RC0

Deepest sympathy, but at same time huge respect for you mate for merely surviving the last few weeks. You're a stronger man than I. Stay with arbtalk if you can. Might offer some momentary distraction from time to time....and lots if good people on here are routing for you and your family. One day at a time Paul

I got a couple here from that job....I scan some more if I can find them. Tree is about halfway done on the first pic.

He probably looks a little older now.

Nice work Jack....and good video. Does the big man still help out on the jobs ?

Have you ticked the 'acknowledge the third party content' box for the video ? That usually solves it, although not always instant.

You can call me Reg. Just think, as good as you are already, by 2024, you'll be 10 years better....If that's what you want. Attitude is everything though. Lotsa chin ups too, apparently.

Good video. How long have you been climbing ?

Sounds like you just cut down the tallest poplar In england Al. How do you feel about that ?

Thats a good find Al. Nice gear, RR shines in particular for me. Not sure where you think Brian (Bixler) figures in the video

Yeah its just a 3 ton hook to lock the line at the landing. You can use whatever you want but thats what we use because its quick and easy. Just dont go for a huge top when you get to that point, and avoid falling it directly on the line.

I don't know about royalty....just another defector. The ground man is a kiwi, strong as an ox. He mainly just pulling the line tight by hand and then putting a wrap on the hook to hold it there.

Id go for the carabiners mate You need about 10, preferably steel twist locks, and a bunch of slings, which you could always make yourself out of a length of rope. If its a one off you could use the pulley and haulback line, but personally, for me its too slow. We zipline big firs every week, and having a bunch of biners and slings is by far the quickest way to get the tree down. You only need to have one guy at the other end also. Switch to pulleys if you rigging big logs, to avoid scorching the line. The video shows a make shift ground anchor....just a bunch of logs choked together with a big hook to tie off the line. Use HD setting

That was in the UK Tom. We used to use a company frombthe North west for big clearance jobs. The chipper was powered by a big John Deere. Very short and wide infeed, sos to break up trees as they were pulled through. The safety feature was that you just didn't go near it. There s no market for such a machine here in Victoria as everybody (homeowners) wants firewood.

We've had PTO WTC for big clearance jobs many times....but they were always fed by a machine. You would just never go near the infeed when it was running, not for nothing. There's no second chances there. I completely agree with Jomoco, solo use on that kind of machine is unthinkable.

I didnt watch the video back, but i know what happens Dave. Lowering rings, or rounds as they called out here....there's not many other options, and they were up to 5 ft in parts....no drop-zone at all. You coulda bound together about 5,6 bails of straw over the paving I suppose, then quatered the logs up there before dropping them. But, as it turned out we didnt damage anything. We didntfeel the need to take a change in direction at any time, because it was getting the job done. I've never had to do it since mind. Martwizz, I got the idea of eyebolts from another guy, but that particular way to rig the logs was my idea, yes. I had a couple days to think about it though.

Great pics mate!

No worries mate. From the video it looked skinny relative to how you were loading it....and the fact that you were tied in up their too seemed a bit dodgy. You say it was all good in reality, cool Its never a bad idea either to set a second sling and block a little further down from the first. Takes only a minute, and at least you have back-up of sorts. Natural crotches too, as opposed to friction free systems (blocks and pulley) is often a safer way to go too on sketchy trees or high points. Its good to have options to make things safer without costing your efficiency. Good video.

I agree, those guys are putting out some great, imaginative videos....but its quality tree work that really makes something shine. If you can produce both, its a bonus. But dont overlook the most important part. You've got nothing to prove Ben....dont mind anyone elses bar. Looking forward to your vid Rich, good job. You were very high with the rigging point....and least, thats how it looked. While lower is generally safer for dumping big limbs and logs, if the line angles are adequate to swing the limbs around. Whats your thoughts mate ?

Sorry about chipper mate, I'll bet that was a sickener. Im pretty sure you can if you contact your dealer. Ive been totally out of touch in the last few years so Im sorry I cant be more specific.

I take a royalty for the products that I designed and prototyped for Stein. There are several. Its not a lot, but between them all it adds up to something. My work and ideas are not free. Without me, those product wouldnt exist. I doubt that you work for free either. I suppose if they decided to breach our contract and rip me off, that would be a cost saving on the retail price for the end user. Cool. Then they could perhaps cut out the dealers and sell directly from the depo....that would cut out delivery cost too, not just the dealers markup. Maybe stop paying products liability thereafter. Set up a workshop, learn to fabricate aand powdercoat, and cut out the engineer altogether. At the end of all that the trolley would definitely be cheaper for the end user, but alot of bridges would be burnt and people after blood. There's a lot more involved than just producing this one product. Out in the the field we get asked all the time why we charge what we do to take a tree down, the suggestion always is that it should be much lower. This is usually from people who have no idea how a business works and the costs involved of staying afloat. The manufacture and retail of arborist equipment is not much different....only, there's a lot more liability and red tape. Doobin, in a sense you are right, but in the way you meant it. The Arb industry is very small, comparatively speaking. These are not house hold products being sold to the masses. To get things cheaper you have to do massive numbers....and then you're usually forced to go down the Chinese road to be competitive. I have a grappling hook that I paid $250 for. Trust me when you see the size and material involved you automatically think WTF ? But again, its a low production item, much less than the trolley Im guessing. I bought it for what it does though, for its ability to make my job easier, save time and make money. I wouldn't be without in in the current environment where I work. Sorry for the drama Matty. Only you can really decide whether or not a trolley would be cost effective for your business. Its really what you make of it. Couple of recent pics.

Every time I see an arbor trolley start up on this forum I just cringe....because it always ends the same way. Thanks as always for the kind words of acknowledgement from those who bought one and have made money from it. I accept also that there's been issues of wheels going flat and crappy retaining pins etc....but please consider that many aspects of a design has to lend itself to mass production in order to be worth while. In a perfect world you would build the perfect ever lasting product, everyone would make money off it and live happy ever after. But thats not the way it works. The guys at Stein are doing their best, and work tirelessly to keep servicing the dealers. things dont just fall into place and get done on their own, and pay for themselves. Nor do changes and improvements happen over night, but they do happen eventually. But thanks again You sound like you have a lot of experience mass producing and delivering Arborist equipment. Am I right ? what are they ? This is easy, that is easy. Nothing came fukcn easy to me mate, or the boys at fletcher Stewart. This industry is a wash with products that failed, and lost money, life changing amounts....because of flawed business models. I know this from bitter experience. Anybody can build a one-off. Try building thousands, with your own money, up front....distributing them worldwide, in the hope ( and thats all it is) that people are going to buy them. When did you do that ? You think we sat at home counting our money from this ? Think again.

Have you tried for a working holiday visa Jimmy ? That'll buy you a year and a foot in the back door.

For many it ends badly Ty, don't know how it is there. They expect too much when they get here, overspend, can't get work, miss home, and end up going back potless within a year. I heard of one crane operator, brought his family out, lasted only 2 months. Went back with nothing. You have to expect a tough couple years to start with.

Finding work is not too difficult. Getting it year round takes time. Starting up as a sub-contractor in a new country, there's a lot to prove. Takes time to build a reputation, and trust. I have work all year, but it didn't happen over night. I like the spiderjack a lot. Its not the best choice for every situation....but certainly if Im working DdRt, I'll favor it every time over a hitch.

Mostly yes. There are plenty hardwood also, but mostly Douglas, Grand fir and Western red cedar around these parts. Hardwoods, most comonly Maple, oak, poplar, elm and Arbutus....then the smaller species etc