Tomatin Firewood

I am thinking about upgrading possibly next year from Tajfun 380 to either Posche 360 or Palax 100s. I am sick of problems from oil blockages, oil pumps, oil sawdust clogs, chain and bar issues etc........ and think circular saw way to go. Also my wrist is not so good as my Tajfun does not have a joystick (manual pull) and I think my extensive use is affecting my wrist now. I would quite like to see both in action first. Palax takes bigger logs has a more powerful ram but it does not look very moveable at 1.8T if I read specs correctly!I notice it can have a trailer, I wonder if it can operate on the trailer? The posch does not cut such a large diameter but from what it seems appear to best make? The local dealers of mine do not have kind words for Palax, say cheap make, poor quality parts. They specialise in Tajfun but do the posch as well. What do other folk think of Palax as a brand?

Thanks Dave, a bit far for haulage for me for softwood. But made me register with FCS so hopefully if anything good comes up in my area I can have a go.

Why could you not be based in the highlands!

Sorry for slow response I only deal in 1m3 of each so a mixed 2m3 load would be £130, making a mixed load 1m3 load £65. If were only delivering 1m3 add another £20 for delivery so £85. Best wishes James Highlands, Scotland

Up in the Highlands we have been really lucky with the weather, I feel very sorry for you guys down south, it must be very difficult at the moment. Although for us it has been a mild winter as a still relatively new business I have had more customers than last year so have been more than busy, so cannot complain! I am fortunate to have a shed to keep my logs out of the rain.

Thanks will give them a go!

Hi I am on the look out for a number of artic loads of hardwood to process over coming months. I am based just south of Inverness. I am even willing source from Perthshire if haulage does not work out to dear. If anyone can help please let me know. Many thanks James

Hi everyone I know we discussed tacographs last summer and whether we do or do not require a tacograph. As my firewood business is part of an overall farm I thought I was exempt. Anyway I got pulled over last Thursday and told I require a tacograph and VOSA put a prohibition notice on my trailer. Whilst I stated I was exempt they were having none of it. I was told I would face further charges if I used my trailer at all until a tacograph was fitted. (I broke the law driving my trailer home from Inverness empty!) So I was effectively forced to organise the fitting of a tacograph which was due to be done this coming Tuesday. This meant I have lost the last 10 days of firewood sales, plus the tacograph and extras were going to cost the best part of £2,000 and this is before procurator fiscal possible charges! Anyway I stuck to my guns and sent an email to VOSA as well as returning to the VOSA testing station to really make my point. Furthermore, I contacted My local MP, Danny Alexander (who actually is a top bloke and arranged a meeting for earlier today). Funnily enough VOSA who knew I was meeting Danny this morning got in touch and dropped the prohibition on my trailer an hour before the meeting. Thankfully I was able to cancel the costly tacograph install due to be done on Monday. The exemption (derogation) which saved my bacon is this, "Vehicles used or hired without a driver by agricultural horticultural, forestry, farming or fishing undertakings for carrying goods as part of their own entrepreneurial activity with radius of 100km from the base of the undertaking." This will only work if your firewood business is part of an active farm business, so if you are operating from a yard or an industrial estate you would not fall into this category. If you think your vehicle and goods weigh over 3.5T gross weight I would seriously start planning for a tacograph as you certainly do not want to go through what I have been through plus having to face charges. It could literally destroy your business as it practically did to mine. Anyway I thought I should share my life experience in the hope it might clarify the law for others and save other folk from potential disaster.

Attached a picture to try and show how my vented bags are stored, hope attachment works!

I was wondering if any one uses scaffolding sheets to keep rain off logs? Never used the stuff before but my plan is to cut the sheet into sections which I would cover a pallets with. I would then put the covered pallets over the top of my vented cubic meter bags which are also on a pallets. Question really is whether the material would be strong enough and waterproof. I prefer individual covers to putting large tarps over things. I realise the wind will blow these covers off from time to time in gales if not weighted down with a log ring. I am amassing quite a collection of pallets so just thinking of ways to use them and to improve drying of logs outside of the shed.

Thanks very much will try out suggestions!

Hi guys I am looking to find a timber haulier to move around 8 loads of timber from further up the glen road at Tomatin down to the farm. It is all roadside although around 4 loads will have to be loaded from the public road (glen road generally quite a quiet rural road). I know the timber stacks should not be beside a public road but TECS is aware of the situation and has granted permission as long as appropriate signage and insurance in place. Problem is I know Grants is hyper busy as is Brian Cormack. I am open to any suggestions or recommendations for anyone else?

I am in my 30s and have a bad back get that nerve pain coming up my leg. I keep it all mechanised as much as possible. I forward logs from stack with bobcat, roll logs onto lifting deck (I know I need a log deck - they are much quicker!) then process into heaps or vented bags. I sit down while I process. I use bobcat to either tip my vented bags into trailer or bucket the logs in, if from piles, at the other end I tip. I would like a timber trailer and a funky log deck but they will have to wait until I have done a few other projects I have on the go first! Most of what I process is softwood which is so much easier to deal with. I would say invest in good handling equipment like a good 2nd hand skid steer, bang together a log deck. I really think you should try getting a bit of help as well. In the last few months have had casual help who have done most the processing whilst I go backwards and forwards tipping loads! If you do not have the capabilites to do enough business for that extra bit of help by the age of 65 I would seriously be considering doing something else. No need to be suffering.

I invested in an Oregon Professional Chainsaw grinder. This way it gets grinding angles all correct and ensures all the cutters are the same. I find it really good. I keep a number of chains and bars. Once a chain is blunt I take off bar and chain, it only takes 5 mins to sharpen all the cutters again. I dress bars at same time. The only thing I find a bore is filing the rakers/ leaders as I tend to do manually with a depth gauge and the multicut chains tend to destroy the square files. This is the time consuming bit for me often taking 15-20 depending on how much the leader needs to be filed.

Stuff like that requires an enormous amount of time and effort as most of it would need to be cross cut and split rather than processed. Would be fine if it were in your yard but a real hassle otherwise and at this time of the year far too busy to fiddling with jobs like that albeit at the opposite end of the country!

That's interesting, I have found things have been slower to start this year. I noticed a lot more phone calls in the last couple of days. Saying that I put out almost 80m3 in July, so maybe a lot more folk being prepared!

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q25eLktyNw4]Vosa blown up - YouTube[/ame]I have to say my 10ft by 5ft tipping ifor williams tariler has been brillaint. I can take up to 2.5 T but can only tow 2T with trailer weight. I use it for 4m3 loads. Regarding tacho, we discussed this a month ago, I checked with a friend who checked with a speed cop who said they would not stop me. My business is what I would class as 'farm diversification' and if some vosa chappy did say that my business is industrial and not forestry: One, I would dig out the farm number, Two, I would remind them that wood has been used from own forestry (which some of it is) and 3 well if else has failed see the link.

I always try and ask, "and would you like any peat, kindling , wood briquettes or coal?" More often than not they say no but it is amazing how many do then ask for these items. May only be small amounts but they all add up.

My bobcat is almost more important than my processor, I use it for taking all logs from stacks to processor, for filling vented bags, for emptying vented bags and filling my trailer. Without it I cannot operate! My bobcat can turn on a needle so I can really get into tight space which means I will load a 4m3 load in minutes. Change from bucket to pallet fork in half a min. The only thing is because they turn a bit like a tank they are good at churning the place up, but if you are working on concrete or being careful then it is not a problem. I was going to get a 2nd tractor and so glad I did not.

I have to say I keep my physical handling absolutely minimal. I have to admit I have quite a lot of joint pains from rheumatism and have also recently found out my lowest disc is slightly out (has been for ages apparently) as well as just getting over plantar fasciitis so I cannot stay on my feet too long or my nerve pain becomes too bad. Saying all that, using a processor, a bobcat to bring logs to processor, to process logs into 1m3 net bags or in heaps on concrete. I load up with a bobcat and have a tipping trailer. This way even though I am almost handicapped I can still operate. I am very lucky as I have a big shed to use though. Its funny to think physically I could not climb a Munro at the moment or do a job that involves standing but can operate my firewood business without straining myself!

That is really interesting and I guess its kind of obvious too, now I think about it. If ever I get a new processor I will have to factor that into my costings!

I seem to produce at least 2m3 of sawdust from 25T load! Earlier in the year I got 2 loads of relatively fresh pine. I got around 40m3 loose per 25T.

I spoke with a friend of mine who is a retired police constable. He spoke a traffic officer on my behalf today. The officer indicated that I would not be required to have a tacograph. My business is part of a farm with forestry activities so perhaps this makes me exempt. Deliveries must be kept within 100km though.

Well found! I think this would give a strong argument. I am always trying to make sure I am under weight, but this tacograph business is just jobs for the boys. Apparently it costs around £1000 to retrospectively fit one! I operate from a farm so I can just say it is part of farm/ forestry business.

Thanks for the replies, I use proper chain oil from Miller, but thanks for the tip on the other brands, maybe worth checking.