MEWP or Climbing?

[Ian C]

In this particular discussion you remind me of the knight in Monty Python and the holy grail who gets his arms and legs cut off and still wants to fight.

 

"Tis only a scratch!"

 

Lol yeah good scene that.

[skyhuck]

Nooooooooooo,

 

Your set up isn't the average though is it?, a short while back you even made a thread about how novel it was to be doing it like others.

 

You don't get to compare, you already have a big machine for lifting yourself into the tree and lifting brash and timber out.

 

Lifting your self in with a hiab isn't much different than doing it with a mewp:laugh1:

 

As for macho climbers goes, I have met and worked with dozens

 

You are the one who is missing the point. My crane does things I cannot, it lifts huge lumps of timber and puts them neatly in my trailer, sure I occasionally ride the hook, but only when I want the crane there anyway to move some timber, so its not a waste of time or fuel.

 

A MEWP only does the same job as a decent climber and a piece of rope, adding huge costs for no additional return.

 

I think the thread your thinking of was about remove veg from a wall, where climbing was not an option.

[skyhuck]

Sorry, won't happen again ;-)

 

Often use a combination of mewp and climb on the same tree, climb rig and swing the top off then use the landy mewp for the main stem when bigger saws get involved.

 

If we went by by the money argument why get a 660 when a 441 could cut the same just slower,[/b] why use bull rope when poly prop is cheaper, why rig a tree at all when it could be cut smaller and hand thrown to save having to cut it up on the ground. Petty argument I know but still how I look at it.

I agree a climber will beat a mew any day on a crown thin or deadwood where access into the crown is restricted but with the right machine and access I'd like to see any climber beat me on a crown 15% reduction or retrenchment work.

 

We could extend the argument to why use cranes when we could just rig stuff down and handball stuff into a trailer instead of having bits just drift away and land right next to the chipper or onto the truck.

 

Any1 who runs bigger gear like mogs, hiabs 10"chippers forwarders etc should understand investment or initial hire cost of the right bit of equipment can improve efficiency more than anough to cover the cost and actually make more money but it has to be used correctly and by people who know how to get the best out of it.

 

I do cut and chuck 99% of my work, for the very reasons you state, I watch videos of people lowering all the brash, thinking they must be protecting the grass, but then watch with amassment as they crash out the timber

 

If MEWP's are so fast why have they not taken over?????? Those who invested in one should surely be able to out compete all the old stick in the muds and clean up, but its just never happened??????? Why?????? The HSE have to actively push there use!! WHY????????:confused1:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

. Because they are slow!!!!!!!!

 

Chippers 20 years ago no one had chippers, but the speed things up and make there owner money, no one would seriously consider going into tree work without one, buts MEWP's have been around for longer than chippers

[Andymacp]

So when you quote a job your either £400 more than the company climbing cause you've hired in a mwep or your boss has bought a mwep and to justify it and pay it back they convince the customer it's too dangerous and you need a mwep and that'll be another £400 on top

[Philip Anderson]

I do cut and chuck 99% of my work, for the very reasons you state, I watch videos of people lowering all the brash, thinking they must be protecting the grass, but then watch with amassment as they crash out the timber

 

If MEWP's are so fast why have they not taken over?????? Those who invested in one should surely be able to out compete all the old stick in the muds and clean up, but its just never happened??????? Why?????? The HSE have to actively push there use!! WHY????????:confused1:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

. Because they are slow!!!!!!!!

 

Chippers 20 years ago no one had chippers, but the speed things up and make there owner money, no one would seriously consider going into tree work without one, buts MEWP's have been around for longer than chippers

So what's your point?

To correct you we had chippers 25 years ago and hired mewps we've owned our own for 20 years and updated ,with regards to the speed issue you cannot judge as you say you never use them! also with regards to time saving and the financial justification and payback of a mewp this depends entirely on your individual business model a mewp can work out cheaper than a freelance climber

And extend your working life,it all depends on the type of work you do ,the quality of the machine and opperator just like the quality of a climber which in you case is perfect of course.

[MattyF]

MEWPs are faster no doubt in certain situations...No climber I have ever seen or worked with could lift as many street trees or reduce them quicker than you could in a MEWP.

For big stems that need chogging down it would be impossible with a big saw to be quicker.

Dismantling a 50 meter dead welly you have half the thing on the ground before a climber would of got to the first branch.

Large topiary is quicker and easier by far with a MEWP.

They are the norm in America ,I'm guessing down to access they are not in this country but if I won a council contract with street trees or line clearance again it would be my first port of call.

[skyhuck]

So what's your point?

To correct you we had chippers 25 years ago and hired mewps we've owned our own for 20 years and updated ,with regards to the speed issue you cannot judge as you say you never use them! also with regards to time saving and the financial justification and payback of a mewp this depends entirely on your individual business model a mewp can work out cheaper than a freelance climber

And extend your working life,it all depends on the type of work you do ,the quality of the machine and opperator just like the quality of a climber which in you case is perfect of course.

 

My point, as stated, it why have MEWP's not taken over?? If they really are faster, those with them would be out competing those without. No one runs without a chipper, it would just be bad business, why have MEWP's not proved to be the same???

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

Most sensible post so far Gray Git.

 

I spent 3 days in the High court in London listening to the rights and wrongs of using a mewp in tree work, even the high court judge dismissed the arguments against and more or less said the same as you.

 

Somebody who climbs a tree for the first time may find it difficult and awkward and dismiss it as hard work. Just in the same vain people who are inexperienced using a mewp will sometimes dismiss it as hard work.

 

Unless you have used a mewp in most scenarios, you are not really qualified to dismiss them as useless and not suitable for tree work.

 

Like it or not a mewp is definitely a tool for the armoury

 

 

Is that court action completed yet and transcript available do you know Dean? Be good to have a read of the findings if they are available for public.

[skyhuck]

MEWPs are faster no doubt in certain situations...No climber I have ever seen or worked with could lift as many street trees or reduce them quicker than you could in a MEWP.

For big stems that need chogging down it would be impossible with a big saw to be quicker.

Dismantling a 50 meter dead welly you have half the thing on the ground before a climber would of got to the first branch.

Large topiary is quicker and easier by far with a MEWP.

They are the norm in America ,I'm guessing down to access they are not in this country but if I won a council contract with street trees or line clearance again it would be my first port of call.

 

Have you seen the size of your average American?? of cause MEWP's are the norm over there

[Dean Lofthouse]

Ive won loads of jobs others simply couldn't do or have priced higher because it would have taken much longer without a mewp.

 

TBH Dave, its pointless arguing to pros and cons of mewps with someone who has never used or worked with one.

 

The reason everyone has a chipper is because a chipper can be used on every job, a crane or mewp can't. But when they can be used the job is so much easier, as I,m sure your aware with your crane. (-:

Edited January 4, 2015 by Dean Lofthouse