Did you ever contract climb for somebody who is kind of a hack?

[Magnum783]

As long as you don't smash anything there really is nothing to lose from doing it. Make hay when you can. He will probably refer you down the road. I help a few "hacks" around locally. We just agree to use my stuff and do it my way.

I do just the same. In Cheyenne almost a large majority of the companies that don't have a climber are new companies and could be viewed as hacks. If I didn't climb for them I would be home sitting on my thumbs.

 

[Roger_Barnett]

Good thread..... Reminds me of the time I met Terry while doing a bid... Personable enough fella, we chatted briefly, and when he handed me his card, I looked at it and said one word (from the card) with a polite questioning tone, " topping?" A few months later, he called me and wanted to learn how to do better tree work. He did, we worked together on a few jobs....I brought him in on a very technical removal to help on the ground..... he was wearing sweats... and someone took a pic with my camera of him with his sweats down, exposing his package. Somebody ruined the surprise by telling me about it before I developed the pics.... He then was forever known as "Terrry Big Balls" !!!

 

[Oroboros]

Yep. Last Monday in Toronto. Guy that hired me is in tennis shoes and sweat pants. No ppe on him or his two ground helpers. It rains so he takes his shirt off.

 

[RyanCafferky]

I have been contract climbing for quite a while now and have worked for all kinds of companies. The last few years I've been kind of a snob and have only been working for a few very reputable outfits. Lately though my opinion has been shifting about who I should be working for and with.

The companies that I choose to work with most are the ones who train their employees well, have regular safety meetings, for the most part follow good pruning practices, and understand my climbing and rigging systems. This spring, I had a conversation with a high level competition climber who recently became a contract climber and was choosing to work with some of the less reputable companies in the area. I took what he said about it to mean this: "could my expertise help the industry more by helping the hacks or by working with those close to my level and on a similar ethical plane?" I think that those of us with many years of experience and who hold ourselves to a high standard should spread that knowledge and not just turn up our noses at those outside our little club.

We only know what we know. Arbormaster, Treebuzz, and good coworkers taught me so much. I was a complete hack for years and am grateful for everyone and every tree that taught me something and helped me become an arborist.

 

[Roger_Barnett]

We only know what we know. Arbormaster, Treebuzz, and good coworkers taught me so much. I was a complete hack for years and am grateful for everyone and every tree that taught me something and helped me become an arborist.

Same here....

By the way, two posts up, the job I was referring to where Terry flashed me (with a picture) was back about 2000 or so...an extremely challenging 54" dbh deodar on a slope, fancy pool on the other side. Tom Ford and I worked the tree together, ziplining and lifting as needed. We had a borrowed basic lowering device that, iirc, did have lifting capability. Took two days... I'd bid it for $12k today, perhaps. Scott Baker has a center section of a slab which I cut, and had it planed treated and mounted. Shortly after that, I bought Dan Kraus' Hobbs, which he has since bought back. We used it on another rigging challenge which Tom also was on.... Oxman grounded for us on that one....again, we were both in the tree, Tom doing controlled speedlining over three properties prolly worth $20 million, me lowering to the tiny hole, and in an opposite lead....

Tom called me Monday. He was enroute here to take a TRAC refresher....Told about the big ole bad fir that he's supposed to be doing, that's required a 275 ton crane.... Reckon you know the tree? Talked to him again this afternoon. Guess you're starting to brush it out tomorrow? Hope you get some pics of the monsta!!!