Wow, first big crane job!!

[Matt Follett]

NOW THAT'S THE WAY TO TAKE DOWN BIG TREES!!!

Yesterday we took down this 40" dbh ash, broke into 7 main stems (just a mess of a tree)... anyway it was over the house in a court yard, and I had originally priced it with speed lining it out in mind, figured maybe two days to get it all out of the courtyard to the drive etc. ( our crew of 2)

Well I decided we'ed call the local crane guy

2 hours!!!!! from the time I clipped in till I watched the bole float effortlessly away.

I love riggin but man that was smooth!

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

Good for you. Takes a hell of a lot less skill and physical work that way, doesn't it?
Did you read the acticle in Arborist News about a crane removal? What I found interesting was they mentioned that before the removal started they asked the homeowner to leave as well as all the neighbors, in caser they messed up, nobody would be crushed.

 

[Greg]

I caught that too Mike. I bet those guys cleaned up on work from the neighbors, or they will soon. It sounded like it was required that they clear the neighborhood, not just a precaution
Greg

 

[kam]

Matt...did you take any pictures?

 

[Matt Follett]

Yeah we got a few,

Unfortunatly we ran out of film part way through, I forgot to pick more up on the way to the site

Once I get my scanner working again I'll post some

 

[Jock]

Never had the opportunity to do any crane removals until november when Belfast city council decided to buy a christmas tree from Scotland....(Irish or what?) anyway it was a 60ft Sitka Spruce and was situated 20ft off the road and we rigged it step cut it and hey presto up she went, but down went the crane legs into deep peat, so 3 hours work turned out to be 9hours, however it was an interesting day and its the biggest tree Ireland has had since Bill Clinton donated one 5 years ago...Jock. Oh and by the way the crane driver was Irish too and his name was Noel......well it amused us anyway....

 

[Dave Lutes]

First crane job

It's physically alot easier to use a crane to remove a tree, but I emphatically disagree with it requiring less skill. Having used all sizes of cranes on all kinds of trees over the years, I've learned this: Big wood means big mistakes could happen, thereby requiring big experience and knowledge to prevent such mistakes. I believe in not tackling the job with a crane if you haven't got the experience, rather than suggesting it's possible for arborists with less skill to involve themselves with wood (using a crane) they normally wouldn't touch. Does the crane operator have skill working with trees? A less skilled arborist may not even ask this question or recognize a crane operator who doesn't possess the requisite skills. I wouldn't even tackle a tree removal with a crane if I hadn't the experience doing the same size tree in the same type of situation without a crane. Suggesting the home owner and neighbors should leave in case they get crushed suggests to me the arborist is in over his head.

 

[treeclimber165]

Welcome, Dave

Glad you found our little corner of the Web.
And I can see both sides of the 'evacuation' idea. If, God forbid, something went wrong then a big chunk could easily crunch through the roof and anyone inside. Do you allow homeowners into your working area to stand under rigged logs when working?

If the pieces are large enough to bust through the roof, I ask the homeowners to leave the work area. With normal rope rigging the pieces are not large enough to bust through the roof and therefore I don't ask residents to leave their house.

And I'm glad your job went smooth, Matt. Cranes can cut time tremendously on certain jobs.

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

The crane's boom could certainly go through the roof!

 

[Dave Lutes]

I certainly don't allow non-essentials to be in my work area regardless of the means I'm using (crane or otherwise) to do my pruning or removals. I was reacting to the homeowner being asked to leave the area to eliminate any risk of them being 'crushed'; better bedside manner must be used in order to avoid alarming the customer needlessly.

 

[monkeypuzzle]

They were using a 80-ton crane.Man thats big,we use a 35 or 40 ton weekly.I think chainsaw skills are far more important than climbing skills when using cranes.Make a rookie cut and well,lots can happen.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Wouldn't safe operating procedures require evacuation of all structures within the radius of the crane hight?

I'm sure one could find regulations regurding this somewhere. Just inform the all effected that it is required that you ask them to leave the area for the duration of the work.

 

[monkeypuzzle]

Lots of the times the folks nearby will come out to watch the fun.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Of course, it is something unusual. How far back do you keep the "crowds"?

Coneheads aside that is

Speaking of conehead; in NC, we had that orange "KILLER TREE" tape that Sherrill sells across the sidewalks, so of course people walked around the barrier and right back onto the walk under the climber. Course the partime groundies did not know to direct them back, even though we had them help set the tape up...

After the first few days we just piled bush on the walks as a more effective barrier.

 

[monkeypuzzle]

I throw sticks from the top of the tree if they get too close

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

We all know what Wolfy's climber does if they get too close!

 

[Matt Follett]

Cut types

So having done this job and things going well, I plan to embark (ha) on more, but questions

In general we notched on the backside, and pulled the limbs to vertical, watching the hinge work in slow mo. However what tends to be the prefered back-cut, at the apex or above? (concerns with butt kicking out)

next, do you tie in close to (two points of attachment) the work site, or prefer to unclip the lanyard for the back cut (mobility should something go amiss?)

Vertical pieces I bypass cut and signalled for a straight lift... sound right? ( this included the bole wood)

A few pieces we butt hitched and let settle down to vertical (clear smaller ones) but the crane operator controlled their decent and I had some fears of barber chairs and the sort

I got the pictures back, they're not great, once I get my scanner up and running, Hit it with a 5 lb sledge, I 'll post some

 

[Toddppm]

http://arboristsite.com/showthread.php?threadid=6158&highlight=crane+jobs
Just did my first one too and some of the same questions were answered in the above thread. Very fun and back saving to boot.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

When working with that masive of wood, you should use the crane. Position it for a straight pick and have the boom move to lower it out of the canopy.

First thios will limit the dynamic loading of the crane and second it will leave no doubt in your mind where the peice is going.

As you do it more and can judge weights better then you can start doing more advanced work.