SkyTrak Attack

[rusticretreater]

One of my neighbors is a gent in his 70's whose family used to own all the land in the area.  I bought my current property from his son so he is always interested in what is going on.  In the past he told me about his skytrak and said to call him when I needed help.  Then he would stop by every now and then and ask if I was ready to use it.

I had been putting it off for a bit as I had many other things to do.  I had a leaner and a bunch of dead trees, but the other day we had a 60mph wind gust.  Suddenly I three more leaners and I heard one tree fall.

So I called him, he drove the skytrak over and went crazy taking out the leaners and dead trees.  He pushed one dead tree over and it fell into another dead tree.  He then pushed again and took them both down to the ground at the same time. 

I told him "you are making a huge mess and I thank you."  He said it was a "make work" day.

Then he said he would leave it here and I can use it as long as I need.  He said it just sits around otherwise.  Great guy!

[Magicman]

Congrats, you are fortunate to have him for a neighbor.      It would be nice to help him take care of that machine.    

[mudfarmer]

That's a good neighbor!! Nice machine too

[Don P]

Low numbers! Looking at the light counterweighting and front only tilt, be mindful that its stable position is not on all 4. Ours isn't much newer. A young contractor borrowed ours, he was raised right, training and licensing wise. "I'm licensed to drive these, but not this one!" 
It looks like nice white oak coming on.

[rusticretreater]

Congrats, you are fortunate to have him for a neighbor.      It would be nice to help him take care of that machine.    

I told him I would do some maintenance on it.  I asked when he last changed the oil.  He had written the date on the oil filter and it was last year sometime.   He had also just had the upper tilt cylinders rebuilt so they were good and powerful.  Big old Ford diesel.  Everything is pretty old on it but I might spring for a hydro line or two.

[esteadle]

Maybe weld up some FOPS (Falling Object Protection System) above the seat to keep the widowmakers from making widows. If pushing down trees is a regular thing, I mean.

[rusticretreater]

If you check the first picture you can see the protective cage over the driver.  It might be good to put some grating over it, but you have to be able to look up to see things.  It goes pretty high up when fully extended.

[Don P]

Under did something dumb... I had the boom up and out with the forks trapping a tree while my partner cut it beside a barn, being extra safe you know. Things got a little sideways. It didn't roll but I could have stepped out level.