crane flips in Chester County pa

I anticipate in the near future most every competitive company will have a crane. Even if they only use it a few days a week. Its just the way our industry is headed. It's going to be harder to compete in tree work with just climbing, or using a bucket truck. Not every market will be like this. But I have seen it around me here in VT. I saw it in MA when I worked there.
Look at the evolution. Track loaders, mini spider lifts that can go into back yards and reach 70 plus feet, cranes that now come with cutting heads to eliminate climbers, tradition cranes, knuckle boom cranes, etc.
Tree removal is going through what happened in the logging industry. It's very hard to make a living with a skidder and a chainsaw. Yet, 20 or so years ago there was TONS of small companies making a good living cutting wood with just a skidder. Now it's all mechanized. Daniel you better go buy that crane, or you'll be left behind.
 
ROYCE said:
I anticipate in the near future most every competitive company will have a crane. Even if they only use it a few days a week. Its just the way our industry is headed. It's going to be harder to compete in tree work with just climbing, or using a bucket truck. Not every market will be like this. But I have seen it around me here in VT. I saw it in MA when I worked there.
Look at the evolution. Track loaders, mini spider lifts that can go into back yards and reach 70 plus feet, cranes that now come with cutting heads to eliminate climbers, tradition cranes, knuckle boom cranes, etc.
Tree removal is going through what happened in the logging industry. It's very hard to make a living with a skidder and a chainsaw. Yet, 20 or so years ago there was TONS of small companies making a good living cutting wood with just a skidder. Now it's all mechanized. Daniel you better go buy that crane, or you'll be left behind.
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Removals are lame. The easier they become the faster our urban forest will disappear. I get tired of people saying a tree makes too much of a mess so it needs to be removed. I walk from a lot of them.
 
Tr33Climb3r said:
Removals are lame. The easier they become the faster our urban forest will disappear. I get tired of people saying a tree makes too much of a mess so it needs to be removed. I walk from a lot of them.
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Somebody taught you well Casey. I too get Lost to the point of being pissed off when I hear "I want the tree down so I can grow grass." Makes no sense to me in a climate where it is 90-105 degrees for six months of the year. Give me shade and mulch any day.
 
Daniel said:
That's not the first crane I've seen laying down next to a tree in an open field... that's your state of the art eh??? I AM impressed... Keep up the good work!
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Is getting stuff done the fast and easy way, the best way? Likely not in this instance.
I think using a really heavy, expensive, complicated, diesel-sucking monster to effect the same outcome that a climber could easily and quickly accomplish is questionable, illogical, and frivolous. So there! (I have the satisfaction of knowing the famous 13th century arborist and tinkerer, William of Oncken might have had similar sentiments)
Hiring a crane op factors into about 0.1% of my work. I don't think some of you crane guys would take well to working on a smaller sized dairy farm. Just sayin'

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Cranes are necessary for some jobs. They are, as Pelorus has stated, huge and costly...it makes more than a footprint on a property. The more our industry becomes reliant on cranes and moves in that direction, the more the cost of tree work is going to rise. We have gotten a lot of work as other larger companies no longer have climbers and techniques capable of doing removals without the lifts and cranes etc. Some jobs cannot be reached with a crane or a lift.

But I am not for this spitting match. I feel if you want to use a crane and the client is willing to pay... then use one, if you don't want to... then don't use one. :D
 
I've made a good living for years dropping trees in tight yards, knowing I was bidding against other companies that were planning on craning out the trees... Since getting the 75' elevator, I've made a good living on pretty much any tree the truck can get near.
 
Somebody has gotta pay the crane bill. Nobody rides for free.
You are way farther ahead in this game if you are a great salesman and a lousy climber, than the converse. It might be even better if you are born into a high caste system, or have a fabulously rich old uncle who thinks you are the bees knees.
 
Daniel said:
I've made a good living for years dropping trees in tight yards, knowing I was bidding against other companies that were planning on craning out the trees... Since getting the 75' elevator, I've made a good living on pretty much any tree the truck can get near.
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True Daniel, I'm the same, after I got my tracked lift, there hasn't been much we couldn't handle, but I end up getting the big nasty trees other companies around here don't have the skills to do, scared too go near ( that's not a joke) or just way out of there league. Aside from another company or 2 here we ar the only ones using cranes, the company I use his rates are very reasonable and doesn't inflate my price a lot. Anyways enough of getting off topic. Let's just stop seeing these cranes flipping and work safe! By the way how come most of the crane flip overs it seems is in the PA area? There is a pattern evolving !
 
That looks like the passenger side was set up zero span...looks like you can see the nubs from where the outrigger plates used to be.
 
John_KAYS said:
Cranes are necessary for some jobs. They are, as Pelorus has stated, huge and costly...it makes more than a footprint on a property. The more our industry becomes reliant on cranes and moves in that direction, the more the cost of tree work is going to rise. We have gotten a lot of work as other larger companies no longer have climbers and techniques capable of doing removals without the lifts and cranes etc. Some jobs cannot be reached with a crane or a lift.

But I am not for this spitting match. I feel if you want to use a crane and the client is willing to pay... then use one, if you don't want to... then don't use one. :D
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I would be real interested in what your rates per man hour are for a removal job. Say a three person crew. I am willing to bet I am cheaper per man hour and could do the same job in less than half the time with a crane. People think that if you bring a crane to the job then your charging HUGE money. That is not the case. A crane makes money by charging the same rate as a climbing crew, but with the ability to get three or four jobs done to their one job.
That is my market. Maybe it is different where you are.
 
Daniel said:
I've made a good living for years dropping trees in tight yards, knowing I was bidding against other companies that were planning on craning out the trees... Since getting the 75' elevator, I've made a good living on pretty much any tree the truck can get near.
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Yes, but how long does it take you to do the job. Lets face it, anyone can do the job. I can bid 5K for the job because I will being a crane in and it will take me a day. You bid 4800 and get the job but it takes your three days. It's about more than just getting the job, there is a lot of analyze for a fair comparison.
I have sean your videos. Your right, you do a great job felling trees and using your bucket to get to trees and rig them down. However, a crane is faster and more efficient. Does it cost more to operate a crane? Well, that depends. You can get a really good used 30 ton crane for less than a new 75 foot bucket truck.
I like the crane option because it adds another tool to my toolbox. I can climb that back yard tree, I can rig that tree down with a bucket truck, and I can fell in tight back yards, I can also use a crane to pluck trees out of the back yard. I am the modern day Brittany Spears. Quadruple Threat!!!
 
Levi.CO said:
:risas:

Seriously though, I think about that a lot... rushing, efficiency. I've found I can accomplish much more when I am calm and not rushed, just chipping at the block, like the tortoise.
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I am booked out until the end of July. If I sell a Job today then I have to make them wait until the end of July. I loose work. If I bucket rig that tree down it takes me all day. Crane takes me two hours and then I an fit another job in, hence they are not waiting until the end of July.
 
ROYCE said:
I am booked out until the end of July. If I sell a Job today then I have to make them wait until the end of July. I loose work. If I bucket rig that tree down it takes me all day. Crane takes me two hours and then I an fit another job in, hence they are not waiting until the end of July.
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Agree! That is the boat I'm in...except farther out. Crane is about efficiency and getting more work done.

Cost wise (to the customer) I've found in my market it works out to about the same.

Yesterday we (2 guys) bombed out 3 deadish Ash trees by lunch...the spent +4 hours raking up broken limbs and twigs. Crane would have kept breakage to a minimum, and would have all been by the chipper.

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Levi.CO said:
:risas:

Seriously though, I think about that a lot... rushing, efficiency. I've found I can accomplish much more when I am calm and not rushed, just chipping at the block, like the tortoise.
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What's your experience with a crane? One of climbers I work with rarely breaks a sweat and usually smokes a cigarette between lifts, that falls under the calm and relaxed category to me.
 
Levi.CO said:
I see your point, kind of. The clients have the same problem, in a big hurry. Why not leave yourself a swing/flex day once a week and if there is an emergency or truly rush job you can do it then or Saturday. If nothing comes up just stay home and watch cartoons.
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I gave a flex day on Fridays of every week...it is amazing how quickly that gets used up due to jobs going long, weather, or emergency work....and I'm booking into October right now. Job we are currently doing, we're bid on in November.

For me it comes down to another crew, or do jobs faster (crane). I prefer equipment over employees.

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image.webp OI totally agree with Royce in my area cranes are everywhere so rental rates are good. $500 min for 4hrs and $125 each hr after. Here is a perfect example of a job which is sold and awaiting completion. I can climb and rig them or use my bucket for removal. We are busy and I'll have a tree which I can use a crane for so I'll get it for a half day and do theses trees in about an hr which includes logs piled neat and awaiting pick up instead of picking up pieces later.Then off to next job the crane will cut all aspects of removal dramaticly.
 
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