LordFarkwad
Branched out member
- Location
- Chatham Co.
Definitely - and anyone I've done work for understands this. I moderate heavily the kinds of jobs I take to constrain the possibility of damage to me and anything/anyone else.
New truck search
- Thread starter LordFarkwad
- Start date
Definitely - and anyone I've done work for understands this. I moderate heavily the kinds of jobs I take to constrain the possibility of damage to me and anything/anyone else.
southsoundtree
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Olympia, WA
I edited my post. Separated two thoughts.
Do you know what a mini does that 'helper' or employee doesn't?
Wait patiently, be ready to go 100% any time, and never-ever second guesses you. If the machine is flipped, it's because you asked it to flip.
Zero risk of injury. Sure, you can break it, but machines are cheap and easy to fix and put back to work.
A mini can have sooo many uses beyond moving tree parts.
You can get a small grinder attachment, used, from people who move onto dedicated machines and add grinding...they seem to come up on TreeBay from time to time. I have stuff I'll never use sitting in my shop, like other people. "In Search Of" ads are useful.
A mini makes a bunch of money for you, allowing you to do more work, allowing you to bring in more money, allowing you to afford L/I/B, allowing you to charge full price, allowing you buy more equipment which does the work. This gives you tax write-offs. You'll want an accountant, at some point. Treework should be paying better than doing your own accounting. My accountant went out on her own after getting laid off during the recession. She set up my corporation, files my taxes, keeps employee documents on file, etc.
Avoid as much physical labor as possible. There will always be someone who will do the labor cheaper, if the homeowner is already going under the table. Be the specialist. You can only run one machine or climb one tree at a time.
Do you know what a mini does that 'helper' or employee doesn't?
Wait patiently, be ready to go 100% any time, and never-ever second guesses you. If the machine is flipped, it's because you asked it to flip.
Zero risk of injury. Sure, you can break it, but machines are cheap and easy to fix and put back to work.
A mini can have sooo many uses beyond moving tree parts.
You can get a small grinder attachment, used, from people who move onto dedicated machines and add grinding...they seem to come up on TreeBay from time to time. I have stuff I'll never use sitting in my shop, like other people. "In Search Of" ads are useful.
A mini makes a bunch of money for you, allowing you to do more work, allowing you to bring in more money, allowing you to afford L/I/B, allowing you to charge full price, allowing you buy more equipment which does the work. This gives you tax write-offs. You'll want an accountant, at some point. Treework should be paying better than doing your own accounting. My accountant went out on her own after getting laid off during the recession. She set up my corporation, files my taxes, keeps employee documents on file, etc.
Avoid as much physical labor as possible. There will always be someone who will do the labor cheaper, if the homeowner is already going under the table. Be the specialist. You can only run one machine or climb one tree at a time.
Did you purchase?
A few on here mentioned a 3/4 ton truck and trailer. That’s what I started with, an 01’ F250 with the 7.3. It was already modified when I got it, output chip and beefier transmission. I eventually put really big aftermarket springs in it, so now it never hits the overloads when regularly hauling 14k. I mounted toolboxes to it and a ladder rack, and it holds all the tree toys nicely. It has the extended cab, and I know from experience that it’s not too much hassle to get two car seats in there.
I bought the largest dump trailer I could find, a 14 yd box with 4’ side walls. Between the two pieces of equipment, I spent less than $25,000. The setup is under CDL. We could fit a medium 55’ Ash tree in that trailer by slashing the brush in layers and then weighing it down with the rounds on top. We rocked that until it bought us a chipper, which allowed us to chip onto properties or into the trailer, which is much more efficient than slashing. Then that bought us an f550 dump truck that I had a chip box fabricated for. Then came the mini, living in the trailer with his attachments and plywood. This week, I am buying a ram 4500 flatbed, which the mini will live on, and will also haul the dump trailer, which will now be just for material (again). That F250 will become just the gear truck or backup truck, and haul our 252 on its trailer.
For anyone reading this and considering, you don’t need a huge commercial truck, but you want versatility; something that has the ability to evolve with you or become a layer of redundancy. It’s hard to find the balance, but you also do not want to limit yourself with small equipment, thinking you are being smart or humble, either. Just my $.02.
A few on here mentioned a 3/4 ton truck and trailer. That’s what I started with, an 01’ F250 with the 7.3. It was already modified when I got it, output chip and beefier transmission. I eventually put really big aftermarket springs in it, so now it never hits the overloads when regularly hauling 14k. I mounted toolboxes to it and a ladder rack, and it holds all the tree toys nicely. It has the extended cab, and I know from experience that it’s not too much hassle to get two car seats in there.
I bought the largest dump trailer I could find, a 14 yd box with 4’ side walls. Between the two pieces of equipment, I spent less than $25,000. The setup is under CDL. We could fit a medium 55’ Ash tree in that trailer by slashing the brush in layers and then weighing it down with the rounds on top. We rocked that until it bought us a chipper, which allowed us to chip onto properties or into the trailer, which is much more efficient than slashing. Then that bought us an f550 dump truck that I had a chip box fabricated for. Then came the mini, living in the trailer with his attachments and plywood. This week, I am buying a ram 4500 flatbed, which the mini will live on, and will also haul the dump trailer, which will now be just for material (again). That F250 will become just the gear truck or backup truck, and haul our 252 on its trailer.
For anyone reading this and considering, you don’t need a huge commercial truck, but you want versatility; something that has the ability to evolve with you or become a layer of redundancy. It’s hard to find the balance, but you also do not want to limit yourself with small equipment, thinking you are being smart or humble, either. Just my $.02.
LordFarkwad
Branched out member
- Location
- Chatham Co.
Yeah, I did end up purchasing. Since it was a non-negotiable that it had to be able to carry family, and also could be my daily driver, and having 3 vehicles in the driveway was a no-go, I had to compromise on some features. But I think I struck a potentially good balance with a relatively basic F250 (we'll see, I guess). Bought it new, so I didn't get the benefit of it having fallen down steepest part of the depreciation curve, but I hope it'll last me 300kmi, so hopefully the delta in new/used process will get lost in the wash over that many years. It'll be for pulling a trailer while hauling my tools in the bed, or even in the cab (demoed that this weekend, worked like a boss... So much room behind the front seats!).
6.2L gas, crew cab, FX4 (it's what they had, and since, by the power of the internet, I found three dealerships nearby not in cahoots that had the exact same truck, just different colors, they 'discounted' this package from the price), bright red (also not crazy about the color - doesn't look very 'worky' - but they came off some on the price for that too).
We'll see how it does...
6.2L gas, crew cab, FX4 (it's what they had, and since, by the power of the internet, I found three dealerships nearby not in cahoots that had the exact same truck, just different colors, they 'discounted' this package from the price), bright red (also not crazy about the color - doesn't look very 'worky' - but they came off some on the price for that too).
We'll see how it does...
LordFarkwad
Branched out member
- Location
- Chatham Co.
Thanks, BS. It blew me away how many disparate opinions there are on what route to go, and I hope no one reading this feels like I took a dump on their advice. I really appreciate the guidance of everyone who was kind enough to weigh in here, especially considering that I am a new guy who is the benefactor of so many decades of y'all's collective experience with nothing to contribute.
Overall, it seemed like a good middle-ground, not being anywhere even near ready to jump into larger investments ("larger" in any sense of the word).
Overall, it seemed like a good middle-ground, not being anywhere even near ready to jump into larger investments ("larger" in any sense of the word).
LordFarkwad
Branched out member
- Location
- Chatham Co.
Honestly, I still feel super self-conscious driving it. Never owned a vehicle even half this size, and most anyone around here who does own one (that I know personally) uses it to go to the mall. Someone at work called it my "bro dozer" jajaja xD
southsoundtree
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Olympia, WA
Looks like you're ready for a new avatar photo.
Sounds like the first serious financial, dedicated investment around trees. Congratulations.
6' or 8' bed?
Sounds like the first serious financial, dedicated investment around trees. Congratulations.
6' or 8' bed?
LordFarkwad
Branched out member
- Location
- Chatham Co.
6.75'. And, man I'm glad I didn't get the 8'. Parking is tight enough with the shorter one. whoever gave me a heads up on that was right on.
On work pickups, I built up the walls of the bed with 2x12 lumber ( or whatever dimension you want). It can turn out quite nice looking if you prime and paint the wood to match or contrast the truck, and makes a little billboard size space if you decide to make signs for your biz later on. Use the little stake holes in the bed sides and it can easily be undone.
A lot of tree guys around here do this.
Pics are from google but you get the idea. It makes so much more room if you are cutting down brush with a chainsaw back there.
A lot of tree guys around here do this.
Pics are from google but you get the idea. It makes so much more room if you are cutting down brush with a chainsaw back there.
LordFarkwad
Branched out member
- Location
- Chatham Co.
Man, that is trim. And functional. Love the woodgrain look!
southsoundtree
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Olympia, WA
2x is way thick and heavy, but looks good.
Stakes and ply ( bolts, nuts, and washers) is enough. Light weight, maybe 1/3 the weight of 2x.
For a small rise, 3/8" plywood would be as light as possible. Easy in, easy out. Reach over the bed, not the walls. 1/2" would be better for holding in wood.
Not the room for error, when slashing down brush. When slashing down brush, you don't have much room for error, anyway...and you have a metal bed.
Depends on your needs.
Google thinks 2x6's are about 2 pounds per foot, probably with heavier hardware. Depends on if you will want to remove the side during the workdays or not.
Trailer-wall corner connectors will be an option for easy in-easy out.
Stakes and ply ( bolts, nuts, and washers) is enough. Light weight, maybe 1/3 the weight of 2x.
For a small rise, 3/8" plywood would be as light as possible. Easy in, easy out. Reach over the bed, not the walls. 1/2" would be better for holding in wood.
Not the room for error, when slashing down brush. When slashing down brush, you don't have much room for error, anyway...and you have a metal bed.
Depends on your needs.
Google thinks 2x6's are about 2 pounds per foot, probably with heavier hardware. Depends on if you will want to remove the side during the workdays or not.
Trailer-wall corner connectors will be an option for easy in-easy out.
LordFarkwad
Branched out member
- Location
- Chatham Co.
"Slashing" is equivalent to chainsaw chipping?
southsoundtree
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Olympia, WA
Some of my properties will allow me to squeeze a small, light trailer in places right at the work, where I could never get a chip truck anywhere close. The uphill pulls are significant, too.
To slash down most effectively, each round, never step on things being cut. Binds up the saw, robbing power. I'd start cutting outside the box for my first slash through, about a foot from the tailgate, from the sides or rear. If climbing in and working from the rear, keep the saw tension right, and WOT. You can lay the powerhead on the brush in the middle of the truck, and have the tip at the bed rail, allowing you to have tons of control while starting, and burying the bar, working your way across, keeping your tip down, or flip over and cut toward the middle.
That's putting the cart before the horse...stacking for success is at the start.
Smaller and straighter in the bottom works best.
Wait to load bigger pieces (as possibly, without 'swiss clock'-ing it) until the final slashdown. If you have big pieces that end up at weird angles, its lots more work to slash through, again and again.
Tarp.
Odd pieces/ long pieces on top.
Be good at holding your breath, then taking a break to breathe fresh air, or have a leaf-blower on blowing on you.
To slash down most effectively, each round, never step on things being cut. Binds up the saw, robbing power. I'd start cutting outside the box for my first slash through, about a foot from the tailgate, from the sides or rear. If climbing in and working from the rear, keep the saw tension right, and WOT. You can lay the powerhead on the brush in the middle of the truck, and have the tip at the bed rail, allowing you to have tons of control while starting, and burying the bar, working your way across, keeping your tip down, or flip over and cut toward the middle.
That's putting the cart before the horse...stacking for success is at the start.
Smaller and straighter in the bottom works best.
Wait to load bigger pieces (as possibly, without 'swiss clock'-ing it) until the final slashdown. If you have big pieces that end up at weird angles, its lots more work to slash through, again and again.
Tarp.
Odd pieces/ long pieces on top.
Be good at holding your breath, then taking a break to breathe fresh air, or have a leaf-blower on blowing on you.
- Location
- Wasatch Front
I second this
Chaplain242
Branched out member
My brother when working with me loves this trick. Unfortunately without tipping function in the bed and is a nightmare to empty out afterwards in many species. But can certainly compress a lot of brush in the available space...
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