Air-spading.....what a waste of time and money!

[High Scale]

Ha ha, that may be true Carlos. Please tell me from an old-timers perspective how you wouldhave responded.

 

Should have just flicked them the bird perhaps.

 

Wearing sunglasses helps, if they can't see you eyes they can't tell you're taking the mick.

[easy-lift guy]

.....at least that's what I have been informed of for the last 3 days by every Tom, Dick and Harry that works for a civils or building firm!

 

I have spend 2 days air-spading a trench through a Lime tree's roots in for a new water mains, and a day at a University radial trenching (soil-decompaction) around 9 Silver Maples. (I'll stick some pics up tomorrow).

 

I try and take people as I find them, and not pre-judge......but I really have met some morons this week!! I have been told:

• my work is a scam and a waste of money (I just provided a service I was asked for!)
  
• the trees that have had their roots driven over by dumpers and diggers will be fine (perhaps - but they'll sure do better in de-compacted soil)
  
• that the trees should just be cut down anyway (f*%k 'em were the exact words).
  

 

Geez, I am in danger of coming over all "hamadryad" here, but what is the matter with people? I know that trees are inconvenient for groundworkers and builders but that doesn't mean they have to be so insulting about them (and me!).

 

I don't normally get wound up about this sort of thing but today it just got to me....rant over:biggrin:

 

Some folks are Ignorant,other are Jealous and some others are just plain Stupid.

Don't let them get your goat. Your provideing a service that they either cannot or will not ever understand or appreicate. I have the same issues with some folks with my product, especially at shows. I politely demo the product for them and answer their question and after I have had my full of their silly comments or non clever remarks I send them down to the next booth for some better chocolate candies since I am fresh out:sneaky2:

easy-lift guy

[Paul Barton]

Thanks y'all. You are of course right Tony - the opinions of idiots should not interest me but I am a sensitive ol' thing some time, particularly when accused of scamming.

 

Toprotter - it's great for the trees but nasty work for the operator...be careful what you wish for! The dust means I wear a full dust suit, mask and goggles which tend to steam up in a few minutes!

 

Here are a few piccies of the work. NB - the soil vacuum unit was not very effective on the damp soil as it kept getting clogged, so I resorted to loosening the soil in the trench with the air-spade and then shovelling out the spoil.

[Guest Billabong]

To be fair mate, they tend not to be the fastest bunny's in the bush!

[David Humphries]

Paul, are you radiating the trenches out to 12x dbh?

 

How deep are you decompacting to?

 

 

Nice set of shots.

Interesting compressor unit.

 

 

 

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[David Goss]

Still looks like a fair bit of damage on the top of the roots?? was that the air spade or the hand shoveling?

Thanks for posting the photos and as for the muppets well as has been said they are paid to just shovel and lean, shovel and lean, shovel and lean.....

[Paul Barton]

Hi Dave,

 

On this job we radiated to the drip line only. We excavated to approx 300mm - most of the roots appeared to be in this level as the soil was quite clayey.

 

The unit you can see is actually not the compressor - that's the air-vac. The compressor was mounted on a trailer about 30 metres away.

[David Humphries]

Hi Dave,

 

On this job we radiated to the drip line only. We excavated to approx 300mm - most of the roots appeared to be in this level as the soil was quite clayey.

 

The unit you can see is actually not the compressor - that's the air-vac. The compressor was mounted on a trailer about 30 metres away.

 

 

Thanks Paul.

 

Is the Air spade work growing for you?

 

I'm struggling a little to find decent eye protection that can still let you see what you're actually doing without misting up.

 

Any joy?

 

 

.

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[Paul Barton]

Still looks like a fair bit of damage on the top of the roots?? was that the air spade or the hand shoveling?

Thanks for posting the photos and as for the muppets well as has been said they are paid to just shovel and lean, shovel and lean, shovel and lean.....

 

There was some minor damage to the bark on the tops of the roots from the airspade - tended to happen when my goggles steamed up and I didn't keep the spade moving quick enough.

 

There appears to be some more severe damage to the third root from the bottom on the trench photo - that root was actually already contorted when I uncovered it. Perhaps it had been scarred before?

 

I am learning every time we use this kit!

[gibbon]

Thanks Paul.

 

 

 

Any joy?

 

 

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Perspex full face shield is what I use. Enough room for a dust mask beneath doesnt steam up nearly as much as goggles