whadja do today?

[Zaedock]

Woke up wicked early today and drove out to Utica University with my youngest son for a seminar on his major (Cyber Security). He and my wife are flying out to Dakota State next week to check them out. He should be picking his school next month. Home in time to fuel up the tractor and get ready for tomorrows storm.

 

[mikewhite85]

Finished a huge job today. 73 ash with cleanup. Chipped on site but hauled 28 loads of wood. There is still a massive pile in their woodlot but i didn't want to give them sticker shock as we were charging per load. Customer gets back from vacation Saturday. Looking forward to getting paid!

 

[tree MDS]

One little saw to rule them all....

Second MS500i, brand new, about to be well & truly introduced to the fleet. 25" Stihl light bar, nice balance, easy to throw around all day on a harvesting job, about as much bar as it will pull comfortably in Aust. hardwoods.

I dunno, man… at the end of the day it’s just a chainsaw. Let’s not get too hot in the britches over it. Lol. Just saying.

 

[tree MDS]

Finished a huge job today. 73 ash with cleanup. Chipped on site but hauled 28 loads of wood. There is still a massive pile in their woodlot but i didn't want to give them sticker shock as we were charging per load. Customer gets back from vacation Saturday. Looking forward to getting paid!

28 loads of wood!!?? 73 Ash… with cleanup? How big? Damn, sounds like a heck of a week!! Pics?

You guys are awesome. I am envious of your motivation/production!!

 

[tree MDS]

Maybe the MDS should’ve had some childrens,, sounds like they’re a major motivator!! Alas, I am left with just my greed and hateful competitiveness. Lol.

 

[tree MDS]

@treebilly do you think something like the ditch witch 1550 would’ve been much less prone the the groundies flipping it?

 

[epicklein22]

Dead wooded and installed a cable in this large white oak a few weeks back.

Still looking for a crane truck. I’ve been hunting hard, but haven’t found a good deal yet. Mostly looking at 900 series National rear mounts (26 ton) and some older 1100 series National booms (28 ton). Did a find a nice altec 26 ton, but not sure about the reliability/service of Altec cranes. One thing that’s interesting is it has stand up operating stations on both sides, but uses joystick controls similar to what you would find on a crane with a cab.

 

[sand sock]

I got a few phone calls and text telling me. My best friends widow needed me to swing by and check on her. She had several maple trees go down in her yard, from ice. Went by and cleaned up her mess. Ended up cutting and stacking 1\3 to 1\2 cord of firewood.

 

[mikewhite85]

28 loads of wood!!?? 73 Ash… with cleanup? How big? Damn, sounds like a heck of a week!! Pics?

You guys are awesome. I am envious of your motivation/production!!

I'm flattered to be complemented by the MDS!

It was a lot of work. I should say it was mostly ash. There were about 10 white pines, a huge poplar, and a few other scattered varieties. Some were easy. Some were quite large and difficult. Each tree was the same price X 73. It took us 7 days with a 6 man crew. It was a great winter job even though the ground conditions were iffy at times. Hauling was done by an excavation company with a pair of lowboy f550 dumps, which is why there were so many loads.

Here's the only pic we took! There was a large, really roached ash leaning toward some high tension lines. It's the only time we've used two skidder winches to fell a tree. I have a video but I think it's too large a file to post here.

 

[mikewhite85]

I figured out a way! Wish I could embed it.

https://1drv.ms/v/s!Ai16EMXZZ-gf0RYiJ_xsBDqKUrYn

 

[mikewhite85]

View attachment 968425
Dead wooded and installed a cable in this large white oak a few weeks back.

Still looking for a crane truck. I’ve been hunting hard, but haven’t found a good deal yet. Mostly looking at 900 series National rear mounts (26 ton) and some older 1100 series National booms (28 ton). Did a find a nice altec 26 ton, but not sure about the reliability/service of Altec cranes. One thing that’s interesting is it has stand up operating stations on both sides, but uses joystick controls similar to what you would find on a crane with a cab.

Looks nice- the tree and your chip truck! That cable must be way up in that codom toward the top center.

How often do you do crane work to make it worth buying a crane?

 

[tree MDS]

Nice! Funny how even on my phone I can get a sense of how big that thing was… just the way it flexed as it went down. I don’t get that view too much always being the main cutter.

 

[mikewhite85]

Maybe the MDS should’ve had some childrens,, sounds like they’re a major motivator!! Alas, I am left with just my greed and hateful competitiveness. Lol.

haha they sure are.

I just did the math. I have 7 on payroll. Between the 8 of us there are 32 kids! And I think about 12 or so grandkids.

Of course it's all off balance because one of my guys has 11- ages 2-22.

 

[epicklein22]

Looks nice- the tree and your chip truck! That cable must be way up in that codom toward the top center.

How often do you do crane work to make it worth buying a crane?

I don’t look at it like that. If you can get the crane to the tree, it’s going to be faster, safer and easier to remove it with a crane. Say a $1200 tree, it might only be 3 picks with a crane versus countless cuts removing it via bucket/lift or climbing. That’s being efficient. You can set the brush right into the chipper or atleast right next to it. And you can load/haul the logs with the crane. I was fortunate to work for a company during college that had a couple cranes to see how much of a difference it makes. It’s the just the initial cost of a large crane that has been my biggest hurdle. A good operator is a big part of the equation as well.

 

[tree MDS]

haha they sure are.

I just did the math. I have 7 on payroll. Between the 8 of us there are 32 kids! And I think about 12 or so grandkids.

Of course it's all off balance because one of my guys has 11- ages 2-22.

Poor guy. At least we know he likes his wife!! lol

 

[tree MDS]

I don’t look at it like that. If you can get the crane to the tree, it’s going to be faster, safer and easier to remove it with a crane. Say a $1200 tree, it might only be 3 picks with a crane versus countless cuts removing it via bucket/lift or climbing. That’s being efficient. You can set the brush right into the chipper or atleast right next to it. And you can load/haul the logs with the crane. I was fortunate to work for a company during college that had a couple cranes to see how much of a difference it makes. It’s the just the initial cost of a large crane that has been my biggest hurdle. A good operator is a big part of the equation as well.

Good post. I’ve gone back and fourth on the crane thought in recent years. Sometimes I think maybe someday, other times I think it’s better to just stick with the pros and let them do their thing (really is a pleasure to work with the people I do now… even if not that often). I guess if I had a couple climbers that were ready to be lowered into the trees it might change things, but for right now it’s just not happening. I do think ahead to a few years down the road maybe. Right now with the help of the Ash trees and regular work there’s enough money to be made in the back yards to not have to fight over that stuff. Potentially maybe even enough money to (partially) fund that move further down the line. I mean the more you can put down the better, right? I dunno… I just feel like I’m kind of old for a starter crane. I’d rather just buy something bad ass and grow into running it/suffer through the learning curve. As long as it wasn’t dangerous. I think if I ever hurt someone seriously it’d be enough to make me close the doors. So I think that’s why I’ve been hesitant to go for a move like that.

Just some random thoughts on the subject.

 

[treebilly]

@tree MDS
I do think the ditchwitch would stay on its rubber better than an articulated loader. The 1550 looks like a nice sized machine for tree work but I’ve never had the pleasure. I’ve got a 2012 Vermeer 650tx and I love it. Looking at getting a bigger one soon though. I think since you already have the wheel loader you might as well get the mini skid. Different tool for different types of jobs.
I’m envious of your equipment. Especially the second Omni. That’s a lot of iron for a single crew company.
As for the crane, I understand the hesitance. The ash trees will be gone soon enough and you’re right about the competition for the front yard easy pickings. Those will dwindle as well. We just bought a used 40 ton grove this year as a starter crane. It’s a little short for my liking (94’) but a decent load chart. Plan is to upgrade in the next two years. Let’s me get my learning curve out of the way. Also it’s pretty simple to run decently. I’m a few months in ( using maybe 4 times a month) and have it down “good”. I Keep in the 50-70% capacity unless it’s a butt log with a tight radius. Then I go to the 80% range. Haven’t had the red lights flashing yet so I guess that means we’re good guessers.

 

[tree MDS]

We’re looking at two crews soon enough hopefully. My old favorite guy and longest lasting employee to date (2 years) gets out of jail this spring hopefully, and has already called wanting his job back. He’s worked with me and the lift for most of that two years and is a complete animal as groundie (and a real nice guy, just has some problems), so that would help bring things together immensely. The MDS always has a long range plan lol.

 

[tree MDS]

Congratulations on the crane operating skill in development. I remember when OD was learning/going for his license. Sounded like a pretty serious deal. Hats off to that.

 

[tree MDS]

@tree MDS
I do think the ditchwitch would stay on its rubber better than an articulated loader. The 1550 looks like a nice sized machine for tree work but I’ve never had the pleasure. I’ve got a 2012 Vermeer 650tx and I love it. Looking at getting a bigger one soon though. I think since you already have the wheel loader you might as well get the mini skid. Different tool for different types of jobs.
I’m envious of your equipment. Especially the second Omni. That’s a lot of iron for a single crew company.
As for the crane, I understand the hesitance. The ash trees will be gone soon enough and you’re right about the competition for the front yard easy pickings. Those will dwindle as well. We just bought a used 40 ton grove this year as a starter crane. It’s a little short for my liking (94’) but a decent load chart. Plan is to upgrade in the next two years. Let’s me get my learning curve out of the way. Also it’s pretty simple to run decently. I’m a few months in ( using maybe 4 times a month) and have it down “good”. I Keep in the 50-70% capacity unless it’s a butt log with a tight radius. Then I go to the 80% range. Haven’t had the red lights flashing yet so I guess that means we’re good guessers.

Hey, I’m not ashamed to admit I’m still in the late stages of mastering the Z fold loader! With the telescopic boom it uses every limb.. and can be a little scary bringing a 5k log over the side of a 273k truck lol. But yeah, that right foot telescoping in and out move is the last thing that’s fighting me a little still. Mind you I don’t use it everyday (yet).