteries were dead; "NP" says Mr. Rental "Take the taller one for the same price." We had all the work we could handle (ie, really small company) and only $1,000 of rental fees for brand new equipment freshly waxed. We had one day that we piled three lift gigs together; long day, but only $250 in rentals.

Don't get me wrong, I would love to own equipment. We do have a Vermeer chipper because it will be needed every job. Stuff we need less than weekly, renting is good to go. Tree services magazine had an article on this last fall.

Now, if any one is renting insulated towable lifts I am interested...

 

[Toby]

towable

If anyone was wondering, I have only done 2-3 jobs a week because my wife and I are both teachers and I didn't want any more work then that for weekends and summer. Buuuuut I was just told by principal this week that I will be getting pink slip.
Sooo, I know I've said I'm going to get a TWL, but my mind has been changed. I'm in the market for a bucket truck. I'm thinking if I get one with a chip box I can sell my ton chipper truck.
What I've read, I think I want a high-ranger. What else do I want with this truck that I'm hoping I can get for 35000. No more then 40000.

thanks for all who replied. Please keep letting me know what you think. It looks like I will be putting 100% into this tree removal endeavor and I don't want to make anymore mistakes then I have to.

Again, thanks a ton

 

[beowulf343]

Buckets with a chip box suck, imo. Unless maybe you are doing line clearance. For removals-you get pulled into the yard, half way through the job and have to go quit and dump. Seperate chip truck and you can keep working with the bucket while you dump. Or you can work the stem while the chip truck dumps and it comes back empty when you finish and can go to the next job. Plus never liked having to raise the boom in order to dump-to high a center of gravity and too easy to tip over (not like it isn't easy enough with just the chip box in the air.) Plus the guys chipping are always working right around the drop zone, instead of pulling the brush out of the drop zone and then chipping it. Plus alot of these places are barely big enough for a bucket, much less a bucket plus a chipper. But this is just my opinion and only from a takedown point of view.

 

[Toby]

towables

Thanks Beowulf,
What would you say if I said; most jobs I go to consists of myself and my two teenage sons. I have a chipper and was thinking with the box on the bucket truck, I could go to jobs with one vechile with everything I need.

What do you think of me buying truck w/o box and pulling say a 25 foot trailer with four foot metal sides with Gehl mini dozer in it to load majority of tree.
I could unhook trailer when I got to job and hook it back up when done. I have many dump areas that are close.

Is this a stupid idea? I'm just looking to take one vechile. Have you seen those trailers with chippers on them that bandit is selling. I think their only 6 inch, but what do you think of them? or the idea of them?

I would love to hear peoples opinions on my ideas. If it's crazy, why?

 

[treevet]

Thanks Beowulf,
What would you say if I said; most jobs I go to consists of myself and my two teenage sons. I have a chipper and was thinking with the box on the bucket truck, I could go to jobs with one vechile with everything I need.

What do you think of me buying truck w/o box and pulling say a 25 foot trailer with four foot metal sides with Gehl mini dozer in it to load majority of tree.
I could unhook trailer when I got to job and hook it back up when done. I have many dump areas that are close.

Is this a stupid idea? I'm just looking to take one vechile. Have you seen those trailers with chippers on them that bandit is selling. I think their only 6 inch, but what do you think of them? or the idea of them?

I would love to hear peoples opinions on my ideas. If it's crazy, why?

It looks a little like you are trying to expand and retract at the same time Toby. IMO, keep your truck and chipper and stay away from the chip/dumptrailer combo. What Beowulf said about forestry units or bucket chipbox combos. In addition to that you give a much smaller profile w a rear mount picker (I am the one that suggested that earlier) backed up to the job than one pulled up astride the trunk (midmount chipbox combo) in regards to drop area. I like to buy a rr mount that has all the lineman boxes and have them all cut off to a flat bed. I own a 55' hi ranger and after buying a crane was looking for something to spend extra money so I bought a 75' Teco Vanguard and also tore boxes. I made 25,000 exclusively w that truck the 1st year that was out of reach of the 55. It long ago paid for itself. I bought it from Dueco, in Mr. Sanborn s turf of Milwaukee (sp?) for less than 40,000 on a dead winter deal and just was cosmetically challenged. Don t buy a big one unless you ve got the 55 1st bcs it doesn t fit some places. Also shouldget non chipbox and torn off boxed rr mount picker bcs it rides light over lawns and sometimes doesn t even need a plywood road laid down.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

I agree with a dedicated bucket if you are doing mostly removals. Rear mount short beds are real nice because they fit in most spaces, as said above. There are some forestry body units with high volume boxes with longer booms, but you will hate a small box on big TD's.

Look for a boom that can lay over, eg, you can rotate it more the 180 at the knuckle.

Spend sometime shopping and you can get a good deal, like treevet did. I have an aquaintance who did his homework, found a repo'd pair in the Phoenix area, 2 buckets and 2 chippers. He was able to BS his way down the price, haul them back to OR and sell the second one for enough to nearly cover the cost of the two.

 

[clearance]

But you can drive the truck on the weekend. Try asking your wife if she will get into the bucket truck to go have dinner...

And... it's not really convenient to take the bucket truck to Home Depot....

Depends on your woman, if she loves you she will get into any vehicle to go for dinner with you. As far as Homo Depot, thats the store of last resort, hopefully there is somewhere better to go. Spiderlifts have thier place, but, as I said before, get one after you have a bucket truck, you have to walk before you run.

 

[teamtree]

I used to rent the tow behinds when I was getting started in the business. They helped me out quite a bit. Pain in the butt to rent but better than making the cash outlay and letting it sit 5 days a week.

I bought my first bucket truck for $3,600 and it was great to have it around all the time. It was 45' 1973 Holan on 1978 chasis. It was a was pretty decent as it was stored inside for 20 years. As my business grew I acquired a 57' hi-ranger. But both of them had many problems that reared there heads at a job site.. Bad brakes, leaky hoses, loud mufflers, exhaust problems. i was embarrassed to take them out of my yard to a job site.

Last year I purchased a new altec (100k) with chip box and could not be happier with it. We were doing quite a bit with the state and I wanted some good and reliable and some side reach. I increased my efficiency about 250%. The extra 20' of side reach and break over capability was a real blessing to my business.

I suppose depending on how much you do and the type of work you can get by with a tow behind. I like the bucket truck as a stand alone as it is sometimes easier to get into place than trying to back a tow behind around.

Although there will be plenty of arguements for all types of lifts and all have a certain uniqueness.

I like the idea of the rolling shop (tool boxes, chipper on back, 2 guys in cab) and ready to rock and roll when you get to the job site. That is me but it really has helped my business plus having a nice piece of equipment is great advertisement. Rolling billboard as the other guy said.

 

[a_lopa]

Spiderlifts have thier place, but, as I said before, get one after you have a bucket truck, you have to walk before you run.

Im hoping to do that,although a 75' telescopic tadano bucket from japan on a hino carrier will do me.

 

[lxt]

A lopa, checked out that web site, what model are you talkin about? most of what I saw were crane type lifts with attachments. pretty heavy stuff!!! atleast what I viewed.

LXT...........

 

[beaverb01]

Decisions, decisions...

Toby,

I started with a pick-up and saw, then after seeing what my "typical" jobs involved, did much research and decided to go with an over-center 60' WH bucket with the forestry package (chip box, tool boxes and cab protector) and chipper. The OC lift is versatile and the chip box holds a lot of chips. I usually chip anything 4-5 " and smaller, and cut into manageable chunks the rest. Anything other than pine I burn, but haul all with the bucket truck. Chip first, then load chunks. Transfer chunks into woodpile or p/u truck and then dump chips. The truck is the mobile work shop and holds all tools, saws, climbing and rigging gear, ppe, first aid, etc...
Only you can determine what's best for your business. Don't rush into anything. Do the research, check the local market, check the prices of insurance, fuel required for average to-from job travels, dumping fees?, local mill operations that will take chips/chunks or logs. Are you mechanically inclined? If not, where can you get service on this "special equipment" and at what cost/turn-around time? Is the equipment you currently have paid for? Could you use this equipment in tandem with the equipment on your "wish list"? Look at things from all angles, then make smart decisions.

Best of Luck,

Beaver (got my pink slip in 04, best thing that ever happened) Health insurance is scary on your own! $$$

 

[Xtra]

If you have a mobile stump grinder you can use it to tow a lift around the yard. I fitted my Carlton 4400-4 with a hitch receiver and use it for towing around the yard and jocking trailers.

Last year I lucked into a Bil-Jax Workforce Falcon 125, kind of a rare lift (I got it for a steal at under $15k, almost new from a rental company). It's self propelled, 36" wide, but a little short working height is about 40'. It's great for trim jobs and really dead takedowns.

I was always a 100% climbing guy but since I've used lifts my productivity has really gone up, now I'm a believer in using them (next year I'll be in the market for another taller lift). Bucket trucks really don't work that great in my area, the houses are too close together, plus here in NJ the insurance is just insane.

 

[a_lopa]

A lopa, checked out that web site, what model are you talkin about? most of what I saw were crane type lifts with attachments. pretty heavy stuff!!! atleast what I viewed.

LXT...........

Like this one LXT,

Sorry to sidetrack thread back to it!

 

[lees trees]

how much for a cool truck like in the picture?