Work Photos

[Bendroctanus]

First decent size project since returning from my back injury. Dead fir, ~3.5' dbh but necked down quick and was only around 110'. Over a septic so had to lower some limbs, ended up just cutting and dropping firewood rounds of of the tree for the trunk wood, new 500i felt good in the tree. Rained a lot of sawdust on the 4th hole. Left a habitat snag mostly so neither me nor the customer had to deal with the big wood

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Very nice! Glad it’s holdin’ up. Back injuries are the worst…

 

[colb]

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I think at least a quarter of that is getting into the chip box. Good work.

 

[27RMT0N]

I think at least a quarter of that is getting into the chip box. Good work.

Shootin' a pile

 

[colb]

Shootin' a pile

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Got it, it's all about perspective, lol.

 

[evo]

First decent size project since returning from my back injury. Dead fir, ~3.5' dbh but necked down quick and was only around 110'. Over a septic so had to lower some limbs, ended up just cutting and dropping firewood rounds of of the tree for the trunk wood, new 500i felt good in the tree. Rained a lot of sawdust on the 4th hole. Left a habitat snag mostly so neither me nor the customer had to deal with the big wood

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Whoa you were laid up for a while!

 

[27RMT0N]

Yah, I was out for over 6 weeks. Still need to reschedule the 2-day job where it happened (in the first 10 minutes of the job....), I've just been trying to ease back into things and feel it out for a bit first.

 

[evo]

Yah, I was out for over 6 weeks. Still need to reschedule the 2-day job where it happened (in the first 10 minutes of the job....), I've just been trying to ease back into things and feel it out for a bit first.

Take it easy, for a few different reasons..

 

[evo]

 

[Jehinten]

Not truly a photo, but here's a little job from yesterday. Oak tree that was previously topped years ago, homeowner wanted it taken down to 10' tall for a carving. I didn't measure the diameter, but every cut required double cutting with a Ms661 36" bar. Third pick was the heaviest at 8,000lbs and we had to extend our 20' slings to strap it up.

 

[evo]

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I should add that the cascades are on the skyline, hard time make out with the wide angle and the hazy clouds

 

[Reach]

Not truly a photo, but here's a little job from yesterday. Oak tree that was previously topped years ago, homeowner wanted it taken down to 10' tall for a carving. I didn't measure the diameter, but every cut required double cutting with a Ms661 36" bar. Third pick was the heaviest at 8,000lbs and we had to extend our 20' slings to strap it up.

That’s some big wood, for sure! You were pretty close in though, why not rig a block on the crane and take larger pieces?

 

[evo]

Not truly a photo, but here's a little job from yesterday. Oak tree that was previously topped years ago, homeowner wanted it taken down to 10' tall for a carving. I didn't measure the diameter, but every cut required double cutting with a Ms661 36" bar. Third pick was the heaviest at 8,000lbs and we had to extend our 20' slings to strap it up.

Big oak, little picks. Small crane?

 

[Jehinten]

That’s some big wood, for sure! You were pretty close in though, why not rig a block on the crane and take larger pieces?

Crane operators call on that. I think he kept them smaller for easier loading in the trailer. As it was the trailer left midway through to unload, then we picked the logs back up off the ground and loaded him when he returned.

Only took 2 hrs to get it down and the trailer returned about 5 mins after the last cut.

 

[Jehinten]

Big oak, little picks. Small crane?

It was a 50 ton running a single line. I'm sure we could have added a block and taken larger picks. I'm not sure how long it takes to set that up, but he keeps the block on his truck for when it's needed.

Slings might have been a factor too. I know he keeps 2 and 3 inch eye to eye slings on his truck. We discussed buying larger cable slings if we keep getting into this size of wood.

 

[Reach]

Crane operators call on that. I think he kept them smaller for easier loading in the trailer. As it was the trailer left midway through to unload, then we picked the logs back up off the ground and loaded him when he returned.

Only took 2 hrs to get it down and the trailer returned about 5 mins after the last cut.

Fair enough, that makes sense. I like minimizing rigging and cutting, and our crane operators would set up a block and take 20k pieces. We would stack them with the crane though, and let the log truck have them.

 

[Reach]

It was a 50 ton running a single line. I'm sure we could have added a block and taken larger picks. I'm not sure how long it takes to set that up, but he keeps the block on his truck for when it's needed.

Slings might have been a factor too. I know he keeps 2 and 3 inch eye to eye slings on his truck. We discussed buying larger cable slings if we keep getting into this size of wood.

A 50 ton should have 12k or so of line pull, right? You probably could have pushed up against that at least.

A 3” flat sling should be good for about 8k choked, or at least that’s what ours are good for, so two gets you to at least 16k.

We had a set of rope slings made up by Gap Arborist for picking things like that. 25’ deadeye slings, made from 3/4” Ultrex. They’re really light, lighter than our 5/8” Polydyne slings actually, and they have a working load limit of 15k each. You couldn’t break them if you tried, with an ABS of 75k!

 

[Jehinten]

Fair enough, that makes sense. I like minimizing rigging and cutting, and our crane operators would set up a block and take 20k pieces. We would stack them with the crane though, and let the log truck have them.

That'd hardly be worth showing up, to only do 2 cuts.

What slings do you like for 20K picks? Our operator was suggesting that we buy some cable slings for this size wood. He provides webbing slings, but doesn't want the liability of another company using the cables incorrectly and kinking them. So the companies that he trust each buy their own big slings and provides them for the big wood.

 

[Jehinten]

A 50 ton should have 12k or so of line pull, right? You probably could have pushed up against that at least.

A 3” flat sling should be good for about 8k choked, or at least that’s what ours are good for, so two gets you to at least 16k.

We had a set of rope slings made up by Gap Arborist for picking things like that. 25’ deadeye slings, made from 3/4” Ultrex. They’re really light, lighter than our 5/8” Polydyne slings actually, and they have a working load limit of 15k each. You couldn’t break them if you tried, with an ABS of 75k!

Took me longer to type the question than for you to answer it. Thanks for the sling info.


I believe he mentioned 11,000lbs on the cable. The first piece came off a little heavier than he predicted, which likely led him to be conservative. We were also trying to keep the pieces a consistent size at the end while keeping the 10' stump. Ended up with about a 3' length to get the final height that weighed 3,000lbs. The previous two picks were 5000 and 5500

 

[Reach]

That'd hardly be worth showing up, to only do 2 cuts.

What slings do you like for 20K picks? Our operator was suggesting that we buy some cable slings for this size wood. He provides webbing slings, but doesn't want the liability of another company using the cables incorrectly and kinking them. So the companies that he trust each buy their own big slings and provides them for the big wood.

We would use either our rope slings, or a set of 4” flat (eye to eye) slings that we carry. Our regular crane service carries round slings too, but when they’re that big it can get difficult to get the slings in place and keep them there.

My favorites to use are our rope slings though, they’re just so light and easy to throw around in the air.

I’ve never used cable slings, there’s a set on one of the cranes we use, but they’re only used for picking steel. I think they’re too heavy, stiff, and unwieldy for tree work. I also fear kinking them or damaging them and tearing up someone with a broken strand or two.

 

[Jehinten]

I think they’re too heavy, stiff, and unwieldy for tree work. I also fear kinking them or damaging them and tearing up someone with a broken strand or two.

I have the same suspicion. I'll run those Ultrex slings by him. Any chance you have a pic or video of a large pick with them that I could show him? Sometimes seeing is believing.