Alpine tractor and trailer crane

[Will Cobb]

What’s the viability of using an alpine tractor for extraction work, is there a market for it or is it few and far between. I know a lot of land owners are low impact conscious these days but I can’t help thinking it would be hard to make it pay. 
 

what’s peoples thoughts? 

[doobin]

Very hard to make sufficient tonnage from what I gather.

[IronMike]

I use my Logbullet pretty much 5 days a week now. The golden rule for me has been not work on tonnage, and stick to day rate. I could waffle on for days about low impact forestry 😂

 

The main thing has been getting folks to understand the process. Doing first thinnings by hand cutting and small machines is not a money maker. If it breaks even, it’s done well. But….. you’re making something of a waste product traditionally, be it as chip for biomass or firewood. And you’re managing the woods as well and making the future works that much easier and the remaing stock that much better. The landowner makes the money back down the line. If they’re not driven purely by the bottom line, they’ll see the benefits of the low impact approach. 

Edited December 18, 2022 by IronMike

[doobin]

24 minutes ago, IronMike said:

I use my Logbullet pretty much 5 days a week now. The golden rule for me has been not work on tonnage, and stick to day rate. I could waffle on for days about low impact forestry 😂

 

The main thing has been getting folks to understand the process. Doing first thinnings by hand cutting and small machines is not a money maker. If it breaks even, it’s done well. But….. you’re making something of a waste product traditionally, be it as chip for biomass or firewood. And you’re managing the woods as well and making the future works that much easier and the remaing stock that much better. The landowner makes the money back down the line. If they’re not driven purely by the bottom line, they’ll see the benefits of the low impact approach. 

How much more efficient would you say the logbullet is over an apine? 

[Will Cobb]

1 hour ago, IronMike said:

I use my Logbullet pretty much 5 days a week now. The golden rule for me has been not work on tonnage, and stick to day rate. I could waffle on for days about low impact forestry 😂

 

The main thing has been getting folks to understand the process. Doing first thinnings by hand cutting and small machines is not a money maker. If it breaks even, it’s done well. But….. you’re making something of a waste product traditionally, be it as chip for biomass or firewood. And you’re managing the woods as well and making the future works that much easier and the remaing stock that much better. The landowner makes the money back down the line. If they’re not driven purely by the bottom line, they’ll see the benefits of the low impact approach. 

I guess it’s a hard sell to start with but like you say if they aren’t bothered about making money and take the view that your making the wood better in the long run. I guess private woodland owners are the target market rather than through a land agent as they do want to see a profit.

[Johnpl315]

I have an alpine tractor and 3 ton trailer. It depends on your target market but you can't really compete with larger machines. Lots of people are drawn to the low impact but expect you to pay the same rates as a regular harvester/forwarder combo. 

 Here are some points that may help you decide its viability. 

 Do you know the price of standing timber you could purchase? Do you know the roadside price of said timber? Do you know how many tons per day you can cut? 

 I can extract anything from about ten tons a day up to 20 tons plus on a good site. But I hear of contractors extracting for £10 a ton so I couldn't really compete with that. 

 It's also quite fragile so timber presentation has to be good otherwise you will break something. 

 It is kind of working for me at the moment but I spend most of the time cutting. I wouldnt think it viable to just do extracting on other people's jobs. 

 In hindsight I can't help wondering if I would of been better going for a 70hp alpine  and 5ton trailer or a vimek forwarder or similarl. 

[josharb87]

1 hour ago, doobin said:

How much more efficient would you say the logbullet is over an apine? 

Alpine with forestry trailer or skidder winch? 

[MattyF]

As said above,  around 10-25 tonne a day but depending on site … they are no good on slopes or really rough ground already worked in with bigger machines.

I’ve found most of the sites you work on unfortunately are grant dictated and most don’t care for low impact approach unless they are making money in first and second thinning but that could just be the land owners I’ve worked for. 

 

[MattyF]

Pretty sure there is still a grant available for small self propelled forwarders on the gov website 24k would be a good way towards a log bullet or similar that would  be far better suited towards extraction. 

/assets/static/govuk-opengraph-image-dade2dad5775023b0568381c4c074b86318194edb36d3d68df721eea7deeac4b.png

Farming Equipment and Technology Fund: Round 1 manual - Annex 3 – Eligible Items – specification and grant amount - Guidance - GOV.UK

WWW.GOV.UK

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This annex details the required Specification and Grant amount of eligible items.

 

[doobin]

40 minutes ago, josharb87 said:

Alpine with forestry trailer or skidder winch? 

Well to compare with a logbullet I was thinking alpine with forestry trailer. 
 

 

 

40 minutes ago, josharb87 said: