MID-RANGE HARVESTERS
AN OPERATORS PERSPECTIVE
HA ● T POR E R ER T S E A RV H T ● R O REP R By Anthony Carr E T S E V AR ● H Logset 6H on test in Finland.
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ver the last 40 years, timber harvesters have changed very little in appearance. Although in terms of productivity, reliability and comfort, they are a million miles away from their predecessors. Today’s harvesters are all very capable machines and all do a great job of harvesting the timber that this country needs. All manufacturers think their equipment is better than their competitors, but in truth some machines are more suited to certain types of conditions than others. This feature isn’t about comparing one make against the other, our intention was for honest and open feedback from operators. Anthony Carr interviewed a random selection of UK operators who have used their harvesters for a considerable length of time and are in a position to offer their opinions.
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Anthony Carr Anthony has been involved in forestry since the early 1980’s. He began his career on the saw before moving on to operate machines. He joined Walton Logging in 1999 were he remains to this day as a harvester operator. When he is not working in the forest, he really enjoys mountain biking, rallying and playing the ukulele.
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JOHN DEERE 1270G
Operator: Robbie Robertson
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he John Deere 1270G is an eight wheel drive harvester and is available with optional IBC crane control. With IBC, the operator controls only the harvester head while the system takes care of the boom’s movement. The operator takes the harvester head to the desired place, sensors recognize the location of the head and the system adjusts boom movements and extension automatically. The 1270G stands at 2750mm wide with 600 tyres. It has 710mm ground clearance, a steering angle of +/- 44° and weighs between 22,650 and 22900kg depending on the harvesting head. The high-performance engine is a John Deere six cylinder EU Stage V EPA Final Tier 4, with 286hp at 1900rpm with John Deere load sensing, power adjustable double pump system hydraulics.
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New: June 2020 Current hours: 1300
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Length 7930 mm
← ← 2750 mm2950 mm
The crane is a John Deere CH7 with a tilting base and has three reach options from 8.6m to 11.7m; there are six harvesting heads available for this harvester. The machine is fitted with a low noise 160° rotating levelling cabin (side tilt +/- 17°, front/rear tilt 9°) and TimberMatic control, TimberMatic maps and TimberManager systems installed as standard. The TimberMatic control system for John Deere G-Series harvesters includes
www.johndeere.com
“The game changer on this machine is the IBC as it is fast, smooth, precise and powerful”.
and thus improved uptime for the machine.
TIMBERMATIC MAPS
TimberMatic Maps registers the harvester’s route and felled assortments with the exact location of each log. The forwarders working at the same site are seeing an accurate, real time situation and the harvester operator also sees the location of the forwarders. The operators can mark avoidable or difficult areas on the map, or any other notes from the terrain. The communication between the operators will improve as the data is stored in the system and is not dependent on a person’s memory. The data between the machines is updated through a cloud service. TimberMatic Maps is a standard feature in new John Deere forest machines and it is available with an upgrade kit for older models. The application requires 4G MTG and HPC15 (XL4) computer.
Operator: Robbie Robertson, 26 Walton Logging Ltd.
everything needed for base machine control and monitoring, measuring and bucking in one configurable user interface. The use of just one system makes the operator’s work faster and easier. Several pressure sensors have been added to TimberMatic, making it possible to adjust most settings from inside the cabin – and even without tools. The pressure sensors make machine adjustments and condition monitoring easier via the machine’s on-board PC: • • •
work and transmission pump pressures delimbing knives feed-roller arms.
Additionally, the new software version enables Remote Display Access (RDA) via Internet (either MTG or other modem). RDA means faster troubleshooting by maintenance people
Robbie left school at 15 and went to college for a year before joining John Deere forestry at Carlisle. After serving a three year engineering apprenticeship in the workshop he then went on a service van for 18 month. After this he began working for the family company, Walton Logging LTD, where he has been ever since. He began with 18 months on the service van before operating various harvesters up to his current 1270 G. “Overall the 1270G is extremely reliable” said Robbie. “It has done 1060 hours and apart from a few small warranty issues I haven’t had to stop because of breakdowns. On my current site I am cutting a 0.34m³ crop which is mostly bent and twisted with a lot of multiple stems. Fuel consumption on this site is 17 litres per hour and production is 21.4m³ per hour. It will climb a house and to date the transmission has never blown off. It is good on soft ground; the head is fast, accurate and reliable, all in all an all round excellent machine”.
BASE MACHINE “The frame brake is really good with no real issues. After operating older machines in the past, the new frame brakes are a lot better. I had a drive on a 1270 test machine last year with a prototype frame brake which uses stabilising rams and it was so much better. These should be installed on future machines. Refuelling is by the quick fit coupling at the back of the machine. The only slight problem is that because of the eight wheels, the back end of the machine is higher. A bit more thought is required when I position the bowser so I can reach the coupling and switch”. On the whole Robbie says the hose layout is good, the only issue is when the machine steering is on full lock the main feed hoses in the centre of the machine push up and rub on the bracket which causes failure through time. When the machine is at an angle he can feel the vibration of the hoses rubbing. “The machine is serviced every 750 and 1500 hours” continues Robbie. “John Deere takes care of the 1500 (big) services and Colin and I do the
750 ones. Servicing on this machine is pretty straight forward, the only problem being is with certain fuel filters needing a special tool to remove them, the worst one being so close to the chassis making it impossible to get a filter strap round it”. Robbie also pointed out that on other manufacturers’ machines, to save dropping the big belly plates, they have smaller access hatches underneath for draining the oil and greasing the propshaft, and he felt this would be a good addition to the 1270G. Robbie says he could do with more storage, one of his main complaints is there’s nowhere to keep his electric grease gun. A good addition in recent times though is that on the opposite side of the cab from the driver’s door is a compartment for the essential spill kit. Overall Robbie thought that the lighting is very good; the only addition would be to add more lights at the back of the machine which would activate when reversing.
CABIN “The cab is really comfortable with everything where it needs to be and with more storage than I actually use. The computer is very easy to use with all the information needed on the work screen and straightforward to see. The vision is brilliant, obviously with the John Deere you have the blind spot with the crane in the middle but other than that it’s excellent. The levelling is really good it is instant and it keeps itself level when driving across the site. The one thing I feel that would improve it is greater levelling forward
Rotating and levelling or fixed cab
and back. Although the lighting is perfectly adequate more lights on the front would be a welcome addition”. The cab greasing is taken care of by two banks of nipples under the cab. These are optional extras with Robbie saying these are well worth the upgrade. This system does away with getting unwanted grease on your head and shoulders when reaching under the cab to grease the standard set up.
BOOM: John Deere CH7
Gross lifting torque 197 kNm Reach 6,8,10 or 11.7 m
CRANE For the size of the Machine Robbie says the crane power is very good. “Reach is adequate but I could always do with more. The game changer on this machine is the IBC as it is fast, smooth, precise and powerful” said Robbie. The hose layout is neat and tidy on the crane with the hoses under the kingpost causing the only notable problem. These hoses are kept
out of the way to improve vision, but as Robbie pointed out the downside of this layout are the hoses rubbing together under the kingpost leading to hose failures, which are awkward to replace. The crane lights are on the underside of the main boom which Robbie feels are adequate but additional lights on the underside of the dipper boom would be a welcome addition.
415 HEAD For performance Robbie feels that this supercut saw is now the best on the market. The downside coming from slightly excessive bar wear. He also says the tensioning could be improved as the chain occasionally runs off the rails. Chain wear is excellent though with chain breaking being an exceptionally rare event. “Felling is generally good” said Robbie. “Sometimes it is difficult to get the head square on the tree when felling large trees with big toes. When felling with the head at an angle the head loses grip resulting in the saw getting stuck”. When double cutting to make sure he cuts right through the stem he has to make sure to get the head further round the back of the tree due to the positioning of the saw box. This head is running after market V-TEC feed rollers which Robbie prefers to the standard ones. The single speed motors give really good torque and grip with excellent delimbing. As with most heads, feeding on large stems is a problem with grip. The machine has slow feeding and feed limitation options but Robbie says a proportional feed would be a good addition.
Robbie uses sequence control to start the tree then uses manual saw for crosscutting. Measuring is really good with calibration via callipers keeping everything accurate. “The hose layout is shocking with lots of hoses sticking out which are prone to getting caught” continues Robbie. “They are a nightmare to change although it has been improved by putting a join in one of the feed roller hoses. This means it isn’t necessary to take the head cover off to change it. Some of the hoses under the head cover are awkward to change, with having to take other hoses off to get to the burst ones”. Another thing Robbie commented on was hose quality maybe isn’t as good on new machines compared to the replacement hoses he uses. The head is relatively easy to grease. The two issues with greasing is the access to the two nipples on the top knives which are really awkward to get to - a hole drilled through the chassis would be an easy solution to this problem. Another problem is the nipple behind the measuring wheel which is sometimes difficult to get at due to sticks getting jammed behind the measuring wheel electric hose”.
415 Maximum cut diameter 750mm
MARKS OUT OF 10
“9, there’s always room for improvement”.
FINAL POINTS CHAIN OIL USAGE
Between 5 and 10 litres a day.
LOW LOADER
Easy to put on
RELIABILITY
“It is very reliable considering the job it does. One problem though is the measuring wheel arm. Although this machine is only eight months old I feel there is excessive wear on the arm”. The only other point mentioned was feed roller hoses failing.
BACK UP
“Excellent Back up from John Deere” said Robbie. “They are always at the end of the phone with advice and a van is always sent out when needed. John Deere do regular tune ups on the machines and there is a noticeable improvement each time they are done.
Would have another: “Definitely”.
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PONSSE SCORPION KING
Operator: Graham Robson
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he Ponsse Scorpion King Is an 8WD harvester powered by a 280hp Mercedes Benz EU stage V/Tier 4 Final engine. It has a unique three hull design that keeps the cabin level at all times and an overhead forked main boom, with either 10 or 11m reach crane option for a completely unobstructed view. The Scorpion King stands between 2690 - 3085 mm wide. It has 655mm ground clearance, a steering angle of +/- //° and typically weighs 22,500kg. There are three Ponsse harvesting head options available. It has a two circuit hydraulic system which is particularly good for regeneration felling. Ponsse’s Opti information systems are designed to be user-friendly. Therefore, their design takes into account the wishes of drivers and the requirements of forest companies. Ponsse Opti has a system for forestry machinery as well as logging control and monitoring. With the easy-touse programs of the Opti system, controlling, adjusting, managing the application files and calibrating the machine are convenient.
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The Ponsse Manager connects forest machines to an information network. PONSSE Manager, the modern digitalization platform for forest machines,
www.ponsse.com
“The vision on this machine is unparalleled. With the cab rotting 320° you are mostly looking out of the front window the tree size in the crop he is in is a bit of a even while reversing”.
struggle especially with the bigger trees in the wind-blow, he is still managing. “Where the machine really comes into its own is in smaller crops. 0.4 m³ and 0.5m³ being the optimum size. The machine is excellent in crooked stems. The Scorpion performs well on soft ground although I feel the back end of the machine does seems to go down easier than the front”. Graham is currently harvesting on a local site cutting direct for the forestry commission. It is a second crop site with a 0.9m³ tree average across the whole site which includes patches of wind blow. The average tree size Graham has harvested so far is 0.78 m³. He is achieving an average production of 28.4 m³ per hour and using 18.5 litres of fuel per hour.
BASE MACHINE
enables comprehensive services now and in the future. The easy-to-use tool offers assistance in harvesting equipment maintenance and work planning, along with providing access to extensive reporting.
Operator: Graham Robson, 35 TPH LTD.
Graham Robson has worked for TPH off and on for 16 years. Graham started on a part time basis operating a forwarder on nights and weekends. He began working full time 9 ½ years ago on a forwarder for two years before progressing to a harvester. After operating various John Deere harvesters Graham changed to the Scorpion King 18 months ago. Graham is very happy with this machine; he finds it very operator friendly with visibility and stability being exceptional. Although
“The frame lock uses a ram either side of the chassis in the centre section which are linked to the cab levelling rams, this system gives unparalleled stability. One feature I really like is the alarm system which warns if the machine is in danger of tipping when reaching out too far on steep side slopes. The refuelling point is at the rear of the machine and the hydraulic oil filling is under the front hood of the rear section. The hose layout is one area where the machine could be improved, especially the hoses under the cab and the centre section. This machine is on a service contract with Ponsse, with services at 750 hour intervals. Graham helps the engineer out during these services and he finds the machine very easy to work on with filters etc being easily accessible. “Storage is adequate but I could always do with more. The side pod on the rear is handy though for storing hoses, and there
is another compartment in the front step. There are 2 led lights under the hoods
for servicing with a further one for refuelling”.
CABIN “Although the cab is small, the all round comfort is excellent. One of the main reasons for this is the stability of the machine as I am not getting rocked about all day and at the end of my shift I still feel really fresh. The seat is heated, has a cold air blower and is easily adjusted. The armrests are comfortable and I really like the comfort grip levers (pillars). The noise level in the cab is quiet, the only downside being caused by movement of the hydraulic pipes and hoses while being worked. The vision on this machine is unparalleled. With the cab rotating 320 degrees you are mostly looking out of the front window even while reversing. Even if I have to look out of the side
and rear, vision is good because of the narrow pillars on the cab. When the machine was new the cab had to be calibrated a couple of times but since then it hasn’t needed to be touched at all. The levelling works really well, the only glitch being when pulling big trees from the side it will pull the cab down a little bit but other than that, perfect. Lighting is covered by a bank of lights on the front of the cab below the window and a bank on the top of the cab with further lights on the side and back. Despite the fact that this is an easy computer to use I must admit it took a bit of getting used to after operating the John Deere system for years. I do feel however that there are a lot of similarities between the two systems”.
CRANE “I find the crane to be really smooth, with the slew power on the machine being really impressive but I feel the main lift could be better. I have to work close to the crop to achieve the best results. The one function I do really like is the automatic extension which works automatically
in conjunction with the dipper arm, using the left lever. The hose layout on the crane is excellent with hoses down to the head easy to change and there are two lights under the dipper boom and six on top of the king post providing excellent lighting”.
H7 HEAD “This saw is phenomenal. The machine is coming up 18 months old and I haven’t had any problems at all. Where the saw bar fits on is really
Three-frame harvester with a fork boom.
strong which does away with much of the sideways movement. Bar and chain wear is excellent. The head is good for felling but I am currently in a 0.8 metre average job so sometimes the head is letting go during felling on
BOOM: C50
Gross lifting torque 252 kNm Reach 10 or 11 m
the bigger stems.
as it very rarely alters”.
The feeding on the head is fantastic. In large trees it has a proportional feed, operated by a toggle on the pillar, which slows things down to get an accurate start on the tree. The head handles bent twisted stems with ease due to the reaction bar, and being able to feed the tree right out to the tip and then right back to the start without losing grip is a major plus point. De-limbing is really good and capable even on edge trees”.
“The hose layout on the head is exceptional. None of the hoses are exposed I have had problems with catching feed roller hoses on previous machines I have operated. The feed roller hoses are really well routed on the H7 head, and I’ve never caught one yet. All the grease points can be reached with the head in one position although the two nipples on the tilt frame swing arm are difficult to grease and could do with being extended so they aren’t as difficult to reach.
Graham uses the semi automatic system for sawing. This system is utilised by keeping the saw button pressed just before it reaches its length and the saw cuts soon as the length is reached. “Measuring on the machine is very accurate; it’s the best measuring head I have ever used. I calibrate the measuring on average once a fortnight but I do feel that it isn’t really necessary
Overall the head is very reliable and there has been very few issues with it. One problem though is the measuring wheel bearing wear. I have been changing these at nine month intervals, before they actually fail. Another issue is with hoses on the tilt frame manifold wearing through including the hose housing the electric cable”.
FINAL POINTS CHAIN OIL USAGE
The oil flow for the saw can be adjusted via the computer. Graham says he usually uses about four litres of chain oil a day, which is ample as he has no issues with excessive bar wear or broken chains.
LOW LOADER
If there has to be a bad point of this machine, transportation is it. The machine itself is easy to put onto the low loader but knuckling up the crane to get it low enough in Grahams words is a real headache. Fitting of quite a few guards is
needed and then some special manoeuvring techniques are required to get in to place.
RELIABILITY
Very few problems, covered elsewhere.
BACK UP
“Back up is A1, on the rare occasions I have had to call out a van, they have always been there the same day, even at 3.30 on a Friday”. If Graham needs spares he orders them over the phone and they are usually delivered to his house the next day.
H7 Maximum cut diameter 800mm
MARKS OUT OF 10
9.5.
Would have another: “Yes”.
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KOMATSU 931XC
Operator: Keith Palmer
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he Komatsu 931XC is an 8WD harvester with an AGCO 251 hp EPA Tier 4 Final and EU Stage 4. 6-cylinder turbo diesel motor. The modern engine reduces noise thanks to its intelligent variable fan control. The 931XC stands at 2996mm wide with 710 tyres. It has 710mm ground clearance, a steering angle of +/- 40° and weighs approximately 21,000 depending on harvesting head. The model features a type of double suspension. The articulated joint and a swing axle, along with the cab’s tilt cylinders and Comfort Bogie, lowers the machine’s centre of gravity and increases ground contact for added stability. The working hydraulics have a dual load sensing system with variable piston pumps offering a flow rate of 528 l/min @1600rpm giving 280 bar.
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21,800kg
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New: March 2019 Current hours: 3500
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Length 8015 mm
← ← 2776 mm2996 mm
Seven different Komatsu harvesting heads are available for the 931XC and three side mounted crane options with 8.7m, 10m and 11m reach. The MaxiXplorer and Information system is a fully integrated CAN-based
komatsuforest.com
“The machine stays stable even at full reach out to the sides”. operating a forwarder for two years for Robert Lawson. He then spent 6 months forwarding for Ian (tiny) Elliott before joining Blacklock harvesting where he has remained for the last 18 years. “Overall performance of the 931 is excellent” said Keith. “Stability when reaching out on steep ground is very good, I put this down to the centre of gravity of the machine being very central. The climbing ability of the machine has been impressive”. He then regaled me with the time he reversed up an exceptionally steep slope with the crane and cab turned round and the head hanging over the back of the machine to aid traction! The machine also copes with soft ground without any issues. Keith has been working on a difficult site at Cardrona which includes gullies and steep ground. Average tree size on the site is 0.5m³ with Keith producing 28m³ per hour and the machine using 19 litres of fuel per hour.
machine control system.
MAXIXT CONTROL
BASE MACHINE
The MaxiXT Control and information system controls the head, crane engine and transmission for optimum performance and economy. Komatsu machines are MaxiFleet ready which makes it possible to monitor production and machine information, see each machine’s status, localise all machines, coordinate/optimise the machines and conduct proactive service measures. The MaxiXl gives you full overviews on your smartphone, tablet, or your computer back at the office.
“The frame brake on the 931 utilises a ram on either side of the chassis, when coupled with the 8 wheels it provides faultless stability even on steep slopes. Refuelling is accessed via a removable step which clicks into place to allow access to the fuel and Hydraulic filling points.
Operator: Keith Palmer, 53
The autolube takes care of most of the base lubrication with four greasing points on the main slew bearing and two on the driver’s access step being the only ones needing to be greased manually”.
Blacklock Harvesting.
Keith spent his early years driving Lorries around the Scottish Borders area before
One issue I have though is that when checking the Hydraulic oil level, I have to remove the bonnet protection bars before lifting both bonnets to see the sight glass - a hole cut in the side of the bonnet would be an easy solution.
The hose layout on the base machine is generally good, the only problem being in the centre joint where the hoses go under the cab which has resulted in a water hose failure. Storage is good
with room for the toolbox etc in the front step although extra storage can be obtained by taking the plastic urea tank out which leaves room for hoses.
CABIN After year’s operating Komatsu 941’s, Keith went onto operate a different make of harvester for about two years. He found the computer a little bit difficult to use at first but became used to it over time. Now back on a Komatsu it has taken time getting used to the 931 XC computer. He is now however, comfortable with it and say it is very user friendly. “Cabin comfort is excellent with the overall stability of the machine keeping things steady, along with a roomy cab and excellent seat. The levers are the wooden Komatsu ones but I find these better to use than the mini levers I have used in the past, I find them really comfortable with the buttons just where they need to be. Storage inside the cab could be a lot better, if I put anything in the nets in the door they fall out when I shut the door. The two pockets behind the seat provide some storage but things rattle
around in them so much that they are very annoying. Vision is excellent which really maximises performance, the only slight problem being if a tree gets caught in the crop on my right-hand side there is a blind spot due to the main boom. However I can feel when the tree is caught so this doesn’t cause me any major problems. Levelling is excellent on steep ground and it levels further than machines I have operated in the past”. The cab has courtesy lighting which gives a red glow around the cab while operating in the dark with the lights becoming white when the door is opened. Cabin greasing is part of the autolube system which would probably last for two weeks, but is filled up weekly to keep things running smoothly.
CRANE Although the main lift is perfectly fine, working close to the crop gives the best results. One thing Keith did remark on was, when handling large trees or a full diesel bowser or site safe, he has to be careful that the head doesn’t come in and hit the front of the machine due to lack of power in the dipper ram. “Slew power is good as is the extension” said Keith. “The machine stays stable
Keyless system that can control both heating and main circuit breaker/lighting remotely.
even at full reach out to the sides”. To keep the crane working at an optimum Keith calibrates the levers and all the functions on the crane at least once a fortnight, this is all done within the computer which is relatively straightforward to do. “The Hose layout on the crane is generally good. The one hose I have had problems with is the one that houses the electric cable down to the head.
BOOM: 230H
Gross lifting torque 229 kNm Reach 8.7, 10 or 11 m
This problem occurs while working on steep ground as it causes an acute bend on the hose where it goes into the electric box.
With 4 lights underneath the main boom and 4 on the side of the crane it provides excellent lighting”.
C144 HEAD “Felling with this head is good as the well designed saw box enables me to cut the stumps low. I fell the trees manually in larger crops and use fully automatic when I am in smaller stands. One short press of the saw button is all that is needed to cut all the way through in the fell cut; this can be overridden by simply pressing the button again. Feeding is excellent it has a good grip on big trees and accurate measuring is achieved when care is taken with big butt logs. On the rougher trees I am able to feed the tree all the way to the tip and then back to the butt with no loss of grip. The head is able to de limb rough trees but I tend to leave them for the cutter so as not to put too much strain on the head”. Keith uses the semi-automatic method of crosscutting, holding his finger on the saw button before the tree reaches its length which results in instant cross-cutting. “The measuring is good on this machine. There
have been problems in the past with Komatsu machines but I feel that they have it right now. Calibration is done via callipers every 1000 m³ which are very easy to use. “Very Quick when the bar and chain are 100 %” were the words Keith used when describing the saw, and he added even when the chain goes dull it still cuts reasonably well but he doesn’t recommended this as it causes excess wear on the bar and chain. Chain snapping is minimal with the only slight problem being the chain sometimes catches the side of the saw box. This Head has done 3500 hours. The only hoses that I have had to change were two knife hoses which had not been crimped properly when new. The feed roller hose layout is perfect unlike other heads I have used in the past. Greasing on the head is well thought out with the inner greasing points all accessed via a bank on the outside of the head with the other ones easy to locate”.
FINAL POINTS CHAIN OIL USAGE
About 5 litres a day.
LOW LOADER
“The machine is easy to put on the low loader. Folding the lights on the cab forward, and
moving the lights under the main boom to the side, give the only minor gripes to folding the machine up for transport”.
RELIABILITY
“Overall the C144 is a good reliable head;
C144 Maximum cut diameter 750mm
MARKS OUT OF 10
9 the Achilles heel has been the inner feed rollers. The rollers are in line rather than side by side with the top one being powered via a sprocket between the two rollers. If the top roller becomes jammed and the bottom roller keeps on turning it results in either blowing the motor seals or breaking the bolts on the sprocket. The last time this happened new stronger bolts were used and so far they seem to be okay. Apart from this a failure with a top knife has been the only other notable issue”.
BACK UP
“Good and getting better. A lot of the original engineers have left over the years and the younger lads that have replaced them are doing a good job”. One aspect Keith is really impressed with is the Team Viewer system, this allows for an engineer from Komatsu’s base in Longtown to be able to alter his machines computer no matter where it is. This system can be accessed even without phone signal, with the engineer being able to change settings as though he was actually sitting in the machine. “I was recently working in Ireland and had a problem with the knives not working properly, by turning the cab and crane round and dangling the head out the back of the machine, the engineer was able to watch what the head was doing via the reversing camera and diagnosed the problem”.
Would have another: “Yes”.
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LOGSET 6H GTE
Operator: Colin Forder
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his 21,000 kg harvester is available in six or eight wheel drive and uses a six cylinder AGCO Stage V 258 hp engine and the hydraulic system offering 285 l/min at 1500rpm.
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21,000kg
← ←
New: 2016 Current hours: 10,200
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The 6H stands between 2640 and 2930 mm depending on tyres. It has ?? mm ground clearance, a steering angle of +/- ??° and weighs approximately 21,000 depending on harvesting head. This model is supplied with a Mesera 221H crane and has three reach options; 8.3, 10 and 11m and can be fitted with a choice of three Logset harvesting heads - TH45, TH55 and TH65.
Length 8300 mm
Logset have developed a base machine control system, the TOC 2. This control system has been designed so that it is user friendly and straightforward to navigate. Recently updated, the settings for the TOC 2 control system are divided into two parts: basic settings and advanced settings. Anyone can simply change the basic settings of the program, for example, drivers can save their own crane settings in the program. Access to the advanced settings on the harvester can be restricted to qualified technicians. Logset has developed a new measuring instrument system for their harvesters: Total Operation and Measuring Device 2 (TOC-MD 2),
2640 mm2930 mm
← ←
www.logset.com
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“Comfort in the cab is excellent and larger than I expected”. In 1991 Colin teamed up with Nigel Greenacre, who had also worked for the forestry commission, and formed the company GNF Forestry. Together they worked cleaning up windblow following the 1987 storm. This is the company they are still running today with Colin operating the harvester and Nigel operating one of their two forwarders. Colin and his son C J were double shifting the 6 H on a flat site in Suffolk, with Colin describing the crop as “mediocre”. They are producing an average of 26 m³ per hour with a tree size of 0.3m³ and fuel usage of 18 litres per hour. “Overall reliability of the machine, over the 10,200 hours, has been excellent” said Colin. “The only problem that hasn’t been run of the mill was a broken wire under the cab. RJ Fukes fixed the problem in two hours by replacing the wiring harness”.
TOC-MD 2 which is a Linux-based system. The TOC-MD 2 is able to connect to the TOC 2 control system directly which eliminates the need for a separate PC. TOC2 and TOC-MD 2 control systems are the result of 10 years of development, the TOC control system has been used in Logset forest machines since 2007. The TOC-MD was introduced in Logset machines in 2010. TOC-MD 2 navigation has been recently updated with the latest navigational software.
“GNF Forestry has been loyal to the Logset brand since 1997. Starting with excavator based harvesters before going onto purpose built machines. The machines have gradually improved over the years with each model being better than the previous one. The 6H has been very productive and reliable. The majority of our work is carried out in Norfolk, Suffolk area where the sites are relatively flat with good ground conditions. With the 6H never running tracks and it being fully ballasted to aid stability, it is reasonable on soft ground with extra care being needed to get the most out of the TRS tyres”.
Operator: Colin Forder, 65
BASE MACHINE
Colin Forder spent the first years of his career working as a mechanic on timber drags which he described as AEC Matador Lorries with an A frame on the back which was used for skidding timber. At the age of 21 he started work as a chainsaw operator for the Forestry Commission based in Thetford forest.
“The frame brake on the Logset works via a ram on either side of the machine chassis and it does an excellent job on the work that we carry out. Access for refuelling and replacing hydraulic oil are on a side compartment towards the rear of the machine and is accessed by a lift up hatch with both connections easy
GNF Forestry.
BASE MACHINE to get to. There is a compartment on the main slew bearing and two other side of the machine which houses the batteries. The various greasing points are easily accessed and the hose layout on the Logset is excellent with no failures in the centre joint during the 10,000 hours the machine has worked. The LED lighting on the base is also excellent. Servicing on the machine is done by the operator on the interim 500 hours service, whereas the
main 1000 hours service is carried out by RJ Fukes. The servicing is straight forward; the only thing which was a little awkward to change was the transmission filter” said Colin. A common theme among those I have interviewed is lack of storage. Colin commented he could always do with more. There is storage under the front of the cab for chains, with 2 drop down hatches at the rear of the machine for bars etc. There is also storage in the refuelling compartment for the toolbox.
CABIN “The computer on the 6H is very user friendly. The right joystick of the machine is all that is needed to navigate the computer.
downside with the crane is that it is in front of the cab. I have operated Logset’s for years so it doesn’t bother me that much.
Comfort in the cab is excellent and larger than I expected, there is ample room. There are side pockets on either side of the seat with further storage in the door pocket and room behind the seat for the spill kit. With the cab following the crane I find the vision excellent. The only
Levelling on the cab is very good but it is rarely stretched due to the majority of our jobs being relatively flat. The lights on the outside of the cab are all LED’s giving a good spread for working, and inside the cab there are 4 lights including 2 reading lights. Greasing points for the cab are all easily accessible”.
CRANE “The Crane could do with a little more power on bigger trees. But, as the majority or our work is predominately thinning and smaller clear fells,
The 500 litre fuel tank means less downtime for fuel filling
the crane is more than adequate for our needs. The ten metre reach comes into its own in the thinning’s. The hose layout on the crane overall is very good but if I could make one change it would be a guard either side of the main boom to stop branches getting under the metal pipes. This isn’t
BOOM: Mesera L221V
Gross lifting torque 188 kNm Reach 8.3, 10, 11 m
This isn’t an issue in clear fell but as we do a lot of first thinning’s this can be a problem. Lubrication is via one easy to access greasing
point which services the whole of the crane and the crane lighting is via 2 LED lights either side of the link above the kingpost”.
TH65 HEAD “With the saw running an uprated saw motor and a 14 tooth sprocket it gives excellent performance, good bar wear and minimal chain failures. The head is great for felling and the sturdy well positioned saw box keeps the stumps low. The TH65 gives excellent results even in rougher stems and the feeding is very good. Due to being the owner of the machine as well as the operator I tend to leave the rougher trees to the hand cutter to save on breakages”. Colin also uses the manual crosscutting option as it is what he’s used to.
“Measuring of length and diameter is accurate. I do the Calibration manually to keep things in check when needed. The hose layout on the current TH65 head is an improvement over the previous model, the main improvement being the feed roller hoses which have been rerouted forward then up, rather than straight up. The only failures we have had was due to catching the hoses in tight first thinning’s, none have occurred on clear fell sites. The head is easily maintained with all greasing points being readily accessible”.
FINAL POINTS CHAIN OIL USAGE
10 litres a day.
the machine having done 10,200 hours, nothing stands out as having been a major problem.
LOW LOADER
BACK UP
Straightforward and easy.
RELIABILITY
“Just the normal run of the mill problems, with
The morning I spoke to Colin, he had a saw valve fail and before replacing it from the spares out of the service van, he rang RJ Fukes to order a new one which would arrive at his house in the post
TH 65 Maximum cut diameter 720mm
MARKS OUT OF 10
9
FINAL POINTS the following morning. “I can’t rate them highly enough” is how he described the back up from RJ Fukes. “Somebody is always at the end of the phone, and a service van readily available if needed”. One other thing Colin commented on was that Logset are always willing to listen to feedback from operators to help improve their products.
Would have another: “Yes”.
Multiple chip A selection from our range of extremely strong Chippers
AX9045 In combination with a 20m³ Chip box, this is a hack of a PTO-Chipper that feels at home on any terrain.
AX6060 The Axsel 6060 is a very practical chipper that manoeuvres through the forest with ease.
AX10045 AXSEL has designed this large Chipper especially for the heavier tractors.
AX6545 Our medium range Chipper, equipped with a Heavy duty drum which makes it extremely suitable for chipping logs.
Choose your favorite chipper. For example, the above checked AX9045.
www.axsel.com
A brand of
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ECO LOG 560D
Operator: Neil Fraser
T
he Eco Log 560 is a six wheel drive pendulum arm suspension harvester weighing 19,100kg with its Volvo Penta 6 cylinder Stage V Tier 4F 252hp engine.
This is a self levelling harvester with adjustable ground clearance from four inches to almost four feet. The independent pendulum arms are able to raise and lower each axle individually. The side mounted crane has reach options from 9m to 11.5m and can be fitted with your choice of four Log Max harvesting heads - 3,000, 4,000, 5,000, 6,000. Eco Log use the DASA Forester operating system. Forester is the latest generation of systems for optimised logging and is the 6th generation system from Dasa which draws on the company’s experiences from previous systems. Development was undertaken in close cooperation with leading manufacturers of harvesters, forwarders and logging units. The result is a product that takes bucking and mechanised logging to an entirely new level.
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19,100kg
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Used 2015 was 1200 hours Current hours: 13,500
RT O P E R
Length 7402 mm
← ← mmmm
The Forester product range will shortly be joined by system solutions including: H-series bucking system for harvesters, F-series production
ecologforestry.com
“The levelling of the base machine is taken care of by the pendulum arms”. forwarders before progressing to harvesters. Last year Neil decided to go it alone starting up his own company Fraser Timber Harvesting Ltd working for Norbord in the Inverness area. The site Neil is currently harvesting is mixed with some spruce, rough twisted pine and quite a lot of windblow and dead trees. Neil is achieving roughly 15 m³ per hour in a 0.25m³ size crop with the machine using 11 litres of fuel per hour. “One of the major assets to this machine is the way it can keep itself level due to the pendulum arms” said Neil. “This system is used while traversing the site and its second nature using the joystick control to keep things level. Another advantage with this system is its ability to sit level going across steep side slopes, where with the powerful crane I can fell the trees and then place them in more accessible areas where I can process them, allowing easier access for the forwarder”.
system for forwarders, Navi navigation system for harvesters and forwarders, Monitor operation monitoring system for forwarders and harvesters and a Care telematics system for communication and monitoring machinery.
Although the machine hasn’t come across any very steep climbs so far, Neil feels the hydraulic drive motors will be up to the task if needed. “With this machine running an upgraded crane and hydraulic system that is usually found on the 580 D, it really is on top of the job. With the smaller Logmax 5000 D head along with the 11 metre reach crane it is a perfect combination for the type of work I do”.
Operator: Neil Fraser, 44
Fraser Timber Harvesting Ltd. After leaving school in 1993 Neil attended the Scottish school of forestry on a basic forestry course. While doing this course he also took part time chainsaw work to make ends meet. After a year at the college Neil then went to Finland for three months attending two different colleges where he gained further experience in operating and maintaining forest machines. On returning home he started working for various contractors, including G&A Watt and Douglas Timber Harvesting, on
BASE MACHINE “With the centre joint of the machine only allowing steering movement, the levelling of the base machine is taken care of by pendulum arms rather than the 2 way centre joint and frame lock systems used on most other machines. Levelling of the machine is controlled by a separate 4 way manual Joystick which once I got used to it, I really like.
Fuelling up is done at the very front of the machine with an easy to get to hose attachment. Autolube takes care of the base, crane and the pendulum arms. I have no problems with the hose layout”. Neil was very happy with the storage on the 560. He was one of the few operators who didn’t comment on needing extra storage. “In the front
of the machine there is a slide out tray above the diesel tank which is good for larger tools with additional storage at the front for a toolbox, fuel filling hose, bars and chains etc. Also stored in here is a concentrated 10 litre urea tank, which before being used is diluted with water from a tank in the crane pillar”. Neil stated that the mixture of xenon and LED lights work really well.
CABIN “The cab is comfortable, everything is easy to access the only issue I have had was vibrations coming up through the floor which is all but eradicated as I fitted extra sound proofing. Because the crane is alongside the cab vision is excellent, even looking past the crane on the right hand side causes no problems due to the large side windows. With the machine chassis levelling with the pendulum arms there is no levelling on the cab itself. For storage there is a compartment above
my head and also a pocket on the left hand side of the cab. Control of the machine is taken care of by the Dasa 6 forester computer which is situated on the driver’s door at the front of the cab. The computer is simple but efficient. It has a touchscreen to alter any settings and is very user friendly and easy to use. Lighting is taken care of by a lightbar above the front window with additional lights on the side and back of the cab”.
CRANE “Strong and Sturdy” were the words Neil used to describe the crane. This Machine is fitted with an upgraded 260 crane that is usually found on the 580 D. “It gives it more power, and with 11 metres of reach, coupled with the Logmax 5000 D head it is more than capable for the work I do. The hose layout on the crane is generally good,
Ground clearance can be adjusted from 4” up to 4’
the only issue is the badly protected crane cables down to the head. I have caught these a couple of times but this is probably due to working in rough UK conditions. This problem has been addressed in later machines and the cables are now being housed in a hose. The crane has two lights on the extension hose bracket and one on either side of the crane Pillar”.
BOOM: 260
Gross lifting torque 255 kNm Reach 9, 11.5m
LOGMAX 5000 D “The saw is fast and reliable with no significant bar wear. Because I harvest a lot of windblow I do get chains breaking but this is normally down to the saw getting stuck. Felling with this head is good. One thing to mention is the rubber mounted plate that is connected to the side/bottom of the saw box. This plate acts as a shock absorber taking out the stress to the head when feeding down to the ground to locate the fell cut position. Its fast and powerful at feeding. I recently finished a really rough Lodgepole pine job and the 2 wheel drive head coped really well with the bent and twisted crop. Although the head is capable of much rougher trees I tend to leave them for the cutter to save stress on the head”. Neil uses the semi-automatic method of crosscutting and a manual override when needed. “As a requirement of the main contractor I calibrate the head every day. The calibration is done with the quick and easy use of the callipers which keeps everything in check and leads to very accurate measuring. I feel the hose layout on the head is nice and compact with nothing causing any problems in
the 1200 hours I have worked so far with the machine. The head is straightforward to grease, the only issue being sticks getting jammed behind the top knife guard’s which hinder access to the greasing points. When I first got the 560 D I used the Greasing system for lubrication rather than chain oil. The reservoir for the fluid grease system is located on the side of the boom extension bracket. It needed filling twice a day so I switched to the chain oil system which only uses 3 litres of oil a day. I am pleased with the guarding of the head especially the hydraulic rams which are well protected from debris and tree sap, extending the lifetime of the seals. The hydraulic hose of the rams are also protected by effective guards. I have had the machine for over a year now but due to being stopped because of Covid-19 I have only done 1200 hours. In this time the overall reliability has been very good. I have replaced two knives which had already been repaired, and replaced a top knife spring these being the only real issues I have had. I have also had a few leaking rams which is to be expected on a machine of this age. The rams are easily taken off and resealed which I do myself.
FINAL POINTS CHAIN OIL USAGE
3 litres a day.
LOW LOADER
Loading the machine is no problem driving the
5000D Maximum cut diameter 570 mm
MARKS OUT OF 10
8.5 machine straight on the low loader and placing the head on the neck of the trailer.
RELIABILITY
“The Eco Log was sourced from Eco Log in Sweden by Scott Burton of SB Forestry. It was covered by a parts warranty for the first Month after I bought it. This came in handy when a solenoid developed a fault on the injection system of the Mercedes engine. It was replaced with a second-hand solenoid. The only other major problem was that one of the pendulum arms failed due to fatigue and had to be replaced with a stronger version on the front of the machine. The one on the other side is due to be replaced in the near future in case it also fails. Apart from the usual run of the mill, burst hoses etc the machine has been very reliable overall considering the hours it has done”.
BACK UP
“Back up for the machine is provided by S B
Forestry of Lauder who is the UK Ecolog dealer. I tend to repair most things myself and Scott is always on the end of the phone to offer advice, send parts and a service van will be dispatched if I need it. Back up for the head is provided by Treetop forestry. The Treetop service vans often pass near to where I am based in Inverness so I can arrange to meet up with them to collect any parts I have ordered. I carry out all but the most difficult repairs myself and the servicing at 500 and 1000 hour intervals. Servicing is relatively easy with the removal of side panels allowing easy access to the filters etc”.
Would have another: “Yes”.
enquiries@kingwell-holdings.co.uk
Tel: 01376 550989
www.kingwell-holdings.co.uk
enquiries@kingwell-holdings.co.uk
Tel: 01376 550989
the Tel:KI01376 N G theBook 550989 Tel: 01376 550989 HOLDINGS LIMITED �-;�'�best "���!!"� www.kingwell-holdings.co.uk �,H��www.kingwell-holdings.co.uk today SPECIALISING IN ALL oday KI N KI N G ASPECTS OF FORESTRY HOLDI �-;GROUND �'�"���!!" �,H�� LIMITE HOLDINGS �-;�'�"���!!"� �,H� �� PREPARATION enquiries@kingwell-holdings.co.uk www.kingwell-holdings.co.uk enquiries@kingwell-holdings.co.uk
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HA ● RT O P E RR E T S E A RV H T ● R O REP R E EST V R A ● H
PONSSE ERGO
Operator: Simon Hern
T
he Ponsse Ergo is available in six or eight wheel drive and has the option of Ponsse’s proprietary Active Frame cabin suspension system which ensures that lateral swings affecting the driver are eliminated.
The Ergo stands at between 2630 and 3085 mm. It has 600 mm ground clearance, a steering angle of +/- //° and has a typical weight of 21,500g. It is fitted with a Mercedes Benz EU Stage V/Tier 4 Final 286hp Engine with advanced transmission for maximum machine control when working ion uneven and steep ground. Two cranes options are available, the C44+ parallel crane with 8.6, 10 or 11m reach and the C5 Sliding Boom Crane with 8.6, 9.5 or 10m reach. Three Ponsse harvesting heads can be fitted.
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New: December 2020 Current hours: 20
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Length 8020 mm
← ← 2630 mm3085 mm
Ponsse’s Opti information systems are designed to be user-friendly. Therefore, their design takes into account the wishes of drivers and the requirements of forest companies. Ponsse Opti has a system for forestry machinery as well as logging control and monitoring. With the easy-touse programs of the Opti system, controlling, adjusting, managing the application files and calibrating the machine are convenient.
www.ponsse.com
“The Ergo handles everything from first thinnings to large clear fells making it the best on the market for our needs”. After leaving school at 16 he went on to a YTS scheme with Fountain forestry learning about all aspects of forestry. After this he started hand felling before progressing on to the winch tractor at 17, where he stayed for another three years. At 20 he spent two year on a forwarder for Grosvenor forestry before moving on to Kleen Kutt forestry where he stayed for 16 years. He moved to his current employer Cox Forestry after this and has been on Ponsse Ergo Harvesters for the last 4 years. Nick Cox started Cox Forestry in 1993 working for Euroforest, with 95 % of their work still coming from Euroforest. First up was a County tractor with a Botex roof mount crane, trailer and a gang of hand cutters. He then progressed to a JCB 814 with a Ponsse head. Nick has stuck with the Ponsse brand ever since which has included ownership of 8 Ergo’s, the most recent one arriving the week before Christmas. “The Ergo handles everything from first thinning’s to large clear fells making it the best on the market for our needs”. The Ponsse Manager connects forest machines to an information network. PONSSE Manager, the modern digitalization platform for forest machines, enables comprehensive services now and in the future. The easy-to-use tool offers assistance in harvesting equipment maintenance and work planning, along with providing access to extensive reporting.
Operator: Simon Hern, 42
Simon is currently on a difficult site consisting of a poor larch crop. The majority of the trees are being felled down to him off a bank-side by a cutter. The average tree size is 0.4m³ and he is averaging 13m³ per hour and using 15.8 litres of fuel per hour.
BASE MACHINE
Cox Forestry.
Simon’s introduction to forestry started at an early age. He spent as much time as he could going to work with his father who was a contractor for Fountain forestry. An early indication to his future career was his enthusiasm to, “have a go” any time his father would have time to let him take the controls of the Massey Ferguson 390 tractor.
Stability on the Ergo is taken care of with a ram on either side of the chassis, which Simon said works really well. “Refuelling on the machine is easily accessed behind the cab access step, with both the fuel connection and Ad blue tank being located at this point. Hose layout in the centre joint was one of the main bugbears of
the recently departed Ergo with around 10 hoses failing in the 3 years of having the machine. The only good point of this problem is that with the box above the hoses being on a pivot, and with help from the forwarder it is easily moved out of the way to allow good access to the hoses. Storage is adequate. The storage area next to the
exhaust has been cut by 50 % due to a new emissions system. However as the machine doesn’t come with a urea system there is ample storage where the tank would normally be in front of the crane. This compartment isn’t waterproof and is prone to debris getting in. Care has to be taken placing the chain oil, bars, chains and hoses in it to make sure they stay clean”.
CABIN “As the seat in the Ergo cab turns around the cab is very roomy with space for a passenger if needed. The seat itself gives sideways levelling which is operated manually. The downside of this is the seat actually touches the side of the cab on steeper side slopes. One of the highlights of this latest machine is the addition of a night heater which is a first for me. I look forward to a nice warm cab and clear windows in the mornings. Vision is excellent with the long windows and narrow pillars. The only downside I have with vision is, as the crane is towards the front of the machine, it is a little
difficult to judge in first thinning’s, but second thinning’s and clear fells aren’t a problem. The computer on the ergo is straightforward to use with settings changes being done by touch-screen and a keyboard. With storage under the operator’s seat and also under the passenger’s seat it is more than adequate. The usual all round LED’s are excellent. The only thing I feel would be a good addition to the Ergo is central locking with the function also operating selected lights that would illuminate my path up to the machine on dark mornings/ nights”.
CRANE The crane on the Ergo is the C5 telescopic version which is best suited to the work Cox Forestry does. “Small first thinning’s jobs right up to large clear fell jobs where 4 m³ trees aren’t uncommon. The telescopic crane is the making of this machine. I wouldn’t be so keen to use the parallel crane option. The two motors provide excellent slew power and along with a strong main lift and good reach makes for a very good crane. The only downside is that there is a little more maintenance to do than on normal
The active frame increases operator comfort and reduces stress
cranes. This is due to the extension chains needing regular adjustment to keep things running smoothly. Another plus point on this crane is its ability to easily fold away lower than the cab, which makes moving on the road, from site to site, a much easier task. The hose layout on the crane is excellent too, including the internal hoses down the boom. Greasing for the slew ring is done via four points at the crane base. The rest of the crane is greased at various points which are easily accessible.
BOOM: C5
Gross lifting torque 248 kNm Reach 8.6, 9.5, 10 m
Once a fortnight I grease the rollers for the telescopic boom which is also relatively straight
forward. Lighting under the main boom is good”.
H7/H8 HEAD As this new machine was fitted with the H8 head, and Simon had only one day operating the new harvester before being interviewed, the questions he answered were mainly about the H7 head. “The saw motor set up has been difficult to get the correct combination of chain speed and feed force of the bar, which has caused some chain snap. The improved saw on the H8 will rectify this. Felling with the head is good with Simon telling me of a setting which is new to him which only opens the head up in relation to the average tree size of the last 100 trees. As the head is never fully open it is a lot easier to manoeuvre between the trees in first thinning’s. As Simon had only operated the machine for a day, he couldn’t say if the feed was much better. But he did add how impressive the H7 was in the rougher trees and how well it has served him in the past. “One of the changes on the new head are the plated spike feed rollers which have a cleaning system to stop debris building up. I am not sure about this set up as when the head hits a bend in the tree, the feed rollers seem to do a lot of damage to the stem while spinning. I am not convinced they are any better than the original rollers on the H7. Simon uses a combination of automatic and
manual saw for crosscutting with logs and stakes on fully automatic and manual saw for other sizes. Concentration has to be kept up while using the automatic saw with Simon able to override the system to avoid cutting substandard products. “With a choice of single or double measuring wheel, we opt for the single version which gives excellent measuring. Lengths and diameters are checked daily with calibration being done manually as and when needed but it is a doddle to do. With the Knives floating and the head tilted up all the greasing points are accessible without having to move the head. The only downside being that the grease is quite hard to pump into the nipples on the H7 even with a Milwaukee grease gun. With the new H8 head I am hoping this problem to be a thing of the past. Simons only niggle with the H7 head was the hose manifold on the tilt frame where he says the mounting pin wears then breaks causing hose failure, hopefully this should have been rectified on the H8 with a bigger stronger pin. Other than the above issue, reliability was described as overall very good, with feed roller hoses needing replacing about every four months and the measuring wheel bearing every 12 months being the only other things Simon commented on.
H8 Maximum cut diameter 740mm
MARKS OUT OF 10
9
FINAL POINTS CHAIN OIL USAGE
“Very frugal, 3 litres a day and the chain always feels well lubricated”.
LOW LOADER
“Folding down the light bar on the cab and supporting the head with chains is all that needs done to prepare the machine for transportation, after this it’s just a case of driving the machine on”.
RELIABILITY
“Apart from the hoses in the centre joint, covered elsewhere, the only other problem has been the header tank on the cooling system. The tank has been replaced three times because of leaks, which Ponsse have rectified. The new harvester has a re vamped system which I have been assured will cure the problem. Other than the
above problems and the usual run of the mill issues we have been more than pleased with the overall reliability of the Ergo”.
BACK UP
“The machine is on a service contract with Ponsse UK. Cox forestry take care of the fairly straight forward 750 hour service, but the main 1500 hour services are done by Ponsse. Ponsse service engineer Chris Davies, who is based in Wales, takes care of 99% of the work at Cox Forestry, even though Chris has about a four hour drive from home, he is usually on site by 7 in the morning. Cox forestry have used Ponsse for years and their back up is excellent. They use DPD next day delivery who are very good. The parts are sent direct to the operator’s respective homes when needed”.
Would have another: “Yes”.
Hold it There!
The tried-and-tested system of the FH constant pulling force winch is now also available as a traction assistance winch attachment. The attachment unit is suitable for mounting on excavators, harvesters, forwarders, skidders and more. Since all the components, including the hydraulics and the FH traction assistance control unit, are mounted in a single add-on unit, little modification of the host machine is required. The minimal modification undertaken to the host vehicle means the add-on unit can easily be used for various machines. For instance, if added to a 25 Te excavator, the TWFH120 can support another machine on a slope(s) using the variable control traction feature as determined by terrain and conditions. Moving the controls from one machine to another is a matter of taking the control unit to the next machine requiring stability. The host excavator can still be universally used without needing to modify or remove the winch which makes for cost effective solutions to many harvesting and processing requirements.
Visit it our web site for more information and the whole range of high-quality products and services we can deliver throughout the UK and Ireland
Tel: 01434 230852
info@forestmachineservices.com www.forestmachineservices.com
HSM 405H3 U
nfortunately at this time, we were unable to get any operator feedback on this model as there isn’t any of these harvesters currently working in the UK.
The HSM 405H3 is strong and stable environmentally-friendly harvester which is equally at home in mature thinnings or final felling and is available in a 6 or 8-wheel drive configuration. The 405 has a levelling comfort cab which enables an ergonomic working environment with excellent all round vision and is available with harvesting heads from Waratah, Logmax and many other manufacturers. This harvester uses either the Volvo Penta TAD882VE 286hp or the TAD884VE 340hp EU Stage V engine with a hydrostatic mechanical NAF 2 speed gearbox and NAF balanced portal tandem axles with selectable differential lock.
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← ← Length 9147 mm
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Height 3745 mm
There is a choice of two cranes, the Mesera (Loglift) M280 V110 with 11m reach or an Epsilon X270 with 10.9m reach. Both are parallel cranes with a 260° slewing angle and a tilting kingpost with forward/rear +24°/-30°.
www.hsm-forest.net
ergonomic cabin rotates through 270° with the levelling cabin tilting; forward/rear +11°/-13° and side to side +/-9°. On the cabin there are 20 LED work lights, 4 work lights in front of the crane, 2 LED work lights on the crane column and 2 LED work lights on the rear frame. Standard equipment includes; front bogie lift which can be operated independently, voltage converter on-board to reduce voltage from 24 V to 12 V, cushioning for crane and steering cylinders at the end of their travel, radio, fire extinguisher, first-aid kit, warning triangle, tool set, bypass filter, Diesel filling pump, hydraulic filling pump and a vacuum pump. Storage is not a problem as HSM won the KWF innovation prize for the storage system which is built in to this harvester.
The two circuit braking system has disk brakes running in an oil bath with a spring loaded parking brake. The harvester is frame steered and has a steering angle of 50° with the torsion lock via hydraulic rams for excellent stability during harvesting. A large radiator with an additional oil cooler keeps the harvester working efficiently no matter what outside temperature you are working in. Maintenance and repairs are easily carried out with good access to components and hydraulically fold-able engine bonnets. There are three tyre sizes 600mm, 710mm and 800mm with sufficient room for fitting extra wide 3060mm flotation band tracks for harvesting on very soft and peaty soil conditions. The roomy, soundproof, air conditioned
Ease of access and service are at the forefront in the design of the harvester. HSM offers stateof-the-art tools for optimising and monitoring important machine data with the E-command intelligent control system and the Econnect telematics and remote diagnostics system. This makes a critical contribution to the efficiency and productivity of a state-of-the-art forestry business. The load sensing variable pump hydraulic system has a flow rate of 532 l/min @1400 rpm with a maximum working pressure of 380 bar. Other optional equipment includes a GPS system, Data Transfer, Rear Bogie Lift and Traction Assist Winch for working on steep ground. The Traction Assist winch can hold up to 450m of 16mm cable and has an integrated rope coiling system with lighting and two inspection cameras for the operator to see that everything is functioning correctly. It has a quick change over system so it can be used on multiple machines.
ROTTNE H11
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nfortunately at this time, we were unable to get any operator feedback on this model as there isn’t any of these harvesters currently working in the UK. Although some will be arriving in the near future and will feature in an upcoming issue. This H11 is available in six or eight Wheel Drive and uses a John Deere Power Tech PVS Stage V 220hp engine. It has a hydrostatic transmission with two mechanical gear stages and balanced bogies which gives a high tractive force and excellent operating characteristics on both soft and steep ground conditions. The Rottne H11 is suitable for thinning and clear felling with the bogie lift on the front and rear bogies giving excellent manoeuvring capabilities with minimal ground disturbance. The parallel RC 185 harvester crane is available with a single extension 10.3m reach or a double extension dipper with 11.3m reach, the kingpost tilts 25° forward and 19° to the rear.
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17,400kg
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HA ● RT O P E RR E T S E A RV H T ● R O REP R E EST V R A ● H
TE RV ES
RT O P E R
Length 7940 mm
← ← 2830 mm
There are a selection of harvester heads available which include Rottne’s own EGS 596, Logmax and SP. The braking system uses a two circuit electrically/hydraulically operated
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can largely be performed via the machine control system’s operating screen. Rottne use their own D5 machine control system which is based on CAN-bus technology which controls and monitors the engine, transmission and crane. The system comprises a main computer and a number of control units on the machine. The operator can adjust settings for the crane, transmission and engine, monitor pressure, temperatures and fluid levels and perform troubleshooting via the touch screen. Alarms are indicated by visual and audible signals and in clear text on the screen. Rottne Forester is a quick and easy-to-use bucking system that is common on all our harvesters. A large and clear touch screen shows all the information in a well-arranged manner and makes it simple to program.
negative wet disc brakes, automatic load brake and spring-assisted parking and emergency brake. All Rottne harvesters use the same cab; this is a spacious, quiet, rotating, levelling cab with comfort line suspension. Comfort Line reduces shock and impact and makes crane work and driving in terrain significantly smoother. Comfort Line was introduced in 2007 as the first cab suspension system on the market and is thus a tried and tested system which is continuously updated and improved. The entire rear section of the harvester, housing the engine and transmission, can be quickly opened up for inspection and servicing. The hinged belly plates facilitate servicing work, but also make the entire rear section very easy to keep clean. Troubleshooting on the electrical system
A Rottne Connect subscription gives owners and operators the ability to easily access up-todate details about the machine you are working which saves time, money and a lot of problems. Rottne’s internet based telematic system lets you login using any mobile phone or computer and gain access to all the data you need.