Spruce Pirate

I kind of like being able to get emails, look at maps, etc when I'm at work. I could get a tablet to do this as well, but then that's another thing to get, so I do like having the smartphone. I also like being able to take it out in the wet, get it covered in sawdust, drop it in the muck and all the things that you shouldn't do to a phone so I'm thinking the rugged is probably the way to go.

I'm looking for a new phone as the old one now has a missing volume button, a very clogged up mic, a semi-knackered charging connection and a cracked screen. It's a Sumsung Galaxy one of the "Rugged" types, but technology isn't my strongest point so I'm not sure exactly which model. I've had it about 2 1/2 or 3 years and it's done quite well, easy to use and taken abuse quite well. Any recommendations for a new Rugged phone? Similar to use to a Samsung Galaxy, as tough as possible. I've looked at a few but not sure what's actually good or not. Currently looking at a CAT S62 Pro, which seems tough, but it bloody well should be for the price! Has anyone used one and have any likes or dislikes? Any other recommendations? Links to other relevant threads that I've missed in the search function also welcome!

Marinated in it!!🤣

Is there a prize?

153 Kg without the tongs.

Cutting wood is hard, and it's not something you can learn overnight by doing the basic tickets. Not sure which company has offered you work, but most harvesting sites you need to have big trees, windblow and first aid + F as well. Plus you might need to be carrying specific first aid items on your person, depending whose site it is. Many sites are now harvester, forwarder and saw operator so there's not a lot of scope for learning from and old hand on the job. Harvester drivers generally want trees down, fast, neat and in the right place. Sned well if they need it and logs off as appropriate. You have to know which machine you're felling for and what it can do. A big machine might process a whole tree, a wee machine might need the stem run out and a log off. Leave a tree the machine can't cope with and you'll get whined at and have to go back once he's dragged it through the muck and made a mess of it. Process a tree too much and you'll get whined at that you're wasting time. Anything that's easy will be done by the machine, so you're almost exclusively going to be in the really wet bits, the really steep bits, the really hairy trees or the real messes of windblow, it can also be dangerous for all these reasons. As said above, there's times when it's too hot, too cold, things eat you, the wind is almost always blowing in the wrong direction! All that said, it's not the worst way to spend your days and the rates are certainly beginning to move in the right direction for good, experienced cutters. Not sure about new starts, but generally I've found guys without experience are SLOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWW. Not their fault, everyone has to learn, but when there's a production element involved new guys aren't going to make good money as they can't justify it. I don't necessarily agree that this is a good thing, but it is the way it seems to be at present. The industry certainly needs new blood and if your long term goal is to sit in a machine then spending a few years on the saw will certainly make you a better machine operator. Good luck. Don't be put off by all the negatives, some days the sun does shine, there's just enough breeze in the right direction and you even get a good view. In addition to the Chainsaw Operators Blog there's also the UK Hand Cutters page or the Forest Machine Operators Blog where you can get some good advice.

In the professional user world I believe most of us are well protected by PPE in the UK, obviously there are some who don't always wear it for whatever reason, but the majority of the time the majority of users are well protected by their PPE so the little American diagram posted before from 1994 I don't think applies here. In a tree a professional climber is vulnerably in the upper body and arms - experience, work position and sensible use of the saw can all mitigate this. On the ground a professional wood-cutter is far more likely to be killed or injured by falling objects than the saw. I suspect the majority of injuries from chainsaws are amongst the amateurs who have neither the skill, experience or PPE to protect them. Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on your point of view you can't legislate for these, however as professional users their injuries impact us all as it makes people see chainsaws as even more dangerous. In answer to your question, I don't think there is a better solution to the current system, perhaps some sort of auto-brake if your fingers release the trigger? Assuming most people release the trigger if the chain contacts their body perhaps this might stop a chain momentarily earlier? But, it is one more thing to go wrong, particularly if electronic, has weight implications and might not make much difference.....

Three saws in regular usage for me - Husky 550 mk2, 572 and 390. 550 mk2 is every bit as good as a 560/562 in my opinion, great for wee stuff and for snedding. Bigger stuff if you're only felling to the head with maybe the occasional bit of snedding rough ones 572 with either a 20" or a 24" bar will fell most stuff. Take one of these bars in the piece bag and then you've got a spare with you. 390 really only stuff that's really big and close to the road, it's too heavy to carry miles into the wood. Stihl 261 good saw, but not as good as the 550 for softwood forestry. Stihl 462 good saw, doesn't sned as well as the 572. Haven't used the 500i more than a day, seemed a good saw, lots of folk like them for forestry but I don't know enough about them. Bigger Stihls I haven't used for ages so don't know. Echo, never used but looks old, heavy and clunky - I could be doing them a massive disservice, but they don't look up to the job. DolMakita good saws but the one I tried didn't have the build quality of a Husky or Stihl, too many issues with it falling to bits.

Don't know? Haven't done either for ages, but small areas used to be cheaper to tube than fence and 200m isn't going to fence a very big area therefore I assumed it wouldn't be that many tubes and might be cheaper. Last time I bought 4' stakes was spring this year and they were about 50p each. That leaves quite a lot for tubes but like I say I'm out of touch with prices for both tubes and stakes and deer fencing. It also depends on planting density obviously. Just thought it was worth asking the question. There could be a lot of other reasons for preffering to fence or not to fence.

200m of fencing??? Not a lot easier and cheaper to tube and stake?

I think you need type C for training anyway.

..... things generally start off fairly cheap at auction and go up???😏

Have used both recently, 550 mk2 wipes the floor with the 261 in small conifers and 1st thinnings. Arb might be different, but for commercial forestry work I'd go 550 mk2 every time.

Indoor plumbing and electric lighting.

I'm out of touch with rates, but the last I heard skyline work was fetching from around about £30-£32 up to around £50 a cube. Full on skyline on clearfell with big timber. Your forwarder rate sounds about right, but again I'm out of touch. Can you make it pay at your rates? If you can and they'll pay it then happy days. If you can't you need to rethink your prices, no point in doing it if your not making money.

I'd agree with all that. Last job I left the saw out on was a couple of miles into the wood, the wood was a couple of miles from the nearest (small) village and the saw was 500m odd up the hill, completely out of sight from the forest road, let alone anywhere else. If folk want to nick that then they're more or less welcome to it, it's a lot more effort than most thieves are willing to put into it.

I've left 562 and 572 Huskys out in the wood over night and for a few nights on many occasions. Always been fine and started no bother, never in really cold weather, but have been caught out by snow at least once. Like Stubby says, I always make sure they're sitting on their feet to give them the best chance of keeping the rain out.

I've not have many problems with the 572 that haven't been self inflicted. Ran over it for example. Good saw in my opinion, well balanced, pulls either a 20" or 24" bar. I like it. I have heard of one or two problems with them, but they seem fairly good in the most part. Only ever had a shot of either the 462 and the 500i. Both good saws. 462 was running 0.63 chain which made the bar and chain seem very heavy to me, perhaps because I'm used to the Husky being on 0.58. 500i was a belter, but only used it for a day on demo. Some folk have had nothing but problems with them, others have had no bother at all, think it depends a little on your luck. I have a Dolmar 7910, lovely saw, always put a smile on my face using it but in the longer term it hasn't stood up to use too well. Parts and service for it are a problem here as there's no local dealer that knows one end of the saw from the other. Shavey is good though for these, never had any problems dealing with him. Don't know much about Echo, like their wee saws, but the big things seem heavy and antiquated in design to me. Never used one of their big saws though, so can't really comment beyond impressions of them sitting on the shelf. Don't know any commercial cutters who use one though, so that kind of speaks for itself? If I was looking to replace the 572 it would be a straight race between another 572 and a 500i and I'm not sure which would win.

Making climbers less agile, less competitive and slower will be part of the process to convert people to MEWP work, which is what they (HSE) really want anyway.

What does your leather working friend think it is?

What's it like compared to a quad for turning circle, ground clearance and wheelbase?

Thanks for all the replies, not sure I'm any further forward as everyone has their own preferences! ? I should also add it needs to be waterproof - it's for use in Scotland, not the wettest part of Scotland, but still pretty wet for a large proportion of the time. Predominantly used outside so a good water resistant rating considered essential!

I need to get a new head torch, don't know whether to spend a fiver and get a wee cheap job or spend a bit of cash and get something decent. Would be nice to be able to see a long way if needed and be able to flood the area immediately in front of me if needed. Anyone got any recommendations?

90 days is pretty standard for commercial.

Chipping also reduces the handling. It is much easier to simply feed brash into a chipper than to stack it in even the roughest of piles. Branch into chipper - branch gone. Branch put in a pile - branch in the way of the next bit you want to pile up, trip over branch, just a general pain in the neck.