How many are left?

[Stephen Blair]

I wouldn't say it's a skill nearly lost, there are thousands of guys using saws in this country professionally .

i gave it 4 weeks and that was enough for me . But i had no former experience, i just got my tickets and thought i would be like the guys in a Stihl catalogue. it's not the cutting it's the getting about and carrying all your kit that's a pita!

[skyhuck]

We each have the power to get a realistic wage, if people will work for peanuts the bosses would be fools to pay more.

 

I looked at a job today, my quote was £1200, the customer offered £1000, I said "no, its £1200".

 

He rang later and asked me to book the job in.

 

The only people with the power to raise rates are the cutter, know your worth and don't work for less!!

 

I know its not easy and I really don't want to patronise any one, but its a tough job and deserves decent coin, IMO.

[Logrover]

ah well thats the problem....you either get on with the job or sit at home, you will not get any more money as its just not realistic!

[combined tree services]

When i say its a skill thats almost lost i mean the skill of felling and processing trees by hand with a chainsaw , i know there are still 1000's of us still using saws as a trade but the hand felling , snedding and processing is lost , its only when im teaching and assessing that i really get to do a bit of it and i must say i do genuinely miss it .

 

Your right Huck it is only ourselves that can raise the wage of a cutter or the value of a job , it is guys such as your self that know what a proper days work is and can give 100% to every job that warrant it , it seems that many of today's school/college/university leavers do not know what real graft is all about ! this is why we see a trade such as the original forester becoming a rare skill/trade . I trul do feel that there should be more effort put into keeping these skills going and where possible using these skills as opposed to machines

[skyhuck]

ah well thats the problem....you either get on with the job or sit at home, you will not get any more money as its just not realistic!

 

But if your not making a profit your better off sat at home.

 

Its very easy to be a busy fool.

[Logrover]

Exactly the reason im looking for other stuff but id rather work and be able to feed myself even if there is little left over at the end! :biggrin:that is life! I do also enjoy it when its not pissing it down!

[normandylumberjack]

The scene is somewhat different here as most of my felling is hardwoods and plus size softwood, the forests are managed in a much different way, and have been since the year dot. Timber is allowed to achieve its maximum value, and continuous cover is not just a new buzz word here. The idea of a whole tree chipper would make many foresters have a fit, and the idea of pulp wood is a desperate one. When timber is valued for what it can mature to, instead of looking for the speediest turn around on profit, then it will be worth more, and so to will the men and women felling it.

[johnnyboy158]

I've been working in forestry for 28 years or more done just about every job to do but you could not beat clear fell or thinning by hand now working for the guy I started with and he is still going strong a bit slower getting up the hill but can still do a days work we don't get to much large stuff any more usually what the harvester can't reach got a few lads going for chainsaw courses soon and mayby macke some cutters out of them

[Stephen Blair]

When i say its a skill thats almost lost i mean the skill of felling and processing trees by hand with a chainsaw , i know there are still 1000's of us still using saws as a trade but the hand felling , snedding and processing is lost , its only when im teaching and assessing that i really get to do a bit of it and i must say i do genuinely miss it .

 

I don't see how it's lost,if you can use a saw, then all you do is cut down the tree, cut the branches off it and cut It to the size you have been told depending on diameters. The individual will get better with practice.

Humans learned how to do things from scratch, so for others to learn even if the last tradesman in the world has pegged it, we have plenty of books and videos and buttons on a screen to learn from, then once again, the individual will learn:biggrin:

[agrimog]

down here in the southwest of scotland thees going to be a need for old fashioned cutters soon, a lot of the forests were planted 40-50years ago, before everybody was using machinery, harvesters cant work on near vertical slopes or into valleys and in areas where its so wet, the ducks sink. I cut my teeth in these areas and its still fun to watch the young "operators" trying to use a harvester in places when you tell them "forget it mate, thans a saw job", but then again theyve been to college, got the "tickets" , so they must know best........lol