equipement advise for woodland maintenance

[troy]

The woodland is birch, with tangled grass undergrowth and lots of gorse which I will need to clear.
I have been looking at strimmer bushcutters in screwfix and from stihl, but the prices are very different - does any body know the type/power of strimmer I should be looking for.

Also a chain saw will be needed to cut down and fashion camp furniture/fire wood from old grown hardwood - I have no idea about both these pieces of equipement, so any advise ref's types/safety/training will be apprechiated.

Cheers

 

[match]

I'm sure someone else will know more, but I'm fairly sure that you have to be licensed to use a chainsaw (possibly petrol, possibly over a certain size?) in the UK.

The Scottish Agricultural College runs courses in Scotland:

http://www.sac.ac.uk/learning/training/courses/atoz/chainsaw2

There are other places that also offer similar courses - it can be quite expensive though!

 

[Fenlander]

I use a sthil FS200 brushcutter. It is very light, but will cope with the course vegetation we have on site.

I use a Husqvarna 345 Chainsaw.

You might want to consider highering items just to get the area into shape

 

[Kepis]

Think you will find that you only have to be licensed to use a chainsaw if you are charging for your services, (i may be wrong though) i use a chainsaw on a regular basis and am self taught, i did receive safety instruction from a qualified tree surgeon though in the beginning.

When cutting down a tree, take a close look at it and work out which side has all weight on it (most branches) and or which way is it leaning, then cut so the weight/lean is opposite the blade, you can with practice cut a notch in the far side and actually turn the tree so it lands in the place you want it to, it's quite something to see a tree turn and fall in a different direction to the weight, also when doing any cutting with machines, before you start to cut, establish an escape route just in case something does go wrong, that way you can drop the machine (i have a safety pin in mine attached to a strap, if the pin gets pulled the machine stops, handly when you need to drop and run) and escape from the impending problem, a saw can be replaced - a person can't.

If you are going to use a saw, then you must get proper protective clothing, trousers, boots, gloves, eye, head & hearing protection, only a fool would operate a CS without the proper protective equipment, i was carrying the saw from my car to my back garden to perform maintenance, and caught the blade on my leg, even though the thing was turned off the blade cut through my jeans and into my leg, i still have the scar, blood everywhere.

As for strimmers, i use a brushcutter (30hp i think) with a steel star blade on it, this will cut brushwood upto 1.5 - 2inch diameter, a normal cord stimmer will suffice for grass and small stuff, once again you must also use the correct protective clothing - oh and don't hit any dog mess as i once did, not pleasant

 

[bambodoggy]

I'm sure someone else will know more, but I'm fairly sure that you have to be licensed to use a chainsaw (possibly petrol, possibly over a certain size?) in the UK.

I'm a Tree surgeon and Stump Grinder by trade so I am used to this type of thing.

The advice from Fenlander regarding the equipment is very good and as it happens my fav saw is also a husky 345

If you are working on your own land for private purposes then you will not need any form of licence for any of the saw's, cutters and tools you use, HOWEVER.... if you are doing this for commercial reasons, you intend to open the woods up to paid camping, paid shooting or even just paid access it becomes a commercial job and you will need to be qualified to use both the Brushcutter and the chainsaw. (the same applies if you need to hire a chipper in). I think you would be best of hiring the tools but don't expect the hireshop to ask or tell you about licences...they will just hire the kit out.

I'm not sure if Scotland runs under the same governing body but in England/Wales you will need to do either LANTRA or NPTC courses + assessment for the brushcutter and definately NPTC for the chainsaw. You may get away with the two day "Crosscut and maintenance" chainsaw course but if you are felling anything then you will need to do the 5 day + one day assessment felling course. A google search for the NPTC will bring up their website and give you all the details.

So, in short....if it's private you can use what you wish (within reason!) and if it's commercial then you need to be qualified.

Also, without teaching to suck eggs....both brushcutters and chainsaw can be extreamly dangerous if you are in-experienced with them so please take lots of care.

Hope that helps but if you wish or need to know anything specifically then by all means drop me a pm. I'd offer to coem up and do the sawing for you as a favour to another bushcrafter but I'm right down in Surrey!!!!

Cheers,

Bam.

(P.s. In my opinion, You can't do better than Husky (Husqvarna) or Stihl equipment).

EDIT: While I'm sure others are able to take tree's down safely please bear in mind that it is a 5 day course and a one day assessment for a reason, while nothing Maver has said is dangerous the course will show you different ways of felling trees safely with defferent types of cuts, Straight felling, Step cutting and boring cuts etc.... unless they are saplings I'd strongly advise you to leave bigger trees to qualified people.

 

[troy]

Thanks for all the advise and offers of help. I must admit, I did not know about the licences but being a forestry orientated area I am sure theirs somewhere here that would run these courses.

I am also sure that, seeing as the woodland is part of highlands and Islands, there is probably funding avaliable from somewhere.

 

[Fenlander]

If your site has public access in or around it......you would be wise to consider public liability insurance cover! A must in the world we live in today....unfortunately!

 

[Kepis]

EDIT: While I'm sure others are able to take tree's down safely please bear in mind that it is a 5 day course and a one day assessment for a reason, while nothing Maver has said is dangerous the course will show you different ways of felling trees safely with defferent types of cuts, Straight felling, Step cutting and boring cuts etc.... unless they are saplings I'd strongly advise you to leave bigger trees to qualified people.

Well said Bam, must admit that i leave the more difficult/tricky one's to those who have more experience than i, like the one we had by a drained out lake it was leaning towards the silt (8ft deep), i was not prepared to rope it and get a crew of blokes to pull it in the direction we wanted (away from the silt), so i left it to my mate who is a Tree Surgeon, it was amazing to watch, a cut here, a cut there and the whole tree swivelled around it's own axis and fell in the opposite direction to the silt - pure class

 

[Fallow Way]

NPTC now run an "occasional user" chainsaw course, which of course has more limitations than the full one.

 

[baggins]

Totally agree with bambodoggy, Am a tree surgeon and forester as well and his advice is spot on. Have seen some very nasty injuries and a few close shaves (managed to miss a cow by 2 foot while felling an 80 ft oak, he just ran at me as i put in the felling cut. the farmer just shruged, there's plenty more).
Am a big husky fan but have heard great reports on echo equipment (wspecially the brushcutters).
Take care and maybe consider getting in some help.

 

[Buckshot]

I heard a story of someone using a metal bladed brushcutter. The blade came off when he was using it and sliced his foot off !
As with all equipment - maintain it well

 

[Eric_Methven]

If you can wait till October I would be happy to come up and do the felling work for you - maybe in exchange for seeing how you make your bows, and having a go. I have three weeks in October kept free in my diary just for barter jobs like this. Interested? I'll even give you chainsaw safety lessons in case you decide to buy one. (I am blue book licensed). Let me know.

Eric

 

[Jack]

The woodland is birch, with tangled grass undergrowth and lots of gorse which I will need to clear.
I have been looking at strimmer bushcutters in screwfix and from stihl, but the prices are very different - does any body know the type/power of strimmer I should be looking for.

Also a chain saw will be needed to cut down and fashion camp furniture/fire wood from old grown hardwood - I have no idea about both these pieces of equipement, so any advise ref's types/safety/training will be apprechiated.

Cheers

Hi Troy.

The best bit of advise that can be given at this stage is to make sure that you get, professional chainsaw training before embarking on chainsaw work even if you are just logging up on a log horse.

Never in any circumstance should you under estimate the dangers of a chainsaw, they do not go out of their way to make new friends. There are as many stories of injuries as there are trees in your woodland, listen to them, there are lessons to be learnt.

Once you have got use to them and you understand then they soon become a wonderful tool and you can't believe how you managed without them.

With regards to the size of the saw and looking at what you are wanting to be doing, you may be looking at two as you do not want an over powered saw for small work like furniture making and you don't want an under powered tool for felling work as you can get into difficulties like that

Cheers.

Jack.

PS. Hurdle making is the supreme woodland skill

 

[Ravenn]

.The advice from Fenlander regarding the equipment is very good and as it happens my fav saw is also a husky 345
Let me throw in an endorsement for Husky products also. We have an older Huskey 41, and its a fine piece of equipment. If it is available in your area, try and find the small,clear plastic packets of synthetic oil mix. It avoids being concerned with mixing ratios as Husky uses a different ratio than my string trimmer ( A Ryobi). One packet in a U.S Gal of petrol,and it will work in any two stroke power tool. It also has a stabilizer in it that will keep carb jets clean,and will not lacqer up in winter

 

[maverix]

Well It always nice to have my thoughts reaffirmed.

I went to get my Xmas pressie today with the intention of buying a Husky 142, but fell for the 345. especially when i found it was on offer with free PPE. so paid the same price as i would have for the 142 and kit.
If anyone's interested the offer ends on Saturday and i think its available from any husky dealer.

Spent the journey home wondering if i shoulda' stayed small considering its only gonna get occasional use but seems i picked a well liked bit of kit