Forestry chainsaw operator

[Retired Climber]

8 minutes ago, Pete Mctree said:

You live in Hampshire- 75% of the country has significantly less money. Your being a little naive with your pricing unfortunately 

That is a good point, but the post I responded to mentioned Kent. In Kent, the prices quoted are easily achievable. In fact, they are achievable in most of the country. It's not an economics issue; it's a marketing one.

[Sutton]

On 11/10/2022 at 13:02, slack ma girdle said:

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.

Presentation can be challenging. I've just started a new thread thinking some might like to share some thoughts.

[Mike Hill]

5 hours ago, Steve Bullman said:

Do you want that via PayPal or in crypto this time?

Crypto please.

I always buy the dip.

[Mike Hill]

21 minutes ago, Sutton said:

Presentation can be challenging. I've just started a new thread thinking some might like to share some thoughts.

 

Can you please post some pictures of nicely laid out timber? I had a dabble at UK forestry in 99 and it wasnt for me.

[Sutton]

4 hours ago, Mike Hill said:

 

Can you please post some pictures of nicely laid out timber? I had a dabble at UK forestry in 99 and it wasnt for me.

Search for an old user called something like Chris Shepherd on here. He used to post woodland management  photos.

I've never thought to. Too busy working. 🤣

[Svts]

9 hours ago, Retired Climber said:

You only need 5 clients who want a day a week and you essentially have the security of a full time job. I'm not being unrealistic, I've done it myself. The guy who bought my business took it away from tree work and towards fencing and garden maintenance, and now also makes more than the figures quoted. 

 

I'm not really interested in a 'you can't make that gardening / fencing', conversation, because you can. They were just 2 examples, of stuff that's a lot easier than cutting and can make decent money. 

 

A bloke supplying a saw, a truck, and fuel, should not be having to work hard for 150 quid a day.

What a strange reply. The chap didn't ask how much money he could make running a gardening or fencing business. 

Yes it's hard graft for the money. Yes you could walk onto any building site in the UK and earn easier money. Or start a gardening business if you fancy really stupendously easy money! Each to their own. 

Now harvesters have taken the bulk of the work and the fisa nonsense is getting more and more powerful, handcutting is slowly getting squeezed out anyhow. 

 

 

 

 

[dumper]

Hand cutting is a skill and needs time to master it will also wreak your body, are there any 65 year old hand cutters? And you don’t even earn enough to buy a house and pay into a mortgage plus needing a whole pile of expensive tickets and equipment , why would you?

[IronMike]

I pay my cutters between £120-160 a day I'd say. That's them providing their owne saw and fuel plus all the trimmings. I tend to get quite a few new lads and lasses, so clearly they start towards the lower end but given the world we live in, I think it's not too bad a wage. 

 

The main differences I find are as others have mentioned.... Presentation and standards. The top whack cutters lay it down all day, and everything is stacked in decent heaps and graded off to make my life easier for forwarding. The newer cutters I try to instill confidence in, and tell them in the beginning to remember "low, and slow"!. I'm taking about stumps here when I say low, and slow as in their saw usage. What I really mean is steady, not slow, but it doesnt ryhme as well! I'm trying to teach them to get good at their craft first, then get quick. You can't get super quick and efficient straight out the box. 

 

I'd rather someone was working at a steadier rate, but doing everything well than have someone flying like a bat out of hell and leaving the timber converted in pegs or worse, unsnedded on one side! This literally makes my piss boil as a forwarder driver, having to get out the machine to finish their job off. 

 

I could waffle on for days really. But I'd say anyone looking to get a decent wage and lots of work should strive for the following:

 

Turn up on time, sharpened and ready to go.

Look presentable and not like you've slept in the brash pile!

Keep phone in pocket til break time!

Work quickly and efficiently, stacking where you can without hurting your back.

Process well with accurate hand cutting.

LOW STUMPS!!!!!

 

 

[doobin]

1 hour ago, IronMike said:

I pay my cutters between £120-160 a day I'd say. That's them providing their owne saw and fuel plus all the trimmings. I tend to get quite a few new lads and lasses, so clearly they start towards the lower end but given the world we live in, I think it's not too bad a wage. 

 

The main differences I find are as others have mentioned.... Presentation and standards. The top whack cutters lay it down all day, and everything is stacked in decent heaps and graded off to make my life easier for forwarding. The newer cutters I try to instill confidence in, and tell them in the beginning to remember "low, and slow"!. I'm taking about stumps here when I say low, and slow as in their saw usage. What I really mean is steady, not slow, but it doesnt ryhme as well! I'm trying to teach them to get good at their craft first, then get quick. You can't get super quick and efficient straight out the box. 

 

I'd rather someone was working at a steadier rate, but doing everything well than have someone flying like a bat out of hell and leaving the timber converted in pegs or worse, unsnedded on one side! This literally makes my piss boil as a forwarder driver, having to get out the machine to finish their job off. 

 

I could waffle on for days really. But I'd say anyone looking to get a decent wage and lots of work should strive for the following:

 

Turn up on time, sharpened and ready to go.

Look presentable and not like you've slept in the brash pile!

Keep phone in pocket til break time!

Work quickly and efficiently, stacking where you can without hurting your back.

Process well with accurate hand cutting.

LOW STUMPS!!!!!

 

 

The hard bit is getting a decent wage on piece rate yet leaving such a tidy job. 
 

it’s been years since I did any hand cutting work, but I used to have a two man team work for me, one cutting and one stacking/pulling brash aside. They never made any more money (once their total was divided by two) than folk going like a bat out of hell alone, but they seemed a lot more relaxed. Always had time for a brew from the Kelly kettle and most importantly, always left a decent site. 

[Svts]

6 hours ago, IronMike said:

I pay my cutters between £120-160 a day I'd say. That's them providing their owne saw and fuel plus all the trimmings. I tend to get quite a few new lads and lasses, so clearly they start towards the lower end but given the world we live in, I think it's not too bad a wage. 

 

The main differences I find are as others have mentioned.... Presentation and standards. The top whack cutters lay it down all day, and everything is stacked in decent heaps and graded off to make my life easier for forwarding. The newer cutters I try to instill confidence in, and tell them in the beginning to remember "low, and slow"!. I'm taking about stumps here when I say low, and slow as in their saw usage. What I really mean is steady, not slow, but it doesnt ryhme as well! I'm trying to teach them to get good at their craft first, then get quick. You can't get super quick and efficient straight out the box. 

 

I'd rather someone was working at a steadier rate, but doing everything well than have someone flying like a bat out of hell and leaving the timber converted in pegs or worse, unsnedded on one side! This literally makes my piss boil as a forwarder driver, having to get out the machine to finish their job off. 

 

I could waffle on for days really. But I'd say anyone looking to get a decent wage and lots of work should strive for the following:

 

Turn up on time, sharpened and ready to go.

Look presentable and not like you've slept in the brash pile!

Keep phone in pocket til break time!

Work quickly and efficiently, stacking where you can without hurting your back.

Process well with accurate hand cutting.

LOW STUMPS!!!!!

 

 

Out of interest, what sort of meterage do you get from a new person on £120 a day? And is the £160 rate for fully experienced cutters, with windblown etc? I find that new cutters generally struggle to cover a oner a day. Which usually means they aren't viable, as they think they should be worth at least £140/£150 a day. Usually because thats what the bloke that trained them said.