Unpopular take: I refuse to use a grapple truck for removals under 30 feet
Last week I watched a crew set up a $250k grapple for a 25 foot maple in a backyard with plenty of room. Took them 2 hours just to position the truck. I did the same size tree solo with a rope and a wedge in 45 minutes last month in Austin. Everyone in my shop thinks I'm crazy, but smaller removals keep my ground game sharp and I charge less than half what they do. The crane and grapple crowd treats every job like a big timber operation. For tight spots or cleanup jobs, a hand saw and a plan beats a machine that can't fit. Am I the only one who thinks we over-rely on heavy gear for stuff a decent climber can handle faster? What's your cutoff size for calling in the big iron?