rarefish383

I juggle chainsaws and work for beer. You pay the transport and give me the day?

I had a Vermeer model 630A tow behind, and a John Deere 265 garden tractor, I could tow the machine in yards and not tear up the lawn from the truck. I would give a price on the phone based on type of tree and distance across the widest point. I then made it clear, if they wanted to chase roots, measure from the ends of the two widest roots, and the price would be modified if their description was not accurate. I had very few discrepancies. I think what ever you do, just make it clear to the customer. In the 15 years I climbed for my Dad, we only had one "Witch" that never mentioned removing the stump. She said cut it close so the lawn man could mow over it. We dug out around it, still dulled a couple saws, and got it so a mower would clear. Then she said when she said cut it close, she meant, dig it out. Dad said, "we don't charge for what you mean, we charge for what you say". End of story.

Just in case you are wondering why I didn't use one of the big chippers, I'm 65 and retired. Sold off all of the big equipment years ago. That's why I jumped on this little Bandit when I had the chance. it's small for commercial, but big for homeowner.

I took down a largish Maple for a friend. It covered the whole front yard. I have a 10X6 foot, 10,000 pound dump trailer. I was just going to haul all of the brush to the recycle where they grind it for mulch. Another guy showed up to help, with an ancient Sears 10 HP chipper. He wanted the chips. When the first limb hit the ground he started it up, and proceeded to grind every thing 2" and smaller. The only problem from my point was I had to scream all day long trying to instruct a ground crew that didn't know what to do. The job took about 10 hours. When I cut up the last log, he was done with the chipping. If I didn't have to work around him, the job would have taken several hours less. I could have loaded the brush on my trailer faster, and I would have cut all of the 8" and smaller wood into poles to smash the brush tighter in the trailer. I was fourth generation in my family doing tree work. So, I'm used to big equipment. Our first chipper was an Asplundh 16" drum, and our next one was a Vermeer 1250 disk that would would chip logs up to 12". That being said, the little Sears 10 HP chipped everything he put in it. Never jammed or caused any problems. I'd say, get the biggest machine you can afford. I just found a used Bandit Model 65 with a 30 HP Wisconsin 4 cylinder for $2000 US. It's $25,000 new. I mostly need it to clear 7 acres that is being invaded by Cedar trees.

This is a Tulip "Yellow" Poplar in my Mother in Laws side yard. It's one of the biggest around our area. Most were logged, but this one was on a fence line, and I think they may have skipped it for fear of metal in it.

Thanks, Doug. The care takers of this tree have done a very good job of hiding all of the support features in the tree. Many, many cables, and telephone poles, support limbs. Unfortunately, back in the day, cavities were filled with concrete. It's all been removed, but many of the biggest limbs are hollow. It's amazing with all of the hurricanes that hit that area, it's still standing.

When DED went through the Washington DC area, My Dad had the contract to remove diseased trees. This was around 1966-68 and I was 10-12 years old. When the city marked a tree for removal, we had to take the diseased tree down, and the tree on either side, because of the spread through the root system. I used to go to work with my Dad over the summer. My job was to "wash" all of the equipment that had been used on diseased trees. We had cases of gallon cans of Isopropyl Alcohol. Basically I would just pour the alcohol on the bar and chains of the Chainsaws, and wipe down any hand saws. Then run an oily rag over them. Back then almost every one smoked, and as soon as a climber would come out of a tree they would find a shady spot, grab a Coke, and have a smoke. One day 4-5 tree huggers grabbed a climbers rope and wrapped 120' of rope around them and the next tree to come down. They didn't understand the disease, and they kept screaming we were cutting down healthy trees, 200 years old, planted when the city was founded. They were mature, big, beautiful trees. But, elms grow fast and they were only about 40-45 years old. My Grandfather planted many of them in the early 1900's. The tree huggers tied us up for several hours until the police got there. After that, it was also my job to coil up all of the ropes not in use and put them on the tailgate of my Dad's truck where the climbers could get them. I'm 65 now and only know of one mature American Elm. It's on a 40 acre wood that belongs to our local Boy Scouts. I have friends that fish along the Potomac River and they say there are a few nice ones left along the river, but I've never seen them. When DED hit us, the Department of Natural Resources inspectors would ride through the city and look for the dying limbs in the tops of trees, they called it "Flagging".

We went on holiday to Johns Island, South Carolina. They have a local landmark, called "The Angle Oak". It's a giant Southern Live Oak. It is impressive, but not near as big as that one. It makes 1579 M2 of shade. If some one could do a search, it's worth a peak.

This came up for sale at a local farm and equipment auction. I couldn't go to the auction because I had a funeral service to attend, The clerk sent me a text that I won the bid' for my max bid of $2000. I think that's about 1400 pounds give or take. It has a 4 cylinder Wisconsin 30 HP. Needs some cleaning, but starts and runs OK as is. I have a 7 acre hay field that my neighbor used to bale for his cows. He passed away and the field has gone unattended for several years. I have Cedar trees taking over the field. I think this will help me get on top of them, Joe.

In the States the EAB has wiped out nearly 100% of our White Ash. I never burned Ash, because in the tree business and having farm land/forest, I had an unlimited supply of dead standing Oak. I've heated my house with wood since 1987. Last year my wife said she didn't want to burn wood anymore. So, I sold all of my Oak and lots of Ash. When it got cold she asked where our firewood was? I said you told me we weren't going to burn so I sold it all. Then she said she meant she just didn't want to heat solely with wood. She still wanted fires on real cold days. Go figure? Who can translate what a women means, to what she says? So, I had to burn Ash the rest of the winter. I was surprised, it starts easier than Oak, burns hot, leaves fine white powder for ashes, just doesn't burn as long as Oak. I was pleased with how it burned. I've been cutting ash for my customers for about 5 years now. I've found that the standing dead ash burns well, dries very fast. But, once a tree falls, it soaks up ground water and rots fast. Then it just stews for a while and finally catches and burns fast with little heat. I might have enough to last two more years, then I'll be back to my Oak. But, I'm going to stick with the Ash as long as I can.

I didn't get pics, but this spring my Blue Birds were fighting over a box I built for them. The past 3 years the Blue Birds have raised 3 clutches each summer, and the constant coming and going has worn the hole bigger. Now other birds are interested in it. The House Sparrows and Carolina Wrens were fighting over it. The sparrows won. The day the last Sparrow chick left the nest, the Blue Birds were back. They took over the nest and are doing well. Now I have 2 BB boxes with nests, Joe.

My cousin called Saturday morning, from an auction, and said there were two old Disston DA211, two man saws. They had a twin cylinder Mercury engine. I said, "On my way". My wife had wrist surgery a couple days earlier, and was having trouble getting out of bed. I got her up and in her easy chair, a pot of tea, and toast and butter. Called my cousin back and said I was on the road. he said too late, they sold for $1 each. When I first talked to him I said go $100 each on them for me. Oh well.

Thanks, I collect old saws and try to only get ones over 100CC's, but I can't pass up nice smaller ones. I found an old Stihl dealer that had a garage full of old Homelites, from when his Dad owned the shop. I bought 19 saws from him for $20 each. All were over 70CC's but one. I think my 3 favorites were a Stihl 075, a Pioneer 700, and a Homelite 770G. I've put up more shelves since those pics were taken, I have over 70 old saws.

Last ones.

Not a tractor, but tractor related. This was an old cart my friends gave me when they moved. It was black with rotted plywood decking and sides. I took it apart and stripped all of the metal and painted it JD colors. The new deck and side boards are 30-50 year old 1X6" White Oak fence boards. I planed them just far enough to get the honey color I liked. When I sent my friends the finished pics, they said they had it 30+ years and never knew it dumped. I'm going to put an electric/hydraulic cylinder on it soon. My plan is to put a large White Ash log on it and make a display for my chainsaws at the County Fair.

A couple of them. The first is a 2004 NorTrak 20HP diesel 4X4. When I first brought it home my wife asked, "Why on earth do you need a front end loader, on a one acre lot". After she saw how it likes to plant heavy stones in her garden, she likes it. The next is a little John Deere 265, 17 HP Kawasaki with over 3000 hours on it. These pics were taken back in the winter. It was about 20*F, but a beautiful sunny, windless day. So, I mowed some of the tall grass for about an hour. The last one is a JD X540, 26 HP Kawasaki twin V, liquid cooled, with over 1000 hours. It has a 47" snow blower. I've had it 3 winters and it hasn't snowed enough to use the blower.

Do you have natural predators that will attack your sheep? I live on the East Coast about 25 miles from Washington D.C. to the South East, and 25 miles from Baltimore to the North East. I have friends that live 125 miles West, in West Virginia. They have a sheep farm. Every year they come to a Sheep and Wool Festival a few miles from me. She said it was 29 years in a row, and would be the last year they came. It got cancelled last year and this year. She said the Coyotes were so bad they were attacking the lambs birthing. Killed several lambs and almost all of the newborns. I was visiting them a month or so ago and she was all excited about her sheep, and was mad the Festival got canceled. So, I asked about the last Festival, being her last. She said the Department of Natural Resources gave them one "Damage Permit" to shoot one bear, which they did not do. Deer hunting season before last, local hunters shot 7 Coyotes. Coyotes can be shot year round. Anyway, her herd is doing well this year. Until fairly recent years, we only had Coyotes out West of the Mississippi River. To come East they migrated up into Canada where they cross bred with Wolves. The Western Coyotes may weigh 25-30 pounds, now the Eastern Coyotes can go 40 pounds and are a threat to house pets in urban neighborhoods.

Burnese are giant lap dogs. I had a part time supervisor at work from Lithuania, I was showing pics of Brooke, and she said, "I love dogs, may I see?". I showed her my pics and she started smiling and clapping. She said, " I had one when I was a little girl, it would lay on me!". I said that was proof she had one, they will lay right on top of you, like a big blanket. They are very smart and love to learn. Breezy would get her leash and stand by the door. When we let her out she would run over to her training spot, drop the leash, and set down. Like she was saying class is in. They are big strong dogs, and make great walking companions. But, they are not joggers. When we feed Breezy we say "Place". That's her safe place. She sets on her mat and doesn't move until we say "Yes". That's her release word, then she goes and eats. If you walk out of the room, she still wont eat until you say Yes. Tell your neighbor to teach her something new every day, they love to learn.

When my son turned 14 he said he wanted another Burnese Mountain dog puppy. Her name was Macy. She had 3 beautiful litters and lived to be a very old Burner at 13 years old. The pic of Macy at the groomers. All the fur on the floor was brushed out of her, none was clipped. The litter in Puppy Prison was her last. The third puppy from the left was Brooke. She was 97 pounds at 4 years old. She got sick and went from 97 to 60 pounds in three months. It's funny how every one in the house says the good, pretty dogs are theirs. But if they are old, sick, or bad, they are Dad's dog. I always get to take the dogs to get their "good night" shot. The vet and all the girls in the office were crying. Brooke went to every one in the office and put her head in their lap. Doc cried she couldn't put her down, she was just so happy. But, it you tried to pet her, she was so weak she would fall down. I held her in my lap and told her I was sorry, I didn't protect her. I didn't want another dog for a long time. Then we got Breezy. She was the wild child of her litter, she's big strong and smart. By 6 months she had won her AKC trick dog certificate. She can unlock and open the sliding glass door in the family room and let herself out to get a drink or whatever. If she wants to come in, she can open the door from outside too. I just haven't taught her how to close the door. She's the only Burnese we ever had that likes to play ball. If no one is around she will open the door and go get her ball and throw and chase it, then come back in. the last pic is Breezy and my daughter, Joe.

I leveled the top stone, moved the one in the middle that looks like its buried, and planted three shrubs along the curve of the steps. Still have a lot of planting and then mulch.

Then she said she wanted a couple in the flower bed.

I'm retired, so my job is making the wife happy. Last week she said she wanted a rock in the yard, so I planted one.

I'm impressed. We have very few trees that size on the East Coast of the US. My biggest bar is a 45".