Spruce Pirate
-
Posts
1,080 -
Joined
-
Last visited
-
Days Won
1
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Classifieds
Tip Site Directory
Blogs
Articles
News
Arborist Reviews
Arbtalk Knot Guide
Gallery
Store
Freelancers directory
Everything posted by Spruce Pirate
-
Handheld petrol powered winch
Spruce Pirate replied to monkeybusiness's topic in Forestry and Woodland management
I got a Portable Winch version. Great bit of kit, really useful in the right situation. I got it from Jones before they went bust, don't know where/if to get one now. I like it, but if I had my time over I'd get one with a clutch if possible, although the Portable Winch does have the advantages that it's (relatively) cheap and runs on any rope, normally a retired climbing rope. -
Never used the wee skid-loaders, but would reiterate what others have said that the mini-digger is a great tool in the woods. If you're worried about tearing the ground up you can always work stuff out slowly with it so you're only tracking over the ground once. Take material, slew round with it and stack it as far as you can reach, track back and repeat. Works well with logs, wouldn't think it would work so well with brash. You can also reach over and around things better with the digger I'd think, so you could lift over a fence with it rather than having to track around it with a loader. All depends on the job I suppose, in an ideal world you'd get both, and a tractor, and a unimog, and a lorry, and a lightsabre, and, and, and, and........ My list of things I need seems to be never ending!
-
Our old accountant reckoned I could buy a Rolls Royce as a work truck as a sole trader as the HMRC test is slightly different for sole trader vs company, but a) I couldn't and can't afford a Rolls Royce in roadworthy condition and b) it wouldn't be very practical. The theory still stands though, you can buy anything for work if you meet the criteria, although I'd still check it out with the accountant if I actually wanted to do it. (note the old accountant was perfectly trustworthy and the only reason he isn't still our accountant is due to him being deceased rather than any dodgy advice he gave us about vehicles)
-
Working away accommodation
Spruce Pirate replied to Logrover's topic in Forestry and Woodland management
Yes, they do. But some also get hotels, depends who you're working for and where the site is. It's been years since I was staying away in the caravan, but it used to be OK so long as it wasn't all the time. Most folk I know tend to get a mix of jobs close to home and further away so they're not staying on site year round. -
This item is SOLD
- FOR SALE
- USED
Hopefully the last of the chainsaw clearout. A box of random Husky parts, 2 series, 3 series and 5 series. Exhausts, covers, bodies, carbs, all sorts shoved in a box unlabelled, it's a bit of a luck dip. If anyone wants it they're welcome to it, but its an all or nothing deal I'm not hunting through it to see if specific parts are there. If no-one wants it it's heading for the skip/scrap. £5 plus postage which I guess to be £12-13.£5
Arnprior - GB
-
THIS ADVERT HAS EXPIRED!
- FOR SALE
- USED
Another old donor saw from the shed. 2014 Husky 560 xpg. Many parts robbed for other saws. Not sure if anyone fancies a project. £10 for the saw, postage around £12-13 I think.£10
Arnprior - GB
-
This item is SOLD
- FOR SALE
- USED
More cleaning out of the shed and found an old 353. It's basically the body only as seen in the pictures, been used as a donor saw in the past. Piston and crank have been robbed as have fuel cap and pull cord, possibly also other parts. Think the saw is probably knocking on 20 years old. £5 plus postage if anyone is interested, think postage is around £12 or £13.£5
Arnprior - GB
-
We watched it. Loved Chris' stuff, but to be fair there's a lot of good carvers on it. And a lot of good carvers who aren't on it.
-
Doesn't look particularly like DNB, or red band if you prefer, to me, but I've no ideas what it might be.
-
Quite possibly. I'm only blindly repeating what I was told, thought it was to do with the shimmer on the end of the leaves at that time of year. I've never heard of senescence before, but I've looked it up. Every day is a school day!
-
Quite a while ago we used to spray it with glyphosate in Round-Up form. It always seemed to shrug it off unless sprayed later in the year when it went into effervescence. Never seemed to have much effect when sprayed earlier in the year so interested to hear different stories of how to treat. Haven't done it in years, but do have a wee bit to treat now so I might try hitting it early.
-
Average cutting and extraction rates.
Spruce Pirate replied to Will C's topic in Forestry and Woodland management
Any that are parked up. -
THIS ADVERT HAS EXPIRED!
- FOR SALE
- USED
Oregon Sprayer, dye hasn't drained from the hose properly so could probably do with a new hose as well as new seals (left in my shed by someone else).£12
Arnprior, Stirlingshire - GB
-
THIS ADVERT HAS EXPIRED!
- FOR SALE
- USED
Two Pottputki tree planters in good condition, one been robbed for parts but still a few bits to rob, or could be put back together with a couple of spares (spring and bracket). All been welded to improve strength. Collection preferred but could look into posting.£48
Arnpiror, Stirlingshire - GB
-
THIS ADVERT HAS EXPIRED!
- FOR SALE
- NEW
Still clearing out the shed and have found these, unopened box of vole guards, 300 of. There's also a few loose ones in a box to lump in. Haven't looked into postage, collection preferred.£36
Arnprior, Stirlingshire - GB
-
THIS ADVERT HAS EXPIRED!
- FOR SALE
- USED
Two CP 15 sprayers. Haven't been used in years, would probably benefit from new seals. Red nozzle and spray shields included. Bulky items, not sure how much postage would be but can find out. Collection much preferred.£24
Arnprior, Stirlingshire - GB
-
Skyline not really my field of expertise, but dragging 30-40t a day isn't bad I think. Again, depends on the length of the drag, size of the tree, size of the winch, number of people in the crew, etc, etc.
-
I can't speak for JDon, but in my experience timber is measured through the head of the harvester when it's processed. Then often paid for by the ton. Amounts pulled in a day can vary hugely depending on the terrain, difficulty and trees. Some days you'll get hardly anything, some days can be quite productive, it does depend on who's cutting and who's on the winch.100m3 plus is possible, but I rarely actually ask what is coming out when doing this type of work. Main contractor sometimes swallows the cost of the winching within their overall costs or will sometimes charge it as a separate part of the contract, normally if it is complex work, such as around roads, powerlines, paths, houses, etc Most cutters are paid by the day, including all saws and fuel. Sometimes you'll get oil supplied, occasionally fuel and oil, but most of the time it's a day rate you agree with the contractor and that includes everything.
-
This item is SOLD
- FOR SALE
- USED
MS 261 with heated handles, got run over by the chipper and thrown in the shed in disgust. I now need to clear the shed and the saw has got to go. It could be repaired, or it could be used for spare parts. Rear handle took the brunt of the damage. Any questions please PM me.£20
, Stirlingshire - GB
-
I got a pair of Lavono (? spelling ?) boots with caulks a while back. They've been good boots, great grip if you're walking on logs. Haven't been able to find a pair since. The thousand dollar price tag on those ones seems a bit steep for boots.
-
Fair play, sir. You win!
-
Was in Auchentorlie not long ago, just wee stuff to waste though. I'll see if I can find a picture.
-
The plate has three grousers welded across the top for a bit of grip and a ring on the bottom for the jack to seat into. The tree didn't look all that much, but it was heavy. Cutting mostly central belt, occasional forays further south or north, sometimes even into Argyll.😵
-
This hairy back leaner couldn't go the way it wanted so had to be jacked in. It put up a bit of a fight! Think the base of the jack was about an inch into the stump.
-
How do you become a forestry timber cutter.
Spruce Pirate replied to Roebus's topic in Forestry and Woodland management
Whereabouts is your windblow course? Many years ago when I was trying to get into forestry work I called all the FC offices. None of them had any work, but some of them gave me the names of contractors working in their areas. You could try calling them, along with any estates or management companies you can think of, they might be able to point you in the direction of someone who is good. You could also try the FCA (Forestry Contracting Association) Directory, you can search geographically on that. Remember there's quite a big difference between the ticket and the actual work, it's the old driving test analogy of actually learning after you've got the ticket. Be prepared to travel, most cutting work is for contractors and they're seldom in one area for all that long, cutters working for big outfits might be on five sites in one week. Keep stumps low, snedding tight, remember in timber cutting wood = money for the contractor, production and efficiency are important. Know your log sizes and specifications. Take any work you can get, it's all experience, all trigger time and if you can do the crappy mundane jobs they may eventually lead to where you want to be. That's about all the useful advice I can think of, expect to be overworked, underpaid, never happy with the weather and always in debt with the local saw shop.
