Liam Outdoors 89

Hey Muddy Well that's kind of why I posted on this forum..... Based in the south east, and I'll be honest I've got people badgering me for when the hard standing is done and when I've got containers on site. I'm not worried about getting enough costumers as my loan amount is not very much. I'm looking at 6/8 containers, a small workshop and double garages for rent. I already have 2 costumers on-site. This is for a long term goal. I work in London in the event's industry, thankfully it pays enough that I don't actually work that much in town, but I do work very long days. The farm is not full time, but it needs to earn it's keep. For example I have used my own cash to purchase machinery and I just want something to start paying me back little by little. I spend too much time in labour maintaining the property, I do enjoy it but as I've mentioned it sometimes gets too much. You could argue ' just move then ' and this thought has crossed my mind many times. I also have a separate yard where the kit is kept, not the same space where the yard area is for storage and rental space. But this could be a potential second area for wood processor. I'm not looking at taking over the timber Industry just a little side thing along the storage.

@eggsarascal - Yeah I see what your'e saying but I've been there 6 and half years and the lack of free weekends and no time is starting to take it's effect. I've got a young family too so it can all get a bit much. @GarethM - To be honest most people have said the same thing, just focus on the renting thing for a bit, as it's minimal physical and actual input once it's rolling along. I think I just needed some one to say " it's not worth doing -X -". I think I knew the answer I just didnt want to accept it. Not to mention the fact we can't get any grants because were not big enough, only one we can get is the replanting grant. And that's only £1500.00. Cheers Lads.

So.... I live on a 9 acre small holding which we share with my mother in law, i've posted in here before with variouse plans and ideas but honestly with so much required invesment, is all the bother and stress really worth it? I'm currently revamping our ' Yard ' as its just been a neglected mess for 10+ years with random s**t containers and un usable out buildings. I have spent the last year clearing it. In September & the beginning of October we had a big push with a 10ton digger and our tractor & trailer moving dirt and puttin down hard standing( Recycled Hardcore of variose sizes). This is with hope to start renting out some space for local tradesman and people that want to rent 20ft containers. Theres also a few out building I need to renovate but i'll be renting out those too. I've managed to get a small loan to cover some of the cost and also use of some my own personal savings. But realistically at the current rate it's not going to pay me back for 3/4 years. This depends on exspasion re-investment, sorting out proper rates etc. We alsoo have about 6 & half of semmi ancient woodland which we have a forestry plan for and the license to thin by %33 over 10 years. But i've got no money and time to do anything with it! Even if I wanted to sell firewood I need to build a small barn to store it all for a year / 6 months to season it. I understand that building a buissness is not easy and requires invesment but how much stress and money is it worth? I am lucky in my actual job pays alright and I don't do it fall time. But with the small holding I don't have any days off. I am not a farmer and have no intrest in ' Farming' but I do enjoy forestry and working with wood and trees. I also looked in to selling wood chip for biomass, but I'd need to get a telehandler and build a very large conceret bay to keep it in, along with a half decent PTO wood chipper. It currently just feels like loads of invesment with time and money with no return! Am I just being a little bi**ch and the true reality is " Yes its very and exspensive, but that's just how it is" Any way rant over - Cheers for any input

I've messaged you but it's ME97XA

I'm not gonna lie Mick it took me longer than I care to admit to realise the error of my ways....

Evening boys and girls I have an estimate of 8-10 tons multi length and size hardwood I would like to shift. It's been gathered over 3 years, it's mainly trees that have fallen in our woodlands and or been a potentially future issue to fences around the property. It's combination of Chestnut, Cherry, Hornbeam and Ash. It's some Seasoned and unseasoned wood. About 4 tons of the Ash is unseasoned. Some of it is potentially at waste. I'd like about £500 for the whole lot. I'm based in Kent. As you can tell from posting on here I am not experienced in selling timber. Thank you for any help!

Hey guys and girls I'm after a second hand pulley block, anything that's bigger than 19mm rope diameter ideally. It's for ground rigging in the woods. So I'm not worried about loler as it's for personal use. I can't find alot on eBay, I'm just trying to save a little cash if I can. Thank you for any response, please tell me if this should go in another group.

Well I just went - F**k it see what happens. I ending up purchasing a rear ballast box then filled it with sharp sand, approx weight 300kg. Our next door neighbour has an Agri Engineer who rents a yard, and he ordered me a Euro 8 Bracket then adpated it to the B3030 loaders arms for me. Ordered the Pallet bracket and forks not sure of weight but they are not light. It's lifting this to the height of a transit with not too much fuss. With those logs in the picture (Wet Ash) ,Euro 8 bracket, Pallet bracket and tines is probably approx 600kg. I dont think it can do any thing more than though, it felt fairly stable at the van bed height. But would be warey of doing any thing more than that. I'm very new to this so please be kind!

Hey Guys and Girls I'm after a 2nd hand rigging rope. Longer the better I can always cut it down. 14mm plus would be great but beggers can't be choosers... It's for personal use, not work so not too worried about loler. I live on a small holding and it's just gonna be used to drag the odd thing around. I'm based in Kent so if any one is getting rid of any thing or fails loler because its too old please let me know. Thank you very much Liam

Hey Grassyass I looked at these but I've seen they can actuall bend the bucket. And Ive seen comments about the putting the weight further away from the pin points of the loader. Thank you though

Hey Guys Cheers for the replies - Yes I can use the rear 3 point linkige but I don't want to be reversing around the woods and i'll be stacking logs to atleast 3ft high. But a good point. Its currently fitted with a 1.3mtr wide bucket, and to be honest I dont know what it weighs but its probably atleast 150kg + on its own. I've not been moving much with the bucket yet. Just the odd lumps of hardcore dotted around. Cheers for the replies though lads, it has raised a good few points!

Hey every one I live on a small holding and after a long time saving we have bought our first Tractor. A kubota B3030 The first implement I'm looking at is getting is a pair of pallet forks, one of its main jobs is to move log wood around. Im getting a Euro 8 bracket fitted, but our local Agri engineer is struggling to find some lighter weight Pallet forks. Most of them seem to be rated up to 2.5 ton. And the Bracket and forks combined weigh up to and over 200kg, the loader it self is only capable of lifting 400kg at full height. I know I won't be lifting logs at full height but i'm trying to get the most out of the light weight loader. Any help would be appreciated, Ive contacted a few fabricators on Ebay. Im waiting for the responses " should of bought a bigger tractor mate" Thank you very much Liam

Unless I missed it do you do any hand or arm strengthening or stretching? At thge age of 30 I started getting shooting pains in my left wrists. It was due my job constantly coiling cables at work. It was a form of RSI. My chyorptactor basically said your'e weak get stronger. And after 2 months of 3 days a week of basic hand strengthening exercises (look on youtube), the pain went away. And its never come back. Most pain people get is from weakness of muscles. I did tree surgery, in the trees and ground work for 18months during covid. And aside from a pain in my left shoulder (from hedge cutting) I neever had any hand arm pain. Take it easy

No it hasn't been a proper small holding for about 30 years. It became a scrap yard and garage for a while. Its the late father in-laws, who was a landscaper & unfortuantley a horder........... So I've spent a while tidying up the scrap etc. I'm trying to get it back to it's former glory & tidy it up. And the log wood was one way of getting it back to what it could be used for. We've got lots of storage, including a soft sided artic body, a 8mtr x 28mtr canopy along with a few containers. All currently full of 'crap'.

lots of insight lads! It's all appreciate, I don't think any one has said any thing 'negative'. I'd rather some people on here with some experience in the industry say the truth and point out the pit falls and struggles. It's also good to see how much kit, space & resources you actually need to make the money. Perhaps my exception of earnings is too high for the in-come I'm expecting. I'm tempted to look at it from a different angle. Potentially still create our small holding as a 'tip site', split and dry the wood I can get from local firms and build it up over 24months. Marking and organising it correctly so it's seasoned for 24months and if I get enough to pay for some of the kit it's a winner then build up gradually. Doing the tree work part time to cover the basic bills. Is that a more reasonable expectation? In my last industry I was self employed for 5 years. I don't think it matters what industry your'e in if you run a business or are a sub contractor you are slightly at the mercy of your clients. But you can also turn work down, which isn't as easy to do when your'e employed.