Standing value of first and second thinnings

[Dave177]

Just wondering if people are paying for 1st and second thinning at the moment of are charging the owner? Looked at some corsican and spruce the other day but the figures don't quite seem to add up, looks like it will cost the client £2 per ton to cut and extract (with me retaining the timber). Just waned an Idea as don't want to waste my time tendering if im not on the money with it 

[Big J]

I'm interested to see the figures on this as well. I'm angling myself with my new business towards first and second thinning softwoods and young stand clearfells, specialising in sensitive sites. I'd like to avoid charging the customers for it, but if the figures don't add up, there might not be a choice!

[spuddog0507]

hi i will go along with J on this and would all so be interested in the figures as i think i am way off on a price i put in on one job, but on the other hand another price i put in was for a hardwood clear fell with some big straight beech in it (500=800 dbh) should get 50 tonne plus of the beech out of it and got a buyer at £3.60 hoppus foot,  all so some nice straight oak poles about 12 and buyer will collect, and the rest approx 120 tonne firewood, ground is fairly flat and very dry (even last winter job could of been done with ease) longest extraction is approx 100 mtrs, the above i paid £12 per tonne for and i should make money on that  on the other hand been asked about a first thinnings job in some spruce 12=15cm dbh 2nd crop so a lot of stumps and crap about on the ground , there has no figuars dissgussed yet but the more i think about it, its do the job and retain timber with no payments either way , timber would be either chip or fencing, less work in chip but less money , fencing needs to be more accurate on cutting to length all thoughts welcome. 

[slack ma girdle]

I'm interested to see the figures on this as well. I'm angling myself with my new business towards first and second thinning softwoods and young stand clearfells, specialising in sensitive sites. I'd like to avoid charging the customers for it, but if the figures don't add up, there might not be a choice!

Have a look at my video on first thinnings, link below:
https://arbtalk.co.uk/forums/topic/110882-a-bit-of-forestry/
If it is similar give i a ring 07966 792798 and i can give you a breakdown of costs verses timber value.

[Stubby]

What I remember of it first thinnings is a snot gobbling job and you would have to pay me lots   Just cutting out racks is not so bad but re spacing and going in the dark parts is orrid ?

Edited June 24, 2018 by Stubby

[openspaceman]

1 hour ago, Stubby said:

What I remember of it first thinnings is a snot gobbling job and you would have to pay me lots   Just cutting out racks is not so bad but re spacing and going in the dark parts is orrid ?

Yes

 

I doubt much motor manual first thinning gets done nowadays but back in the day it was never profitable unless you could get rail material out.

 

Contracting rates were manipulated to make the returns to the landowner all look positive where in fact the better grades subsidized the poorer.

 

I enjoyed the idea of upgrading the plantation but still cannot believe how stupid I was to take the work on, especially after seeing the later eclectic thinnings  high grading by cutter select.

[Dave177]

Yes it will be machine cut and extracted. Mostly chip but there would be a small amount of bar come out as well. 

I don't imagine any first thinning by hand can be economical nowadays 

[Big J]

I've just ordered this machine, which should make life a bit easier in young stands: 

 

 

It's cheap and cheerful, but it's able to do a 16m tree in under a minute, which is many, many times quicker than a man with a saw. 

Edited June 24, 2018 by Big J

[shavey]

3 hours ago, openspaceman said:

Yes

 

I doubt much motor manual first thinning gets done nowadays but back in the day it was never profitable unless you could get rail material out.

 

Contracting rates were manipulated to make the returns to the landowner all look positive where in fact the better grades subsidized the poorer.

 

I enjoyed the idea of upgrading the plantation but still cannot believe how stupid I was to take the work on, especially after seeing the later eclectic thinnings  high grading by cutter select.

Yeah if you could rails ,5ft 6” stakes and the odd gatepost and not too much pulp you would do ok but you needed too cut and stack 5m for a good wage

[slack ma girdle]

I've just ordered this machine, which should make life a bit easier in young stands: 
 
 
It's cheap and cheerful, but it's able to do a 16m tree in under a minute, which is many, many times quicker than a man with a saw. 

How cheap?