Forestry chainsaw operator

[Guardian Forestry]

On 16/10/2022 at 14:22, Mike Hill said:

 

Felling medium Spruce like that over here in Western Norway would pay around £500 per day plus 25% Vat.

 

Faller would be expected to get to the site and provide saws and kit.

 

There would be work 9 months of the year or more if you were prepared to travel.

Sounds great - are these opportunities advertised anywhere, I'd be interested to see if it would be an option for me. Thanks

[JAG63]

Everything's relative. Last time I was round Stavanger in 2011 a pizza was £30, hate to think what it'd be now.

 

[bushtuckaman]

If there are any hand cutters in the Cardiff area looking for some work please message me.

[Jackalope]

On 10/10/2022 at 11:30, Jig said:

Hi all.

Just wanted to ask, what's the going day rate for a fully ticketed self employed chainsaw operator to do thinnings, clearfells etc...? All my own equipment, pickup truck, public liability etc, provided by me. I think £150 upwards, especially within today's economical climate, is acceptable. What does everyone else think? 

 

I've been cutting (on and off*) since 2014, in Kent, Sussex, Hampshire, Cumbria, Tayside, The Black Isle and Aberdreamshire. 

 

My day rate now is £180 (occasionally £160+ accommodation). On piecerate Chestnut this season I earned £250-350 a day in West Sussex. 

 

I've seen dozens of guys come and try their hand but only a handful last the week out. There is a drastic shortage of quality hand cutters, so if £180 is deemed too much I'm quite happy to pass the job up and go elsewhere. 

 

I run Husqvarna have CS31 & 32 and I drive a hatchback. 31yo with a mortgage. 

 

* The off part is only because I take plenty of time off in the summer to give my body a break. Cutting is brutal and I don't intend doing it forever.

[Roebus]

I was looking at the very same topic question earlier today, this was from 2010, the pay for the day £50-£60 for newbie, a seasoned sawman £80-£90, its in this forum.

I was wondering why people are willing  to do this type of work, as has been said you can get more stacking shelves.
The reason I am asking is because I want to get into forestry as a cutter, sawman and could do with some guidance and an opportunity to learn 
 

[AHPP]

7 minutes ago, Roebus said:

I was wondering why people are willing  to do this type of work, as has been said you can get more stacking shelves.

Why do you want to get into it?

[Roebus]

10 minutes ago, AHPP said:

Why do you want to get into it?

After leaving the forces, resettlement training under my belt ( all the tickets but no experience) unable to find tree surgery/ work in my local area so had a look on here, ended up going to Sweden for a number of months came back with a good insight into tree surgery and back in the uk was given the opportunity to do more tree work mostly rail, roads, utility private and commercial jobs for a very professional tree services firm, from then on I’ve moved around getting more tickets as much experience as possible. Its something I would like to learn about and do. I like working with trees and being outside 

it’s that, “find a job you like and you’ll never work another day in your life” if that makes sense 

 

[AHPP]

24 minutes ago, Roebus said:

 I like working with trees and being outside 

 

Same as all the other people who couldn't stand stacking shelves then. Anyway, good luck.

[Mike Hill]

9 hours ago, Roebus said:

After leaving the forces, resettlement training under my belt ( all the tickets but no experience) unable to find tree surgery/ work in my local area so had a look on here, ended up going to Sweden for a number of months came back with a good insight into tree surgery and back in the uk was given the opportunity to do more tree work mostly rail, roads, utility private and commercial jobs for a very professional tree services firm, from then on I’ve moved around getting more tickets as much experience as possible. Its something I would like to learn about and do. I like working with trees and being outside 

it’s that, “find a job you like and you’ll never work another day in your life” if that makes sense 

 

 

You are in that bind between ambition and experience,  its hard to get taken on without experience as most outfits won't train up guys as its just not worth the hassel.

 

I take it you want to be a timber faller rather than an Arborist?

 

 

[Roebus]

2 hours ago, Mike Hill said:

 

You are in that bind between ambition and experience,  its hard to get taken on without experience as most outfits won't train up guys as its just not worth the hassel.

 

I take it you want to be a timber faller rather than an Arborist?

 

 

Yes, it’s an ambition, something I have become interested in, but that’s the problem I have no experience in forestry timber cutting, 

Im located near Bristol so I’m not sure who would be around to go to for advice, before I did my resettlement i trawled around tree services for a chance for a look at a day in the life, I managed to get some with Acer in westbury. I would like to do the same type of thing again even if it’s just donkey work 

after reading a lot of the posts in this forum I really appreciate any help as it seems to be very hard for anyone to start