IronMike

Good stuff mate! Nice to see a fellow Logbullet operator in action!

I use Xero, and as many have said, main reason is my accountant does too. I have given them access to it, so they can do all the legwork. All I do is hand over any receipts and invoices, they tally everything else up and do all my calculations. Slightly off topic/derailment..... but what do folks pay their accountant per month for services rendered? Mine does pretty much everything for me, quarterly vat, corporation tax, directors wages, etc etc. I pay her just a shy over £100 per month. And my Xero subscription is about £28 per month.

A fella I’m working with this week has been lusting after exactly this set up near enough. Would you mind sharing cost of machine and grapple etc? Happy to do so over DM if you prefer. looks ace!

If you could manage to upload some photos to help that would be great. Without seeing it, it will be hard to know exactly what’s happening. It doesn’t sound good though I must admit, I’d imagine it may well need removed entirely, but there are many factors to consider such as proximity to buildings etc.

It's definitely a Grinder date that's gone wrong. Someone clearly tried to branch out and try something new but got left hanging by the other party.

I’m gutted lads! Just checked the calendar and I’m on holiday in (hopefully) sunny Cornwall that very week. So I’ll have to catch up with everyone in two years time ?

I’m definitely going! Probably be camping and having a few beers I’d imagine, be good to catch up with older friends and acquaintances and say greeting to new ones!

Some very valid points raised here gents. I think for me, low impact is all about the state of the site after you’ve finished. But as Eddie said, where do you stop? There are so many variables to it, and so many opinions on what a tidy job is or how it’s defined! In an ideal world (and to satisfy my OCD and my arb based background) I’d go through all my sites with a tracked chipper or a mulcher to remove the brash and make the place look neat and tidy. But nobody is every really going to want that! My machine is very good at what it does, i.e moving timber in tight, awkward spaces with minimal ground disruption for the most part. It can do other things to like leading out fencing materials on replanting sites, shifting gravel and aggregates with its clamshell inserts, process firewood in a yard (by holding lengths of timber whilst two people cut) etc etc. Having versatile kit or a brain that can see other opportunities is key. There are hundred of solutions to the issues/quandaries we face in arb and forestry. Nearly all of them have pros and cons, it’s making the best decision you can for the client, yourself from a business perspective and for the site going into the future.

I am keen for a skip chain for my 390 mate, let me know before you order anything as I could order some at same time.

A pal of mine approached me about coming to look at an “emergency” job that needed doing. We both sacrificed a half day to go look as it is a 2 hour drive away. Got there, checked it out, happy days. It would have been a days work for my machine and another mates digger with shear on, a long day but a day nonetheless. 500m of Hawthorn hedge to come out next to a canal, with no heavy plant allowed on embankment. So my mate put his price in and then got told the EA are going to do it. And they’ve said it’ll take them a week. Brilliant lads, well done! It’s an emergency we were told, it must get done immediately we were told, time is of the essence we were told. Ok, we’ll let someone take a week to do it rather than a day. Genius!

I’m going 5.175 ton.

In case anyone was interested..... This months edition of Forestry Journal has a nice 3 page article on my fledgling business! It was a pleasure to have the editor, John, down for a chat about the Logbullet. Im adopting the happy moron pose in the main photo, I’ve got the look absolutely nailed after so many years of practice ?

I’ve not had mine on piece work. I work on an hourly or day rate, if it’s done on piece or tonnage I think it’ll be difficult to make the numbers stack up whilst delivering a good service with a satisfactory and pleasing outcome. I think the job my wee machine does is so niche, that folk accept it has to be beneficial to both parties financially and that hourly/day is the best way to achieve this. You could pay less and get the job done but leave a mess, so ultimately I guess it’s a money talks and bullshit walks scenario.

Has anyone stopped to consider that the OP’s tree man might have whacked that price on it as he didn’t really want the job? I.e. I’ll price it silly so I don’t get it, and if I do get it I’ll bank a mega profit? Just speculating.

A good friend of mine has your initials, and has a firm called AW Tree Care. Simple and effective name, so you could go for AW Garden Maintenance perhaps?

Yes Don! A proper weapon!

Ah you see, here in is the problem. I cut trees down on my lonesome most of the time, so all I do is think about new chainsaws! ?

I'm going to have to rethink my saw situation I reckon. Got two 555's which are reliable and simple, my Mk2 550 and a Spud sorted 390xp. Think I need to ditch one or both of the 555's and fill the void with a 572.

I’ve been slamming some big old trees this week with my 550 mk2, and it is just awesome. It’s a big upgrade from the mk1 I reckon. In all honesty I should have been using something a bit bigger like 372 but it coped with the extra I asked of it with ease. Im sure you’ll enjoy your new one Kay 9.

I finally got to unleash my Spudded 390 recently..... It was sensational! Cheers Spud! ?

Go on, humour me and put a price up. I have a figure in mind, it would be intersting to see how close I am!

That's a beauty!

Hi Pete. I guess I just fancied something different really, and I had been looking at Big J’s new venture and really liked it. There was a gap in the market locally for a compact forwarder and I knew there was work to be had, so after some research and deliberations I opted for the Logbullet. Price was a fairly major factor, and it was very reasonable in comparison to others on the market. I did a bit of research into alpine tractor and trailer but thought the Logbullet would be much more efficient overall.

I’ve got a Mk2, and have had a Mk1 previously. The new model is a beast! Performs way above its expected level. I run an 18 inch bar on mine, and it still rips it like a real one!

That doesn’t sound like fun mate! The worst stuff I’ve had to deal with was thin slimy Ash branch wood. Literally a few degrees down on a slope and it just slid off the bunk, nightmare.