Forestry chainsaw operator

[pleasant]

Just now, Retired Climber said:

How dare you. I'll have you know I have 2 friends, and only one of them is imaginary. 

👍😃

[Retired Climber]

15 minutes ago, dumper said:

The other is invisible?

Not you as well. I can see him, that's all you need to know. 

[Svts]

8 hours ago, 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? 

It all depends on how quick and tidy you are. Are you're new to it and only cutting 6/7/8 meters a day? Or do you have a few years under your belt and can double that? 

Are you mowing it down in front of a harvester on dayrate or cutting and stacking in front of the forwarder on a piece rate?  

I've worked with people on £140 a day that have struggled to cut and stack £100 worth of wood a day. I've also worked with people on £180/£200 a day that could cut and stack plenty enough to cover it (although they're rare beasts nowadays!) 

Some jobs it's easy cutting and some jobs are nothing but sweat and aggravation! 

[spuddog0507]

23 hours ago, 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? 

Not been much help on here so far for you, there is a awful lot to be considered here, first what do you call fully certificated ? CS 30,31 ? and what other tickets after them ?, how long you been doing it ? are you fresh out of collage as many a young lad thinks he is the Bs n Es once he has a chainsaw ticket, i have employed young lads fresh out of collage and they are just 1 step up from useless but want £100 £120 a day using my saws n fuel and they cant cut enough timber to pay there wage and thats not good for me, can you use a tape measure and cut to spec as this is one issue with me that i see the younger lads struggling with, from a employers view you need to be cutting a value of timber that is more than your day rate espeicially on a clear fell, i have one lad who is shit hot as he will put 20-25 tonne on the floor in the day on a clear fell, the other lad working 100mts away might do half that, Thinings is different it can be straight forward at times or it can be a pain in the arse, i went and looked at job recently and soon as i walked in to the woodland i just thought i dont want this job, planted in the early 60s at 4ft quite a few dead stems and very poor timber with not much over 12" in dia, told him to clear fell it and start again as thining it would be a night mare as it should of been done 30 yrs ago, where abouts are you located,, 

[slack ma girdle]

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? 

Its all down to experience ,  my day rate for cutters is between £90-£200.

It is not so much volume felled, but how tidy their presentation is.

Most people when they start for me need at least 6 months to get up to speed, and in many cases 12-18 months.

[Vedhoggar]

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 would say £145 - £150 is about what you ought to be aiming to make as a minium if you can.

[Acerforestry]

If you are cutting chestnut in Kent you would have to go like the clappers to do 150 a day, every day. The only way you'd get that kind of wage is by doing firewood as well. The rates are up and down like a donkey's hind leg really

[Retired Climber]

2 hours ago, Acerforestry said:

If you are cutting chestnut in Kent you would have to go like the clappers to do 150 a day, every day. The only way you'd get that kind of wage is by doing firewood as well. The rates are up and down like a donkey's hind leg really

Which rather begs the question, why does anyone bother? Who the hell wants to work like a slave for 150 quid a day? 

[Doug Tait]

13 minutes ago, Retired Climber said:

Which rather begs the question, why does anyone bother? Who the hell wants to work like a slave for 150 quid a day? 

Is that you Andy?

[Retired Climber]

Just now, Doug Tait said:

Is that you Andy?

You are going to need to explain; that's gone over my head.