drinksloe

U've not done all that with ur wee stroke harvester have u? Or do u have a mid size 1 now? The logs don't look that big that a full size harvester couldn't fell and process them. Infact look the sort most operators dream off, meaty and straight but not too big. Not many sites now u'd fell that amount by hand nowadays, bet the cutters enjoyed it for a change. Proper old school job Is it quite a dry site? Was going to ask how u get on forwarding without the deeper brash matt.

Dunno if any overhanging branches on ur side of boundary and wether taking them back to boundary would make any difference?? I take it u can still do that without consulting owner, althou I'd imagine u need LA permission.

To be honest I think the opposite, for hobby/home owner stuff ur far better just with a straight corded electric power tool. Far cheaper to buy, no battery running out or losing charge throu storager. Probably far greener, only using the power u need and no environmentally harmful chemicals involved in making battery either. I think for some jobs battery stuff is up to the job nowadays, but I bet very few pro users will rely solely on a battery saw and most will have a petrol back up in van. I have been considering buying an elec pole saw but just a combination of price but mainly the worry that u'll run out of battery some day when u only need another 5 mins of power. They're always that day u need to do that bit extra, a extra can of fuel is easy carried and cheap.

I think we have both been trying to develop the same thing. I gave up with the static 2 drum setup, too expensive to build from scratch ( I was thinking hydraulic double drums with donkey) but adapting a normal winch sounds good. I thought u might struggle to get a donkey engine big enough, but I suppose uonly need 50 to 60hp ISH. Just got too expensive for me when not entirely sure the work is there. A few of the local big boys have 360 skyline set ups and tend to sit on the last job sites or yard for months if not years at a time sometimes. But I do realise different niche. If I ever manage t find out how to post pictures I'll put a photo of mine up hopefully be ready to go to work next couple off weeks It pulls really well thou, althou slow. Could loler not be an expensive pita??? Esp if start condemning 2-300m lengths of rope. Plus keeping all chokers etc tagged/marked at all times. Just using it as a high lead ( possibly very high ) system should save all that hassle Wot are u using as ur tower to give u height at ur winch?? Will that cause any issues with the angle ur pulling from the winch?? Or try to lift ur trailer rather than pull it against the spades Aye ur right skyline jobs need to be well planned before u cut leaving the right trees/ stumps for anchors/guys. I mind I once got bollocked as all ( well a lot) my anchor trees I left blew down before the skyline arrived

Just to add have u seen the old timber master skyline set ups?? Never seen 1 in flesh but still on A B's site. Tractor towed works of PTO, own small mast think have 4 or 5 drums as well as guys. Not sure the money involved in them thou or wot nick 2nd hand 1s are in. Look a good idea in principle, but then again many things do but don't always work in practice. But with timber prices as high as they are never a better time to try ( althou contractors and haulage rates often still cut to bone) Does loler not raise its ugly head when u start getting involved with skylines rather than straight winching/ highlead systems???

Do u not need 3 drums?? Mainline and haul in and back haul?? Edit khriss ignore some of my comments I see u mentioned the points on the last page, so looks like u have it well figured out U could run a high lead set up of the 2 but not a proper skyline unless u only done downhil back husks and let gravity do the work. I've actually in process of doing something similar althou only a single 5t drum powered by an old Lister engine, just for pulling outsiders in. I'm hoping to get underside guarded this wknd and off to welders on Mon for some work outside my comfort zone ( and I don't have the materials either) I wanted a double drum but just couldn't get the set up I wanted without the money going crazy. As it turns out managed to buy a compact custom built skidder with double drum winches,a right handy wee tool, just fettling it at moment. Ps, mibbee picked u up wrong ( and probably teaching u to suck eggs, sorry) but u said 200m on drums. Do u have the same on both? U really want atleast an extra 100% on back haul drum even for a high lead system, probably even more, usually a smaller dia to allow it Even a simple straighrt line high lead system ur haul back needs to be 2x length of pull

Cheers folks, I think I'm still a bit old fashioned and just so used to petrol saws it takes a while to change the mindset. I should say it's high pruning in front of fencing squads so not ur typical pruning small limbs. The other days was cutting limbs 14- 18" , the next job were going too just had a 9t digger in with tree shears. Really could do with hiring 1 first just to make sure. I see on 1 site some fairly good deals on stihls with 2 batteries and chargers, not found any deals on husky yet. Not cheap when 100 for the charger too. U could just about afford to buy a cheap mittox pole saw as back up instead of an extra back up battery but sort of defeats the whole point.

Alright Just wondering if many on here have experience with battery pole saws? Must admit been years since I last done much with a pole saw, great bits of kit but I remember burning a hole in my cutting trousers ( must have been resting exhaust on them) and when ur really pushing the limits the exhaust/hot bit was just in the wrong bit for supporting the saw. In theory really like the idea of a battery saw, but just worried about it running out of battery when u just need a few more cuts. Esp if u have traveled to a job It would be so nice working in almost silence thou. I can imagine a battery pole saw should work fairly well as ur not on the 'trigger' that much just short bursts. I did search for similar threads but not been 1 for a while

Meant to add if u say where u are it might help folk tell u wot work is in that area, or someone might offer u work. For me common sense is far more important than tickets as that can't be trained and generally older folk have that. Not meaning to diss climbing in above post but everyone wants to climb so loads of folk at it, money is not as good as it really should be and it's bloody hard and complicated work esp on a PT basis for yourself and lots to go wrong ( even just pricing jobs, a few tiny unseen complicatons can really slow a job down Easier ways to get work. In many cases a good ground/forestry cutter will be making similar money with less complication and cheaper kit, still bloody hard work thou

I probably should wait and see wot others say, esp if have experience with grapple saws etc. I also don't want too pee on ur chips. Just 1st thoughts that im sure u have already considered anyway Would a 3t have the power and speed to manuovre those trees as it felled them?? I know they don't look heavy but a lot of leverage on ur grapple and a 3t machine can't lift that much anyway. Also the short reach, while u may be in a cab I imagine ur right in the fall zone for a lot of branches. Think I'd feel safer with a saw and getting well clear before it fell I've always struggled with traction when off road with diggers once u break the turf so ur probably looking at steel tracks just not sure how well it would pull it forwarding trailer esp if wet or steep. Plus ur low tracking speed depending how long a extraction it is. Would u not be better forwarding out with ur wee forwarder? Thought it would be ideal for that. Either a bigger machine with tree shears. Or I realise the safety implications but could u hand cut and drop many the way they want to go, create holes to drop others into, no wedging. Be a bit of a nightmare for forwarding thou, be like pick up sticks, but atleast no brash to make it even worse and no different sizes/produce. Plus a good lad with a throw line and rope pulling a few others over, doubt they'd be many left. A rope well up would pull them over easy. Even those new ratchet wedges might be a safer option than normal wedges. Anything dodgy could be pulled over by ur forwarder/winch when cutter well clear Just thinking aloud a wee bit so may be well off

Some good advice already. 1 thing I will say is climbing is bloody hard (esp when u don't do a lot) Also some big changes in best practice/HSE seem to be coming climbings way, I wouldn't want to go back climbing esp if these new regs come in. By rights u also need 2 folk ( is rescue climber) which means u then need to find someone to work with, plus employers liability as well as more expensive PL insurance By all means do ur basic saw tickets and get some exp etc, but climbing is hard and expensive and it gets more complicated keeping the right side off HSE. Depending where u are could be other work more forestry minded, coppicing, hedge laying, small scale forestry woodland work or gardening type work u can do on ur own when it suits By rights u should still have 2 folk for all saw work I take it ur a builder or plaster with the name? Sure plenty of wee building landscaping jobs u could do and save a fortune on saw tickets?

The biggest problem that no course will ever help is u simply can't train stupid. Dunno if education system or majority becoming more urbanised but seems to be a massive lack off common sense in a higher % of population than ever before. And I think social media/computers only makes it worse. Let's be honest here felling trees is hardly rocket science Mibee it should go back to how it used to be not allowed to do 32/med trees within 2yrs off doing 30/31. U can learn an awful lot by f##king up on small timber 1st, make the same mistakes on big timber and never going to end well.

It depends wot u want the winch for? Do u want it for skidding timber out and some pulling standing timber over? Or do u just want a powerful winch that will pull over hardwood trees or for rescuing/debogging other machinery? Not sure wot Hp ur major will be which might restrict the pull off a more normal skidding winch. A normal winch would be better for 1st type of work while ur Cooke's will be better for 2nd job. I know a few hardwood/firewood cutters who have Cooke's/Broughton type winches on majors

Cheers hdav I'll give them a look, sound exactly wot I was after. Cheers again

Is it chain/bar oil or 2 stroke mix? ( never noticed bar oil been referred to as synthetic, more a 2 stroke thing) I would happily mix bar oil no probs, I'll put almost anything throu ( and can remember when many woodcutters used waste engine oil but u had to remember to fill every half tank off fuel) And to be honest I also mix 2 stroke mixes, if I didn't have enough to make a Jerry can up. I do usually buy a decent brand synthetic mix thou.

Must be an English thing but I've never seen anthills look like that before. Althou a crappy picture on my tablet

Just mole hills. That 2nd photo looks like some sort of moss growth, u often see it on undergrazed hills, no soil below the hump just a massive hump of moss. A real bigger to drive over a will flip a quad if hit wrong. Or stick a 4x4

Is that u doing a bit off slash and burn in the Amazon afore its banned Aspen??

I see ur I n Lanark. There is a bloke in moffat who is very good. Just started doing it full time, but his dad done it for donkeys years before that and he as very good. Sam bowsher think calls himself chip of the old block on faceache he has a few carvings dotted about the moffat area in shops

I was going to say the same as above, if u use an upside down gub ( think called Humboldt cut, like the yanks do on TV) the butts tend to jump of the stump. Althou it will depend how far from the fence they are I'd also ratchet strap the stems to stop them barbers chairing as look like they would esp being ash, and saves u bothering with the fancy cuts to the same extent if u can't get in to some trees Todo the correct cut. But every tree will be slghtly different

Alright Apologies for another tractor related question. Does anyone know of decent sellers/scrappies specialising in old tractor/dumper wheels/rimms? Or the best old tractor mag for adverts for specialists? The tyres are 8.3x20 and look similar to old fashioned Lister engineer type dumper tyres, the tyres have decent tread but are badly perished, althou still seem to hold air ok. I can still buy new tyres to fit so not a problem there. But was thinking if I could get a 2nd set of rims I could save the perished set for twins for occasional use Just trying to keep costs down a wee bit the now to see how it works and make sure I get enough work for it Originally thought about making/modifing a set of modern 6T dumper wheels fit for extra floatation and modern cheap high ply rating tyres. But after working the machine the traction and grip it's got is brilliant with these narrower tyres worried putting big tyres on it would alter this and sit on top and just spin in normal use and use the twins for wetter ground when needed Obviously been designed this way for a reason and the wheels studs we set up for twins So if anyone could recommend a few scrappies etc would be geat

Just an update, still dunno how to post photos. But going 'green' , just had it out on an unexpected job for a mate, was a mix of original orange and red oxide primer, left it up in the wood and it's stood out like a sore thumb, not to bad in white grass thou Not that there much to vandalise and steal on it still better if folk don't see it. Machine far out performed wot I expected so not going to be sold in a hurry, althou stil has a few small issues but nothing major.

I bought a Stihl last year, not the biggest but has electric start. Bloody brilliant, if u meet the nieghbours etc turn it off and starts again at touch off a button while still on ur back. Only time u need to take it off us to refuel. Must admit not started it for a long time so hope it starts ok after signing it's praises.

Must admit I'm so so glad I don't clmb now other than for myself and mates. But someone summed it up perfectly early on, throwing extra spanners at a s##t mechanic solves nothing. Throwing extra ropes at poor climbers will only make matters worse as almost everyone has said. The only times I have had a triple lock carb open on my was when climbing on both ends off my rope, granted probably down to my poor rope management and tight spaces, so if ur doing that 100% off time the chances are it could happen more often. Not everyone is an expert climber. Looking from the outside I think u have been well and truly shafted by numerous folk, Hse just doing wot they do, possibly the climbers for making it look so easy and I can see how a few folk flying up a single rope with fancy gadgets will look very much like rope access/irata techniques Thirdly I would say ur asoc the Aa ( althou I would take my hat of to Paul? for coming on here and posting the way he has, fair play to u ) have shafted u big time by setting up a poor demo with no rigging, cutting and also bending over when asked. If they are meant to be looking out for ur interest it should be them writing to MPs and going over Hse's head, not relying on individual members to do it.

I'd say very unusual and surprised if it happens much nowadays. Insurance may be a grey area, usually use the word competent, which does not necessarily mean tickets. But if the brownstuff hitting the spinning thing tickets would be the 1st thing asked for. My mates dad still does a bit on local estates, never done a saw ticket or wears any ppe, apart from a lumber jack shirt, has a donkey driven circular saw that scares me just looking at it. Yet he is still the best hardwood cutter in the area. But he is from a dying era/breed Not many like him left now