Jack.P

Hope everyone here had a good one To me it’s just a load of over commercialised crap but everyone has there own opinions. bit of a saga with various stuff over Xmas .will be glad to be back at work tmr

Be careful not to overwork those Dremel tools. I burnt out the motors on two of them and was later told by them that they couldn’t be repaired In my experience I don’t think they are designed for any heavy duty sharpening

Just a suggestion but I’ve found that cable ties found in screwfix are perfect for bodging this kind of thing (550x 9mm) very strong .likely most the clips broken off and possibly need new fog light connector (10 quid ebay job )

Wouldn’t bother with any chainsaw wellies.they always seem to be so uncomfortable I did a full week in some class 3 Stihl ones and after that one of my feet still feels bit stiff 4 weeks later .decided to weigh the pair and the same weight as a ms261! For them wet muddy days best stay in bed

Roses would probably also do ok but would definitely have much better chance with added well rotted horse manure worked in .have you looked at evergreen star jasmine which could trail over the railings

That is irrelevant.it said on there website clearly fits 241 and didn’t fit the sprocket.they are crap anyway and won’t be buying anymore . Stihl ones are far better

If the Birch and hornbeam 8ft firewood was on a ton rate and not piece rate I could have made more and might have stayed on .few people had suggested that I do a 40hr week on there piece rate then clearly say at the end of the week your company is shite I have worked hard all week for f##k all.dont see much point though in that but it would prove a point they are cowboy conmen

Anyways just heard from the geezer that he was only offering the day rate for an additional week then piece rate .i have said no now not coming back.enough bloody monkey business.in my opinion not fair really and no wonder people don’t work there considering there is a fair amout of low value wood to come out and cutting and processing takes just as long shite stuff or not.

As you’ve rightly said I am relatively new to the forestry game but not a total beginner i still can’t work out how amateur or good to work the company in question is he must be doing something right though to get national trust blocks ? but there’s only one other cutter on the site who wants to work for 12 quid .i think the reality is people would mostly prefer to work in supermarkets doing easier work for the same hourly rate the main business is fencing materials but big heavy strainers on piece rate only pays £1.50 pointed &stacked which came as a surprise how low that was It’s had me thinking if I wanted to Its Not particularly hard to run my own small company like this . presumably the landowners he deals with get say 35% from all wood/product that’s extracted and sold ? say if it’s two thirds useable chestnut fencing and the rest birch firewood and chip and all brash left

The geezer is now saying 12 quid an hour and didn’t exept my offer of 15 this still seems low for someone supplying all own equipment and fuel etc doing heavy weight manual work. what is the going rate for a hand cutter down south?

45 an hour will be going some with that size diameter wood .also brash has got to be chucked to one side and all the 8ft lengths (some very heavy) all got to be stacked .

Don’t think it would suitable for a harvester.i was told 20p but could be bit more like 30p .i realise now why they can’t find people who want to work there .its a shame if I don’t go back as got on well with the other cutter

Doesn’t sound as though I got the job anyway .they want me back on Monday but not willing to offer me day rate .in the new block we just started is a lot of low value fire wood and chip which has got to go first before getting into the more valuable stuff firewood/chip doesn’t pay much when on piece rate and hardly worthwhile but piece rate arrangement not really for me anyway when each pays so little who is really going to bother cutting /stacking heavy birch /hornbeam @8ft for 20p

Not been counting . Already had decided not going to take it up if it has to be on piece rate It’s a gamble how much I can make when elsewhere I can get a decent hourly rate or day rate im only trying it out as wanted a change of scene so not desperate for work and don’t think piece rate is a good option given the fact how low each piece pays

Hi .Yes been using large husqvarna tongs which work well if the logs are not too heavy to drag.the new Stihl ms241 running 14’’ has been perfect for this sort of work .the only snagging point I have found is that the bar is a bit short for pointing strainers and any longer than 14’’ and won’t run as good .also so far it’s been pretty fuel efficient compared to the other machines and surprisingly powerful for a lightweight saw I had bought some rotatech chains for it which I’m less than impressed with as not compatible with the drive wheel so waste of time trying to save money there still unsure if this work is for me though.at least I would have done a week of it so got good idea what’s involved now

Yes it’s hard work moving heavy strainers and timbers onto the piles all by hand . anyway a lot more upto speed now with cutting spec and production rate only been at it this week and starting to feel it now.it is bit full on all day

Not sure about 5ft/5ft6 but will be less.i know that 6ft small chip 20p a piece and a smaller diameter straight 6ft pole 80p .i thought the strainers is where the money would be but appears none of it is pays well

One of them owns the company.the other who is bit faster at cutting than me is on a day rate at 8hrs for 100 quid which only equates to £12.50 p.h then minus fuel and expenses it sounded as though he is better off on day rate my offer will be £15 p.h

Hi yes that is about right .currently on day rate which will turn into piece rate wage if I decide to stay on with them .its probably similar on other piece rate work but the rates for cutting the wood products produced do seem very low there which is why I’ve gone off it a bit I’m not that desperate for work .i won’t be bothering if it’s not worth my while . £100 quid for 7 hrs more than fair

Yes I know it’s potentially bad idea etc I said I’d do a week to start with to try and see if it’s for me or not .i think maybe he wants to see what progress is made before saying a day rate .(even though it might only be a week then piece rate if I stay on)

Hi im not in those parts but thanks .as far as I’m aware I’m on a day rate for a week or so to start with and that day rate hasn’t yet been discussed yet but should hopefully be 100 quid .after that then it’s piece rate on all wood cut to spec .it don’t sound like a great deal so 100 quid for 7 hrs will be my offer / £15p.h

Hi yes some of the cutting spec did seem bit short for an upright pointed post but may well be for West Country buyers spec i was expecting the heavy poles to pay nearer 3 quid having looked at what sell for and the work involved in preparing them i think 7 hrs for 100 quid is a fair deal considering I am supplying all my own gear with new saws and got small fell / cross cut tickets there is only two others workers on reasonable big site which could be a bad sign ? one on the saw and one on tractor .perhaps this could this be another cowboy company

Had an idea for a while I came up with someone for a small private burial site within a ancient woodland .one off fee for a private garden type area then annual maintenance charge aswell.

Hi again I’ve recent had another try at forestry work and its going better this time but .. Currently trying to decide how worthwhile/ viable the job could be to start with it was agreed I’d be on a day rate then after that on piece rate (mostly chestnut ) having now spoken to one of the cutters on the job it’s now more apparent how little you get for each strainer/post that’s cut /stacked and pointed all by hand.heavy strainer 5ft6 / 6ft =£1.50 i was told when first enquiring that from the guy who was advertising the job £120 is realistic once up to speed but cutting 80 of those strainers for the 120 seems unrealistic to me or various other timber to spec (that’s lower paid ie chip @20 p .a piece) .I have worked out that on piece rate in prime cutting weather i could potentially only make 11-12 quid an hour (after expenses) does these figures sound about right? i am going off the idea a bit now but sticking with it for the week at least i am thinking of asking for 100 quid as a 7 hr day rate

Why not just buy ash which would otherwise go for chip and less co2 miles? Get a deal on some lorry loads and perhaps hire someone in with a commercial processor which will get it market ready . However cheap wouldn’t touch anything coming from Romania the timber mafia have been exposed on international news having been upto no good after killing a few forest rangers . its estimated that yearly 20million cubic meters of timbers is cut there illegally.links here for anyone that’s interested Romania illegal logging: Authorities censor scientific report that shows volume of wood cut each year | Romania Insider WWW.ROMANIA-INSIDER.COM The Romanian authorities have censored the most important conclusion of a 10-year research project carried out by a t Murdered for trying to save Europe's oldest forests WWW.BBC.CO.UK Liviu Pop died last week, the second forest ranger killed in the past month.