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| Limbhog helps Indiana business expand service into late months |
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By Susan Blower
Indiana Correspondent
KNIGHTSTOWN, Ind. — When Hoosier Outdoor Power owner Neil Hall looked for a way to keep busy year-round, he embraced some new technology and purchased a Limbhog.
A fairly simple concept, the Limbhog looks like a chain saw attached to a beam. Overgrown fencerows and edging are an easy fix for the Limbhog, which can safely trim high branches, Hall said.
Hall attached the Limbhog to a skidster and modified the arm so that he can reach up to 23 feet “comfortably.” He also uses a shear to clip small trees near the ground.
“This is a safe way to trim trees. Some farmers have attached a loader bucket to their tractor (to cut high limbs), and gotten injured. I personally know two guys who have fallen out of the bucket,” the Knightstown businessman said.
Hall charges $75 per hour or a contract price, offering an affordable alternative to traditional tree-cutting services – and hospitalization. The Limbhog also leaves the tree intact, which may be desirable to break the wind or to comply with government regulations of farmland, Hall said.
“I researched online (for business options) last winter. There’s not a lot of competition for this service. The reception has been real good. So far, it’s been by word of mouth, and I’ve got seven to eight jobs lined up,” Hall said.
He plans to do more traditional advertising soon to expand his market base.
Hall made his purchase from The Limbhog Co., located in Oklahoma, last February so he would have niche work in the slower fall and winter months of his business.
According to http://limbhog.com the Limbhog can attach directly to a tractor’s front-end loader bucket and to existing hydraulics. It can reach eight feet above the bucket.
Hall modified his Limbhog so it can reach a height of 23-25 feet, he said. He pointed out that it’s safe because the operator is far removed from falling limbs and the chain saw. “I tried to get closer, but I really couldn’t,” he said.
The Limbhog runs at 5,000 RPM and cuts 5-inch diameter limbs in about a second. The website claims the piece can trim up to 20 medium-sized trees in an hour. Also, its hydraulic system is quiet and non-polluting, unlike a regular two-cycle gasoline chain saw. The implement weighs 78 pounds.
Hoosier Outdoor Power, opened in 2007, sells lawn and garden equipment, consignments off the lot and Tisco brand products. The small business also services and auctions equipment. The lot is the site of an occasional tractor pull, which is for “fun” and attracting new customers, Hall said. Mark Fort is the co-owner.
To contact Hoosier Outdoor Power, call 765-345-9036. |
| 9/22/2010 |
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