First time in a bucket truck

My neighbor and I are both on the village board, and in an effort to save the taxpayers some money, we decided we could get this tree down cheaper than the tree service. Rented a bucket truck from a guy in town. It needs a bit of TLC but after we got it started it worked ok. I got to be the guy in the bucket! Kinda fun after you get used to it.
Village maintenance man was on the job also hauling away the brush with the town dump truck and backhoe with a grapple.
We each got roughly 1/2 of the wood. The tree wasn’t nearly as dead as I thought it was. He is planning to burn it in the coming season. I have no such illusions, I probably won’t even have it split by this fall.
I meant to take more pictures, especially before we started.
So here’s the ones I took, and my share of the wood


Oh yeah.... saws that got the call to duty = 141 with a 16” bar in the bucket
357 with a 20” bar bucking on the ground
And 372 with a 28” bar that was about 2” short dropping the trunk and just a little bit of bucking
Nothing got tore up or damaged, nobody got hurt, and weather was an ideal mid 40s and cloudy with no wind whatsoever.
Was a good day

 

Well, you always wanted to get up in the world! It is fun once you get used to the wobble. It was windy when i did it a year ago. Nice work there!

Thats not a Stihl next the 372 is it? MS290 i believe?

 

Good on you for doing your community a solid and taking it down for less than a contractor would charge. Nice haul of wood for you and your neighbor as well Must’ve been fun experience using the bucket too. What kind of tree, red elm?

 

Nice work! Please protect your brain in the bucket and below.

 

Long time ago, probably 10+ years, I rented a pull behind boom lift to trim the huge ash tree we had. I think it was a 45’er. I was terrified up there. I had to call a friend to come over and help me out. Darn thing swayed a little and I was white knuckles. That kind of thing is not for me! But I have zero issues being on a huge roller coaster.

Looks like ya got er done rather well. How’d the 357 do?

 

Yes it is a stihl and I think you’re right about the 290.... the other guys saw

 

I suppose.... it was definitely an elm. Is red the same thing as American?

 

When i did it last year it was a windy day and the bucket swayed with the treetop. Working on a roof that doesnt move is one thing but when the thing youre standing on moves its another. I was nervous.

 

Did ok but I think it needs a bit of tuning. Just seems rich, didn’t seem to rev high enough

 

You ought to try a 125' lift at full extension, parked on a 30' tall hill and yanking on stuck 2" bolts!
Sounds like a good time Sandhillbilly

 

No they are different. Red Elm’s actual name is Slippery Elm. That looks like Siberian to me but have been mistaken before.

 

Probably is Siberian, lots of them around here. Some other types also, gonna have to do some studying on em... err ...elm!

 

Pass and PASS!

 

I don't mind heights , did a ton of rock climbing back a few years and that was by far some of the most fun ever. Also spent some time swinging in trees as well.
Been up in a bucket but never did any actual work from it , didn't bother me.

Now on the other side ; I hate ladders ! Could swing around from a piece of rope and feel fine but don't feel safe on a ladder . Can't figure that one out.

 

Nice work Sandhillbilly ! I don't mind bucket work at all. Siberian is one of the better splitting Elm varieties ime.

 

Nice loader

 

First few times in a bucket is like learning your sea legs on a boat. After a few hours, you don’t even notice the sway.


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