Tom at Heartwood

Just looking at the specs and the weight of the FS410 looks to be the same as the FS460 at 8.5kg (compared to 10.2kg for the FS560).

Cheers for that. How are the 410s with a mulching blade?

Hello, We've got a Stihl FS560 CE-M which is a very good tool and gets used for bashing all sorts of rough vegetation including rhododendron regrowth, with a mulching blade, as well as softer stuff with Oregon flexiblade or similar. I need another clearing saw for similar work by another team member but am thinking that a slightly lighter model would be handy but still one that can still work well with a mulching blade. I'm thinking about a lighter machine as the FS560 is heavy after a long day and the power isn't always needed. I'm happy with the Stihl and would welcome any thoughts on the FS460 or FS490, or perhaps a smaller model to complement the FS560. Best wishes, Tom.

Hello. I have a woodland owning client with some impressive wild cherry that we will be felling a proportion of later in the year. The location is between Lancaster and Kirkby Lonsdale. The DBH ranges from 40 to 60cm and the timber height is up to 8m. I would expect around 8 to 10 cubic meters of sawlogs. The stems look to be sound and only one or two have pronounced spiralling. We are willing to sell at roadside as logs or we can mill to any dimensions. A Forestry Commission management plan and felling licence will be in place. If anyone is interested then please send me a message or give me a ring to discuss. Cheers. Tom. 07769 676536. Sent from my SM-G935F using Arbtalk mobile app

I'm looking at a job in the Eden Valley that involves lifting a fallen tree out of a steep sided gyhll. It would need a crane that could lift 2 tonnes plus at around 10m reach ideally. I would rather a clean lift rather than dragging up the bank. Access is reasonable up a lane alongside. The job could be done in a day. Any suggestions on who has the right machine are welcome. Thanks. Tom. Sent from my SM-G935F using Arbtalk mobile app

Thanks. Anything particular to look out for with that one? Sent from my SM-G935F using Arbtalk mobile app

How much of a job is rebuilding a bogie? Is it expensive? Cheers. Tom. Sent from my SM-G935F using Arbtalk mobile app

Thanks. I'm already on the FMO blog. I'll post a message. Sent from my SM-G935F using Arbtalk mobile app

In what way is the 810 a better machine would you say? Sent from my SM-G935F using Arbtalk mobile app

I'm looking for a smallish forwarder that will take around 8 tonnes and fit through a 10' gate at a squeeze. My budget limits me to arround a 20 year old machine with high hours and I'm thinking of either a Valmet 820 or a Timberjack 810. I'm interested in views on pros and cons of either or thoughts on alternative machines. Cheers. Tom. Sent from my SM-G935F using Arbtalk mobile app

We are pleased to have recently met, via Arbtalk, a number of new customers including firewood merchants, home firewood enthusiasts who like to split their own logs and a chainsaw carver. We still have a plentiful supply of round and sawn timber and firewood from ongoing felling contracts and tree surgery jobs. We are happy to discuss supplying any quantity from our base in Rosgill near Shap in Cumbria. Tom.

Same question regarding the Bedford. What will it carry. Tom. Sent from my SM-G935F using Arbtalk mobile app

Hi Al. What weight of load can you carry on your lorry? Tom. Sent from my SM-G935F using Arbtalk mobile app

Thanks for the messages so far. The beech has now been sold but we have processor size and over-size softwood available. Tom. Sent from my SM-G935F using Arbtalk mobile app

Hi Peter. I have sent you a message. We usually have firewood available near Shap in various types and sizes. Tom. Sent from my SM-G935F using Arbtalk mobile app

We have pine, larch and spruce available for firewood or woodchip from ongoing felling contracts. Access for wagon and drag or anything smaller but tricky for an artic. Usually cut to 4m lengths but any length available. Split billets also available, loose or bundled. Logs can be sorted to processor sizes, say up to 300 or 350mm, and oversize also available at keen prices. We are a BSL registered supplier and the necessary felling licences, management plans etc can be verified. In fact most of our stock is from FSC accredited woodlands. Very local delivery is possible otherwise collection from our yard in Rosgill near Shap, CA10 2QX. Help with loading is possible by crane or forklift. Plenty of softwood available. We also have about a wagon load of beech near Keswick that has been felled a year or so, mostly too big for a firewood processor. We also mill the timber ourselves and currently have a good supply of European larch sawlogs that can be sawn to order. Send a message or email or give us a ring. Tom Heartwood Enterprises. [email protected] 01931 716195 07769 676536

I test drove two new NP300 Navaras a couple of days ago. A manual Tekna and an auto N Connecta (16 plate demonstrators with Euro 5 engines). I had only recently got around to thinking of a Nissan after hearing of past problems with the earlier Navaras. I have never owned a Navara and my driving experience of them is less than one hour, however... I was impressed by the handling and the engine seemed quite lively. The manual gearbox was easy to use. The one with the auto box seemed to me to be revving quite high before changing gear and seemed a bit too busy when driving around the lanes. I like that there is an option for rear diff-lock, I haven't come across that on the other contenders. I didn't find the drivers seat comfortable, the leather one was particularly stiff and I wouldn't have one out of choice, the cloth one was OK but not great. I'm interested to try a Dmax with an auto box but overall I really wish that Toyota would get to grips with the gross towing weight thing (i.e. plate the Hi-Lux at 3500kg gross trailed). Cheers, Tom.

I have a Schaffer 442 pivot steer loader. It's not a telehandler but it will lift to 3.2m. It is probably the most useful and versatile machine that I have. I use it with a loader bucket, log grab, pallet forks, hydraulic log splitter and billet bundler. I have made up an adaptor so that it can carry three point linkage mounted equipment but it doesn't have a PTO. I looked into fitting a PTO driven from the auxiliary hydraulic service but decided that it wasn't worth while. The Schaffer is my main machine in the yard and goes out on site on a 3.5t gross trailer. I looked at and tried avants but decided to go for the Schaffer as they have tough mechanical axles.

What could that legally tow on the road then?

Stephen, Did you put a hydraulic winch on your digger and if so where did you mount it and how is it working out? Cheers, Tom.

That's an impressive operation. I guess the IBCs on the main raft are as counter-weights. Is the big yellow trailed thing on the bank (with the black hopper behind it) a pump to remove water from the silt and how does that fit into the scheme of things? Tom.

I've got the Doosan DX27Z on demo at the moment. I quite like it, it has 1100 hours so its still relatively tight and up-together. The controls are positive, swift and smooth. I've just dug 50m of 1m deep trench and a big hole for a domestic sewage plant and it has done well. With two speed tracking it travels well, although the cab rattles a lot in the higher speed. The cab is reasonable spacious (I'm about 6') and the seat is adequate but not brilliant. I find the noise in the cab a bit irritating after a while, not sure if a Kubota engine will run quieter than a Yanmar although I suspect that it will. I've been trying to keep things within the 3.5t trailer load constraint for years with Alpine tractor, Schaffer loader etc. Hence my looking at 2.5 to 2.7t diggers. The DX27Z weighs in at close to 2.8t and I guess that is without fuel, hitch and bucket. So really its going to be difficult to keep it to 3.5t gross even with a very lightweight trailer and I'm not convinced that a very lightweight trailer will stand the rough track towing that I sometimes do. I'll try a Kubota KX61 and a Volvo EC25 although I do like zero tail swing, despite the counter-weight compromise. However, we do have a mog that can tow more and would be fine with a 3.5t digger or bigger on the right trailer. So, I'm thinking myself around in circles again and wondering what sort of trailer would best be suited. Mid rather than rear axles, Rottinger hitch, air brakes, low centre of gravity - I guess I need to look on German ebay or ask A C Price. Tom.

I just phoned up our local Wacker dealer and he seemed very keen for me to try a Hyundai R25Z AK that they are currently doing for £20K and 0% finance. I don't know much about them except that they are Kubota engined. Tom.

Hello. I've got a Doosan DX27 on demo tomorrow, any thoughts or experiences of these? I'm looking for a machine to tow on a 3.5t trailer, not necesssarily zero tail swing. It's for ground work at home, possibly for use with a cone log splitter/stump planer and log grab and for bits and pieces of woodland access track work. Also considering a Kubota KX61 and Volvo EC25 or EC27. Cheers, Tom.

Here's a new thread as a spin off from the one on the theme of Disco 3 experiences. If I go for a Land Cruiser Amazon instead of a Discovery, for a heavy towing but comfortable workhorse that is capable of high miles, then should I go for a manual or auto? There are more autos available than manuals and I appreciate that is down to personal preference at the end of the day. If auto then there are the three speeds up until 2003 and the four speeds after that. Is the 4 speed a marked improvement over the 3 speed and are there particular issues with each? Your thoughts and experiences would be welcome once again. Tom.