Cranes and buckets

[treevet]

Anyone want to talk favorites and maintenance?

 

[bikemike]

Well my new favorite I'd have to say is the track lift we just got. Uses alot of grease clear or red in all the fulcrum joints, and turret. Has a working hight of 72 foot but only 30 foot reach from the turret. Been in some very tight places with this rig last week to where I had to pull the basket off to get it between the gate, garage and other structure. Had to also fish the booms around phone and power lines to till the lower scissor was clearing roof lines. I'm shure finding this machines parameters now. It's not the fastest machine but it will make you think of how to more efficiently use it to trim or remove more tree with less movement. It's not like a bucket truck and 3 simple fast moves. sorry only pics I have wish I had more from certain jobs where this agile beast squeezed into place

 

[treevet]

Is it conductive?

 

[bikemike]

Is it conductive?

it is labeled as non insulated bUT I do keep my eye out where every part of the booms are just the be on the safer side too many kids and a wife to make me appreciate life

 

[treevet]

I have 2 older bucket trucks. There has been no reason to buy newer ones and as a mostly 2 man operation, buying used has given me the chance to own 2 instead of one. One is a 53 footer and much faster than the 75 footer which reaches things I didn't even expect to reach with the side reach and height. The 53 footer only has two riggers which I love.

Just like having 2 different size chainsaws and they are used sometimes alternately on the same job but go out for different purposes. I am real happy with the choice I made early on. I am sure I could use a portable lift like yours sometime but not often enough to warrant buying one, especially with the invention of the Wraptor. But I like yours. Different strokes for different folks.

 

[bikemike]

I have 2 older bucket trucks. There has been no reason to buy newer ones and as a mostly 2 man operation, buying used has given me the chance to own 2 instead of one. One is a 53 footer and much faster than the 75 footer which reaches things I didn't even expect to reach with the side reach and height. The 53 footer only has two riggers which I love.

Just like having 2 different size chainsaws and they are used sometimes alternately on the same job but go out for different purposes. I am real happy with the choice I made early on. I am sure I could use a portable lift like yours sometime but not often enough to warrant buying one, especially with the invention of the Wraptor. But I like yours. Different strokes for different folks.

I wish I owned the the lift. But I am the main operator of this machine.
Just wish it could boom over and had a separate control for the lower scissor booms. But like all equipment it's a learning curve, time and observation will make the most of any equipment a person can operate

 

[Uzi]

This is my bucket truck probably on the large side for tree work but they were available and affordable. The telescoping upper and lower booms are irreplaceable to me allows so many options maneuvering through trees. It's a norstar reach all but is still made under the Altec name so parts are easy to get. The material handler is good for 1500 lbs in any position which is awesome for storm work. It had 40k miles and 4K hours when I got it and had been one owner(power company) on fleet maintenance too. It has the 8.3 Cummins all mechanical and should last me slightly less than forever with a little care.

My log truck I wanted a big grapple truck but as a small Midwest (way less trees in central NE)company starting from scratch it was way out of budget. This thing popped up for sale for little to nothing and has been absolutely awesome for us. Can pickup 2500 lbs at 20ft radius and 4500 at 10ft. It's also awesome for storm work lay a little plywood back up to the house and pull limbs down faster than you can chip them. We never have to worry about making it to a job in mud or ice either. With 8x8 and a mid mount winch on the frame we can get any of the trucks where they need to be.

 

[Dolmar Junkie]

This is my bucket truck probably on the large side for tree work but they were available and affordable. The telescoping upper and lower booms are irreplaceable to me allows so many options maneuvering through trees. It's a norstar reach all but is still made under the Altec name so parts are easy to get. The material handler is good for 1500 lbs in any position which is awesome for storm work. It had 40k miles and 4K hours when I got it and had been one owner(power company) on fleet maintenance too. It has the 8.3 Cummins all mechanical and should last me slightly less than forever with a little care.
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My log truck I wanted a big grapple truck but as a small Midwest (way less trees in central NE)company starting from scratch it was way out of budget. This thing popped up for sale for little to nothing and has been absolutely awesome for us. Can pickup 2500 lbs at 20ft radius and 4500 at 10ft. It's also awesome for storm work lay a little plywood back up to the house and pull limbs down faster than you can chip them. We never have to worry about making it to a job in mud or ice either. With 8x8 and a mid mount winch on the frame we can get any of the trucks where they need to be.

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For a small Midwest company starting on a budget I have to say that is some pretty awesome equipment!!!

 

[Uzi]

For a small Midwest company starting on a budget I have to say that is some pretty awesome equipment!!!

Thanks man my wife and I started it with next to nothing, scrambled up 1500 for a down payment on the bucket truck and had no idea if we could even find enough work to make the payments. We worked evenings and weekends for almost a year on top of our 9 to 5 jobs. 70-100 hrs a week with the 2 of us as the only labor. We've learned a lot, It's almost killed us haha. But it's been worth it went full time now and have 2 full time employees. We will have been going 2 years next month. I'm a long ways from rich but feel really blessed to be doing it everyday.

 

[Dolmar Junkie]

Thanks man my wife and I started it with next to nothing, scrambled up 1500 for a down payment on the bucket truck and had no idea if we could even find enough work to make the payments. We worked evenings and weekends for almost a year on top of our 9 to 5 jobs. 70-100 hrs a week with the 2 of us as the only labor. We've learned a lot, It's almost killed us haha. But it's been worth it went full time now and have 2 full time employees. We will have been going 2 years next month. I'm a long ways from rich but feel really blessed to be doing it everyday.

Congratulations and well worth it....

 

[treevet]

I own a 25 ton National 990 rear mount (wouldn't have bought otherwise) with 105 ft. main reach and a 47' jib giving slightly over 150 of reach but diminishes quite a bit with the jib on the chart. With my Teco Vanguard 75 footer I can pick apart a lot of *s-word quickly and safely. If a bigger crane is needed a friend of mine owns a crane co. and I sub out.

 

[treevet]

For a small Midwest company starting on a budget I have to say that is some pretty awesome equipment!!!

Just really cool looking stuff too.

 

[treevet]

 

[Uzi]

Bump lets see more stuff.

 

[zero_sum]

900c here as well, simplifies a lot of trees.