normandylumberjack

I cannot help with regards to work offers etc. but wish you well in your new life in France.

I am sure you have heard the many horror stories about starting a bussines in France, and the general issues can be researched on angloinfo, I hope your french is good and your paitience is of saintly measures because i think everyone i know that has ever moved to france to work has found life to be difficult.

My advice beyond this would be; buy your kit in the uk, don't spend all your money on a renovation, get earning asap- money goes so fast here, get registered asap so you have a siret no. and you will be able advertise. Forget getting full time employment, no one will employ you- it costs them too much! And, expats are a funny lot, be prepared for anything!

Try to get in with the french and work for them, that is where your customer base will be.

Dont take anything as read, always get a second opinion on everything official.

If you need help, we are here. Good luck

Im sure that there would be plenty of people happy to pay for such teachings, i hope i didn't ask too much. Let me know if you get something together, would love to learn how to improve my finish.

That looks like a nice setup you have there, how big are your woods and do you produce all the wood that you mill?

I thought maybe as a foot note to future photos, as a teaching feature for us not in the know.

But for example, the Chestnut on page one. i would imagine the limb on the left would be reduced to ease the wieght on that side, and balance the tree from wind load, in the advent of the near by trees getting a trim.

But would like to know how it should be done, you could even make a sub thread with before, and after photos, with a few lines drawn on the before image to show the intended route.

I feel that this could help a lot of arbs in achieving better results, and lessen the number of posts with "oh my god, look at this piece of work" be our mentor!

eggs and one basket.

Some people dont have the option to choose a job they love, let alone change from one job they love to a new one in a different area.

If you know your stuff, then a training or teaching post may be an option? or sales in one of the arb shops passing on your wisdom.

I have had to take some fairly crappy jobs to pay the bills, and will again if i have to.

I have been a cleaner of school toilets, pot washer, dogs body, sales assistant. Hated it, but it didnt kill me.

Not a rant, but people do the worst jobs with never having enjoyed the delights of topping a coni hedge. Brave lads are returning from afghanistan with major injuries and getting on with less help than they deserve, there is always hope if you know where to look.

This is a big question, not to be glossed over with flippancy. I've been "on the club" since October, and every day I've been fighting hard to regain strength and fitness so I can return to work. I'm just about there now, 6 months down the line. But what if I just can't do the job any more, i mean the level of fitness is extreme, its one thing being fit, but another to be work fit for this job. management? I'm no manager. Consultant? It's not me. Then what? I really don't know, but I will be back... Somehow!

Team leader-

Get a megaphone and a rifle and "motivate" the less able arbs?

Great thread this, shame about all the takers, but finding it very informative.

Could you give some recomendations of how you would address the issues of each photo for the benefit of the newer generation, and the old gaurd too by the sounds of it!

P.s. only joking about the pee pee extractors, keep it up- on another thread

we took a days holiday! the odd day is one thing but its been getting silly of late, im going to buy a woodmizer and construct an Ark.

I love it when they impose hosepipe bans or declare a BBQ summer, it guarantees to rain constantly from that day forth!

Love it!

What would be the point of going on! I dont even want to think like that, but i could go back to being a City banker if things got tuff!

or brain surgeon:lol:

Just had a look on Amazon, they only do the book.

Yes, printed on finest Andrex, for the benefit of the dealer:lol:

Only kidding, no idea, sorry!

I was just about to get back in truck to start again. Now the heavens opened again. I hope your back gets better mate, Had that last year not nice at all. could'nt do anything for week and half.

Thanks Maggie, I seem to get it once a year, started when i was 16 driving tractor forwarders with no swivel seat! Only happens when Im doing the most mundane things, today was wipeing the breakfast table.

Its eased up for rain here, but the wind is gusting something fierce, Im watching a distant oak waiting for a limb to fail from my bed, like james stewart in "rear window"

Here we go!

It's a big industry & more varied than some folk realise. There's space for lots of different outfits working lots of different jobs. It sounds like your business concentrates primarily on large loads of timber in short spaces of time. We on other hand do allot of woodland restoration & low impact thinning. So having small gear with a tiny footprint at our disposal as well means that we can carry out this work to the very best standards. For a clear fell or heavy thin we'd take a tractor & bigger trailer, but as I've suggested it's not always what's required.

 

The other thing I find myself considering is that not everyone has the need or indeed the money to invest in big gear. If a pedal bike towing a homemade trailer to shift a few branches cut with a pruning saw back from a local wood is all they need, haven't they shown great wisdom by not going mad with an rdpe grant & a copy of the forestry journal.

 

This website, is not exclusive, it is as far as I'm aware open to all to join. Full time, part time, home use only, small business or big business. Stick collectors, horse loggers, quad loggers, heavy plant users, harvesters & timber merchants should I believe be able to respect one anothers methods & the areas within which they work.

 

And above all, this thread is entitled small scale timber extraction.

Am I ranting, it's a bit early for a rant, my apologies.

Well put:adore:

I'm layed up in bed with a pulled back/trapped nerve, glad i dont have to work in this weather tis blowin a hoely ere, plenty of work in the clean up tho, hope my back improves for that jem!

Both are fantastic saws, I prefer the 660 myself, but it would be an idea to visit a dealer and handle them both, see which feels better and more intuative to use. Heated handles are a must imo, what with the vibe levels.

Lets not make this another Husky Vs. Stihl thread lads, if you know your kit, you will know that at this level there is'nt a lot to choose between the 2, its down to which is best for you.

The husky 390xpg is also a great saw, but may be a bit small for your needs, very smooth and pointable.

Have a look at your local dealer options, the top 2 brands Husky and stihl will be a good place to start looking, there are other brands such as echo or makita, but I would go for a brand used by the pro's.

A saw of about 45-50cc should see you well for most of the jobs you will encounter, and handle a 18" bar just fine, also allowing for smaller guidebar fitting.

A pro level saw will last you longer than a home or semi pro saw, but you will be fine with a semi pro/farm saw. A stihl ms 271 or Husky 353 would be a good place to start. Husky 346xp would last you a life time and would be my saw of the centuary!

Visit your dealer, have a feel of what works for you and feels right.

Also, if you havent done so, get yourself on a chainsaw course and learn not only how to use your new saw but also to maintain it, money well spent imo.

Also remember PPE. Trousers and Lid- with eye and ear protection, should be classed as the minimum you need.

Valmets offer reverseable seats which helps 100% when using it for forwarding, and with good all round visibility, it makes crane operation much more user friendly. I remeber the change when i was working on an estate in cornwall, they had a big Ford with a highland bear conversion, and forwarding trailer. the seat had no swivel function and you had to twist around in your seat. I pulled my back so often it wasnt funny. Then moved to a valmet 6400 with reverse drive and botex 560? it was in a different world. you could also opperate all the functions while in the reverse position. Its a shame that when county took over the uk sales in the 80's they didnt do an equal wheel conversion, as it would have floated over the ground!

 

Found this and thought it looks quite cool

Somebody help, there's a unimog getting raped by a digger in a field!

Husky 44, got it from a guy selling it out of the local paper when I was 14.

I had just done a weeks work experience on a local estate in the woods dept., and had been helping by fueling, oiling and sharpening. I even got to use a saw cutting laurel, so had to get one for myself!

Turned up at the guys house, got a lift from my mummy, tried to tell him i knew what i was doing and realised that i had never started a saw before, looked a right arse trying to pull it without my foot in the rear handle! a steep learning curve then followed!

I thought this was cool when I first saw it

 

eBay - The UK's Online Marketplace

If i could get that registered in france i would buy that today! no chance of that tho:cry:

What about the people who are near the cat when its being made ?

I doubt they would be able to afford an autotune saw, or need one as all the rainforest around them has already been cut down.

It's like all the eco friendly cars that run a big batteries, a.) what are the eco costs of the lecky to charge them (nucular)? and b.) where do we dispose of the lovely metals inside them? and then the carbon in shipping all this crap around the world in giant ships, that do ? miles to the gallon!

Rant over, Im off to raise the rainbow warrior from her watery grave, and find swampy!

Sounds like my bag, have been doing this kind of thing since I got here 7 years ago for ex-pats and french forestry companies too.

If you want to PM me with some more details, and a google map link I would be happy to offer advice and possibly bring the woodland into some form of profitability for your Friends parents.

I want one too, I think more trucks should be 6x6, and cars too. If only you could run it on willow biomass!

What sort of work is involved? Im based in Normandy and I think Ty is brittany, If its a few days work then it would be worth the trip. If its a climber your after Ty may be your man, as I'm still learning the ropes! If your looking for Forestry then I may be able to help.

Hope I'm not over stepping the mark recomending you Ty?