Alpine tractor work

[Chris Sheppard]

Hi guys, thanks for the speedy replies.

Low impact stuff was what I was thinking but is there much demand for this?

 

Thanks again

 

Depends what you mean by low impact.

 

There's lots of small, unmanaged woodlands out there that suit small gear because they're unviable for bigger machines, but the only way it's going to pay is by getting decent weight out - actual paid work for a low impact machine isn't massively common, other than if you can get in with some of the conservation bodies.

[treedave]

I've gone the low(er) impact route, with alpine + trailer and Oxtrac skidder. There are plenty of guys to get in by the day with valtra & 10t trailers.

 

Most of my woodland work is as thinning contracts, coppice restoration or poor access site (old 6-7' gates & tracks are common round me). I've even got one clear fell, only 2 acres, but I've got it cos I can winch my machine up the side of a railway cutting to get onto site, all other access is on foot only.

 

As Chris says not much paid contracting work, but I'm not looking for it.

 

 

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[Treehugger1]

Chris, that is exactly the sort of work I thought I might be able to get into.

I have half a foot in the door with one of the bigger conservation groups to do work on sssi.

As for the ride/scrub clearing would I be better with a mulcher or a flail collector?

[Chris Sheppard]

Chris, that is exactly the sort of work I thought I might be able to get into.

I have half a foot in the door with one of the bigger conservation groups to do work on sssi.

As for the ride/scrub clearing would I be better with a mulcher or a flail collector?

 

At 50hp, you'll struggle to find a mulcher to work well - partly because of the weight but more importantly because of the power needed to work it effectively. Don't get too sucked in by figures in brochures.

 

I don't have much experience of flail collectors but have worded alongside one a bit this year and on the right stuff it was great, however, the box fills very fast (so can spend as much time going and emptying the box as mowing) and on the whole they are either quite light weight or very, very expensive in comparision to a conventional heavy duty flail.

 

On most of the conservation type mowing that I help out on, it's done with a conventional flail with hammers (rather than Y blades) and that's usually small thorn and gorse, brambles and rough grass.

 

Plain old ride mowing and inter-row mowing is always just a normal flail too.

 

Does your tractor have reverse drive? If so, try and find a reverse drive flail

[Treehugger1]

The figures in brochures is mind boggling.

It is a rev-drive. If on rough ground do the hammers stand up well?

I have been asked to do some heather work but I think the ground will knock hill out the flail mower?? Chain swipe better option for that?

[Tom D]

I have a reverse drive flail on my alpine, if you want a look at it some time get in touch, the hammers will take a fair bit of punishment...

[Treehugger1]

That would be helpful tom thanks. Are you still in the Duns area?

[Treehugger1]

What type of winch should I be looking at?

[Brushcutter]

What type of winch should I be looking at?

 

Uniforest, Krpan, Fransgard.

 

All very good. At the smaller end there is not much to choose between them. Make sure you get a electro hydraulic one rather than manual. Much more versatile and the radio remote is worth its weight in gold too.

[Treehugger1]

Thanks for the info Brushcutter and you answered my next question too.