training for tree harvester

[salter]

is there anyone on arb talk who know how to become train to use a tree havester or who would be willing to train me

[Brushcutter]

You've got a few options:

1. Go to Finland and do a 1 year course on them.

2. Go to Sweden and do a 1 year course on how to use them.

3. Pay almost as much money as you would for 1 or 2 but do a 6 week course at Baroney college in Scotland.

4. Learn to use a forwarder and work your way upto harvester.

5. Get very good at using a digger and try to get into it that way.

[salter]

baroney college may be a good idea,i can already use a digger.any other useful information about using tree haverster,

[Brushcutter]

If you can drive a 360 take the FMO 1.1 test which will let you use one on most site. Get your harvester provisional permit from the FC and try to find a contractor to take you on. It's quite a hard area to get into to be honest.

Yep.

 

Any other useful information about using tree haverster,

 

If you can see the top knife it's about to get very expensive.

Don't feed towards the window.

Never venture off the brash mat.

If your driving a John Deere and you hear more than five or 6 clicks on the frame break and you find your self at a very funny angle think very carefully what do next and hand on; as your about to fall over.

[combined tree services]

My only advice would be to seriously consider just how many options/avenues of employment that would be open to you at the end of your training , i regularly hear og experienced harvester operators who are looking for work . not trying to put you off but it may be worth some serious consideration bfore spending a significant amount of money on training.

[Brushcutter]

My only advice would be to seriously consider just how many options/avenues of employment that would be open to you at the end of your training , i regularly hear og experienced harvester operators who are looking for work . not trying to put you off but it may be worth some serious consideration bfore spending a significant amount of money on training.

 

Very wise words.

Also you really need to be a forwarder driver first as the chances of getting in the door as a harvester driver are quite slim.

[salter]

what is the pay like

[woodworm]

That depends on how good you are. Do you know your species of tree, do you understand the markets, have you ever done any tree felling of any kind before, have you ever driven a forwarder before? I know of a so called "experienced" harvester driver who was taken on recently by someone, and he couldnt fell enough timber in a day to pay for his wages and the fuel that the harvester had consumed.

Not trying to put you off but you really do need to have a good understanding of the business if thats the route you want to take

[woodworm]

If your driving a John Deere and you hear more than five or 6 clicks on the frame break and you find your self at a very funny angle think very carefully what do next and hand on; as your about to fall over.

 

Thats funny, very true but funny :lol: