Lifting Logs with Bucket

I have a 1999 gmc an old asplundh bucket truck an people has told me not to lift much with it but I have had a tree fsll on a house an I used the bucket part of thr boom to get huge peaces of wood off the house an iv lifted huge logs with the bottom an I have also set roof trusses with it an it was still working jus fine until I hit a low bridge an snapped the fiberglass part of the pole so now im looking for a hole new boom
 
TimberJack said:
What are your thoughts on cutting and chucking from the bucket? We have guys that go pretty big "bucket craning" logs. They tell me the trick is to park the bucket right under the log, wrap your arm around the log, then cut with your other hand cut straight down to create a tear that will help you gain control of the log while it settles onto the brim of the bucket. I'm just starting to get "good" at this but interested in your opinions as to how good this practice is and who else uses it.
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I predict an accident in your future.
 
I work for a guy occasionally as his climber, that uses his bucket for winching logs into his dump truck. I believe the bucket was made for the phone company and has a 2000 lb winch on the upper arm. At first it seemed crazy to me and quite scary (I always used to using a 350lb max bucket by international). Now I am kind of amazed at its lifting power. Personally, I would still be nervous and thankfully I don't even use a bucket anymore, but to each their own. No accidents yet.

Though I know another company who was winching logs in the same manner (very similar truck) but was using some chinsy ass rope that was not made for tree work at all. Line snapped. Lost his teeth bouncing back and forth in the bucket violently and got flung out. Luckily he had his harness on.
 
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treevet said:
How do you learn the capacity?......after an accident.

Get a crane and do things the right way.
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On utility booms the capacity is on a gravity dial next to bucket as per angle of booms...2,000lbs is max for my boom...900 to 1100 in most angles that allow loading of logs from the ground to trailer.
Since you are supposed initiate the pick with the boom's hydraulics not the winch, if you go for too much weight, the hydraulics simply don't pick it. Good reason to never pick heavy from the tree.

On reg tree booms... I'd never pick anything I could not hold with one arm, around my own body weight.
 
too much to risk for my altec i do however rest large logs on brim of bucket. 550 lb max. I use a retired truck to move logs and put a hair line crack in bottom boom near cylinder. Almost didnt noticed it. Accident waiting to happen
 
frashdog said:
On utility booms the capacity is on a gravity dial next to bucket as per angle of booms...2,000lbs is max for my boom...900 to 1100 in most angles that allow loading of logs from the ground to trailer.
Since you are supposed initiate the pick with the boom's hydraulics not the winch, if you go for too much weight, the hydraulics simply don't pick it. Good reason to never pick heavy from the tree.

On reg tree booms... I'd never pick anything I could not hold with one arm, around my own body weight.
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yeah that's what I meant...non material handler buckets...find out the hard way likely.
 
Seen this today...didn't think it was at all a legit thing till I saw this thread. But pretty sure they took way to much weight. I'm also sure I would never do it.

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__________________________
Associate degree in forestry from PSU Mont Alto
"Kiss My Axe"
Certified Arborist
Owner/operator of Climb High Tree Service established in 2002
www.climbhightree.com
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It's got a heart like aromatic cedar, but the canopy structure doesn't match.

That log's gotta be approaching 2 ton. Tied at the top like that, the closer it gets to the ground, it's weight on the bucket increases exponentially.

I think he's lucky something didn't fail.
 
BRT said:
It's got a heart like aromatic cedar, but the canopy structure doesn't match.

That log's gotta be approaching 2 ton. Tied at the top like that, the closer it gets to the ground, it's weight on the bucket increases exponentially.

I think he's lucky something didn't fail.
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He never completely lifted the log...they just tied off the top, cut the base, and laid it over. No notch. When the log rolled from vertical to slanted, things bounced a bit.

After it was on the ground, they cut it in half and used the boom to drag the 2 parts off the roadway.

__________________________
Associate degree in forestry from PSU Mont Alto
"Kiss My Axe"
Certified Arborist
Owner/operator of Climb High Tree Service established in 2002
www.climbhightree.com
https://m.facebook.com/ClimbHighTreeService
https://www.youtube.com/user/climbhightree
https://www.youtube.com/user/2treekiller2
 
climbhightree said:
He never completely lifted the log...they just tied off the top, cut the base, and laid it over.
Click to expand...

I doubt it could. When it was cut at the base, there was hardly any force acting against the boom...then, as it approaches the ground, more and more weight is exerted on the boom. That would have been the point at which something would have broken. Probably wouldn't have brought over the truck, but it'd make that operator a milkshake. or sling rigging/rope at his face.
 
AmericanArborist said:
What was the point of doing that? Why not flop it? Mostly, why be in the bucket to pull a stunt like that? Use the controls from the ground if you absolutely had to.
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100% agree on both points.

They had the room to drop them, or push 2-3 pieces off. I do think someone was taking the logs...heard something about 4-6' lenghts. They only cut the one in half, after it was on the ground...into two 8' pieces.

__________________________
Associate degree in forestry from PSU Mont Alto
"Kiss My Axe"
Certified Arborist
Owner/operator of Climb High Tree Service established in 2002
www.climbhightree.com
https://m.facebook.com/ClimbHighTreeService
https://www.youtube.com/user/climbhightree
https://www.youtube.com/user/2treekiller2
 
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AmericanArborist said:
Why be in the bucket to pull a stunt like that?
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And from what I could see (on my phone) no harness either. So that way when the choker slips or the rigging breaks and all that weight comes off of the bucket at once, it'll catapult him into next week. We've all read about this scenario WAY TOO MANY TIMES, and yet…
Things like this I ascribe to Darwinism: Survival of the fittest. If you're really that stupid, you don't have my sympathy when you kill yourself. Just my anger for putting another black eye on our industry.
 
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