Andrew McEwan
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Everything posted by Andrew McEwan
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Yes it makes a massive difference, you will fill up more often, but enjoy cutting more. My spudded 350 and 357 are what I pick up first, and have a 550 and others
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Newbie with boggy unmanaged mostly broadleaf woodland...
Andrew McEwan replied to Hobby_Woodsman's topic in General chat
I think the RFS may still be running their scheme that provides new members with a free visit from a local forestry consultant. Site visits provided voluntarily by RFS members. -
38hp, heavy flywheel too, I like mine, robust and fast enough.
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Try Mark at Lincmaster 01522 529444, might be who you saw at Saltex, but they do decent tool stores and other security gear. No connection with them, just had good kit and service over the last couple of years.
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12" .043 gauge makita bar, with oregon 90 chain, drop in gauge has made a huge difference in performance. Once my stock of 050 bars and oregon 91 chain is used up all my little echos will be on 043 for good.
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Good choice then, suspect you'll like the power and build for the cost. Snatch block has been handy on mine if you've not got one.
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Yup, what Richy said. I think with a light tractor unless you have a fair bit of extraction to do and need a decent line in speed, a recovery hydraulic winch on a frame would be cheaper and much better on leaners.
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I've got one, does the job but like any of its type be wary of not finishing a pull. Releasing a lot of tension without creating a birds nest is tricky (unless safe to lift blade and move tractor).
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Another vote for getting a spud'ed 357. Your Dad may well mod his own saws but if he hasn't used a ported saw at work try and persuade him to give one a try. I'd rather have a good used 357 that has been through Steves (spud) workshop than a new standard one, there really is that big a difference. Like others have said Steve may well be able to source parts needed to refresh one of your Dads old 357xpg if it's a bit tatty. More power for the same weight will help your Dad no end on site. No Steve is not paying me! He just has very good attention to detail, and produces some great saws. I've got a link somewhere to a video of two of my 357s that shows the difference between stock and one from Steve, that'll I'll post.
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Like the tractor Adam, have you thought of a using a skidding grapple? I use mine quite a bit for brash shunting as well as timber. There was a decent looking botex one on ebay recently.
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Could be Dendroctonus micans, if any sign of galleries, frass, hollow sounding bark? Or Cytospora if not perhaps.
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Great photos, on the trip list
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May have changed as NFU just cover my machinery, no land involved on the policy
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Tried NFU?
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I used to use a twin axle ifor LM146 for moving my tractor, but changed to an ifor plant trailer (GP146 triple), miles better, it's quicker to load, tows better and less fussy about positioning of the load.
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Another option could be a 346 or 350 with as rob suggests 325 050 bar and chain, mine is great for medium blocking down. Sent it to spud, light (for the power) and now v rapid, use mine with 16" and 18" bars
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I found a cheap set of carb screwdrivers on ebay that fit echo carbs Dan, been happy with my 280, runs well on 3/8 043 gauge bar and chain (oregon 90) but did need the carb adjusting.
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Great to see what you can control on a slope with one man, a truck and some rope/trunk wraps, good to see the photos.
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Looks fun, what sort of rope brake did you use to slow the log as you pulled it down on your own?
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On the way south try and stop at Fontainebleau forest just past Paris, interesting chateau but amazing forest with maybe the worlds best bouldering, or just some great walks/scrambles/tree spotting
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Re-read the posts tcd, You're missing my point of woodland assessment before unloading a mulcher. 1/2 day to get access for assessment, and then write up an appropriate spec. Whether the machine operator is an animal or not also isn't the point Jonny, it's impossible to respace regen with any machine, unless you have a clearing saw head on a drone or something.
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Agreed re mechanising, but the photos and description don't indicate a mulcher is needed. Perhaps after brushcutting/flailing access through what sounds like soft growth, and a brief survey mulching might be needed, but unless 360 operators can now respace regen and assess woodland condition on the fly, I'd have thought one man for 1/2 day and getting access might be better than unloading the excavator straight away.
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Straight in with a track based mulcher TCD? Overkill for 3 acres of woodland that needs some access/assessment through dense elder bramble and nettle. It isn't 3 hectares of 7ft gorse.
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Big difference between what a 555 on a mulching head and a strimmer will do Ben, and if too tight for the alpine tractor and flail I use a walk behind two wheel tractor with a flail. But my first step would be to clear some access and see what's in there in terms of hazardous trees and sort them.
