Pricing help please

[openspaceman]

4 hours ago, doobin said:

People down south are too posh to pay for ‘waste product’. Firewood is form rather than function here 🙄

 

I used to put them through processor but I reckon it’s easier to me to deal with them as they come.  Branch logger set for short cuts does sound great though. 

That's right, it's over 30 years since I sold firewood but it was a luxury good here, so thin slabwood and small rounds were complained about, customers wanted uniform split sections.

 

Very few people depend on wood for heating here or fewer still. like me. that heat only by using wood.

 

Today is exceptional as the fire is not lit but I reckon wood saves me about 64kWh of heating most days between October and April, saving a fiver a day.

 

@wills-mill let me have some slabwood that had been through a branch logger and I punted them around the narrow boat community, they burned well but the price was not competitive with smokeless coal mainly because of the price of nets and filling them and of course the fire could not be kept going overnight.

 

I would love to use a branch logger for the small birch and pine we clear off heathland but there are issues of storage which would take more space than a stack of ordinary firewood, plus I have no access to a branch logger.

[Stere]

 

Quote

I would love to use a branch logger for the small birch and pine we clear off heathland but there are issues of storage which would take more space than a stack of ordinary firewood, plus I have no access to a branch logger.

 

 

I always though one would be ideal for that conservation kind of usage , especially for overstood hazel coppice etc. I know some charities have got charcoal kilns but they never seem to get used.

 

As hazel is fairly uniform it  could be quite efficent.

 

 

Coservation coppice cutting overstood hazel to waste just seems wrong.

 

It amused me once when some  volunteers had a camp fire with kelly kettles etc and the wood they used was birch  bought from a  garage & imported from latvia.

 

Nearby a big stack of cut hazel left to waste

 

 

 

 

Often transport to roadside is also not easy though.

 

 

 

 

Edited January 3 by Stere

[AHPP]

5 hours ago, Stere said:

 

 

 

I always though one would be ideal for that conservation kind of usage , especially for overstood hazel coppice etc. I know some charities have got charcoal kilns but they never seem to get used.

 

As hazel is fairly uniform it  could be quite efficent.

 

 

Coservation coppice cutting overstood hazel to waste just seems wrong.

 

It amused me once when some  volunteers had a camp fire with kelly kettles etc and the wood they used was birch from bought from a  garage & imported from latvia.

 

Nearby a big stack of cut hazel left to waste

 

 

 

 

Often transport to roadside is also not easy though.

 

 

 

 

 

I understand the turn of phrase but I find it highly unamusing that I have to share a planet with these retards. Needless shipping, needless economic activity, needless tax raising. That space on the boat from Latvia could have brought electric wheelchairs or shoes. 

 

Branchwood logger for overstood hazel would be mint. Big toploading appliance. Lovely. 

Edited January 3 by AHPP

[doobin]

Well there’s definitely worse places to be on a piss wet afternoon. 

[doobin]

All done. Two bags of firewood. Took around four hours but was waiting on Harry dealing with the scabs so did some office stuff whilst he cleared the decks. 
 

got a fair bit of offcuts left over too. I’d be surprised if the job owes me £50 in timber and petrol, so very happy with £650. 
 

thanks for your help guys. Really liking this sawmill. 

Edited January 4 by doobin

[Puffingbilly413]

12 minutes ago, doobin said:

All done. Two bags of firewood. Took around four hours but was waiting on Harry dealing with the scabs so did some office stuff whilst he cleared the decks. 
 

got a fair bit of offcuts left over too. I’d be surprised if the job owes me £50 in timber and petrol, so very happy with £650. 
 

thanks for your help guys. Really liking this sawmill. 

I spy a Logbullet - how are you finding it (apologies there's probs a thread somewhere)

[doobin]

10 hours ago, Puffingbilly413 said:

I spy a Logbullet - how are you finding it (apologies there's probs a thread somewhere)

So-so. Not that impressed with the build quality for the money. I only bought as it was two thirds grant funded. But backup seems good. It's just that after 80+ units being produced I'd have hoped for less of a 'man in a shed' build. From new both the steereing rams were hitting on the cutouts in the frame for them. I noticed just driving it across the yard from the trailer when I brought it back. How do you not notice that when you're building and testing the 84th model??? I had to die grind out well over 20mm both sides! See pics- both holes were round when I started!

 

The crane is not nice to use- it has 3/8 bulkhead fittings but only 1/4" hoses. Not sure if it comes from the crane factory like that or if Pekka fits them himself, but they should be 3/8 hoses. I''ll need to change them. Opening and closing the grab is torturously slow. It doesn't flow share at all on the spool block so pretty pointless paying extra for the joysticks. I reckon i'd be faster with levers. I can probably improve it with some fettling but I shouldn't have to be doing it. It may improve with use, but it's a lot of 'deliberate' movement required to change to slewing from lifting up the dipper, which is really not what you want, and whilst one joystick is doing something there's nothing really on the other. You can work around it, but it would be easier to work around it with levers if you have to!

 

The optional lights fitted are rubbish for the money. The switch gear is utterly hopeless- just a row of generic Chinese round switches, all black with no labelling. You've no idea if you're turning on (or off!) the lights, the torque convertor or the brakes. Should have been a rocker bank with different icons, they're all easily available. Ridiculous.

 

I am impressed with it's offroad ability. It will get places you'd struggle to with a tractor and trailer, even with wheel drive on the trailer. The joystic control is nice and works well. The torque box is a clever idea for more power, less speed when you need control. But it still has still a few clunks as you drive it, and I know that it something fails it will be a part that was built in a shed rather than the crane, engine or hydraulic pump.

 

I'd be very, very disappointed if I'd financed £35k on that rather than an Alpine tractor or Arb digger with cab for the same money. Basically the iooperating experience could be so much improved- but then I guess it would be £50k and that's utterly ridiculous. Digger manufacturers hve economy of scale, and it really shows in terms of what you get for the money.

 

Essentially it's OK as it was partly grant funded and it's handy to have around for the works we do.  I've got fifty hours on it now. But I'd hate to be trying to make a living from it, paying back finance, and having to go out and drive it daily.

 

Sorry @IronMike, @slack ma girdle!

Edited January 5 by doobin

[Puffingbilly413]

39 minutes ago, doobin said:

So-so. Not that impressed with the build quality for the money. I only bought as it was two thirds grant funded. But backup seems good. It's just that after 80+ units being produced I'd have hoped for less of a 'man in a shed' build. From new both the steereing rams were hitting on the cutouts in the frame for them. I noticed just driving it across the yard from the trailer when I brought it back. How do you not notice that when you're building and testing the 84th model??? I had to die grind out well over 20mm both sides! See pics- both holes were round when I started!

 

The crane is not nice to use- it has 3/8 bulkhead fittings but only 1/4" hoses. Not sure if it comes from the crane factory like that or if Pekka fits them himself, but they should be 3/8 hoses. I''ll need to change them. Opening and closing the grab is torturously slow. It doesn't flow share at all on the spool block so pretty pointless paying extra for the joysticks. I reckon i'd be faster with levers. I can probably improve it with some fettling but I shouldn't have to be doing it. It may improve with use, but it's a lot of 'deliberate' movement required to change to slewing from lifting up the dipper, which is really not what you want, and whilst one joystick is doing something there's nothing really on the other. You can work around it, but it would be easier to work around it with levers if you have to!

 

The optional lights fitted are rubbish for the money. The switch gear is utterly hopeless- just a row of generic Chinese round switches, all black with no labelling. You've no idea if you're turning on (or off!) the lights, the torque convertor or the brakes. Should have been a rocker bank with different icons, they're all easily available. Ridiculous.

 

I am impressed with it's offroad ability. It will get places you'd struggle to with a tractor and trailer, even with wheel drive on the trailer. The joystic control is nice and works well. The torque box is a clever idea for more power, less speed when you need control. But it still has still a few clunks as you drive it, and I know that it something fails it will be a part that was built in a shed rather than the crane, engine or hydraulic pump.

 

I'd be very, very disappointed if I'd financed £35k on that rather than an Alpine tractor or Arb digger with cab for the same money. Basically the iooperating experience could be so much improved- but then I guess it would be £50k and that's utterly ridiculous. Digger manufacturers hve economy of scale, and it really shows in terms of what you get for the money.

 

Essentially it's OK as it was partly grant funded and it's handy to have around for the works we do.  I've got fifty hours on it now. But I'd hate to be trying to make a living from it, paying back finance, and having to go out and drive it daily.

 

Sorry @IronMike, @slack ma girdle!

Yes you're right I would expect more given that there have been that many produced now - a shame as it looks brilliant on paper and from what I've seen of it (not in the flesh though).

 

That said, at least this is decent feedback that can go back to the producer, after which you would hope future runs will be much improved?

 

Plus, if you can change out parts etc slow time then presumably you'll be left with a very capable machine.

 

And tell us more re the grant funding - interested in that but struggle to see anything available locally to me for our scale of business.

[doobin]

4 minutes ago, Puffingbilly413 said:

Yes you're right I would expect more given that there have been that many produced now - a shame as it looks brilliant on paper and from what I've seen of it (not in the flesh though).

 

That said, at least this is decent feedback that can go back to the producer, after which you would hope future runs will be much improved?

 

Plus, if you can change out parts etc slow time then presumably you'll be left with a very capable machine.

 

And tell us more re the grant funding - interested in that but struggle to see anything available locally to me for our scale of business.

I did mention things to him but didn't get a very affirmitive response- could well be the language barrier though.

 

Grant funding was the FETF grant- I heard about it on here, apparently a few have been sold into this scheme. It's currently closed but there will most likely be another round, although who knows if 'mini forwarder' will be an item on the next scheme.

[slack ma girdle]

2 hours ago, doobin said:

So-so. Not that impressed with the build quality for the money. I only bought as it was two thirds grant funded. But backup seems good. It's just that after 80+ units being produced I'd have hoped for less of a 'man in a shed' build. From new both the steereing rams were hitting on the cutouts in the frame for them. I noticed just driving it across the yard from the trailer when I brought it back. How do you not notice that when you're building and testing the 84th model??? I had to die grind out well over 20mm both sides! See pics- both holes were round when I started!

 

The crane is not nice to use- it has 3/8 bulkhead fittings but only 1/4" hoses. Not sure if it comes from the crane factory like that or if Pekka fits them himself, but they should be 3/8 hoses. I''ll need to change them. Opening and closing the grab is torturously slow. It doesn't flow share at all on the spool block so pretty pointless paying extra for the joysticks. I reckon i'd be faster with levers. I can probably improve it with some fettling but I shouldn't have to be doing it. It may improve with use, but it's a lot of 'deliberate' movement required to change to slewing from lifting up the dipper, which is really not what you want, and whilst one joystick is doing something there's nothing really on the other. You can work around it, but it would be easier to work around it with levers if you have to!

 

The optional lights fitted are rubbish for the money. The switch gear is utterly hopeless- just a row of generic Chinese round switches, all black with no labelling. You've no idea if you're turning on (or off!) the lights, the torque convertor or the brakes. Should have been a rocker bank with different icons, they're all easily available. Ridiculous.

 

I am impressed with it's offroad ability. It will get places you'd struggle to with a tractor and trailer, even with wheel drive on the trailer. The joystic control is nice and works well. The torque box is a clever idea for more power, less speed when you need control. But it still has still a few clunks as you drive it, and I know that it something fails it will be a part that was built in a shed rather than the crane, engine or hydraulic pump.

 

I'd be very, very disappointed if I'd financed £35k on that rather than an Alpine tractor or Arb digger with cab for the same money. Basically the iooperating experience could be so much improved- but then I guess it would be £50k and that's utterly ridiculous. Digger manufacturers hve economy of scale, and it really shows in terms of what you get for the money.

 

Essentially it's OK as it was partly grant funded and it's handy to have around for the works we do.  I've got fifty hours on it now. But I'd hate to be trying to make a living from it, paying back finance, and having to go out and drive it daily.

 

Sorry @IronMike, @slack ma girdle!

Those are all valid points @doobin i have been sending back to Pekka when I have been modifying broken bits. Sometimes it does feel like it was made using shed technology,  but once you have a couple of hundred hours it does get better, as you learn to work with in its limitations.

A similar machine from Alstor or Kinetic is double the price.

The main thing to remember is when it breaks Pekka always has spares,  and compared to all my other machinery, it is ridiculous cheap to fix.