On Thu, 10 Oct 2013 16:29:24 -0400, "Mike Marlow"
wrote:

Mike M wrote:


Yours might be lighter then mine I've got the Stihl version where you
use the motor for multiple attachments and I have the bigger one. With
one extention and the saw extension I'm good for about 20 minutes then
it's rest the back. Some of it is from my disability injuries. A tree
guy I do some excavator work and hauling for went to using a Japenese
saw on an extension pole instead of the power version. I miss when I
worked being able to bring an 80' boom truck home with a bucket and
top controls.

I have a Cub Cadet 4 cycle model. Heavier than the two cycle engines, but
I've always found it to be manageable since the weight is at the bottom of
the unit. Mine is like yours - two piece shaft that you can put different
attachements on. I have the tiller attachement - works great to cultivate
the garden, string trimmer, brush trimmer, chainsaw.

80' boom truck? Tell me you just brought it home and parked it in the yard
to look cool. Tell me you didn't really get up in that sucker...

I use to spend 5 days a week with the thing traveling all of western
Wa. We did commercial lighting systems. I ran boom trucks and other
equipment working for and as an electrical contractor. I've worked in
conditions you would like, like snow blowing sideways where as you
work the boom, the truck wants to slide, or winds high enough to
rotate the boom. Thank God we were allowed to stop for lightening. On
the other hand some days I drove 6 hours and only worked 2 for
electricians pay. It was fun most of the time but I should of thanked
the guy who ran into the back of thruck and shattered both my femurs.
I sure don't miss that job now. I've even a ridden one over in of all
things a certification test. The testor said we had to test in all
positions as I remember it as 150% of bucket rating. I told him the
manual said not to extend over 50% to the side but he claimed it had
to be the full range. Turns out I was right, the manual suppercedes
ANSI. We were only up 30' went it started tipping. The reality is we
both walked away as we were almost to the ground before the truck
really started tipping over. We got a free truck repair out of it.

Mike M