What do you do if the customer don't allow the crane on there driveway?

limbcontrol said:
Big cranes crack driveways. I you havent cracked a driveway your crane is too small or you haven't done enough crane work. This thread would be awesome if it actually discussed the preventative measures experienced crane operators learned the hard way.

I would contribute something useful but this thread is broken just like the driveway corner you're about to roll off of
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That is a true statement!! We have enough dirt driveways around these parts that its not a huge issue. I tend to plywood in on the front lawn and keep the chipper on the driveway if I'm worried about the structural integrity of the driveway.

One thing about using a crane verses climbing comes down to your back log. I started my company with a saddle and a chainsaw. However, before long I was booked out so far that I stated to think about how can I get this done faster....I went and bought a bucket truck....that helped for a year..,,then same problem, booked out too far. So we bought a crane. For me it doesn't make sense to do a hand climb take down when I own a 30 ton crane and have a three month backlog. I'll just refer that work to climbing crews. HOWEVER, we still tend to climb a lot of pruning jobs. I have 5 pine trees to deadwood next week. I will make MORE doing that with my team than I would removing them with the crane. I don't think their is a right or wrong. Just get good jobs, do them however you see fit and make sure some of the money your making sticks to your fingers!!
 
My take on this. If you can safely use a crane to do it without damage why do it manually? Cranes save so much more than time!
When you are climbing a tree manually you are making more cuts exposing yourself to more potential mistakes and injury. Climbing up a tree instead of being lifted by a crane involves more impact on the knees and other body parts with every step up in the spurs. With a crane you can inspect the tree much better on the way up before ever being tied into the tree. Seeing things like bees and week or cracked branch unions you might have thought ok from the ground view.
Taking a piece from behind a house 50' away and placing it in the LZ 100' away at the street saves a lot of potential injury to backs from carrying it out or turf damage from multiple trips across the yard with a machine. Rigging a tree down manually opens up more opportunity for human error in the rigging. It is also much more dynamic in most cases. Applying the loads to a tree with no known engineering rigging points such as a crane has.
More cuts needed for manual rigging increases the chronic injuries suffered from operating chainsaws.
Cranes are definitely increasing safety in the industry to both employees and property when used correctly.
I have been the tough(Eucman) in the past and my experience is being tough is painful. Id rather be a wimpy Oak man and enjoy my life a little longer. It makes those times when manually climbing the tree is the only way much more enjoyable.
 
Nobody is disputing climbing when called for. If you own iron, you use it. If the customer says no, move on or charge them for what they want.

Too many beat up and broken down climbers out there from years on spurs and pulling ropes.

Save your body for when iron won't touch it.
 
rico said:
No tricks or secrets necessary, and there is no need to pay for those expensive pills that your insurance may, or may not pay for. It's as simple as saddlin' up, and climbing, if the job calls for it. You will be utterly amazed at the increases in both length, and girth! Men will envy you, and woman will want you!
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Never worked for me...even in my 20s...
 
I'm pushing 50 and feel better after a days climbing vs sitting around but the fact remains climbing doesn't pay the crane mortgage and the companies I work for suck so that is a mental drain on a daily basis.
 
I can't tell you how many times I have had climbers hang off my crane. Then at the end of the day tell me how hard it was. While I sat in the cab and watched them all day long.....sink my job because they're slower than ever. People think crane work is easy until they have to do it. Their is a lot involved to be good and fast with a crane.
 
limbcontrol said:
If you think owning a crane business will be any less mentally draining, think again.
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It's different. First off it'll be mine and second i've owned my own business. What i'm referring to is the fact I hate where I currently work. Every day I go to work with the expectation of getting into a blow out with my boss. Thats the mental drain. I hate where I work.
 
So, the client doesn't want a crane on his driveway. What other aspects of the work is he concerned about? What does this tell you about his value system? What will you need to service it? How much more will you need to invest in the job to get it done to satisfy him? What does that add to the cost of the job? Maybe it's a bigger crane that can be set out on the road and all the costs associated with that? Maybe it is climbing it taking it smaller and extending the job over several days.

In the end, its just a matter of planning out the work with the right tools to meet the job specs and putting the right amount on it so it makes a profit that you expect. The worst they can say is no and then you move on.
 
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