Donnie
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Everything posted by Donnie
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Not entirely sure where that is. I’ve 15 odd sites on at my work that I hop between. I’d have no idea if it were being felled for a wind farm or not unfortunately.
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Aye. Yesterday was 110 mile up north and actually got a lift up in the forwarder which is mega and doesn’t happen very often. Here is the top of the hill, van is way beyond the standing trees. Took maybe 15 minutes in the forwarder to get there.
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They won’t. But if they did, I’ve got a bit of my own work to do through management companies but not a whole lot (they’re more maintenance based). I could quite easily go freelance to a certain degree although I’m not up to that level yet I’ve still a lot to learn, or so I feel. Can put down a lot in a day and work hard but heard of other cutters cutting for smaller companies, harvester forwarder type set ups and they weren’t very good at all when they came to work for us. Could do what they did in a day, by breakfast time.
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Absolutely. Been felling pockets here for weeks. Good stuff in here, got a 951 Komatsu in here. Biggest Komatsu they make I think, or wheeled anyways. Can fell up to a metre if not more I think. Took 30 minutes to walk down the hill today. It’s a long hill… my knees do not like it
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No jack up the hill, all back leaning so I taper the hinge. Leaving more on the downhill side and send them all at once. Took me 9 minutes to brash and cut each one and bomb them. To wedge one of them sideways can take 2-3 wedges buried into it and maybe a highlift at times depending. Saves time and energy just doing that. It’s ‘unsafe’ and you’re not allowed to do it, but the people that would tell you that are the ones that normally haven’t done it before. The jack is way down the bottom in the van, past the standing trees and way down the hill after that… So you can see what I mean.
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IMG_5318.mov
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Could imagine that being a complete pain in the arse especially dealing with multiple people/customers and if you are towing kit etc about.
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Not sure where to post this but hey ho. 461 runs well. Bark box on it. Brand new 20 inch bar and chain. Inner dog bolt hole is worn out, could do with being retapped (I don’t have the inner dog). Looking for about 350 for it. 462. Runs, not easy to start, idles fast. Snapped bolt at exhaust. No exhaust. Think it may be running/idling fast as there is no exhaust? Open to offers on the 462. Located Scottish Borders. IMG_5305.mov
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IMG_5305.mov
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This is by far not a proper moan or giving my main employer a slating. They’re sound I get on with them and all the operators, I think it’s more of a ‘always has been that way’ kind of thing.
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250 a day. Milk n 2.
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Done it 2 years now and I’ll more than likely keep carrying on. As for doing more hours, I’ve done that before sometimes 12-14 hours a day then back to the digs. Only problem I find is after 8 hours you are more than likely doing more damage to yourself as all work at a fast pace as a heavy work load. I’ve stuff on a personal level that I’d rather be about for. Nearest store from where the digs are is 45 mins either north or south. To be fair I wouldn’t honestly mind doing it most of the time if I didn’t mile out my own motor/diesel. I also find out at 6-7pm every night where to go for the following day. One day could be up north, the next I could be in England so it varies so much. Caravan wouldn’t really cut it I don’t think as we all bounce about day to day.
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I’m self employed. The thing is, every woodcutter seens to accept the fact that this is the norm. Starting to think of giving it up to be fair as I would be better off back welding etc. I’d like to stay self employed though for flexibility for a little while.
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Sometimes we are 1 hour from the house, around about 190 profit after fuel etc. Like 19 quid an hour if we do the full 8 hours on site… @AHPP Just came from a small van and this pick up is only a 1/3rd more expensive to run than the small van. I’m 6 foot 6, small vans are grim to drive for me unfortunately. Did 45K in my last one and it was agony towards the end. Running a van in the woods is a bit of a gamble if you are doing it to ‘save’ money. The repair bill on mine was absolutely mental for a years worth of driving
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Cheers mate.
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Monday might be 200 miles tuesday might be 150 in the opposite direction. usually 100 miles a day is pretty ‘local” for me. I’d rather not stay away either as they pay for digs but I still need to feed myself in overpriced pub food at night which is just as expensive as driving half of the time, plus it’s normally 1 hour from digs to the site usually. My first week of owning this pick up I did this exact journey 5 days in a week. Spent over 200 in diesel and was no better off for it but saying that to my boss is like a death sentence probably
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This has a lot of long replies that my tired brain cannot understand right now but on the long drive home today I calculated my hourly rate after expenses (not including running costs and maintenance costs if you know what I mean, wear and tear etc). 260 top line for the day. 8.5 hours on the saw. 5 hours driving. 13.5 total. fuel can 5L felling a hillside. easily 6 gallon of diesel. 60 odd quid expenses in fuel for the day. 200 profit. 13.5 hours 14.80 an hour.
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How far are we all going for a days work? I’m a commercial cutter so it’s a bit different from tree surgery and it kind of comes with the job, travelling. That being said how far would you say is too far? The sole company I cut for is taking on more and more work up north and it means, like today I’m doing 110 miles to site and then 110 back with 8 hours on the saw. Which I only really do 6 as it ends up a 15 hour day in total if you do/hitting rush hour traffic on way home.
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Not sure what money is in what with these things. Never even seen one in the flesh to be fair.
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Seen this a few hours ago. Looks like a handy bit of kit…
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461 seems to run well and it’s loud as with that bark box. Seems like it’s got a lot of power. @Pete Mctree the 462 idles quite quickly. I’d be happy to shift them on as they are, maybe clean them up. I’d rather keep the 461 than the 462 though that’s for sure.
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Forestry employment issues
Donnie replied to Acerforestry's topic in Forestry and Woodland management
It’s the way this forum goes I’d say ha. Did you get on the UK hand cutters page? Se connecter à Facebook WWW.FACEBOOK.COM Connectez-vous à Facebook pour commencer à partager et communiquer avec vos amis, votre famille et les... -
IMG_5260.mov
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Just picked these up. Wondering what they’re worth IMG_5276.mov
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I use a 572/372 every day on steep ground and they get heavy after a few hours. Second that on the 550XP. Ripping saws, guys I work with use them for brashing and that’s they’re flat out all day. Get about a year or two out of them in constant use but that’s good going I’d say… Echo 621SX, my felling partner bought one in October. Been in for warranty like 1-2 times. Each time comes back same problem, no real support on them I don’t think… Sits in the back of his van now doing nothing
