Bucket vs. crane, which to buy? (used)

[RBJtree]

Looks like I will be able to get about 30-35 k. I was going for a bucket so I can get my crew doing more work without me on site, but now I'm torn between a forestry bucket, or a crane (stick). There are a few of each around of course, but a nearby large tree service is unloading a bucket, standard 11 foot chip box and 55 ft altec boom, and also a 63' plus jib 14 ton crane for about the same price, so it's got me thinking. I've used both types of trucks extensively and I know a lot of pros and cons for each. I would like to have both, but I don't have the money. One should be able to earn the money for the other in a fairly short period of time, but which one comes first?

 

[Fivepoints]

63' 14 ton crane isn't much of a crane for tree work unless you have really small trees in your area. If you can rent cranes in your area, I'd go bucket truck and rent cranes when needed. We have our own 35 ton crane with a 104' main boom and a 60 ft forestry bucket truck. We use the truck almost daily and use the crane most weeks.

 

[RBJtree]

63' 14 ton crane isn't much of a crane for tree work unless you have really small trees in your area. If you can rent cranes in your area, I'd go bucket truck and rent cranes when needed. We have our own 35 ton crane with a 104' main boom and a 60 ft forestry bucket truck. We use the truck almost daily and use the crane most weeks.

My only reliable crane rental guy has an 80' 22 ton. There are several big time crane companies around me, but no tree guys use them for a reason, they don't know trees. The operators are slow or scared, won't take big pieces because they don't know what they weigh. I worked for many years with a 54' 10 ton. It was a very useful truck, you just need to be a little creative. Fold and pick, drop and drag... We get some big trees. Often you can't get the bigger crane close enough anyway. But you are right, the bucket would go out every day. It would also never lift logs.

 

[CanaryBoss]

My only reliable crane rental guy has an 80' 22 ton. There are several big time crane companies around me, but no tree guys use them for a reason, they don't know trees. The operators are slow or scared, won't take big pieces because they don't know what they weigh. I worked for many years with a 54' 10 ton. It was a very useful truck, you just need to be a little creative. Fold and pick, drop and drag... We get some big trees. Often you can't get the bigger crane close enough anyway. But you are right, the bucket would go out every day. It would also never lift logs.

I would have to agree that you need to get a bucket first. Get yourself a bucket get situated with it make some good profits, turn around and buy a real crane. Then you can sub to the other Tree Services in town because you know trees. As a matter of fact, I would take it one step further and say don’t even buy a stick Crane, buy a knuckle boom. I have a bucket truck and I have a knuckle boom. Now that I have the knuckleboom, my bucket truck is for sale. But I would not have been able to afford the knuckleboom if I didn’t have the bucket truck first.

 

[CanaryBoss]

If you decide bucket, I have a good one I might sell

 

[RBJtree]

If you decide bucket, I have a good one I might sell

Who's going to drive it to Pittsburgh, PA? The one near me they are asking 29,500 for. It has a dt466, 6 speed easton, 77,000 miles, new boom inspection, new tranny, looks very clean in the pictures. Thats going to be hard to beat.

 

[CanaryBoss]

I agree. I like the dt466. Sounds like a winner

 

[RBJtree]

I just found out that, in PA at least, to do any commercial crane oporation, you must be OSHA certified to be legal. It didn't use to be that way. So, a bucket truck it is! I can't spare 3 days and $3500 for the OSHA class right now. Maybe next year.