Brushcutter

the clearfell

A few from the clear fell where it finally started to snow. Then it stopped warmest winter in 50 years in Finland

Back in the UK for Christmas so i thought i'd put a few pictures up from some Finnish forestry antics. Spent the last 5 months driving forwarders and harvesters. I tend to do more forwarding than harvesting as forwarding is more enjoyable. Done a few thinnings and 2 clearfells (1 cutting one forwarding). The 3rd landing on a clear fell site. Pulling out the brash (that kept 5 forwarders busy 4 on brash 1 on stumps) Thinning Scotts Pine stand The 1st landing of 3 on the pine thinning Ponnse Beaver extending the landing a little

Nice new bits of kit. Nice to see the smaller heads comming more popular and there being a bit more choice out there. Not too sure on the loader/feller grapple though i'd have to see one in action.

Worked with Steve a lot. Top guy

The forwarder fell over a little. Since the site is for development everything is comming off brash stumps the lot. They had a 14 tonne digger with a set of stump sheers pulling the stumps up and piling them up for the forwarder. The 1110 was a little overloaded and when it drove away the nose lifted and its wheel went in a hole of a dug out stump and over it went. They pulled it upright with the stump harvesting digger. left it overnight to for everything to drain back to where it should be checked it and off it went to work again. Another 1110 tipped over last week although that was rather stupidly laying out the band tracks and near full reach of the crane. I'd also like to point out that i wasn't driving either at the time. I've been driving forwarders at the moment. An old Valmet 820 (which is my fave) and a Ponsse Caribou which has a VERY fast crane and very sensitive controls. Next week i'll be taking a shot on the harvesters....well thats if my foot isn't broken. Which i stupidly managed to do after cleaning the harvester yesterday. X rays tomorrow. No snow yet should be some by the end of the month i'm told. Had the first set of Northern Lights though

more pics

the pics

Hi all Just before i left for Finland a month or so ago i said i'd put up pictures. The internet is a long way away here but i've found some. i promiced Mr Blair some pics of big boys toys so here they are. It's a clear fell for development just outside Tampere in Finland about can't remember the cubic meterage well over 2000. Been there 3 weeks the kit went on the low loaders last night to the next thinning job. Night shift is the best woking under the forwarder lights. All the biomass has come off the site too. Had 4 forwarders pulling brash on the last night and one forwarder pulling stumps. I think that that forwarder is still there.

It's a nice little winch. One of the estates i did some work on had one. I was very impressed in what sunch a small winch could pull. Is the cable rated high enough for a bit of redirecting so you can get 6t of pull?

I agree i'd steer well clear. We use a steel cable in our winch although crushing is an issue. We had nylon core stuff but that was rubbish as it matted up on the drum. The EA only use Plasmarope in their winches and an assessor i know swares by it. Whats your budget for a winch? Personaly i'd look at uniforest ones unless you want to spend a lot the Igland ones. Also the size of winch depends on the size of tractor.

Dam nice cranes unfortuantly very expensive but they have a good lift and importantly fast. Spent a lot of time talking to them at the APF.

What sort of a beast was that. A 203T on a jake mount was about 18k. It's 6m reach is nice its lift just isn't there.

I know a guy who will only go to Osbornes. Although i'm not sure he is totally happy with his 14 tonne moheda trailer with 7m crane without stablisers on. His had it a month and its been over 3 times.

It's £18500 for the 560 £19,200 for the 570 and £2100 for the 580 all done up at Wilsons. If you can get hold of him it is very helpful. I'm sure he can just ship the crane.

Getting hold of John can be a pain they're always very busy. Do you just want the 560 crane or do you want the 560 crane with all the bits to do the guarding and mounting as well. If you can't get hold of John try talking to Ewan he is very helpful and works out in the workshop. Seeing and working with several Botex roof mounts their work is top notch. I can only hazard a guess but i'd expect that around 6k is what they're charging for frame fitting and guarding. If you get your guarding done else where just make sure they cut out holes for all the filters and bits you need to grease in the belly plate. Because if they don't its a total PITA (I've seen it done too, although the guy did make his own). If your giving it a serious hammering woth considering an guarded tank too. Also i recommend the 570 crane its 1m longer which gives you about 6.5m working reach. Still the same lift and i think its about an exra grand. Mine is ariving in 2 weeks hopfully. Most people who have a 560 really want a 570....hindsight is a beautiful thing.

I used a scandinavian forest axe a high lift and a plastic wedge rather than the felling lever. The axe can be carried on my belt with in a hammer holder wedges can go in a pouch. Got a little turning strop for rolling hang ups. I have a smaller felling leaver that i've put a bit of rope through the hole in the handle and tied it just above the hook. Means you can carry it over a sholder making it easier to carry. I've done the same on the big one too.

I do like the Husky roller guides. I think they're easier to use and give a much more consistant sharpen than the STIHL ones. I always do the final pass by hand though.

How many HP do you need behind that for it to work?

I've met Mr Coppard himself several times. They do a lot of our track surfacing with that brilliant grader of theres. They're tracked cranes and platforms are ace.

I've recently gone from a kwikchip 431 to a Bandit 150xp. A jump from 9" to 12" means a lot less snedding and neatening up big forks. At 1.5tonnes and thats the PTO version its big and heavy. I'm mainly forestry/estate work so it's perfect for that. Not sure i'd want to drag it around the streets of St. Albans doing domestic arb though. Your right about the sub 750kg demand. The Bandit was a reposesion job sold through the Bandit dealers and it was 10k with less that 1 hours use.

Did you hire it in from Coppards?

I have mine with O2. As i have my mobile with them it works out at about 12 quid a month.

Nice grinder Jerry. Looks like Rods one except a bit bigger and newer.

Good grabs the Botex grabs.