What Would You Do?

[jazak]

If you guys were to restart your company with the following what would you get? Or would you just not be in the business at all?

What truck would you buy? You're limited to 8.

What machines would you buy? You're limited to 7.

Where would you work?

What type of work would you specailize in?

How would you design your shop? How would you outfit it?

 

[jazak]

I'll start it off,

Trucks:
1- F-350 XLT, crew cab, diesel, 4x4, toolboxes
(personal truck)
2- F-550 XLT, reg. cab, diesel, 4x4, 11' alum chip dump
3- International 4400, ext cab, 14' chip dump
4- International 7600 tandem axle, 150' crane
5- International 4400, reg. cab, 75' elevator flatbed
6- International 7300, 4x4, 75' elevator flatbed
7- International 7500, roll-off, tandem axle, w/ knucklboom
8- International 8500, tractor

Machines:
1- Morbark 12 w/ winch
2- Morbark 18 w/ all hydrolic options, tandem axle
3- Morbark 18 w/ all hydrolic options, tandem axle
4- Morbark 4600XL wood hog
5- Carlton 4400-4 stump grinder
6- Bandit 1890 tracked machine
7- Cat 914G loader

 

[ASD]

My Sig :biggrinbounce2: "some day i want to be just like me"

 

[ROLLACOSTA]

Isuzu 7.5 ton truck with small loader.

Toyota hi-ace van

Timberwolf 7.5 inch chipper

Dosko/danequip narrow access stump grinder www.danequip.co.uk.

i'd work closer to London [north london]

i'd keep kit down to a minimum,and do mainly domestic work,trimms and take downs

 

[ROLLACOSTA]

I'll start it off,

Trucks:
1- F-350 XLT, crew cab, diesel, 4x4, toolboxes
(personal truck)
2- F-550 XLT, reg. cab, diesel, 4x4, 11' alum chip dump
3- International 4400, ext cab, 14' chip dump
4- International 7400, 14' chip dump w/ knuckleboom
5- International 4400, reg. cab, 75' elevator flatbed
6- International 7300, 4x4, 75' elevator flatbed
7- International 7500, roll-off, tandem axle, w/ knuclboom
8- International 8500, tractor

Machines:
1- Morbark 12 w/ winch
2- Morbark 18 w/ all hydrolic options, tandem axle
3- Morbark 18 w/ all hydrolic options, tandem axle
4- Morbark 4600XL wood hog
5- Carlton 4400-4 stump grinder
6- Bandit 1890 tracked machine
7- Cat 914G loader

And you would spend many a sleepless night wondering how the heck you would pay for all that kit.

 

[a_lopa]

wouldnt bother having anymore than 100k tied up in tree equipment,may as well tie it up in real esate IMO

 

[ROLLACOSTA]

wouldnt bother having anymore than 100k tied up in tree equipment,may as well tie it up in real esate IMO

Iv'e seen plenty of wealthy property owners ,but very few wealthy tree men!

 

[a_lopa]

i invested 5k in real estate for a return of 100k in the meantime im busting ass with trees taxed to the hilt for the same return.

wealthy tree men,i know a few but not from what they know its who they know.

 

[jazak]

And you would spend many a sleepless night wondering how the heck you would pay for all that kit.

Yeah but I would service all of NJ and part of NY & PA so the money will continually be flowing

There's a guy here named Tree King. He has like 4+ International chip trucks, 2+ International knuckleboom truck, 5+ chippers, 3+ bucket trucks, and like 3 4 stumpers and he only services part of NJ but then again he's been in business for 22+ years longer then me.

 

[John464]

not sure Id want to change or "restart my business" but in addition to my 8 trucks, 1 spider lift, 1 tractor/backhoe, 2 wood processors, 2 chippers, and 2 stumpers. Id like a bigger chip truck. I have 11ft bodies now, but would like a 16 or 18fter. Id also like a whole tree chipper for our clearing jobs. A knuckleboom would also be nice but dont really see the need for it as 75% of my jobs I wouldnt be able to get the truck close enough to grab. so not worth the expense

 

[jazak]

Where in NJ do you live? Around here everyone has a knuckleboom truck or crane. Most the time you can pull right up to the log, atleast near me.

 

[John464]

Where in NJ do you live? Around here everyone has a knuckleboom truck or crane. Most the time you can pull right up to the log, atleast near me.

Everyone has a knuckle or crane? I think thats a stretch. I think a small portion of tree companies in NJ have one. A portion of those that do, shouldn't have one, because they are not utilizing the tool enough to make it worth the payments.

Cherry Hill Area. we try to stay in a 50 mile radius from there. work mostly is south jersey. but some of our commercial accounts have us going out of state to PA, DE, and NY. Our main areas are residential sections. Most of our clients have 500K+ homes that have extensive lawns and landscaping that would not accept the damage a knuckle boom does. Not only the wieight of truck but what happens when you are grabbbing. Our reputation is built on leaving a customers property looking like we were never there, besides the tree work.

cant get to where the wood is at with a knuckle a majority of the time. would not be a cost efficient investment for my company, but would come in handy here and there. we do use a crane to lift over backyard to front yard which I subcontract out @ $500 for 4 hrs of steady lifting.

only company I know of locally, B&B Tree Service, has a knuckle boom truck and nearly every time I pass his shop its sitting in the lot , during work hours. I dont think he is able to use it much.

My rule if thumb is if the equipment does not get atleast 3 days of use per week , then i don't need or I make operational changes so I can put it to use atleast 3 days a week

 

[911crash]

hey john464 how do you like the spider? love to see it work someday i'm from blackwood.

 

[jazak]

Everyone has a knuckle or crane? I think thats a stretch. I think a small portion of tree companies in NJ have one. A portion of those that do, shouldn't have one, because they are not utilizing the tool enough to make it worth the payments.

Cherry Hill Area. we try to stay in a 50 mile radius from there. work mostly is south jersey. but some of our commercial accounts have us going out of state to PA, DE, and NY. Our main areas are residential sections. Most of our clients have 500K+ homes that have extensive lawns and landscaping that would not accept the damage a knuckle boom does. Not only the wieight of truck but what happens when you are grabbbing. Our reputation is built on leaving a customers property looking like we were never there, besides the tree work.

cant get to where the wood is at with a knuckle a majority of the time. would not be a cost efficient investment for my company, but would come in handy here and there. we do use a crane to lift over backyard to front yard which I subcontract out @ $500 for 4 hrs of steady lifting.

only company I know of locally, B&B Tree Service, has a knuckle boom truck and nearly every time I pass his shop its sitting in the lot , during work hours. I dont think he is able to use it much.

My rule if thumb is if the equipment does not get atleast 3 days of use per week , then i don't need or I make operational changes so I can put it to use atleast 3 days a week

I said around me I know at least 6 guys who either have a crane or knuckle boom based out of where I live. But you're right a crane is much better to own then a knuckleboom.

 

[prorover]

a cat by the tail is better than up a tree

For my truck i would have an old trek 1220 with a hand crafted leather saddle. It would have a carbon fiber fork, seat post, and flat bar. The breaks would be shimano ultegra. The gear shifting would be shimano rapid fire (21 speeds).

For my trailer i would employ a highly skilled craftsman who could build a titanium frame that would weigh about 10 pounds equiped with shimano ultegra wheels and hubs.

I would have no employees- no fuel expenses- no insurance expenses- i would have no payments on anything.

Now for equipment i would have my petzl saddle, stihl 020, 120' of new england climbing line, 150' of rigging line. and then i would carry a couple of 6' poles with attachments (saw head with fanno blade, pruning clip...) I would also carry a light weight lowering device and about 12 locking beeners, and several slings. I would also have in my bag of tricks a high quality pair of hand pruners, a fanno hand saw with leather sheath.

Now for my shop? That would be located in my $400 per month studio apartment. My office would be in the bathroom. There would be a sign hanging on the door- "office". As i do most of my creative thinking while i am taking a ????.

I would only work weekends and charge $45 per hour. The customer would be the groundsman and they would be responsible for cleanup. I would would work only weekends and then slip into a deep blue funk during the week.
And I would choose somewhere in the pacific northwest.

 

[John464]

hey john464 how do you like the spider? love to see it work someday i'm from blackwood.

love it
drop me a pm and we can set something up

 

[John464]

I said around me I know at least 6 guys who either have a crane or knuckle boom based out of where I live.

where are you in NJ?

 

[Xtra]

Jazak, if you know Tree King you're located by me.
Looking to buy Kenny's business?

I saw that Aspen and Faulkinbergs just bought new knuckleboom trucks.

 

[DeanBrown3D]

Hi john464,

Which spider lift do you have?

 

[John464]

Hi john464,

Which spider lift do you have?

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