saw dust cleanup

kylekurt · 15th January 2009, 06:43 AM

is a leaf blower the best way to clean up sawdust in someones grass?

treevet · 15th January 2009, 08:06 AM

We rake the bulk and then spread it with the blower. If multiple big cuts we are gonna put down some plywood to catch the saw dust. Most of the time tho, we are gonna take a big log out with the miniskid or crane and cut it up somewhere else if a nice lawn is an issue.

cut-right · 15th January 2009, 01:09 PM

The EB 7000 leaf blower by RedMax makes it easy to blow most of the small stuff to a natural area very quickly. Hope to get the newer model, more power, soon. Seems to be the strongest backpack blower Ive used or seen from all others.

Having the strongest blower out makes all the difference once you start using them. Whatever blower that might be? Cost is up there.

Steve Tipton · 15th January 2009, 01:57 PM

If you have a lot of blocking up to do on a nice lawn, it's a good idea to fell the log on an old plastic tarp or sheet of hessian (burlap?).
When finished, just roll it up and dump on the truck.
Save a heap of time.

Bruce Hopf · 15th January 2009, 07:53 PM

I agree. If you are going to be doing a lot of Cutting on a Lawn, Place a Tarp on the Ground First. You can use a Broom, and sweep up the Sawdust, or just wrap the Sawdust up in a tarp, and dispose of it later. Bruce.

treevet · 15th January 2009, 10:51 PM

I had a groundy get one of those blue plastic tarps all up in the chainsaw. That is why I like to set half a 4x8 plywood sheet next to the cuts and then we both pick it up and dump it. You don't have to so careful and can accidentally run the saw into the plywood without any consequences.

Tree Machine · 16th January 2009, 12:27 AM

Tarps are an absolute godsend for me. I hate raking, and don't enjoy the cleanup aspect of treecare, but cleanup is critical and we do 100% A+ cleanups. Without tarps the same level of cleanup would take much, much longer and that would be like throwing money down a rathole.

Tarps serve other purposes. Advertising. Passers-by see our tarps on the yard and it says something to them, like we care about their yard and landscape, which is true, but our aim is to expedite the cleanup, plain and simple. We get a lot of drive-by and neighbors-across-the-street work simply bacause they see us sing tarps. I know this because they tell us.

I can't tell you how many times I've had to leave a mess on site overnight and its rained, or while we're working and a storm will be coming in. Take one end, fold it over top of the other end and weight it down. Keeping sawdust from getting wet can be a huge benefit.

Tarps effectively keep gravel and grit out of the mess, extending the life of chipper blades. Keeping sawdust and debris out of the grass is just ONE of the benefits.

On the other side of the coin.
If you skid big material with a winch, tarps are useless. In the Summer you can fry a lawn with them if they're down too long.

I convert all big wood into firewood, so I make lots of sawdust and tarps are gold.

I can go on and on.

treevet · 16th January 2009, 12:43 AM

We use the $hit out of tarps but to drop a tree on them to manage sawdust while cutting up is not a good idea IMO.

If you got to make big cuts on a tarp you cannot see if you are coming close to the folds in the tarp with the saw on the other side and must keep checking. You even have to worry about the saw on the side you can see. If the plastic goes in the sprocket and winds around it is a pain to get it out and requires dismantling the saw (time lost). With plyboard snugged up against the log...there are no worries and you can even hit the plywood with no consequences.

You home today Jim....It is 5 degrees F. Get out there and give it hell!

Tree Machine · 16th January 2009, 02:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by treevet

We use the $hit out of tarps but to drop a tree on them to manage sawdust while cutting up is not a good idea IMO.

If you got to make big cuts on a tarp you cannot see if you are coming close to the folds in the tarp with the saw on the other side and must keep checking. You even have to worry about the saw on the side you can see. If the plastic goes in the sprocket and winds around it is a pain to get it out and requires dismantling the saw (time lost). With plyboard snugged up against the log...there are no worries and you can even hit the plywood with no consequences.

Generally speaking, if you hit the tarp with the saw, you've hit the ground, so we really try not to do that. If the tarp is weighted down by limbage, again generally speaking, you would cut the tarp, this will happen though of course we try to avoid it. For the tarp to be sucked up into the saw sprocket, however, there has to be nothing holding the tarp down. That's called operator error.

I like the plywood idea, the concept is spot-on. We have a specialized method for this, begun just this past year. We had a 'custom' tarp made by a firm that produces the kind of coverings that go over the open bed of semi trucks. Really thick, smooth vinyl and heavy in weight compared to the store-bought silver, heavy-duty tarps.

This tarp I had made 6 feet wide, 20 feet long. I will always drop a tree on a big, expansive tarp, but when it comes to bucking up a log I lay the 6x20 alongside to catch the heavy sawdust load, like you would use plywood. A tarp-on-tarp strategy.

This thick tarp makes it easy to use a shovel on. It skids well. Folds and rolls up swiftly, stows compactly. It's one of those things I wish I'd added to my outfit years ago. Its now my go-to tarp and I tend to use the lighter-duty ones just for area coverage and the 6x20 is more 'mobile' in its use. I have a video clip somewhere if anyone's interested.

Quote:

Originally Posted by treevet

You home today Jim....It is 5 degrees F. Get out there and give it hell!

I'm on vacation in Southern Florida at the moment. Spent the last couple days at Disney World, sorry to rub it in, but paying close attention to the pruning methods done there, and in general studying the different palm species.

I've been pruning quite a number of palms over the last few weeks, regretting only the ones when I didn't have a tarp beneath me. Pruning boots and dropping monster inflorescences of palm berries can be really messy. It's always easier to clean up a mess that never hits the grass in the first place.

Bruce Hopf · 16th January 2009, 02:22 AM

I've been doing a little Thinking (I know some of you guys are going to say, "Now I Know What Is Burning, or what that smell is"

), But what about getting Lengths of 4" x 4" X 8' or 10' lengths, and place them so many Feet apart on top of the Tarp, and Fell the Trees on top of the Lumber. That way, you wont have to worry about catching the Tarps in the Chain Saw. What about using Canvas Tarps? I know that they are a little more Expensive than the Blue Plastic, but if you cut into it, wouldn't it be a Clean Cut, or would something get caught up in the Chain Saw too? Bruce

Tree Machine · 16th January 2009, 02:40 AM

You're right on, bruce. Generally, though we use whatever is most available which would be downed limbs, if there are any, to use as spacers to keep the log up off the ground in the first place. Otherwise, the crown will often prop up the log when it hits the ground, so you place pieces under the log as you go so that it never lays directly on the ground until tight at the end at which time the log is more easily rolled.

Time spent in doing this is usually rewarded by not having to lean over so far to do the cuts, but mostly in reducing the chance of the chain hitting the tarp or the ground.

My rig is not set up to carry sheets of plywood, so I have to come up with other strategies. The plywood idea you have works, though, its just work to load and unload.

Tree Machine · 16th January 2009, 02:46 AM

Something I do more frequently now than I used to (if the log is laying on the ground) is cut through the log 7/8ths through and just move on to the next cut. At the 8th or 10th or whatever cut, then cut all the way through. Roll the log over and come back, zip, zip, zip to finish the block cuts. Seems to save time over trying to be finicky in finishing the individual cutoffs and trying to avoid hitting tarp or earth (or pavement or whatever) on each and every cut.

kylekurt · 16th January 2009, 05:09 AM

Thanks for the info it was extremely helpful. I,m just getting started but no one has complained about a little saw dust, do they give you guys a hard time about it?

Bruce Hopf · 16th January 2009, 05:17 AM

You have to look at it this way. You have to treat Every Customer's Property, the Very Same Way, that you would Want Yours Treated.

There are too Kinds of Word of Mouth, about someone, and the Kind of Work, that they have done. Good, and Bad, and it always seems, that Bad Word of Mouth, travels the Quickest.

.
So Go the Extra Mile, and leave as little as possible when you clean up, and that will Impress a lot of People, and Return Business is always a Bonus, in the Future.

. Just a Suggestion. Bruce.

Tree Machine · 16th January 2009, 06:02 AM

I couldn't say it better.

If someone is disappointed about the cleanup, they may not say anything to you, but they'll very likely tell their friends.

A good reputation is a developed with dedicated effort over time. It can be compromised, invisibly and without your awareness with little to no effort at all.

What Bruce says about treating everyone the same, being consistent.....
If you set your sites to 100% A+ it becomes the norm. A job isn't done when you WANT it to be done. It's done when it's done.

And yea, a sub-par cleanup does matter. You'll feel it when it comes time to do the final walkthrough, the period just before the client is to cut you a check. If your cleanup is poor, you'll feel the uneasy silence, the hesitation as you both look upon your less than ideal cleanup. Try it. Their thoughts are "Is this what I'm paying for?" If they point out verbally the mess you failed to clean up, you can either tell them its 'good enough' or you can continue finishing something you thought was finished, neither of which is any fun. Finish strong, finish complete and have them happy to cut you a check and tell their friends good things. It's easier this way, truly.

A solid cleanup (and call me out on this if I'm wrong) is generally assumed unless leaving them with a mess is agreed upon in advance. If you leave them with a mess, you're leaving them with work to do, work that should have been done as part of your job. People aren't hiring you so they can clean up after you, unless they're negotiating that into the deal.

Tree Machine · 16th January 2009, 06:11 AM

Quote:

What about using Canvas Tarps? I know that they are a little more Expensive than the Blue Plastic, but if you cut into it, wouldn't it be a Clean Cut, or would something get caught up in the Chain Saw too? Bruce

More expensive, heavier, absorb water, slow to dry out and will mold and eventually decay if left wet, plus they will freeze rock solid, so they're kinda useless in the winter. They don't slide as well on snow. They won't let duct tape adhere if you attempt to patch a cut.

jim1nz · 16th January 2009, 06:55 AM

Haha gota give it to ya Tree Machine, you sure know your tarps. I have to admit i did warm to the idea. I dont mind raking though

Tree Machine · 16th January 2009, 07:12 AM

They are an effort to employ. It's just more of an effort to not employ them. I've never regretted using tarps, only regretted when I thought it would be faster not to put them out, and learned the same lesson over again.

I always look at, if I'm raking, I'm getting paid the wage of someone who rakes. I work by the job, not by the hour. If I worked by the hour I may not care so much how long it takes.

However, I make my living climbing and caring for trees so the more time in the day I can spend there, the better my income. The cleanup thing is necessary, so I try to make it through that part of the job as quickly and efficiently as possible while keeping the quality top-notch.

I don't enjoy cleaning up, and I could go as far as to say I downright despise it.
But there's something really gratifying about peeling a tarp up at the end, having it all flow into a single pile and seeing a pristine lawn that requires a minimal of detailing.

I'm looking for the video piece from recent time, using the 6x20 truck tarp. I was in between a house and the fence, gravel beneath, all the debris on the tarp.
If the mess had been moved out to the chipper, 50 feet away, by normal means, the time in going back and forth, carrying or dragging, and the mess that would have been created between the chipper and where the mess originated, and then trying to get the smaller debris and sawdust out of the gravel, that would have taken some time.
The video shows the groundie dragging the whole tarp and it's contents, the 50 feet, creating no mess in between and right up to the chipper where, again, no additional mess was created. The real-time, unedited footage is like 15 or 20 seconds.

kylekurt · 17th January 2009, 04:24 AM

Thanks for the info guys. I,ve got a fulltime job that gives me lots of time off so I,m just doing it on the side becuase i like to do it. There is a lot a competition around here so I get the tree I can.

Bruce Hopf · 17th January 2009, 04:42 AM

If you are working in a Highly Competitive Area, like you said, A Good Job, or a Poor Job, of Clean Up, can Make you, or Break You.
Another thing, that you have to Ask Yourself. If you are not Happy with the Job that you have done, Do you Think that the Customer will be Happy? That is the Question, that you have to Ask yourself every Job, that you Do. Hope this helps. Bruce.

fatdog · 17th January 2009, 05:40 AM

I have a yard vacuum and it work pretty well at getting up the saw dust in the grass. Also do use tarps.

Tree Machine · 18th January 2009, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bruce

A Good Job, or a Poor Job, of Clean Up, can Make you, or Break You.

And that level of quality, good or bad, will follow you.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bruce

Another thing, that you have to Ask Yourself. If you are not Happy with the Job that you have done, Do you Think that the Customer will be Happy? That is the Question, that you have to Ask yourself every Job, that you Do. Hope this helps. Bruce.

Thanks Bruce. When I work with ground help, and they're thinking things are complete I ask them to become the client for a moment. You're looking at the job that the treeguys are leaving you with. Look around and be critical. YOU are about to shell out a bunch of money for the work. Whatever, is left is left for them. At the moment, you are them. Are you OK with the cleanup, or are you thrilled because it is above your expectations?

You (readers) either get it, or you don't, and quality is a deliberate choice. Hey Bruce, you need a job?

This flowery philosophy is likely getting overdone for a few of you, but it is that important. Maybe not that important to you, but it's not about you. Its about the person cutting your next check. Don't ever let go of that idea. Be passionate about your work and your quality and your business will soar.

These days, competition is fiercer than ever. Utilize every advantage you can get, especially the more obvious ones.

Tree Machine · 18th January 2009, 02:25 PM

I promised a video of that 6x20 semi tarp in action. It is 16 meg in size so I may have to crunch it down or upload it to a server. Either way, it's annoyingly large for posting now.

In the meantime, I found some time-lapse clips while doing some Winter work on a sweetgum.

Sweetgums have the lovely habit of keeping their spiny balls until the new ones come on in Spring, dropping just enough every time the wind blows to drive the homeowners nuts. If you're working on these trees in the Winter, you'll drop a huge load as you climb and trim. Gumballs catch in the grass and are a beeotch to rake out. The branches are brittle and a lot of really small stuff breaks off when branches hit the ground. Cleaning this stuff out of the grass can be agonizing raking and power blowing. For Fatdog, I would be curious how a lawnvac would work on gumballs.

When I shot these clips a few years ago I thought somewhere, sometime on down the line it might demonstrate the tarps value.

I had to break the video into two parts. The first I had to reduce the size. The second is bigger and deals with the mass of seedballs. Each is only about one second in length. You can go frame-by frame using your right-arrow > key.

Therrin · 18th January 2009, 08:01 PM

Excellent movies there TM!!!!

The frame-by-frame action really showed it well.

I use tarps too. And, sometimes, a shopvac. Yeah I know it sounds weird.

Other than that though, I've found a PITCHFORK to come in really handy too. I take one with me to most of my jobs, along with the other cleanup stuff.

southsoundtree · 19th January 2009, 03:32 AM

I thought that maybe I was the only one that used tarps.

I will use them under trees sometimes, especially dead trees that drop lots of twigs.

I don't use them in front of the chipper tray for fear of them getting pulled into the drum. I like them between the chipper and the truck for the chips that bounce off the back of the bed.

Chips in gravel drives looks bad. This helps with the clean-up immensely.

Also good to have on board if you have any drips from your truck.

newguy18 · 19th January 2009, 12:45 PM

I haven't tried tarps,i always just did a really good rake up,if i ever get to it,i'll have my backpack blower up and running.

Tree Machine · 19th January 2009, 02:30 PM

The rake is sort of an indispensable part of it all. I've seen guys rake the same material, over and over, the pile getting bigger and bigger, every stroke getting more energy intensive, one end of the yard to the other. Even raking a pile over an area that was previously free of debris. There are ways to make a cleanup take a lot longer than it needs to. Noobies seem to think that just because they have a rake in hand and they're in motion that they're doing what they're supposed to do.

If a bossman has enough money to throw around to enough labor, that sort of pace gets the job done. Tarps may not fit well into that model. If it's a two-man team, tarps can give you the rate of three men without. If you work alone, as many so from time to time, the tarps ARE your ground help, except you don't need to pay them or listen to them complain.

There are times NOT to use tarps:
When its really windy, they can be not worth the frustration.
When you have ample labor milling about
When you're skidding big material
Working in a wooded or forested area
When you're a contract climber and the company supervisor doesn't require them.
Over concrete or pavement

Tree Machine · 19th January 2009, 02:42 PM

Perennial beds are peoples' pride and joy. If you ever want to work for this person again, or want them to refer you on, DO NOT destroy or damage their garden and its sensitive plants. I mean, if destruction is inevitable such as taking down a big tree and grinding the stump, and plants are all about the base of the tree, EXPLAIN this to them and suggest they transplant. At least you've covered your butt and there are no surprises.

Usually, however, there is a nearby bed adjacent to the drop zone, or the entire drop zone is garden bed. We treeguys hate this. So, do three things. Let them know there is a chance that things can get damaged. Charge them extra. Don't damage anything.

The reason you charge extra is because you're going to spend extra time in preparing the site before going up the tree. Here is a picture of a protected bed. Small stuff can hit the tarp, no problem. This protects the beds and the client is more confident in you because you demonstrate sensitivity to their needs.

This really doesn't take long to set up. Use bungee cords, accessory cord around trees, push the tarp corners through the fence panel and run a stick through the corner holes of the tarp. There's a lot of tricks.

For pining tarps down, though, there is one 'best' all-around tool for that; chopsticks. Buy them by the hundred pack at japanese markets for two to three bucks. One hundred pair gives you two hundred convenient, disposable 'stakes'.

My apologies if this post wasn't about sawdust cleanup.

Tree Machine · 19th January 2009, 02:56 PM

For long runs, like deep back yard brush piles that need to go out front, I like to get a couple hundred pounds of brush chokered onto a cart, wheel it out, dump it onto a tarp in front of the chipper, go get another pile, when you get load 2 to the first pile, chip it all, repeat as necessary.

This single cartload in the picture is 2 to 3 times what an average dude would be able to drag, making one man with the right tool 2 to 3 times more effective than the same man without.

newguy18 · 19th January 2009, 03:36 PM

I'll be giving the tarps a try,but i'm pretty good with a rake,there are actually ways to use it to where you won't really waste energy,but you'll do a real good job of get debris up.I find cleaning and doing a good rake up does 3 things.
1.the client feels like you really care for thier yard.
2.It shows an attention to detail.
3.It usually gets you repeat buisness,plus a good rep.

15th January 2009, 06:43 AM	#1
kylekurt Sappling Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: idaho Posts: 15	saw dust cleanup is a leaf blower the best way to clean up sawdust in someones grass?

15th January 2009, 08:06 AM	#2
treevet Monument Status Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio, USA Posts: 2,119	Re: saw dust cleanup We rake the bulk and then spread it with the blower. If multiple big cuts we are gonna put down some plywood to catch the saw dust. Most of the time tho, we are gonna take a big log out with the miniskid or crane and cut it up somewhere else if a nice lawn is an issue.

15th January 2009, 01:09 PM	#3
cut-right Sappling Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: north carolina Posts: 31	Re: saw dust cleanup The EB 7000 leaf blower by RedMax makes it easy to blow most of the small stuff to a natural area very quickly. Hope to get the newer model, more power, soon. Seems to be the strongest backpack blower Ive used or seen from all others. Having the strongest blower out makes all the difference once you start using them. Whatever blower that might be? Cost is up there.

15th January 2009, 01:57 PM	#4
Steve Tipton Over mature heritage tree Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Sydney Posts: 821	Re: saw dust cleanup If you have a lot of blocking up to do on a nice lawn, it's a good idea to fell the log on an old plastic tarp or sheet of hessian (burlap?). When finished, just roll it up and dump on the truck. Save a heap of time. __________________ Heightmaster

15th January 2009, 07:53 PM	#5
Bruce Hopf Veteran Heritage Status Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: North of Sebringville, Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,167	Re: saw dust cleanup I agree. If you are going to be doing a lot of Cutting on a Lawn, Place a Tarp on the Ground First. You can use a Broom, and sweep up the Sawdust, or just wrap the Sawdust up in a tarp, and dispose of it later. Bruce. __________________ McCulloch chain saws 1- Pro Mac 60, 1- Pro Mac 700, 2- Mac 10-10 Automatic's, 2- Mini Mac 30's, 2- Mac 110's, 2- Mini Mac 35's, 1- Mac 140 with Automatic Chain Sharpener, 1- Pro Mac 10-10, 1- Mac Cat, 2- Eager Beaver 2.0's, 1- Mac 1-10 Stihl chain saws 2- 044's, 2- 034's, 2- 024's, 1- 064, 1- 084, Strunk chain saws 1- Busy Beaver, 1- SpeeDemon Special Stand Back, I Have A Very Extreme Case of CAD (Chain Saw Addiction Disorder).

15th January 2009, 10:51 PM	#6
treevet Monument Status Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio, USA Posts: 2,119	Re: saw dust cleanup I had a groundy get one of those blue plastic tarps all up in the chainsaw. That is why I like to set half a 4x8 plywood sheet next to the cuts and then we both pick it up and dump it. You don't have to so careful and can accidentally run the saw into the plywood without any consequences.

16th January 2009, 12:27 AM	#7
Tree Machine Over mature heritage tree Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 952	Tarps are an absolute godsend for me. I hate raking, and don't enjoy the cleanup aspect of treecare, but cleanup is critical and we do 100% A+ cleanups. Without tarps the same level of cleanup would take much, much longer and that would be like throwing money down a rathole. Tarps serve other purposes. Advertising. Passers-by see our tarps on the yard and it says something to them, like we care about their yard and landscape, which is true, but our aim is to expedite the cleanup, plain and simple. We get a lot of drive-by and neighbors-across-the-street work simply bacause they see us sing tarps. I know this because they tell us. I can't tell you how many times I've had to leave a mess on site overnight and its rained, or while we're working and a storm will be coming in. Take one end, fold it over top of the other end and weight it down. Keeping sawdust from getting wet can be a huge benefit. Tarps effectively keep gravel and grit out of the mess, extending the life of chipper blades. Keeping sawdust and debris out of the grass is just ONE of the benefits. On the other side of the coin. If you skid big material with a winch, tarps are useless. In the Summer you can fry a lawn with them if they're down too long. I convert all big wood into firewood, so I make lots of sawdust and tarps are gold. I can go on and on.

16th January 2009, 12:43 AM	#8
treevet Monument Status Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio, USA Posts: 2,119	Re: saw dust cleanup We use the $hit out of tarps but to drop a tree on them to manage sawdust while cutting up is not a good idea IMO. If you got to make big cuts on a tarp you cannot see if you are coming close to the folds in the tarp with the saw on the other side and must keep checking. You even have to worry about the saw on the side you can see. If the plastic goes in the sprocket and winds around it is a pain to get it out and requires dismantling the saw (time lost). With plyboard snugged up against the log...there are no worries and you can even hit the plywood with no consequences. You home today Jim....It is 5 degrees F. Get out there and give it hell!

16th January 2009, 02:22 AM	#10
Bruce Hopf Veteran Heritage Status Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: North of Sebringville, Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,167	Re: saw dust cleanup I've been doing a little Thinking (I know some of you guys are going to say, "Now I Know What Is Burning, or what that smell is" ), But what about getting Lengths of 4" x 4" X 8' or 10' lengths, and place them so many Feet apart on top of the Tarp, and Fell the Trees on top of the Lumber. That way, you wont have to worry about catching the Tarps in the Chain Saw. What about using Canvas Tarps? I know that they are a little more Expensive than the Blue Plastic, but if you cut into it, wouldn't it be a Clean Cut, or would something get caught up in the Chain Saw too? Bruce __________________ McCulloch chain saws 1- Pro Mac 60, 1- Pro Mac 700, 2- Mac 10-10 Automatic's, 2- Mini Mac 30's, 2- Mac 110's, 2- Mini Mac 35's, 1- Mac 140 with Automatic Chain Sharpener, 1- Pro Mac 10-10, 1- Mac Cat, 2- Eager Beaver 2.0's, 1- Mac 1-10 Stihl chain saws 2- 044's, 2- 034's, 2- 024's, 1- 064, 1- 084, Strunk chain saws 1- Busy Beaver, 1- SpeeDemon Special Stand Back, I Have A Very Extreme Case of CAD (Chain Saw Addiction Disorder).

16th January 2009, 02:40 AM	#11
Tree Machine Over mature heritage tree Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 952	Re: saw dust cleanup You're right on, bruce. Generally, though we use whatever is most available which would be downed limbs, if there are any, to use as spacers to keep the log up off the ground in the first place. Otherwise, the crown will often prop up the log when it hits the ground, so you place pieces under the log as you go so that it never lays directly on the ground until tight at the end at which time the log is more easily rolled. Time spent in doing this is usually rewarded by not having to lean over so far to do the cuts, but mostly in reducing the chance of the chain hitting the tarp or the ground. My rig is not set up to carry sheets of plywood, so I have to come up with other strategies. The plywood idea you have works, though, its just work to load and unload.

16th January 2009, 02:46 AM	#12
Tree Machine Over mature heritage tree Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 952	Something I do more frequently now than I used to (if the log is laying on the ground) is cut through the log 7/8ths through and just move on to the next cut. At the 8th or 10th or whatever cut, then cut all the way through. Roll the log over and come back, zip, zip, zip to finish the block cuts. Seems to save time over trying to be finicky in finishing the individual cutoffs and trying to avoid hitting tarp or earth (or pavement or whatever) on each and every cut.

16th January 2009, 05:09 AM	#13
kylekurt Sappling Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: idaho Posts: 15	Re: saw dust cleanup Thanks for the info it was extremely helpful. I,m just getting started but no one has complained about a little saw dust, do they give you guys a hard time about it?

16th January 2009, 05:17 AM	#14
Bruce Hopf Veteran Heritage Status Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: North of Sebringville, Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,167	Re: saw dust cleanup You have to look at it this way. You have to treat Every Customer's Property, the Very Same Way, that you would Want Yours Treated. There are too Kinds of Word of Mouth, about someone, and the Kind of Work, that they have done. Good, and Bad, and it always seems, that Bad Word of Mouth, travels the Quickest. . So Go the Extra Mile, and leave as little as possible when you clean up, and that will Impress a lot of People, and Return Business is always a Bonus, in the Future. . Just a Suggestion. Bruce. __________________ McCulloch chain saws 1- Pro Mac 60, 1- Pro Mac 700, 2- Mac 10-10 Automatic's, 2- Mini Mac 30's, 2- Mac 110's, 2- Mini Mac 35's, 1- Mac 140 with Automatic Chain Sharpener, 1- Pro Mac 10-10, 1- Mac Cat, 2- Eager Beaver 2.0's, 1- Mac 1-10 Stihl chain saws 2- 044's, 2- 034's, 2- 024's, 1- 064, 1- 084, Strunk chain saws 1- Busy Beaver, 1- SpeeDemon Special Stand Back, I Have A Very Extreme Case of CAD (Chain Saw Addiction Disorder).

16th January 2009, 06:02 AM	#15
Tree Machine Over mature heritage tree Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 952	I couldn't say it better. If someone is disappointed about the cleanup, they may not say anything to you, but they'll very likely tell their friends. A good reputation is a developed with dedicated effort over time. It can be compromised, invisibly and without your awareness with little to no effort at all. What Bruce says about treating everyone the same, being consistent..... If you set your sites to 100% A+ it becomes the norm. A job isn't done when you WANT it to be done. It's done when it's done. And yea, a sub-par cleanup does matter. You'll feel it when it comes time to do the final walkthrough, the period just before the client is to cut you a check. If your cleanup is poor, you'll feel the uneasy silence, the hesitation as you both look upon your less than ideal cleanup. Try it. Their thoughts are "Is this what I'm paying for?" If they point out verbally the mess you failed to clean up, you can either tell them its 'good enough' or you can continue finishing something you thought was finished, neither of which is any fun. Finish strong, finish complete and have them happy to cut you a check and tell their friends good things. It's easier this way, truly. A solid cleanup (and call me out on this if I'm wrong) is generally assumed unless leaving them with a mess is agreed upon in advance. If you leave them with a mess, you're leaving them with work to do, work that should have been done as part of your job. People aren't hiring you so they can clean up after you, unless they're negotiating that into the deal.

16th January 2009, 06:55 AM	#17
jim1nz Mature tree Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: International, Germany Posts: 473	Re: saw dust cleanup Haha gota give it to ya Tree Machine, you sure know your tarps. I have to admit i did warm to the idea. I dont mind raking though

16th January 2009, 07:12 AM	#18
Tree Machine Over mature heritage tree Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 952	They are an effort to employ. It's just more of an effort to not employ them. I've never regretted using tarps, only regretted when I thought it would be faster not to put them out, and learned the same lesson over again. I always look at, if I'm raking, I'm getting paid the wage of someone who rakes. I work by the job, not by the hour. If I worked by the hour I may not care so much how long it takes. However, I make my living climbing and caring for trees so the more time in the day I can spend there, the better my income. The cleanup thing is necessary, so I try to make it through that part of the job as quickly and efficiently as possible while keeping the quality top-notch. I don't enjoy cleaning up, and I could go as far as to say I downright despise it. But there's something really gratifying about peeling a tarp up at the end, having it all flow into a single pile and seeing a pristine lawn that requires a minimal of detailing. I'm looking for the video piece from recent time, using the 6x20 truck tarp. I was in between a house and the fence, gravel beneath, all the debris on the tarp. If the mess had been moved out to the chipper, 50 feet away, by normal means, the time in going back and forth, carrying or dragging, and the mess that would have been created between the chipper and where the mess originated, and then trying to get the smaller debris and sawdust out of the gravel, that would have taken some time. The video shows the groundie dragging the whole tarp and it's contents, the 50 feet, creating no mess in between and right up to the chipper where, again, no additional mess was created. The real-time, unedited footage is like 15 or 20 seconds.

17th January 2009, 04:24 AM	#19
kylekurt Sappling Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: idaho Posts: 15	Re: saw dust cleanup Thanks for the info guys. I,ve got a fulltime job that gives me lots of time off so I,m just doing it on the side becuase i like to do it. There is a lot a competition around here so I get the tree I can.

17th January 2009, 04:42 AM	#20
Bruce Hopf Veteran Heritage Status Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: North of Sebringville, Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,167	Re: saw dust cleanup If you are working in a Highly Competitive Area, like you said, A Good Job, or a Poor Job, of Clean Up, can Make you, or Break You. Another thing, that you have to Ask Yourself. If you are not Happy with the Job that you have done, Do you Think that the Customer will be Happy? That is the Question, that you have to Ask yourself every Job, that you Do. Hope this helps. Bruce. __________________ McCulloch chain saws 1- Pro Mac 60, 1- Pro Mac 700, 2- Mac 10-10 Automatic's, 2- Mini Mac 30's, 2- Mac 110's, 2- Mini Mac 35's, 1- Mac 140 with Automatic Chain Sharpener, 1- Pro Mac 10-10, 1- Mac Cat, 2- Eager Beaver 2.0's, 1- Mac 1-10 Stihl chain saws 2- 044's, 2- 034's, 2- 024's, 1- 064, 1- 084, Strunk chain saws 1- Busy Beaver, 1- SpeeDemon Special Stand Back, I Have A Very Extreme Case of CAD (Chain Saw Addiction Disorder).

17th January 2009, 05:40 AM	#21
fatdog Sappling Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: auburn,ga Posts: 37	Re: saw dust cleanup I have a yard vacuum and it work pretty well at getting up the saw dust in the grass. Also do use tarps.

18th January 2009, 08:01 PM	#24
Therrin Former Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Bakersfield, Ca Posts: 2,497	Re: saw dust cleanup Excellent movies there TM!!!! The frame-by-frame action really showed it well. I use tarps too. And, sometimes, a shopvac. Yeah I know it sounds weird. Other than that though, I've found a PITCHFORK to come in really handy too. I take one with me to most of my jobs, along with the other cleanup stuff.

19th January 2009, 03:32 AM	#25
southsoundtree Semi-mature vigorous tree Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Olympia, WA, USA Posts: 84	Re: saw dust cleanup I thought that maybe I was the only one that used tarps. I will use them under trees sometimes, especially dead trees that drop lots of twigs. I don't use them in front of the chipper tray for fear of them getting pulled into the drum. I like them between the chipper and the truck for the chips that bounce off the back of the bed. Chips in gravel drives looks bad. This helps with the clean-up immensely. Also good to have on board if you have any drips from your truck.

19th January 2009, 12:45 PM	#26
newguy18 Part of the Furniture Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: orlando,fl Posts: 4,948	Re: saw dust cleanup I haven't tried tarps,i always just did a really good rake up,if i ever get to it,i'll have my backpack blower up and running. __________________ Have your say join us today. old schooler

19th January 2009, 02:30 PM	#27
Tree Machine Over mature heritage tree Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 952	The rake is sort of an indispensable part of it all. I've seen guys rake the same material, over and over, the pile getting bigger and bigger, every stroke getting more energy intensive, one end of the yard to the other. Even raking a pile over an area that was previously free of debris. There are ways to make a cleanup take a lot longer than it needs to. Noobies seem to think that just because they have a rake in hand and they're in motion that they're doing what they're supposed to do. If a bossman has enough money to throw around to enough labor, that sort of pace gets the job done. Tarps may not fit well into that model. If it's a two-man team, tarps can give you the rate of three men without. If you work alone, as many so from time to time, the tarps ARE your ground help, except you don't need to pay them or listen to them complain. There are times NOT to use tarps: When its really windy, they can be not worth the frustration. When you have ample labor milling about When you're skidding big material Working in a wooded or forested area When you're a contract climber and the company supervisor doesn't require them. Over concrete or pavement

19th January 2009, 02:42 PM	#28
Tree Machine Over mature heritage tree Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 952	Perennial beds are peoples' pride and joy. If you ever want to work for this person again, or want them to refer you on, DO NOT destroy or damage their garden and its sensitive plants. I mean, if destruction is inevitable such as taking down a big tree and grinding the stump, and plants are all about the base of the tree, EXPLAIN this to them and suggest they transplant. At least you've covered your butt and there are no surprises. Usually, however, there is a nearby bed adjacent to the drop zone, or the entire drop zone is garden bed. We treeguys hate this. So, do three things. Let them know there is a chance that things can get damaged. Charge them extra. Don't damage anything. The reason you charge extra is because you're going to spend extra time in preparing the site before going up the tree. Here is a picture of a protected bed. Small stuff can hit the tarp, no problem. This protects the beds and the client is more confident in you because you demonstrate sensitivity to their needs. This really doesn't take long to set up. Use bungee cords, accessory cord around trees, push the tarp corners through the fence panel and run a stick through the corner holes of the tarp. There's a lot of tricks. For pining tarps down, though, there is one 'best' all-around tool for that; chopsticks. Buy them by the hundred pack at japanese markets for two to three bucks. One hundred pair gives you two hundred convenient, disposable 'stakes'. My apologies if this post wasn't about sawdust cleanup. Attached Thumbnails

19th January 2009, 02:56 PM	#29
Tree Machine Over mature heritage tree Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 952	For long runs, like deep back yard brush piles that need to go out front, I like to get a couple hundred pounds of brush chokered onto a cart, wheel it out, dump it onto a tarp in front of the chipper, go get another pile, when you get load 2 to the first pile, chip it all, repeat as necessary. This single cartload in the picture is 2 to 3 times what an average dude would be able to drag, making one man with the right tool 2 to 3 times more effective than the same man without. Attached Thumbnails

19th January 2009, 03:36 PM	#30
newguy18 Part of the Furniture Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: orlando,fl Posts: 4,948	Re: saw dust cleanup I'll be giving the tarps a try,but i'm pretty good with a rake,there are actually ways to use it to where you won't really waste energy,but you'll do a real good job of get debris up.I find cleaning and doing a good rake up does 3 things. 1.the client feels like you really care for thier yard. 2.It shows an attention to detail. 3.It usually gets you repeat buisness,plus a good rep. __________________ Have your say join us today. old schooler

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