Top notch forestry worker required late August, SW Scotland

[Big J]

On the look out for a very good cutter for late August for a couple of weeks work in south west Scotland. The work isn't confirmed yet but should be in the next week or two. My two usual cutters aren't available on account of one being on holiday and the other operating a combine harvester for August and September. 

 

We'll be principally working in young larch clearfell. Staying on site, 12 hour days. Half of the day will be on the saw brashing and felling trees and the other 6 hours would be operating a (brand new) compact stroke processor (I'd suggest switching every hour or two). I've got a van with 240v power, fridge, microwave, solar shower etc, so you wouldn't be roughing it.  I'll pay £200 a day with you supplying fuel and oil for the 6 hours you are on the saw. I expect a high standard of work and a good workrate, but I'm not a slave driver. If you're not confident of brashing and dropping 30 trees an hour (DBH 20cm) then please don't apply. 

 

Really nice, peaceful location, not too far from the M74 chance of repeat work for the right cutter. I'll be working on site at the same time extracting. 

 

Obviously, all certificates appropriate to small and medium trees please, as well as windblow and multiple windblow as one stand has some blown trees. 

 

Many thanks.

 

 

[Khriss]

Did that twenty yrs ago - two weeks ? May not get anyone's attention, k

[LeeGray]

huge respect for hand cutters, had no idea they'd be getting 50p/tree dropped and brashed. Can see why not many still doing it round here. i'll not complain about a hard day at work for a while!

Edited June 26, 2018 by LeeGray

[Big J]

29 minutes ago, LeeGray said:

huge respect for hand cutters, had no idea they'd be getting 50p/tree dropped and brashed. Can see why not many still doing it round here. i'll not complain about a hard day at work for a while!

The size of tree in question (about 25cm at stump, on average) takes less than two minutes per tree to brash (to 5ft) and fell. It's a good hourly rate, and keep in mind they'd only be on the saw for half the day. 

[openspaceman]

13 minutes ago, Big J said:

The size of tree in question (about 25cm at stump, on average) takes less than two minutes per tree to brash (to 5ft) and fell. It's a good hourly rate, and keep in mind they'd only be on the saw for half the day. 

FC used to publish figures for standard minutes it took to fell and sned a tree which allowed for size and number of whorls. There being 480 minutes to a working day and allowance made for rest breaks, fuelling, sharpening etc. This was then used to set a piece rate for the job.

[Big J]

It's not being sned out though. Only brashed to 5ft and then dropped. Processor does the rest. Would be interested to see what the official figures would be for trees like that.

 

[Mark Bolam]

This sounds like a good opportunity for the right man (or woman) to get stuck in and leave at the end of the job with £2k in their pocket J, and I wish you all the best with it.

Quick question - how does the fuel thing work? You can’t expect someone to rock up with a fortnight’s juice in their vehicle.

 

Would love to see some pics of the job when you do it.

 

I think there’s some confusion with brashing and snedding on here as well.

[Baldbloke]

If I was twenty years younger I’d be there. Sounds a reasonable rate to me for the work[emoji1303]

[Big J]

30 minutes ago, Mark Bolam said:

This sounds like a good opportunity for the right man (or woman) to get stuck in and leave at the end of the job with £2k in their pocket J, and I wish you all the best with it.

Quick question - how does the fuel thing work? You can’t expect someone to rock up with a fortnight’s juice in their vehicle.

 

Would love to see some pics of the job when you do it.

 

I think there’s some confusion with brashing and snedding on here as well.

True on the fuel front. We're not right in the sticks and some fuel runs would be required. I guess on 6 hours of cutting, you'd get through about 6 litres of fuel per day on a 50-60cc saw. There's no need for anything bigger as the trees are so small. 

 

I did have a think about the rates before advertising them, and I felt that whilst it would be a long day, £200 is decent money for what's being asked, especially as I'd be paying for a learning curve on a machine that is the first of it's kind in the UK. 

[Mark Bolam]

That would be a big plus for me as well.