Brushcutter

I've used Ponsse H60e heads on hard woods and they cope very well. Obviously you get some stuff that is too branch to go through but you just drop it next to the logs for the hand cutters. I've also used 745 and 754 heads on 10/1270 again they do ok but not as well as the H60. As for heads designed for hardwoods I've not seen one but i have herd that there are some ones designs to work on Sweet Chestnut. The rollers are more powerful to crush the braches before knocking them off with the knives.

I have both FMO tractor and MO1 tractor. They're very similar just a bit more stuff in the FMO one. You'll need wheeled rigid base unit which is FMO 1.3 and roof mounted crane is FMO 3.4 i think. It doesn't really matter as if you do your timber trailer test with a roof crane/jake plate crane or a bunk mounted crane as you get all 3 on your certificate now.

Forest Machine Operator Certificate. It's the NPTC scheme for forest machines. Chainsaw ones start CS the forest machine ones start FMO. There' lots of them too.

I don't think they ever found out. never happened again.

Yes many years ago now though. Blades broke and came through the flywheel housing. Wasn't my chipper though.

hmm not far from me. I think i know who's it is too.

Thought about a new Valtra? A92/95 are rather nice little forest tractors. The cab is a little small for forwarding but you can manage. Ours pull a 10 tonne forwarding trailer even loaded with big timber. It will also run a Bandit 150xp chipper without too many problems. Saying that i'd rather have an N series you get a 4 cylinder engine rather than 3 bigger cab with a flat floor. Not that much change in phyisical size either. There is a T120 vatra on ebay at the moment for about 20k.

Not good. I really want a 550/560 but for each person who says they are the bee's knees the is another telling you not to touch one with a barge pole. I do have a 576 that went bang about a month out of warrenty and husky replaced it with not questioned asked. The crank did decided it wanted to explore the underside of the exhaust so you can see why they did. 390 constantly spits out nuts and bolts and crappy dealer support means you never get anywhere. Seem the new gen saws just aren't as good as their old counterparts.

If you do come to the fireworks unless you live very close come on the train! It brings the place to a standstill from about 4pm onwards. I think capacity is around about 12,000 and it. They start at 7 but it's normally 8 by the time all the people queing to drive in have got in. Either way it's a fantastic night out. Another site that won't be a million miles away from you is Broxbourne Woods. Its a national nature reserve and SSSI too i think. Not got those lovely old parkland veterans of hatfield but some lovely old Hornbeam coppice (from memory one of the biggest).

David Sorry i didn't get a chance to meet you up at Ashridge. I think they use to have just posts around some of them. Maybe posts and rope. I quite like the little railings just because they make a good seat at all the events. It's a good compromise i can think of one ancient tree on my estate that has/had a 6' post and rail fence around it.

Fine pictures. I live about a 15 min walk away from the park and it's got some fantastic trees. In fact it's one of my favorite places to go for a walk. I've been fortunate enough to do some work there in the past so i've got to see a bit more of the estate that i otherwise would have done. It has a fine collection of veteran which are nicely looked after too. On the 3rd of November they're having fireworks in the park so you get to see a few of the trees at night. They look really cool especially once all the bonfire smoke starts going everywhere.

What species are you looking for? What sizes can you deal with? What grade of log are you after? Might be some useful info for some potential suppliers.

I've used a 8000 and 6000 series Valmets in the woods. I think a 6850 is a small sized valtra with a big engine. They go most places i've started taking a 4m silky pruner with me just to get the clearance for the roof. Ground clearance is good but the turning circle can be a little large.

Hmm they're on 1270E now. I doesn't look like it had a new head so the head has done 11,000 odd hours too. I know its only 21k but i think someone will be buying a lot of problems. Looks like the steering joystick is missing out the armrest too.

660 i think. He made cutting that Humbolt look so easy.

I think that chipper once ate a top link...

Double extensions can be quite easy to bend if not use correctly. Seen a Ponsse S10 with a bent extension and it wasn't just a case of heating it back straight either. I must admit to not knowing how the 580 is set up. I did look on you tube at the 580 crane and the extensions seem to work in tandem which is very good as it's harder to bend them. What i don't like is the way the hoses hang down for the second extension if you were chipping with it i could see those getting caught very easily. I have the standard Botex valve block controls, which is a massive imporvemt over their old 8 leavers. The down side is that the extension is painfully slow. You should put the extension out as you extend the dipping boom but its so slow but and wacking the pump up doesn't do much either, i think its the way it's set up. Watching the 580 on you tube though which i assume runs off the tractor spools the extension seems the speed it should be.

I can't see 13" .325 bars for huskies on jonsies website Charlie. 15 seem to be the shortest or am i blind.

I too would be interested in a 13" bar .325 for husky 346/357.

That Spitfire one is ace.

He must have a good reason they cost about 3K less. Double extension can be a pain though.

Cosworth has the 580 i think. I have the 570 it's long enough i've not yes wished for a 580. Although you need a big heavy lump of tractor under an 8m crane unless you like sideways.

I've given up on them, unless its big or maybe the first few grab fulls. I just use the steering draw bar to push it to the other side to loading. oh the rams for them are about 350 quid each:blushing: As for Botex cranes if you want lifting power get a botex no doubt about it. All the proper forestry cranes are around 1.5t maybe 2.2 on the biggest ones. Botex is 2.8t close in. Being mainly a hardwood person i find botex much better than the other offerings. If i did pure production softwood i'd get a kronos though. The old botex only a 5m crane on a 10 tonne trailer with 2 bays of 9' Oak and a new botex 7m crane on 10 tonne trailer with 2 bays of 8'

Word. Why oh why do they weld in pipes into the extension ram? just use a a threaded fitting! Then when you knock then on a tree it's not a 700 quid ram.

What lifted the 6300/6400 back upright after you tipped it lifting that. Seesaw on to a detached trailer by any chance?