Low impact forestry services in Devon and the South West

[drinksloe]

I think we have both been trying to develop the same thing.

I gave up with the static 2 drum setup, too expensive to build from scratch ( I was thinking hydraulic double drums with donkey) but adapting a normal winch sounds good. I thought u might struggle to get a donkey engine big enough, but I suppose uonly need 50 to 60hp ISH.

 

Just got too expensive for me when not entirely sure the work is there.

A few of the local big boys have 360 skyline set ups and tend to sit on the last job sites or yard for months if not years at a time sometimes.

But I do realise different niche.

 

If I ever manage t find out how to post pictures I'll put a photo of mine up hopefully be ready to go to work next couple off weeks

It pulls really well thou, althou slow.

 

Could loler not be an expensive pita??? Esp if start condemning 2-300m lengths of rope. Plus keeping all chokers etc tagged/marked at all times.

Just using it as a high lead ( possibly very high  ) system should save all that hassle

Wot are u using as ur tower to give u height at ur winch??

Will that cause any issues with the angle ur pulling from the winch?? Or try to lift ur trailer rather than pull it against the spades

 

Aye ur right skyline jobs need to be well planned before u cut leaving the right trees/ stumps for anchors/guys.

I mind I once got bollocked as all ( well a lot) my anchor trees I left blew down before the skyline arrived 

[Khriss]

@drinksloe imagine a trailer with a fold down A frame at the back end. Winch n engine sit on chassis. Thats my mast . Big Skyliners sit in the yard a lot cos they are an arse to set up n justify on cost. Lol yr blew down anchor tree - glad you didnt use those then!! 

 

Cost of this setup is under 3000squid ( got the Igland 4000/2 for a long drive n 200 knicker)  One bio mass job will have it paid off. Though my time is not factored in as just the RA-MS an Loler98 will take couple of months to write up on trialing. K

[dumper]

What about load testing and CE marking ?

[Khriss]

35 minutes ago, dumper said:

What about load testing and CE marking ?

Yea. It will be load tested n CE marked ? afte October...... K

[openspaceman]

On 05/10/2019 at 10:03, drinksloe said:

U really want atleast an extra 100% on back haul drum even for a high lead system, probably even more, usually a smaller dia to allow it

I'm still trying to persuade someone to let me run a skyline in their little wood but I'll spend some extra time setting up  and store wire on a drum on another machine.

 

My plan would be to pull out the haul-in line to the pulley block with a loose piece of the same length, join the loose length with a sacrificial quoit to the haul-back line at the winch and the haul-in line at the pulley. Then winch in to the tractor run the skyline out using the haul-back and fit the carriage, thus only needing the winch drums to carry   the distance to the pulley.

 

The hillside is climbable with a forwarder and chains or band-tracks but the few hundred tonnes doesn't warrant the movement costs of big machines plus it is an SSSI

 

I'm also looking forward to @Kriss's pictures and especially the carriage

[Khriss]

Definately do that. Way less mess. Pics when i get the bloody time to paint it n do RA - MS ? k

[Big J]

I did a little willow coppicing (well, copparding really) job for friends at Christmas. 200 odd stools of salix viminalis all cut to about 4ft. 

 

We were there yesterday and it's all come back beautifully. Not a single failed stool. An average of 4m of growth and maybe 40 stems on each. Should prove a good source of firewood for them in the long term.

 

 

[david lawrence]

best to prune some shoots off ?

or

just leave them to it ?

 

also in northumberland inland quite high

 

how often would anyone suggest between cuts ?

 

i was thinking 5 to 6 years for small logs and branch log material

 

also when harvesting existing pollards should i just cut the new stems or cut the trunk 

just below where all the new shoots are coming from ?

 

any tips ?

[Big J]

7 hours ago, david lawrence said:

best to prune some shoots off ?

or

just leave them to it ?

 

also in northumberland inland quite high

 

how often would anyone suggest between cuts ?

 

i was thinking 5 to 6 years for small logs and branch log material

 

also when harvesting existing pollards should i just cut the new stems or cut the trunk 

just below where all the new shoots are coming from ?

 

any tips ?

I'm not sure to be honest! 

 

They are serving a dual purpose of being a source of fuel wood and also a screen. Most of the shoots are about an inch in diameter, so assuming a similar growth rate going forwards, they'll be harvested at 3-4 years old. It'll all get branch logged again.

 

As regards repruning old pollards, as close to the callous as possible is correct I believe.

Edited October 8, 2019 by Big J

[Big J]

Continuing the theme of low impact forestry!! ?