Jackalope
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Everything posted by Jackalope
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I drove through your single lane closure near Methven last night.You were cutting roadside Ash, I didn't catch the name on the trucks. Did see the big barbers chair about 22:40. Felling in the dark is tricky so I won't judge, much. If you've got room in the squad for an experienced hand cutter I'd be stoked to in getting involved.
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I also had the 20% deducted from an invoice for CIS recently. I informed them I was not a member of the scheme, (both before the work and again after realising they had deducted 20% anyway). They were prompt in settling up the outstanding balance and I did not have to apply for a card.
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I use the mileage method for my accounts. I only have one vehicle and keeping track of the percentage of work Vs personal use was more hassle than I could be bothered with. I just make a note at the end of each day of the miles to & from site and add that up each month. Multiply by 0.45 and that gives me a cash figure to add to other work expenses that month. Sounds like that would suit your MG at least if it's also the family car.
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Completely booked for the foreseeable and with more offers of work than I know what to do with. Everyone trying to get wood down with a particular emphasis on Chestnut before the end of the season. Hand cutters are in short supply.
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I've been cutting (on and off*) since 2014, in Kent, Sussex, Hampshire, Cumbria, Tayside, The Black Isle and Aberdreamshire. My day rate now is £180 (occasionally £160+ accommodation). On piecerate Chestnut this season I earned £250-350 a day in West Sussex. I've seen dozens of guys come and try their hand but only a handful last the week out. There is a drastic shortage of quality hand cutters, so if £180 is deemed too much I'm quite happy to pass the job up and go elsewhere. I run Husqvarna have CS31 & 32 and I drive a hatchback. 31yo with a mortgage. * The off part is only because I take plenty of time off in the summer to give my body a break. Cutting is brutal and I don't intend doing it forever.
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Chainsaw operator based in Crieff, Scotland. CS31 & 32 and Emergency First Aid. Experienced in hardwood thinning & clear fell of both hard and softwood species. Including Ash dieback.
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Hi All, Varmints have been busy and I'm now 1 primer bulb short of a functional 560. Are they difficult to replace, are there any tricks or mistakes not to make?! And does anyone have one kicking about handy? Cheers
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Quite right! Get it down, get it out and get gone before the moaners can bend your ear too much! As above, someone with more experience in commercial/ production forestry working it with you will be more than worth it.
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Depends what you are going to be using it for?! Hard to offer advice without a bit more info, any one of those are a big step up from the 550XP If you just need something with a bit more grunt for day today work consider a 560XP or Stihl 361/ 362. Advantage of a 560 would be alot of the parts and consumables are interchangeable.
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Very big Douglas Fir, is this any good on a mill?
Jackalope replied to Jackalope's topic in Milling Forum
30 miles from Stonehaven. What sort of dimensions & quantity? -
Very big Douglas Fir, is this any good on a mill?
Jackalope replied to Jackalope's topic in Milling Forum
Pictured are a group in the inner part of the site. Some of the edge trees are significantly bigger- but there would have to be a good reason for taking many of them down. Its not a conventional commercial woodland but is long overdue for some work. Access is very good, B road on a short boundary and a estate track suitable for timber lorries along the Western edge with gated access. -
Hi All, I've just looked at 17 acres of mixed woodland with a view to thinning. Along one edge and a cluster in the middle there are some very big Douglas Fir. (See pictures) There are about 30 big fir ranging from 3-6 feet at the base. Without getting into the ins and outs of how many to take and reasons why. Can anyone tell me if there is a market for the bigger sticks. I know they would be too big for the local James Jones mill. Timber is in Aberdeenshire
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It does, but when I was a greenhorn I toasted a bar by hitting the nose sprocket and flattening the tips of the teeth
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I'd use a normal oregon flat file for doing my depth gauges- which I keep in my tool roll and take into the woods. For dressing the bar I keep a large carpenters file (reasonably aggressive) in my tool box and use it as and when required- evenings, weekends etc.
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Thanks, I've had it off the saw, and the spark arrestor off it. Nothing obvious from either end, cant feel anything loose with my little finger! I guessed unlikely to cause damage but dont think I'l risk it any longer than necessary.
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Hi All, I've got a rattle inside the exhaust muffler on my 550xp. Pretty certain its a baffle that has broken loose- don't understand why though. Anyway, is it OK to keep cutting with? And can anyone on here source me a replacement? Otherwise I'l donder down to my local dealership 20 miles away and order a new one.
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Speak to the local farmer/s, chances are the woodland is either his, part of his lease or he knows who the neighbor/owner is. Much easier to spot a farmer in a 200hp tractor than come across the right person walking their dog in their own woodland.
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Oh yea, burning up is bad news. I don't think the margins are there for burning up on piece-rate. Fortunately not a demon I have to wrestle with.
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Firstly, if you're not making money cutting chestnut for other people then there is one of two things going wrong. Either, 1. The guy employing you is not paying you a fair piece-rate, or the gear you're being told to cut is too poor to get enough product to make your wage. OR 2. Your cutting isn't up to a speed that will make you money- in which case you'l probably struggle to cut enough tonnage to make buying timber yourself pay. I speak from experience here, I currently migrate 600miles south to Sussex in October every year to cut chestnut for a contractor on piece rate. I know its a gold mine until March! As for tonnage/ acre in clear fell chestnut we reckon 100-150ton/arce comfortably. I've thinned Birch, Ash and Beech at anywhere between 10-80ton an Acre it all varies a huge amount between woodlands. I'd be careful of the commission, better approaching individual land/woodland owners directly with a proposal to buy, cut, extract etc. Good Luck.
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Link between forestry Tree surgery & log production
Jackalope replied to simonm's topic in General chat
Forestry is generally aimed towards producing a large volume of a relatively low-value product (there are exceptions). Where as, and i'm sure someone will correct me, but, Tree surgery is providing a high value service based primarily on amenity and health & safety works. Log processing converts either commercial forestry product or waste arb into a domestic resource. -
Snap! A real FFS moment!
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Nail on the head there!
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Beat me too it! Nothing a bit of No.6 shot couldn't sort out!
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I'l buy some things online..packs of files, new chains & bars...but for oils, saws and spare parts go local every time...if you're on £100 a day for example and your local sorts you out over night its no great loss...being stopped for a week or more whilst you wait for a remote company to sort you out suddenly becomes dear
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Now it all must xmas does anyone like dates to eat thanks
Jackalope replied to mendiplogs's topic in The Lounge
Gotta rate dates high...the girlfriend was given a box of split sugar glazed dates with a pecan nut inside...very good
