(1) Man Tree Work Set-Up

Looks pretty damn sweet to me! I like the jack so you can take that arm off to unload. Pretty creative. Sometimes it's whatever it takes to make yourself more productive with what you have and with what fits in your budget. Looks like you did an awesome job!
 
Yea, I thought about the front load, but the price for this was worth coming up with a way to fabricate something that works. It's a 14 ft H and H dump trailer. Cons are that you need to front load the trailer to add tongue weight because the Dingo counters the weight. Rides great on a full load. Just put ramps on the side of the removable platform and put that jack that you see on the back down and drive right up onto it. Need to get chain tie downs but ratchet straps work fine for the time being. Another con is that the platform is super heavy. Takes two guys to lift it and slide it on. But it's definitely an awesome/unique setup that works great when you learn how load the weight properly.
 
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ChampionTree said:
Yea, I thought about the front load, but the price for this was worth coming up with a way to fabricate something that works. It's a 14 ft H and H dump trailer. Cons are that you need to front load the trailer to add tongue weight because the Dingo counters the weight. Rides great on a full load. Just put ramps on the side of the removable platform and put that jack that you see on the back down and drive right up onto it. Need to get chain tie downs but ratchet straps work fine for the time being. Another con is that the platform is super heavy. Takes to guys to lift it and slide it on. But it's definitely an awesome/unique setup that works great when you learn how load the weight properly.
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Hey, ChampionTree, I'm a pretty new guy, so be patient with me, please. With the location of the jack on the far left side in the photo, doesn't that cause a lot of flexing in the platform when driving the equipment onto it from the right side, say? Or do you have the ability to switch the jack to the right side when the platform is being loaded from the right, and maybe leaving the cross brace on the left side in place, to help hold the left side up?

Really cool setup; sorry for the newbee questions. Just out of curiosity, if you don't mind my asking, and it's not too much of a derail, how many people do you need to run with, including yourself, to make this setup work well for you?

Thanks in advance for any answers you choose to provide.

Tim
 
AxeTree said:
View attachment 37399
Here's a trailer I built years ago trailer is now being used in California
Click to expand...

I'm beginning to think that having the ability to weld and to fabricate is an almost essential skillset to have, if you wish to be a viable, economical tree service operation. Thanks for all of the great equipment photos. The capabilities of so many of the members of this forum is just amazing to me.

Tim
 
The other side is supported by the 45 degree bar. The jack goes down to support the weight of the loader when loading and unloading because the 45 degree bar on that side needs to be removed in order to drive the loader onto the platform.
 
TimBr said:
I'm beginning to think that having the ability to weld and to fabricate is an almost essential skillset to have, if you wish to be a viable, economical tree service operation
Click to expand...

Hey TimBr,
I don't think you have to be able to weld and fab to run a great tree business. Welding and fabrication come in handy when you want to fix stuff and when you want to make modifications to existing equipment.

Few people build their own equipment. It can be expensive and frustrating, but incredibly fulfilling.
 
Champion, I wanted to thank you for taking the time to post your set-up. Looks like a very cool set-up.

Unfortunately, I'm not to fond of cutting up my pretty brand new 16' big-tex dump. Especially, the work I'm after doesn't require a large chipper as far as I'm concerned. I've heard many guys mention go bigger, but bigger isn't always better, in my situation at least.

I'm starting to look hard at the Toro BC25 chippers. Under 10k, less than 36" in width, and at only 1,000 lbs. Lot's of Toro dealers around me for warranty service. Seems like it would be much easier to mount right to the front of the trailer.
 
I have been through a lot of different set ups trying to figure out what is the most efficient for my small business. I am almost always a two man crew sometimes 3 if it is a big job. I have had two different pickups (flat beds) and I was using a dump trailer. I went the small chipper route with a 6" thinking it is lighter and cheaper and we could firewood the rest etc.
Eventually I wanted to trailer mount.

Having the two separate is definitely a hassle because every job you have to make two trips to. Drop the trailer, then drop the chipper. When you leave it is the same thing. So bringing your dumping capability and chipping capability in one trip is a big deal. So trailer mounting it makes sense. Doing the trailer mount chipper requires a big heavy dump trailer. You need something near CDL to hold the weight of the chipper plus the trailer itself with dumping capability plus the weight of your chips. This definitely limits you to a smaller chipper. The trailer starts to get heavy quick. My trailer at 20 feet was difficult to maneuver into driveways on narrow roads, steep inclines etc. most of the time it was easier to leave it on the street.

As far as the small chipper goes, I have used several from chuck and duck to self feeders and they sometimes make you feel like just brush loading. The extra time spent "prepping" the brush and messing around with pieces that just won't go in adds up. Both in time and worker fatigue. Having a larger chipper isn't about just trying to shove whole trees in there.

I rented a 12" Bandit 200 for a bigger job we were doing. Getting rid of the material was not nearly as much of a chore. The ground guys were happier and way faster cause they could stick anything in there and walk back to get the next piece. No wrestling with brush and dicing it up and nursing it into a small indeed shoot. They were so happy with it I knew I had to change.

I realized that what I was doing was thinking of my small business as some sort of big compromise. I need a regular truck for driving around in but need to be able to hook it up to a trailer to be a tree service. I was working the whole set up around using a pickup.

My "pickup" was an f-450 aluminum flatbed with a gooseneck to tow my set up. So,I ripped the bed off and found a used Arbortech Chip box to put on. Stage one complete. Already life was easier because we could get the truck closer to the work. Right up to the tree in most cases where it was impossible before. But we were still fighting the small chipper.

Then I bought a 12" chipper. A little heavier to tow but with the 9 ft box full of chips with chipper in tow it is still fine. I was also going back and forth about a mini for moving materials. In the meantime I bought an Arbor Trolley and haven't looked back. Smiles on the guys faces again.

I can't put a number on how much faster we process wood and how much easier it is now. We can do so much more in less time and with less fatigue and frustration.

Sorry for the long post but I tried going this route and ended up back with the more traditional tried and true method. As far as my driving around goes, I was still working at another job at this time, so I was driving my truck now with a chip box to work everyday. The mileage was down, so I sucked it up and bought a cheap car.

Now I can do my running around and estimates in the car. I even grind stumps with an Alpine Magnum out of my car. Again efficiency is really the key.

Just my experience so far FWIW.
 
Loved reading this stuff.....brains and experience at work...on this island I still load brush and wood on a dump truck....works sweet but back breaking at times....rent a chipper seldom but there is a 6" and 12"....have used big chippers working abroad which are nice...but here old school is still financially the way to go for me....nice interesting read here though
 
Axetree, somehow I missed your photo the last time I went through this thread. That's a sweet looking set-up. Sorry for the stupid question, but how does it dump? To the side? Looks great though.

Well, I'll be starting with my build soon. I got in an accident with a semi today. Hit from the rear of the brand new trailer. It looks pretty bad as it sits, but in reality it's an easy fix. There's a long square tubing (like a sub-frame) on the rear the swing gates are connected to with hinges. It literally bent the tubing in half and left the swinging doors hanging off, nearly to the ground. Luckily, it didn't bend the gates. Just going to cut, add a new sub-frame, re-weld.

Long story short, that's going to speedy by build process. I wasn't planning to build until after summer. Now I have to go to the metal supply house tomorrow, so I'm just going to pick up the materials for the whole build and guess who's paying for it all? Somebodies insurance.

Decided, I'm just going to go with my original idea. Going to extend the frame at the front of the trailer wide enough for a 9" Chipper. Going to build supports all inside of the extended frame using factory 6" C-Channel's and Tubing.Then extend the tongue out to where I have factory truck/trailer clearance. Then paint everything and hopefully make it look near factory built.

After the front is complete, then I'll be able to see more clearly on what I need to do with the axle situation. I'm either going to move the axles, or add a third axle and extend the diamond plate side fenders. Just need to run some numbers on cost with another axle, tires, brakes, and so on.

I'm going to flatbed truck. Have a wide locking box at front for saws / chains / etc. Going to have a separate locking box for climbing gear. Going to weld on some sides with hinges that can fold down. Going to mount a small crane in the bed that will be capable of loading logs.

Then will have plenty of room on the back of the flat-bed for a stump grinder or mini-skid that will be locked down in a fashion that will prevent theft, rolling, tipping, or shifting. Then goes on a sensitive alarm system with vibration sensors everywhere and GPS systems installed.

I want to keep everything professional, factory looking, and built strong. I plan on working no more than with two helpers for many years to come. I think it will be efficient for trimming and small removals, only having to take one truck. Less fuel. Dumping straight off the rear without having to unhook a chipper. And be able to get in pretty tight areas.
 
born2cut said:
Axetree, somehow I missed your photo the last time I went through this thread. That's a sweet looking set-up. Sorry for the stupid question, but how does it dump? To the side? Looks great though.

Well, I'll be starting with my build soon. I got in an accident with a semi today. Hit from the rear of the brand new trailer. It looks pretty bad as it sits, but in reality it's an easy fix. There's a long square tubing (like a sub-frame) on the rear the swing gates are connected to with hinges. It literally bent the tubing in half and left the swinging doors hanging off, nearly to the ground. Luckily, it didn't bend the gates. Just going to cut, add a new sub-frame, re-weld.

Long story short, that's going to speedy by build process. I wasn't planning to build until after summer. Now I have to go to the metal supply house tomorrow, so I'm just going to pick up the materials for the whole build and guess who's paying for it all? Somebodies insurance.

Decided, I'm just going to go with my original idea. Going to extend the frame at the front of the trailer wide enough for a 9" Chipper. Going to build supports all inside of the extended frame using factory 6" C-Channel's and Tubing.Then extend the tongue out to where I have factory truck/trailer clearance. Then paint everything and hopefully make it look near factory built.

After the front is complete, then I'll be able to see more clearly on what I need to do with the axle situation. I'm either going to move the axles, or add a third axle and extend the diamond plate side fenders. Just need to run some numbers on cost with another axle, tires, brakes, and so on.

I'm going to flatbed truck. Have a wide locking box at front for saws / chains / etc. Going to have a separate locking box for climbing gear. Going to weld on some sides with hinges that can fold down. Going to mount a small crane in the bed that will be capable of loading logs.

Then will have plenty of room on the back of the flat-bed for a stump grinder or mini-skid that will be locked down in a fashion that will prevent theft, rolling, tipping, or shifting. Then goes on a sensitive alarm system with vibration sensors everywhere and GPS systems installed.

I want to keep everything professional, factory looking, and built strong. I plan on working no more than with two helpers for many years to come. I think it will be efficient for trimming and small removals, only having to take one truck. Less fuel. Dumping straight off the rear without having to unhook a chipper. And be able to get in pretty tight areas.
Click to expand...

With 16ft of dump plus a 9" chipper I'm betting you'll have way to much tongue weight for a 3/4 or 1 ton truck to handle safely. You might be able to do it if you go with a gooseneck.
 
tc262 said:
With 16ft of dump plus a 9" chipper I'm betting you'll have way to much tongue weight for a 3/4 or 1 ton truck to handle safely. You might be able to do it if you go with a gooseneck.
Click to expand...


You think so? I made a typo, chipper I'm looking at is an 8". Weight after removing axle and other pieces will be around 2,000 lbs. You don't think that can be solved by adding a third axle, weight distribution hitch, and air bags that are already installed on the tow vehicle?
 
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