Forestry Machinery Issue 10

EDITOR Kyle Molyneux kyle@sundialmagazines.co.uk

ART DIRECTOR David ‘Spike’ McCormack

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Spring 2023 Issue 10

WELCOME

to Forestry Machinery, the magazine dedicated to modern forestry equipment.

No matter whether you are a contractor harvesting wood in the depths of Devon, an HGV driver collecting timber on the outskirts of Gisburn, or a eet manager en route to the Peak District, high fuel prices affect all – and indeed everyone beyond the forestry sector, too. As I put ngers to keyboard midway through March 2023, Brent Crude Oil prices are roughly $40 a barrel lower than the $120+ peak we witnessed with eyes wide shut during June 2022. Nevertheless, those astronomical prices provided food for thought for many, and this issue of Forestry Machinery is plump with examples of how companies operating machinery in the forestry industry are ghting back against turbulent energy markets and reducing their fuel expenditure. If you are wondering how to cut your own fuel costs, I suggest reading this issue from cover to cover.

Speaking of covers, this month’s top story focuses on the wickedly capable Eurocomach 65TR midi excavator of Hitrak owner, Mark Hedderwick. Dare I say such machines are less often seen in the UK, but judging by Mark’s feedback these Italian-built diggers have lots of promise, so are well worth a look.

Other highlights in this issue of Forestry Machinery include an event report from the FinnMetko show, Tottenham Timber’s Ponsse eet upgrades, a high-spec BMF trailer operating on Burwarton Estate, and a market round-up of 3-tonne mini-excavators. I hope you enjoy the read.

Kyle Molyneux, Editor

C8.0

When only the best is good enough!

The FARMA T14 G2 is a robust forwarder-style trailer designed for you with high demands on productivity, efficiency and design. Thanks to the low position of the turn house, you as the driver get an unbeatable view from the tractor. The low center of gravity together with 600/50-22.5 wheels means that the trailer stands firmly on the ground even with the crane fully extended.

Already as standard, the trailer is equipped with a foldable railing, hydraulic extension of the last bank and post wideners. Customize your T14 G2 based on your own preferences for cranes and valve solutions. Choose between 4WD robson drive or Black Bruin hub drive.

BOBCAT PRODUCTS

Bobcat has launched a new mini-track loader, and attachments for its small articulated loaders. The new MT100 mini track loader with ride-on platform measures just 904mm wide (or 1,045mm in Wide Track form). It has an operating capacity of 460kg, a tipping load of 1,314kg, powerful breakout force, and a lift height of 2,057mm. Moveable counterweights add even more capability, says its maker. The engine is a 25hp, Stage 5 unit and auxiliary hydraulic ow is 41L/min.

As for the loader attachments, the new Brushcat attachments

offer cutting widths of 1,118 and 1,372mm respectively, and are the smallest models in the full line-up of Brushcat rotary cutters, which offers larger models with cutting widths of 1,676, 1,829 or 2,032mm. Like the new smaller Brushcat attachments, the log grapple is compatible with both the Bobcat L23 and L28 SAL models. The log grapple promises to meet the challenging demands of landscaping and site clearing jobs and is ideal for customers seeking maximum productivity by increasing the versatility of their machines. The log grapple can also be used on the new MT100 mini track loader.

LIEBHERR TIMBER TRUCK

Liebherr’s new LH26 M Timber Litronic has a compact design and all-wheel steering, making it ideal for sawmills and timber operations with limited space. The automatic steering reversal, which is also standard, is said to guarantee the correct steering direction at all times when driving forwards or backwards. The electric swing angle adjustment in the traction motor provides more torque, strong acceleration and higher tractive e ort, meaning high driving performance even on slopes. The optimal adjustment of speed and flow rate also ensures good fuel e ciency even at maximum speed, reckons Liebherr. Trailers weighing up to 60 tonnes can be towed, and the new undercarriage concept with 2-point blade support significantly increases the handling performance in trailer operation. The blade can additionally be used for clearing work and thus increases safety in the timber yard.

YANMAR FOR MPC

Martin Parish Contracting (MPC), a multifaceted forestry and agricultural contractor based in Chulmleigh, North Devon, recently took delivery of a brand new Yanmar ViO38 mini-excavator complete with hydraulic quick coupler and airtight cabin. Much of MPC’s daily jobs revolve around forest management, where Martin and his team will head into Devon’s dense woodland to complete drainage and maintenance work, along with other general forestry activities, so the Yanmar – supplied by Machine Serve – will be truly tested.

KOMATSU GRAPPLES

Komatsu’s 10 new grapples range from the G82 (which holds 0.26m2) to the G87H (which holds a full 0.50m2), across six size classes. Compatible with most common makes of forwarders, most types of truck cranes and other timber handling vehicles, their larger opening o ers better wood pile penetration, making it easier for logs to roll into the grapple, thereby saving precious time. Other refinements deliver improvements when it comes to gathering and straightening the timber, plus a guard to protect the piston rod from knocks from below.

FORESTRY SIMULATOR

McHale Plant Sales has purchased a high-tech Komatsu Driver Training Simulator, allowing driver trainees to experience ‘real life’ forestry conditions without leaving the comfort of the company’s Rathcoole headquarters where the unit is located. Replicating the cockpit of a working harvester or forwarder, on-board equipment includes a virtual reality headset, a driver-information screen, hand controls which the operator works from a full-size driver’s seat and, up-ahead, a large, wrap-around panoramic screen showing a virtual forest.

PONSSE

MILESTONE

In February, the 19,000th Ponsse forest machine was handed over to Scottish customer Elliot Henderson Ltd, with the Royal Burgh of Annan Pipe Band playing in the background. The Ponsse Scorpion Giant harvester with H8 harvester head will work at logging sites in the Scottish Borders and Scottish Lowlands.

“Thank you to the Elliot Henderson group and the Royal Burgh of Annan Pipe Band for coming to Vieremä to celebrate the 19,000th machine milestone with us,” said Gary Glendinning, Managing Director Ponsse UK. “I understand this is the first time a pipe band has played at Vieremä village, which makes this day even more special for all of us, as this is Ponsse UK’s first milestone machine.”

CATERPILLAR ATTACHMENTS

Caterpillar has announced a range of new attachments for mini-excavators. The rst hydraulic attachment expansion for the Cat Tiltrotator (TRS) product family, the new Cat G206 and G208 Multi-Purpose Grapples expands the grapple technology in combination with the TRS6 and TRS8 models for 5to 10-ton mini hydraulic excavators. These models are said to allow maximum manoeuvrability with TRS attachments, and an integrated bracket provides minimal offset to optimise performance of grapple functionality.

With the G206 sized for 5-ton to 6-ton excavators and the G208 for 7- to 10-ton models, these multi-purpose grapples deliver 14.5kN and 18.4kN maximum closing force respectively. An integrated

cylinder load holding valve maintains grapple closing pressure with no leakage, while the hard-mounted piston accumulator maintains grapple arm closing forces with shifting loads. Careful routing of the integrated jumper lines and hoses safeguards against damage and dirt in ltration for long-term reliability.

The grapple design is optimally matched to the tilt-rotate system, and the rotation of the TRS allows for quick and easy material engagement, says Caterpillar. To avoid any bending torques in radial direction, these grapples feature a welded box structure. With grapple arms and arm edges built with AR450 steel, the arm offers high abrasion resistance for longer wear in extreme conditions.

MERLO EXPANDS SCOTTISH NETWORK

Merlo UK has announced a new dealer, and an expansion of territory and responsibility for an existing dealer to strengthen its network in Scotland. This

follows a decision by Merlo UK to end its relationship with HRN.

New to the Merlo dealer network is Fife-based J Low Agri Services Ltd (left), established by Jimmy and Karen Low in 2002, and based o Junction 4 of the M90 motorway at Kelty. Meanwhile, expanding to become a combined Merlo dealer with the upcoming launch of RAS Plant Sales, Ross Agri Services Ltd (right) will grow the Merlo o ering it has provided to its customers since 2020 from St Cyrus, Turri and Muir of Ord depots. Ross Agri Services Ltd (RAS) was established by Bill and Ethel Ross back in 1972.

“MARK HAS A HUGE AMOUNT OF EXPERIENCE ON SOME VERY SPECIALISED MACHINES”

EURO VISION

David Wylie travels to Inverness to visit Hitrak Ltd, which has invested in a 6t-class Eurocomach 65TR for various forestry and trailed building work in the Scottish Highlands

Mark Hedderwick, owner of Hitrak Ltd, has been building mountain bike trails since 2004, including parts of the prestigious world championship course at Fort William. Mark started off by building footpaths and car parks within a forestry setting, and in 2004 realised the potential for a tilt-rotator hitch for trail building. He purchased a demonstrator Volvo EC140B tted with an engcon

10 SPRING 2023 FORESTRY MACHINERY

tilt-rotator, thus becoming one of the rst engcon users in Scotland.

We rst visited Mark in 2013, building mountain bike trails with his then New Holland/Kobelco E135 and engcon tilt-rotator in the Carn Daimh Forest, on the Glenlivet estate near Tomintoul. Mark has a huge amount of experience on some very specialised machines, such as a Kaiser S12 Allroad spider excavator which was delivered just in time to start a new project

IMAGES DAVID WYLIE

Good access to the valve block on the Eurocomach 65TR.

COVER STORY

to George Leslie Ltd, on a £4 million ‘run-of-river’ hydroelectric scheme that was designed to produce 1,100kW for the Nevis Range ski area near Fort William and feed into the National Grid.

Today, Mark continues to invest in the very latest excavators equipped with engcon tilt-rotators, and has recently purchased a

65TR EXCAVATOR

high-spec, 6-tonne-class Eurocomach 65TR midi digger for various forestry and trail building work in the Highlands.

Site visit 1

I caught up with Mark and his skilled team of trail builders high in the Abriachan Forest, close to the beautiful shores of Loch Ness in the Highlands of Scotland. Mark explained that he and his team were

working for the Abriachan Forest Trust on a number of projects in this area. He was restoring a long-established access walking route, which is believed to be hundreds of years old and once led to a peat area that locals used for winter fuel, known today as the peat path. Over time, it had become overgrown and was in need of repair.

This path runs from Balchraggan over two hills and continues to reach the main Abriachan Forest Trust car park, where a

Track uses base layers of stone followed by a grippy, fine top layer.

Mark Hedderwick, owner of Hitrak Ltd, in his 6t midi digger.

Kaiser spider excavator on hydroelectric scheme for Nevis Range ski area.

The 65TR shows o its maximum digging reach of 6,870mm.

new mountain bike skills area has just been constructed by Mark, Ronan, and his team of skilled trail builders. Mark explained that this is his second Eurocomach machine, with the previous model being a smaller 40hp 60TR unit. He bought his new, 60hp high-spec Eurocomach 65TR from Robustrack, which is the dealer for Eurocomach, engcon, and other forestry and demolition attachments (see panel on page 16).

TECH SPECS Eurocomach 65TR

ENGINE 4-cylinder V2607-CR-T (Stage 5), 60.2hp

TRANSPORT WEIGHT 6,290kg

DIGGING ARM LENGTH 1,650mm (standard)

MAX DIGGING DEPTH 3,850mm (standard arm)

MAX DIGGING REACH 6,870mm

MAX KINGPOST SWING ANGLE 53 degrees right/65 degrees left

MAXIMUM WIDTH 1,980mm

TRACKS WIDTH 400mm

FUEL TANK 85L

While Mark has no issues with his main dealers, most of the servicing and repairs on his diverse eet of machines are carried out by Calum Fraser, who set up Kilmorack Plant Services and has a wide experience with all types of plant and

machinery. Mark commented, “We have a bigger Hitachi ZX135 16-tonne TAB machine in our eet, but this 6.5-tonne Eurocomach 65TR is proving ideally suited for working in tighter spots, and you can feel the extra digging power with this newer 60hp model.”

This new Eurocomach 65TR was a cancelled order sitting in Germany and was highly specced, including a factory- t auto grease system, high-power LED lighting and so on. Mark intends to t a more powerful rear light for winter working. Mark said, “First impressions are good. The machine has plenty of power, very smooth controls and, despite being a compact

cab, it also has reasonably good room and visibility. Overall, I would say I’m delighted with its performance, and the sales and service package from the dealer.”

Mark has changed the standard engcon Scandinavian-style grading bucket for a lighter version that weighs 90kg less, but

“THIS 6.5-TONNE EUROCOMACH 65TR IS PROVING IDEALLY SUITED FOR WORKING IN TIGHTER SPOTS”

Operator display is reasonably large and brightly coloured.

Mark was an early adopter of engcon kit back in 2004.

TRAIL BUILDING | EUROCOMACH 65TR EXCAVATOR

when working over the side and aid the already good stability of the machine when side-casting at full reach.

The Eurocomach 65TR is swinging a lightweight (232kg) engcon EC206 unit with a single tilt-ram and an EC-Oil system for quick coupling hydraulically-powered attachments, such as a ail unit. “When building paths and bike trails, the beauty of the engcon hitch is that you can accurately strip out the top layers, then in ll with as-dug or use borrow-pit material, pro le the track, narrow it in to about 600 to 700mm wide, and then landscape the edges all from one position sitting on a narrow section of ground,” Mark explained.

Once the top vegetation/soils are removed, and the ground is levelled, Mark will use his 200hp Valtra T194 tractor and 15-tonne NC dump trailer to bring in 40mm crushed material from an on-site borrow pit, and his Takeuchi TCR50 tracked dumper which has a 3.7-tonne payload.

Good access is important for daily checks and servicing.

EUROCOMACH 65TR

Italy-based Sampierana SPA makes a range of Eurocomach-branded mini- and midi excavators, compact wheeled, and tracked loaders. In 2022, the recent acquisition by CNH Industrial’s Construction Equipment business will enable the company to integrate Eurocomach earthmoving machines, Sampierana undercarriages, and spare parts into its current product portfolio alongside those of its existing third-party OEM partners.

Eurocomach says that thanks to the 65TR’s short radius, it can work in narrow spaces with the performance of a higher tonnage range machine. It has a versatile triple-articulated boom (TAB), the same as its predecessor – the ES60TR – combined with a new design of a more comfortable cabin. The TAB favours all the operations of digging, lifting, and load handling, making this machine unique in its versatility within its 6.3-tonne weight range.

Powered by a 2.6-litre, 4-cylinder, 60.2hp Stage 5 diesel engine, it has a high level of performance and low fuel burn of just 7.6L/hr and an 85-litre fuel tank. From a frontal lift position, and with dozer blade lowered, it can lift 2.6 tonnes. With a wide access, operators can enter and exit the cabin easily, and it is said to have a high level of comfort equal to that of heavier machines. It has electro-proportional switches on the right and left joysticks for auxiliary hydraulic circuits.

Repairing 15-year old routes on the Kelpie mountain bike trails.

ABRIACHAN FOREST TRUST

Mark Hedderwick was contracted by Abriachan Forest Trust to repair and build new access paths, mountain bike trails for use by recreational visitors. Abriachan is a scattered rural community of about 130 people set high above the shores of Loch Ness in the Highlands of Scotland. There are still some active crofts in the area, but the majority of inhabitants are employed in the Inverness area and beyond.

In 1998, the community purchased 540 hectares of forest and open hill ground from Forest Enterprise. Since then, the Abriachan Forest Trust has managed this land to create local employment, improve the environment, and encourage its enjoyment by the public through a network of spectacular paths, family-suited mountain bike trails, innovative outdoor learning, as well as health and well-being opportunities.

Site visit 2

At the Abriachan Forest Trust car park, Mark was delighted to show off a new mountain bike skills area, known as a ‘pump track’ with a series of different height rolling mounds and in a race track compact design, with lots of twists and turns, and constructed with various base layers of stone and topped off with a ne layer of quarry dust for a grippy and smooth nish.

Further into the forest, we met up with Ronan Taylor. Working for Hitrak Ltd, Ronan was leading the crew on technically challenging work. Ronan has his own business called Taylor’s Trail Design & Tuition. He’s operated excavators for over four years and has been building mountain bike trails for almost 19 years, with seven of those years working alongside various plant and equipment.

Ronan and his crew are all part-time mountain bike racers and therefore bring specialist knowledge and experience to the job of repairing and building new Green, Blue, and Red-graded biking routes in an area of the forest known as Kelpie mountain bike trails.

“A SMALL AMOUNT OF CRUSHED STONE, QUARRIED FROM AN ADJACENT BORROWPIT, WAS USED IN SOME SECTIONS OF THE BIKE TRAILS”

Marooka MST300VD with 2.5t capacity bought new in 2007.

Ronan Taylor digging out a steep incline and shaping a curve.

Yamaguchi Winbull WB05 Track Barrow.

EUROCOMACH 65TR EXCAVATOR | TRAIL BUILDING

At the time of our visit, Ronan was at the controls of Mark’s Wacker Neuson T18 with VDS for tilting the upperstructure system by up to 15 degrees. To make it an even more versatile digging machine, Mark has ordered a new Danish compact lightweight CT2 tilting hitch, supplied by Angus Innes of CS Machinery in Inverness. Ronan was digging out a section of steep incline and shaping a horseshoe-shaped curve – as an optional go-around route –and attening out the peak for an easier ascent for the bike riders.

Ronan said, “The Wacker Neuson T18 is a nice little digger for this type of work, and it’s quite versatile with a tilting bucket tted and the VDS tilting upperstructure system. It comes in handy when sitting on uneven ground that you don’t want to disturb.” A small amount of crushed stone, quarried

Robustrack is based in Ingleton, Carnforth. Its founders, CEO Dave Cerca and Roberta Heslop, started o by importing hydraulic excavator attachments into the UK during 2012.

The Robustrack team supplies attachments and

from an adjacent borrow-pit, was used in some sections of the bike trails, along with some imported dust to help bind the topdressing stone. Transporting this material was a combination of a Japanesemade 2007 Marooka MST300VD tracked carrier with a 2,500kg capacity, and a smaller Yamaguchi Winbull WB05 Track Barrow.

Conclusion

With the new addition to his eet of machines, Mark’s new hi-spec Eurocomach 65TR midi digger is proving to be a highly productive and versatile machine for various forestry and trail building work for his valued forestry and recreational business clients.

ROBUSTRACK

excavators worldwide. The company’s two advanced workshops are supported by adding fabrication, breaker inspections and refurbishments, service, repair work, and spare parts to their growing business activities.

Robustrack is the sole UK distributor for many leading Italian brands, including Eurocomach excavators and skid-steers, Agriforest forestry equipment, and Trevi Benne Demolition and Recycling, and a dealership for engcon tilt-rotators.

“MARK’S NEW 65TR IS PROVING TO BE A HIGHLY PRODUCTIVE AND VERSATILE MACHINE”

Electro-proportional switches on joysticks for aux hydraulic controls.

Auto grease system runs inside bucket tipping link.

TOP TEAMWORK

Having recently upgraded its harvester and forwarder to the latest Ponsse specifications, Eoghan Daly revisits Tottenham Timber and discovers a productive machine pairing working on large volume clearfell contracts

IMAGES EOGHAN DALY

Despite the company having broad interests that embrace forestry consultancy, timber sales and marketing, coupled with the supply of animal bedding and forest residue-based products, timber harvesting and extraction have always been crucial activities for Tottenham Timber Ltd. While this aspect of its operation has been served by a variety of different machines since the company was established in 2003, the most recent machine choices have seen

standardisation on units from the Finnish manufacturer Ponsse.

Having upgraded its two original Ponsse machines to maintain the highest levels of performance and reliability, Robin Tottenham of Tottenham Timber remains extremely upbeat about his past and present experiences with Ponsse forest machines. This high level of approval is based on a range of factors, not least of which is the level of performance they are capable of delivering in tandem with positive aftersales

service and strong resale values when it comes to machine replacement.

Now in his sixth year using Ponsse machines, the initial Wisent came when a Timberjack 1110 stepped aside as the company’s front-line forwarder. Since then, faith in the marque has become even stronger, and when the move came to become self-suf cient in conducting harvesting too, the choice was relatively easy, as Robin Tottenham explained, “Based on the reliability of my rst Ponsse machine and the service we got from the manufacturer whenever problems did arise, looking beyond Ponsse when I was in the market for a harvester was not an option. To reduce the cost involved, I decided a used machine was the best approach, and in 2020 took delivery of a Ponsse Ergo harvester with an H7 harvesting head.”

Running the machine along with his existing Ponsse Wisent forwarder, Robin continued focusing on clearfell harvesting mainly in Counties Clare and South Galway, which is an area known for its challenging

terrain. Nevertheless, the machines coped well with the challenges presented, as Robin continued, “The used Ergo was the rst 8-wheeled model of this machine to go into service in Ireland and proved very effective for us. I like the whole Ergo concept, and even with 12,000 hours worked, this machine was still very productive, with the main factor driving my decision to upgrade being the need to run a larger harvesting head since tree volume seemed to be increasing in many of the clearfells we are harvesting.”

TWO OF A KIND

With his rst pair of Ponsse machines working particularly well, Robin was mindful of the need to take the longer-term view and not hold onto the machines too long, despite their exemplary service. In addition, the approaching upgrade was used as an opportunity to achieve an even greater level of machine speci cation re nement to ensure the most ideal match with his harvesting needs.

Even though both replacements occurred

during 2022, they were conducted on a phased basis, with the forwarder receiving priority status as he explained, “The Wisent had worked 7,000 hours and was a very reliable forwarder for us. Based on the need to increase productivity in larger clearfell sites, we decided to upgrade to the higher size class of the Buffalo, which is a much more powerful 6-cylinder machine with greater tractive force, load capacity and a more powerful crane.”

In contrast to the former Wisent, the Buffalo, which coincidentally is Ponsse’s biggest selling forwarder worldwide, offers greater power through a 6-cylinder Mercedes-Benz OM936 LA Stage 5-compliant engine that develops a power output of 210kW. However, the machine’s real advantages lie in its greater load capacity and higher tractive force, which make it a very attractive machine while it still remains relatively compact with a favourable unladen weight to payload ratio, and remains essentially terrain-friendly, as Robin explained. “John, who operates the new

Buffalo, is really impressed by how well it performs on wet ground. It’s as groundfriendly as the Wisent, even though the Buffalo has much greater load capacity.”

Deciding to specify the machine with standard non-balanced bogies, the option of the long rear bogies was also resisted based on the belief that the machine in standard con guration was a better all-round extraction solution. With the machine’s double extension K100 crane, a wide working range is afforded, which comes into its own, especially when stacking on road verges off the adjoining embankment.

While the Buffalo may meet with both owner and operator approval, positive operator reaction to the Ergo harvester also comes as a major endorsement of the machine’s design, speci cation, and working capabilities. Operated by Adrian O’Donoghue, who has served as an operator on the previous generation Ergo with Tottenham Timber and could immediately see major improvements that culminate in greater output. While this may be

TO REDUCE THE COST INVOLVED, I DECIDED A USED MACHINE WAS THE BEST APPROACH

Above: Cab placement away from crane has its benefits.

Left: The Opti system records logs extracted; used on Ergo & Bu alo models.

encouraging, of even greater signi cance are Adrian’s views on the design format of the Ergo harvester.

PRIME POSITION

Having worked with other contractors in the past using harvesters such as Komatsu, some may view the Ergo’s cabin position as being unfavourable due to its positioning at the opposite side of the articulation joint to the crane, leaving it quite a distance away from the business end of the machine. In defence of the Ergo design, Adrian admitted it took time to adjust, but once accustomed to the design, there are no real shortcomings.

“I have nothing bad to say about the position of the cab on the Ergo. Even though it is completely different from the Komatsus I used in the past, it still has a very good view of the head. The fact that you are a bit further away can have bene ts as the full standing tree can be seen, making tree

selection easy. The view of the front bogies is also very good, and there are no blindspots with this cab position.”

However, the real measure of the machine’s capabilities comes in the harvesting of larger volume trees in clearfell applications on challenging ground conditions. At the time of our visit, the Tottenham Timber harvesting team was engaged in the harvesting of an 8,000m3 Sitka Spruce stand with an average tree size of 0.65 at Snaty near Broadford, County Clare, for Glennon Brothers Sawmills.

Located on a relatively dry elevated site with a thin skin of peat on the surface, the site had been deep ploughed at establishment, with the ploughed ribbons running across the slope making the ground relatively rough to travel and adding to the importance of laying out the brash mat to compensate for the deviations in the terrain. With the Ergo tted with

combination band tracks on both front and rear bogies, its climbing ability and otation characteristics were greatly enhanced.

“The Ergo is a very well balanced and stable machine that allows me to use the full reach of the crane,” Adrian said. “Even when taking down bigger heavily branched edge trees at full reach, it stays rmly planted on the ground. It’s a big plus to be able to use the full range of the crane and means there is plenty of brash, which helps the forwarder travel the site so much better.”

Nevertheless, the real measure of the machine’s capabilities is the power of the

THE MACHINE’S REAL ADVANTAGES LIE IN ITS GREATER LOAD CAPACITY AND HIGHER TRACTIVE FORCE

Above left: Parallel crane fitted here.

Above: John Keane has worked at TT for many years.

Left: Great access for head repairs.

Left inset: H8 head has a fast and powerful sawing action.

Above: Head has marking system fitted.

crane. The overall geometry of the crane, coupled with its base design, assist in delivering fast and powerful movements with the reassurance of prospective long-term durability. Selecting the C144+ parallel crane option over the alternative C50 sliding boom crane variant based on several key factors, this expectation has proven correct, as Robin noted, “Even though I do like the C50 crane, it is more expensive, and I decided in favour of the C144+ that was well-proven on the used Ergo and gives great power and reach.”

TIP OF THE SPEAR

Offered in three possible reach con gurations of up to 11m, the 10m version was seen to give the best combination of reach without compromising on performance, as it has shown to allow full exploitation of the H8 harvesting head’s working abilities. One of the biggest advantages of the upgrade is that it has brought new levels of working capacity to the harvesting operation while offering a high level of feed force without

compromising feed speed, with all essential measurement accuracy preserved.

In addition, the machine offers a high level of sophistication and assists greatly in providing comprehensive data on production and machine ef ciency, as Robin emphasised. “I am very impressed by the accuracy of measurement with the H8 head, and the technology the machines offer gives big advantages for monitoring production and machine ef ciency. The Manager 8 system means I know exactly what is harvested and extracted by remotely accessing the system.

Ponsse Ireland also uses the system to schedule machine servicing as we have signed up for a 6,000 service package on both machines, which gives great peace of mind. “Not only do Ponsse design and build excellent forest machines, but they also have premium-level aftersales support to match,” Robin added. “Whenever we need support, the response is very fast, ensuring minimal production losses. The only area that could bene t from possible improvement is addressing the charging of travel expenses to the customer on warranty callouts.”

THE REAL MEASURE OF THE MACHINE’S CAPABILITIES IS THE POWER OF THE CRANE

TT specced a 10m reach machine.

Ergo operator Adrian O Donoghue.

BOX CLEVER

David Wylie visits Agriforest Ltd at a large windblow clear-up operation in the Scottish Borders to see the company’s recent investment in a newly developed Powerhand eX36 grapple and sawbox unit in action

Headquartered in South Lanarkshire, Scotland, Agriforest Ltd specialises in timber harvesting and forest management. The company was started by Douglas Mathison in 2016. Douglas and his skilled team specialise in providing the best possible returns for owners of small to medium-sized woodlands, primarily on farms and estates. Agriforest brings its experience of effective woodland management and delivers results through a combination of its own skilled staff and local and trusted contractors who are known to provide ef cient and reliable service.

A unique aspect of Agriforest’s service is that it doesn’t charge any upfront fees, from initial appraisal to obtaining relevant consents, and organising and implementing everything from start to nish. As the business has grown, it has invested in its own Komatsu 901XC harvester and two John Deere 1210G forwarders, and has recently ordered a new Ponsse Scorpion King harvester for additional large clearfell and thinning contracts.

POWERHAND EX B 36 GRAPPLE

CAPACITY 0.36M 2

WEIGHT (EXCLUDING

ROTATOR) 695KG

I met up with Douglas and his skilled machine operator, Dominik (Dom) Raton, along with freelance agricultural contractor Graeme Louden, to see the company’s recent investment in a newly developed Powerhand grapple, rotator and saw unit package working on a large farm hilltop clear-up after Storm Arwen.

JAW OPENING 1,760MM

OVERALL OPENING (TO TOP PLATE) 1,905MM

OPEN HEIGHT (TO TOP PLATE) 920MM

TIP TO TIP HEIGHT 985MM

MINIMUM GRIPPING

DIAMETER Ø135MM

OVERALL WIDTH 860MM FOR EXCAVATORS FROM 16 TO 25 TONNES

Douglas explained that safety is their number one priority, and since windblown trees are often lying on the ground under some extreme tension, the risks to hand cutters using chainsaws are therefore increased. Douglas and Dom estimated that there were over 2,500 beech and other hardwood trees were damaged or attened by the 110mph peak wind speeds and snow generated during Storm Arwen in December 2021.

IMAGES DAVID WYLIE

“IT’S ESTIMATED OVER 2,500 BEECH AND OTHER HARDWOOD TREES WERE DAMAGED BY THE 110MPH WINDS”

ATTACHMENTS | GRAPPLE SAW

The special attachment has kept this project on track in tough weather.

Dom Raton at the controls of his 2019 Doosan DX160-5.

CLARK’S POWERHAND

In order to guarantee product quality, Powerhand takes full control of the design and manufacturing processes at its factory headquartered in Dumfries, Scotland. The firm’s rich history in engineering and manufacturing, designing, developing and manufacturing products covers almost 100 years, with the establishment of the parent company, Wm Clark and Son, in 1924. All hydraulic components used in Powerhand

products are designed and manufactured in-house. The eX series of Grapples – eX28 to the eX36 – have timber grapple geometry for perfect bundling performance and are extremely popular with operators wishing to better utilise its excavator (from 12 to 25 tonnes) into a multipurpose tool.

Powerhand has been the Indexator UK and Ireland distributor for nearly 40 years. For this application, the XR400 HT X2C rotator produces 7,000Nm of high torque and has two extra internal oil channels to allow continuous rotation when a grapple saw is installed. Powerhand also supplies powerful hydraulic saws from Hultdin System AB.

Eye for detail

Powerhand has pulled all this engineering together into a powerful package for the Agriforest team with its new hydraulic rotating Powerhand eX36 grapple and Hultdins

SuperSaw 555S sawbox. Murray Clark, MD of Wm Clark and Son commented, “Agriforest is a really good, forward-thinking customer and it’s been a pleasure working with Douglas and Dom to turn our Powerhand eX36 grapple, rotator and sawbox into a finely-tuned integrated package to meet their needs on demanding projects where safety is paramount. The attachments can yield greater productivity and machine utilisation than just a grapple on its own.”

Dom said, “I’ve been in forestry for over 30 years and I’ve never seen as much devastation caused in a single night as I have with Storm Arwen down the east coast of Scotland and the rest of the country. This means that, in addition to our regular contract work, we’ve also been busy all year on various windblown clear-up jobs. This site is certainly one of the biggest we’ve taken on lately as a result of the storm damage, so the new grapple saw has been absolutely invaluable in clearing up the mess quickly, safely and ef ciently.”

Douglas commented, “We had been working closely together with Murray Clark – owner of Dumfries-based Wm Clark and Son – for a number of years, and we had been talking about developing a saw attachment to t on its robustly engineered eX series of grapples and Indexator hydraulic rotators, to make a very robust rotating grapple saw package to meet our needs on the demanding largescale windblown clean-up projects. And while each of the three components were not new to the market, what was new and exciting was making the three components work well together to produce a very powerful grapple saw attachment that dramatically improves safety, increases machine productivity, and is more cost-effective for our clients.

“Over the last four months, we have seen a signi cant increase in productivity, and we can reduce our headcount on site, as expert hand cutters are dif cult to come by, as the machine operator [Dom] can now safely work on his own,” Douglas continued. “And with the powerful saw now on the grapple, the machine utilisation

has also signi cantly improved as it can now process, as well as stack, the wood quickly and ef ciently.”

The Powerhand forestry grapple range is said to be the culmination of over 90 years’ experience working in the forest industry. Powerhand offers a range of timber grapples for log handling and a range of tined biomass grapples to handle brash and biomass, feed chippers, clear up sites, and move oversized logs. See the information panel above for more details.

On this job site, the windblown mature hardwood Beech trees will be sold to sawmills for various purposes such as the tree trunk used to make quality timber products and furniture. And with the increase in numbers of log burners being purchased, branches will be ideal for selling into the rewood market. The customer on this job site is keen to maximise the amount of biodiversity on his land, and therefore the brash will be left on site. This will eventually rot down over time and will be the ideal habitat for various bugs and insects, which will also encourage and sustain the local bird wildlife.

OPERATOR FEEDBACK

Dom has been at the controls of the rm’s 2019 Doosan DX160-5 High Track – supplied by Doosan dealer James Gordon Ltd

Jaw opens up to 1,760mm to handle large amounts.

(Gordons) – for over three years. Now with 3,000 hours clocked up, the digger still looks new, and due to additional business growth an additional new Dash-7 DX160 High Track was bought for regular site preparation work.

Dom commented, “The Doosan DX160-5 has not missed a beat over the last three years and is one of the most reliable machines in our growing eet. The service support from the dealer is second to none. With the Powerhand grapple and saw attachment tted, this makes the Doosan even more of an asset to the business. On this storm damage clean-up project, I’m at least twice as productive with a saw attachment on a grapple, as I’m no longer fully reliant on the availability and productivity of the hard-working and skilled hand cutters.

“From a safety and comfort aspect, it’s a game-changer, as we can get so much more done, regardless of the freezing weather conditions, with fewer boots on the ground and a safer method of working, sitting in an air conditioned cab and safely behind a new ‘bulletproof’ safety glass screen,” Dom af rmed.

As mentioned above, the new grapple, saw, and rotator was developed by Powerhand as a package, and Dom praised the technical support from Russell McGahan (from Powerhand) and Ali Kaye (from Gordons) who got their heads together to make small technical changes to the Doosan hydraulic system and then supported it during eld trials to ne-tune the hydraulic ow and smooth standard Doosan proportional controls.

ATTACHMENTS | GRAPPLE SAW

Above left: 100cm saw bar suitable for logs up to 75cm in diameter.

Left: Agriforest has braced the tipping links with plates and clips.

Right: Standard Doosan control sliders/buttons for grapple and chainsaw.

“NOW WITH 3,000 HOURS CLOCKED UP, THE DOOSAN STILL LOOKS LIKE NEW”

Grapple legs have five solid 50mm Hardox tines to cope here.

Contractor Graeme Louden was also on-site with Stihl chainsaws.

The attachment weighs in at a reasonable 1.1 tonnes, and from the hitch to the tip of the grapple provides an extra 5ft of reach, which means Dom has quickly learned to be extra smooth on the controls for a comfortable day operating from the cab. The rotator hitch bracket has been designed with hitch pins at a 40-degree angle, which allows the tipping link geometry to obtain a useful working range, including positioning the grapple vertically. It was impressive to see man and machine tackle a large Beech tree that needed to be felled. Dom used the grapple saw to sectionally fell the crown and large upper branches. Then, Graeme Louden used his range of Stihl chainsaws to put in the initial cuts at the base

of the tree in the normal manner, and left Dom to push the tree over into a safe area for processing.

BUILT TO LIFT

HULTDINS SUPERSAW 555S

The SuperSaw 555S is a grapple saw unit for production machines operating under gruelling working conditions. The casing is particularly robust, and all components have protective housings. This saw unit has a more powerful SuperCut 19cc motor and requires 140 to 169L/min of oil under 180bar pressure for high cutting performance, akin to that of a harvester. A smaller 10cc motor is available for machines with less hydraulic flow. Saw bar lengths are either 90cm or 100cm,

Dom also demonstrated the powerful lifting capacity of the 16-tonne Doosan excavator by lifting the entire tree trunk and, with two half cuts with the grapple saw, the trunk was quickly cut into smaller lengths. The grapple legs feature ve solid 50mm Hardox tines to excel in this demanding application. This machine and grapple saw setup will also be very useful in taking down trees infected with Ash dieback at stage 3 and 4 that need to be mechanically section-felled close to structures or buildings. Once the timber is processed, the Doosan and grapple neatly stacked the timber ready for collection by Agriforest’s John Deere 1210G forwarder, which travels a short distance for roadside collection by HGVs.

Douglas and Dom are clearly delighted with their Doosan DX160-5 and their new Powerhand grapple saw unit that makes this type of work much safer while signi cantly improving productivity and working conditions for the Agriforest team.

Roadside collection by HGV artic and trailer with crane.

Dominik carefully topping up the chainsaw’s oil tank.

Not a bad view from the seat of the Doosan High Track.

with a .404-inch pitch chain fitted as original equipment.

“THE ATTACHMENT WEIGHS IN AT 1.1 TONNES AND PROVIDES AN EXTRA 5FT OF REACH”

GETTING HITCHED

Estonian firm BMF offers a one-stop solution for forwarder trailers. Shropshire user Burwarton Estates took delivery of its unit in 2022 and has had a full year of work from the 12-tonne model.

Ken Topham recently paid the team a visit to hear their verdict

Burwarton Estates has 650 hectares of forest, most of which is commercial wood. This is split between trees that are harvested commercially, and a small amount of Christmas trees that are grown to satisfy

town centres, and anyone who wants a large outdoor festive tree. About 10% of the woodland on the estate is under the PAWS scheme (Planted Ancient Woodland Site), and all of the estate is covered by Shropshire’s Area of Outstanding Natural

Beauty, which means the forests must be maintained as part of the local landscape. The BMF 12T2Pro trailer was bought when its predecessor reached the end of its serviceable life, although getting the BMF wasn’t straightforward. The trailer was part-funded by a grant scheme offered by the Rural Payments Agency (called the Farming Equipment Technology fund). Forestry manager Will Worthington explained that they had to order a certain spec to qualify – the grapple size and crane reach were part of the criteria, as well as the capacity of the trailer itself.

EXTRA FEATURES

On our visit, the team were pulling out some windblown Western Red Cedar that they were supplying to a local construction business that were able to process the timber, and utilise it on a project rather than imported wood. Once the estate hit all of the grant requirement check boxes, it was the team using the trailer that chose some of the extra features. Gary Broadway (the operator using the trailer on our visit)

IMAGES KEN TOPHAM AT MWR MEDIA

With remote controls, the operator always has a good view.

pushed for the wireless remote control option, although at over £3,000 he had to present a case for the extra spend.

‘Time is money’ was the winning point, with only feed and return hydraulic pipes and 12V power going to the tractor, and no cables or brackets, unhitching takes ve minutes compared to 45 minutes for their old machine, which had cab-mounted servo controls. Supplying agent Phil Alderson, gave his experienced opinion to the ordering process and suggested oatation tyres, which weren’t standard, the 500/50R17 offer a more favourable footprint in the woods, and a slightly softer ride on the road, as the BMF is mounted on rocking bogies.

On our visit the team were cleaning up the logs in the forest and winching them to a clearing between the racks in a

INFO PANEL

OWNER

Burwarton Estates

LOCATION Bridgnorth, Shropshire

BUSINESS TYPE Forestry and agricultural estate

MACHINE BMF 12T2Pro

USED FOR Timber extraction, log processing

CAPACITY 12 tonnes

TYRES 500/50R17

CRANE BMF 750

GRAPPLE BMF C24

CONTROLS Radio remote OPERATORS Gary Broadway and Will Worthington

HOST TRACTOR Valtra 111 CONNECTIONS

12V hydraulic pressure and free return

commercial part of the forest, where the forwarder trailer could access, and extract the logs without itself needing to be winched out. Gary was in charge of the crane, and Will was cutting the logs to 4.3m for easy handling, tting the bed perfectly.

The crane is obviously the business end of a forwarder, whether self-propelled or trailed.

the 7.5m includes the telescopic at full reach. Lift capacity is 750kg, at full reach, this is the bare spec, so the grapple (a C24 120kg) and rotator (Finn rotor 400, 28kg) need to be accounted for, which reduces the lift by 148kg plus ancillary pipework and oil, the crane can rotate through 370 degrees.

The BMF crane is made in-house and so is the grapple.

The crane is a 7.5m reach model, which features a telescopic section and wide-angle joint that allows the dipper to go almost straight to the boom for maximum reach,

The trailer’s capacity is 12 tonnes, the load area is 2,100mm wide (inside the bolsters) and 1,420mm from the bolster arms to the top of the poles, with a deeper section in the centre of the load area. The length, meanwhile, is 4,150mm. The Pro models feature telescopic load poles, but the Burwarton team tend not to use the extra capacity because the increased width makes gateways a problem. The C24 grapple has a maximum opening of 1,330mm and can clamp down to 98mm.

Working in the woods the 12T2Pro has

RC system o ers many benefits.

BMF C24 grapple with very useful 1,330mm opening.

Operators Will Worthington (L) and Gary Broadway.

“THE TRAILER’S CAPACITY IS 12 TONNES AND THE LOAD AREA IS 2,100MM WIDE”

proven its worth, extracting timber is easier than the previous trailer, as the operator can be less particular about where the unit is parked because they are not reliant on visibility from the cab. “We really like the remote control – it’s very userfriendly and you’re always able to see what you’re doing,” Gary said.

ROOM WITH A VIEW

Will explained that part of the forestry department’s role was to clear any storm damage from the estate that falls onto highways, or bows that have been damaged and haven’t yet fallen. “The crane is handy for jobs like that. There are two of us that are quali ed tree climbers, but when there are storm damaged trees, you have to be careful, we have used the crane to secure trees and branches so we can safely cut them

and control their decent.”

Processing logs is another operation where the new trailer works well, transporting logs and loading the feed deck. The remote allows whoever is operating the

Burwarton forestry team is harvesting Christmas trees. They use the BMF for this job, felling the trees and then lifting with straps onto the deck, one of the team found that 2x4-inch timber slotted perfectly into the bolster supports which enabled them to transport the festive trees higher in the load bunker without getting mud from the tyres on the foliage. One of the options Will said would be useful is the branch tube, which consists of a sheet metal liner for the bunker to transform it into a box trailer.

processor to see the work area, but also saves them having to climb into the tractor when they need to top up the deck, increasing safety in an operation where there are lots of moving parts.

One of the more specialised roles for the

There have been very few negatives regarding the BMF trailer, with only the charging unit for the remote batteries coming into question, both Will and Gary saying a mains charger would be useful, rather than the 12V vehicle version. Otherwise though, this is one versatile setup that is serving Burwarton very well indeed.

“ON OUR VISIT THE TEAM WERE CLEANING UP THE LOGS IN THE FOREST AND WINCHING THEM TO A CLEARING”

A full 35 degrees of steering can be used.

Remote is very sensitive to even small movements.

The BMF comes into its own in tight spaces.

Forest machines that are loved by farmers and valued by professionals:

• Grapples 0.15-0.37 m2

• Cranes 4.3-10 m

• Trailers 6-18 t

• Hidden hydraulic hoses

• Made of especially tough steel: My Inner Strenx® and Hardox® In My Body

• Protected oil pump

• Protected cylinders

• Tough turning house

• Powder-coated surface

• Lowered centre of gravity

• Accessible greasing points

•

Large Tree Services Ltd. “Coolewell”, Church Road Newtownabbey, BT36 6DH +44 (0)28 9034 2838

sales@mlarge.com www.mlarge.com

M.

THE SHOW MUST GO ON!

Held over three days from September 1st to 3rd 2022 and receiving over 27,000 visitors, the most recent FinnMetko fair was hailed a big success. Staged at the same Jamsa venue in central Finland, the show was organised by the Trade Association of Finnish Forestry and Earthmoving Contractors and KeskiSuomen Koneyrittäjät.

A total of 330 exhibitors presented their wares across the vast showground with another measure of the show’s success being its ability to continue to attract the larger forest machine producers, all of which were present and eager to show their latest machine upgrades.

While the power of the internet meant new product launches were anticipated by many, there were some well kept secrets among the new introductions. Read on to nd out what they were...

PONSSE

Taking the Scorpion concept into the heavy clear fell market, the new Giant model addresses the working limitations of the Scorpion and Scorpion King which could only accept harvesting heads up to the H7 with the new Giant capably handling the high output H8 unit. Fitted with the latest generation Scorpion cabin which presents greater space and visibility, the machine gives higher tractive force than its smaller counterparts with the crane also having the necessary power and structural prowess to cope with demanding clear fell harvesting. Developments at the upper end of its range were also evident in the Ponsse forwarder presentation with the new range topping Mammoth forwarder present. Dethroning the Elephant King as Ponsse’s agship forwarder, the new Mammoth has an immense load capacity of 25 tonnes with the exhibited unit boasting a variable width load bunk and front dozer blade.

The machine is powered by a 210kW Mercedes-Benz engine, with the transmission delivering incredibly high tractive force. Typical machine weight for the Mammoth is 28,500kg while its immense load space is capably lled by the K121 crane featuring Active Crane control. Overall, a very impressive product.

ALSTOR

Alstor presented a comprehensive selection of compact forwarder models from its range including the latest 822 which supersedes the 821 model. Powered by a 24hp Yanmar 3-cylinder engine, the machine has a 3-tonne payload capacity and has an unladen weight of 2 tonnes.

JARCRAC

Finnish manufacturer Jarcrac showed forwarders, combination machines and the Eco tracked harvester at the event. Driven by proven Black Bruin track motors, the machine yields positive traction and still remains very terrain friendly for sensitive thinning sites. The machine can be speci ed with a range of different cranes and harvesting heads with the exhibited unit tted with a Mowi P50 parallel crane and Nisula 225H harvesting head.

SCANIA

One of the more interesting timber trucks on show was the Scania 660S 10x4 with fold-up Weckmann trailer with Alucar bolsters and pins. The unit was equipped with a Kesla 2217ZT ‘Z-type’ loading crane with cabin and boasted a tasteful livery of owner SK Trans of Kronoby, Finland who specialises in timber and pole transport.

The return of live events during 2022 was welcomed by both exhibitors and attendees alike. Eoghan Daly reports on the particularly successful FinnMetko forestry showcase and explores some of the more interesting exhibits

IMAGES EOGHAN DALY

PONSSE

JARCRAC

ALSTOR

SCANIA

PROSILVA

Among the highlights of the show was the unveiling of the all new ProSilva J14 forwarder. Even though the manufacturer already built their F2 unit aimed at low weight bearing applications, a void existed in the range for a true all-round machine. The new J14 ful ls this ambition for the company and presents some very interesting features. Styled in a format very much reminiscent of Transformers, the J14 is an 8-wheeled, 14-tonne class forwarder. Interestingly, it employs pendulum arm mounted bogies which allows it to work on side slopes in safety. The automatic levelling system conducts the levelling function with ground clearance varying from 350 to 1,150 mm.

Power provision for the machine is by a Cummins engine with a rating of 186kW. Operator comfort has received particular attention with the machine bearing the same upgraded slewing cabin now being offered on the company’s harvester range which delivers greater space and visibility. Still a prototype, it is hoped the machine will enter production during 2023.

NISULA

Nisula has been actively upgrading its harvester range with the latest N6 models taking pride of place on the extensive stand. Offered in a range of variants, these replacements for the N5 include the N6 and N6E. The N6 uses a Nisula manufactured parallel crane and is aimed mainly at the thinning market while the N6E uses an Epsilon S110F crane which gives it a wide application range in both running a harvesting head or specialist energy head. The machines bene t from enhancements to the mainframe construction and cabin design, while also having more engine power.

JOHNDEERE

John Deere certainly grabbed the attention of show attendees with its 859M feller buncher. Even though it is aimed at markets

PROSILVA

NISULA

outside Europe where full tree harvesting systems are favoured, it was still a major talking point. Tipping the scales at 37,410kg for the base machine alone, the 859M has a levelling function which gives 26 degrees forward levelling and seven degrees tilt to the rear while 18 degree movement to both sides allow it to work effectively on extreme slopes, with climbing aided by its aggressive single grouser track shoes with an impressive tractive force of 373 kN exerted. The machine was equipped with a FR22B feller buncher head.

LOGSET

Logset presented a number of machines in a distinctive and very smart looking black livery to mark its 30th anniversary. Among these units was the 5F GT forwarder which offers a 12-tonne load capacity. Its ability to function in rough ground conditions is assisted by its high pro le 26.5 tyres, while improvements like greater clearance and approach angle are also bene cial. Operator comfort is enhanced by a range of cabin layout changes and a sophisticated Smooth Ride system.

“THERE WERE SOME WELL KEPT SECRETS AMONG THE NEW INTRODUCTIONS”

LOGSET

JOHNDEERE

KESLA

Working on active demonstration, Kesla’s 144 timber trailer was paired with a high speci cation, reverse drive Valtra tractor with mounted Kesla 325T crane, showing how such a combination can be an attractive alternative to a purpose-built forwarder for forest owners deciding to conduct extraction using in-house equipment.

KETO

A number of new and upgraded Keto heads were shown, and in the larger size class category included the 550 Supreme and K660C2 top saw head.

SAMPOROSENLEW

Sampo Rosenlew had a large display from its growing forest machine range including the FR68 forwarder which is now in serial production. In addition to this standard variant, the machine was presented in the CR68 combination machine format which differs from the standard forwarder through its mounting of the crane and cabin on a common slewing base. Utilising a Logmer 160-11 crane, the exhibited machine was tted with a Nisula 500C energy wood harvesting head.

ECOLOG

Eco Log presented its largest wheeled harvester base unit at FinnMetko in the form of the 590 model, which was shown with a 661 LF harvesting head. Displayed to highlight the unique terrain deviation adaptation ability of the machine, its rear pendulum arm design and mounting of front bogies on further pendulum arms gives excellent operating characteristics on uneven terrain and side slopes while preserving essential stability.

KESLA

ON BRAND

Paul Argent pays a visit to A&J Scott, a sawn timber supplier based in Northumberland, to find out how its Liebherr fleet including a new LH35 Timber handler is helping to cut costs

Operating from its headquarters in Wooperton, Alnwick, A&J Scott has been supplying sawn timber for a wide variety of uses, principally in the fencing, landscaping, DIY and pallet and packaging sectors since 1960. The family-owned company still operates from its original Northumberland site but has grown massively over the past 60 years to employ over 150 people and expand its operations to what is now one of the most sophisticated and productive sawmills in the UK.

IMAGES PAUL ARGENT

LH35 operator James Smith praised its high level of stability.

With a strong team of long-term employees, the company’s vast knowledge of timber and enviable, experienced skill base provides top quality products supported by unrivalled standards of service. Not a company willing to rest on its laurels, Scott’s continuing investment in state-of-the-art production facilities has seen the multimillion-pound investment in further automation of the plant with a new scraper conveyor, grading line and sorting and stacking lines to support its ability to produce large volumes of consistently

high-quality products, serving an increasingly diverse customer base.

FLEET OVERHAUL

Recent times have also seen the company look at investing and installing solar power for the sawmill which, like many industries in the UK has seen their costs increase massively thanks to the wholesale hike in energy costs. “Like many, we have had to endure the ridiculous hike in energy costs and sadly pass some of it onto our customers. The investment in solar power for the plant

will hopefully alleviate these increases over the next few years and also allow us to decrease our carbon footprint,” Senior Purchasing Manager, Adana Black commented. The company has also been hit with the change of fuel use moving from red to white almost doubled its running costs overnight. The wider forestry industry still runs on rebated fuel and Scott was hoping that this would be the case for itself as it considers itself an extension of that industry. Sadly, this wasn’t the case, and this has led the company down the road of looking at its core material handling eet savings.

The latest addition to the eet of material handlers has come from the team at Liebherr GB in the shape of an LH35 Timber. The dedicated pick-and-carry machine joins two smaller material handlers, an LH30 and LH26, an L556 XPower wheeled loader and a T36-7 telehandler. “With the increase in fuel costs, we wanted to increase the size of our material handler allowing us to do more with a single machine,” Adana explained.

“LIKE MANY, WE HAVE HAD TO ENDURE THE RIDICULOUS HIKE IN ENERGY COSTS”

Liebherr LH35 Timber helps A&J Scott keep a lid on fuel costs.

The LH35 Timber is one of four dedicated timber handling machines within the Liebherr range of material handlers. With an operating weight of 30 tonnes and a reach of 11m, the LH35 possesses a similar reach to the smaller LH30 and LH26 models in the eet but boasts a larger 1.7m3 timber grab allowing it to be more productive over the slightly smaller machines. The new LH35 Timber has been handed to one of the company’s longest serving operators James Smith who has been with the company for over 13 years, all of which he has spent operating the company’s material handling eet.

SMOOTH OPERATOR

“I started off on the green ones we had before moving onto the Liebherrs and it was like night and day!” James joked. “The Liebherrs are a true material handling machine. They’re such a stable machine even at full stretch. This latest one has been supplied with a xed cab riser which I prefer. On the hydraulically raising models there seems to be a little bounce when you travel around. You get used to it, but the xed

version is so much smoother even though it’s a bit more of a climb in and out of the cab!”

Unlike a traditional material handler chassis which has one xed and one steering axle, the Timber machines boast steering axles both front and rear with the Scott machine having the single blade option. A blade/outrigger or blade/blade option is also available. The heavy-duty chassis allows the LH35 to pull a small bolster trailer around the yard further improving its versatility and productivity. At 3m in width, the undercarriage provides a very stable base for the machine to operate from yet thanks to the front and rear steering, the LH35 retains a

turning circle of just under 6m. A wider, EW version is also available.

OUT AND ABOUT

Power to the LH35 comes from a 7-litre, 4-cylinder Liebherr D934 engine that meets Stage 5 emissions regulations. Four work modes (Sensitive, Eco, Power, and Power+) allow James to select the best combination of power and economy to suit his job at hand.

“I usually keep the Liebherr in Eco mode as it gives the best all round performance,” James con rmed. Whilst the LH30 and LH26 undertake the handling work in the main stock yard, the LH35 is used across the entire site moving a variety of logs around along with feeding the mill from

“THE NEW PLANT HAS ALLOWED US JUST TO HAVE A SINGLE MACHINE ON NIGHT SHIFT, REDUCING THE HOURS INCURRED AND FUEL USED”

Fixed cab riser provides a smooth ride, operator James Smith reports.

An 11m reach for this 30-tonne handler.

both the trailer and the bins situated at the side of the grading lines. The 2-speed powershift transmission provides stepless speed increases and allows the LH35 to navigate two steep ramps within the yard with consummate ease, even with a full load.

COST EFFECTIVE

“With the change in yard and processing plants we looked at our eet of material handlers with a view to looking at how we operate, how the drivers operate and the way in which the material is handled on site,” Adana said. “Traditionally, we have had a 24-hours-a-day operation, which has meant drivers moving between machines. The addition of the new plant has allowed us just to have a single machine on night shift, reducing the hours incurred and fuel used.

“We have also looked at our overall service and maintenance costs for the material handling eet and with every new machine, truck or forklift added into the eet, we enter into a service contact with the manufacturer or dealer,” Adana added. “This gives us a known gure for any servicing or maintenance costs allowing us to document the costing of a particular piece of machinery over its entire life in the eet.”

With the arrival of the L556 XPower, T36-7

and now the LH35, Scott’s switch to a more managed solution for its material handling requirements has put it on the road to managing its long-term costs and requirements far easier than before. The

before being replaced and, whilst always open to looking at other makes, Adana and the team are keen to stick with a single brand. “We have been speaking with Mike Hanlon and his team about our requirements for the next couple of years as lead times still remain long for some machines. We have put into place parts price agreements and are very pleased with the response we are getting from the Liebherr GB team.”

L556 XPower also playing a part in managing costs.

BIG GAINS

After seeing the performance bene ts his Ford Ranger pickup showed following an engine remap, Sam Mepham decided to explore what the technology could do to his forestry equipment. Sam runs operating across the south east of England and his eet of machines including a Valtra T234, a Jenz Hem 581 woodchipper, along with a trio of 360-degree excavators and a Komatsu 855 forwarder.

“The work we do requires a lot of

horsepower,” said Sam. “The remap to the Ranger increased power by around 30hp, but in turn improved fuel economy by around 5mpg when I was towing, which is the bulk of its work. This is mainly down to the pickup revving lower to achieve the same output as before, so the engine isn’t working as hard and using less fuel in the process.”

The business has been running 10 years

with hard work key to an increasing customer base and a busy work schedule, but reliability and operational ef ciencies were key factors to maintain when installing the remapping software.

The remaps have all been installed by Avon Tuning authorised agent Nathan Peto of DVS Tuning in Kent, and the rst machine was the Valtra T234, which covers

Forestry contractor Sam Mepham of SJM Tree Surgery has increased the power of his fleet and saved fuel with professional remaps provided by DVS Tuning (an Avon Tuning agent), as Edd Mowbray reports

Sam Mepham of SJM Tree Surgery.

THE VALTRA SPENDS A LOT OF TIME ON THE ROAD TOWING A JENZ HEM 581 WOODCHIPPER”

1,100 hours per year. The Valtra spends a lot of time on the road towing a Jenz Hem 581 mobile woodchipper. The chipper has its own 600hp Mercedes engine to process the timber, but the Valtra handles moving the rig between jobs, which tips the scales at a train weight of 32 tonnes. Sam explained that the Valtra was at its limit when it encountered a hill, so a remap was installed around 18 months ago.

The specialised alteration changes the ECU to adjust the fuel delivery and timing characteristics. This alters the points where peak power is delivered and allows more torque and power to be available within the engine’s capabilities. Sam explained how these changes work in day-to-day operation. “The key difference since the remap is the Valtra can pull the chipper up hills in a higher range at lower rpm, as there is more torque available lower down the rev range. This increases ef ciency and allows me to get to the next job quicker but use less fuel in the process. Previously, I had to be in a lower range and a higher gear, which meant I was revving the engine harder and burning more fuel to achieve the same power output I’m now getting at lower rpm.”

It may not seem like a big change, but Sam said the alterations to his eet have seen some signi cant fuel savings and allowed him to keep his current machinery, rather than investing in new kit to achieve greater output. “We use a lot of fuel across the eet, so any small savings add up to a substantial total over the lifetime of a machine. For me, it was more about tailoring the power of

SJM’s Doosan DX140 crawler excavator rides a wave of material for processing.

Another part of the SJM fleet comprises these Volvo and Komatsu excavators.

Increased lowdown torque a blessing when towing the Jenz woodchipper.

our current machines to suit our workload. The Valtra required more power on the road, and with the price of new machinery going up, the most cost-effective solution was a remap that edited the software at the source and saved a backup of the original should I need to put it back to standard in the future.”

INCREASED PERFORMANCE

The 600hp Jenz chipper also had a remap installed and used to drink 600 litres of fuel on a full day’s work, however this has almost been 40% less due to the remap. Nathan Peto explained how it works. “The biggest change for these engines is the utilisation of torque, which means the engine isn’t working as hard as it was before to produce the same output. As standard, the engine was revving but wasn’t producing the torque in line with how much fuel was being used.

“This meant that a lot of fuel would have been wasted as it was revving beyond where the torque conversion is most ef cient,” Nathan continued. “The Avon Tuning remap edits key engine characteristics, such as throttle pedal calibration and torque and smoke limiters that are based on the engine’s limits, to achieve peak torque lower down the rev range.”

It is common for users having an engine remap carried out to increase power and torque that a by-product of this is a reduction in fuel consumption as the engine isn’t working as hard to reach the same output. One of the biggest fuel savings has been seen on the 2016 Komatsu forwarder, which Sam said is in use nearly every day of the year hauling timber out of woodlands in very unforgiving environments, clocking around 1,800 hours per year.

“It used to drink around 200 litres a day, which I wasn’t surprised at given the work it does. However, since the remap, we have seen quite an astonishing fuel saving and it is now only consuming 140 litres per day, no matter how hard we push it. A few weeks ago, between all the machines we used 14,000 litres in 10 days, so by remapping the eet we are seeing savings across the board and some of them are signi cant.”

One thing that was none negotiable with the engine remapping was reliability as

keeping clients happy and arriving on time is a key requirement, especially working with road closures. The Avon Tuning remaps are tailored to the customer’s requirements, but within the characteristics and limits of the engine. The maps are created in the UK, and all the parameters of the vehicle being remapped, such as turbocharger size and cooling packs, are checked to ensure the machine can handle the increases.

“We haven’t had any negative side effects from the remaps on any of the machines,” Sam con rmed. “The extra power has been really useful, and the fuel economy bene ts are saving us a lot of money across each machine. The machinery we run suits the work we do and is the right size to tread lightly across delicate woodland oors.

“If I had to increase the size of this machine to up work rates, I would not only be spending thousands of pounds to do so, but the customers I have may not appreciate the heavier kit I’m putting across their land. This is where the remap, which matches the power to the application, has been an ideal option for us,” Sam said.

5 is Nathan

Below: SJM’s fleet recently consumed 14K litres in 10 days.

60-litre fuel saving on this Komatsu since the remap.

No side e ects experienced by SJM since the remapping.

IT USED TO DRINK AROUND 200 LITRES A DAY – SINCE THE REMAP, IT IS CONSUMING 140 LITRES PER DAY”

DVS Tuning in Kent is an authorised Avon Tuning agent.

Nathan Peto of DVS Tuning carried out the remaps.

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Leafy Surrey is home to Greenwood’s Tree Contractors, a company that takes immense pride in its work and vehicle presentation. We visited James Greenwood two years ago (Issue 5) following the purchase of a Volvo ECR145E excavator, which proven a great success particularly with its Vosch grapple saw upgrade.

“The Vosch has been a great addition to the eet.” James commented. “It has the advantage of being capable of being used as a grab, and with its 1m long chainsaw can tackle timber much greater in diameter than the previous attachment could. The Vosch will also leave a much cleaner cut for us meaning we can complete any trimming work to a high standard of nish.”

The company runs an immaculate Iveco Trakker 4x4 hook lift truck which multi-tasks as both chip carrier and tow tractor for the company’s low-loader, and recently acquired Morbark chipper. The package makes the company self-suf cient allowing them to transport machinery to and from site as well as transporting timber and chip back to the yard. The large yard also

doubles up as a storage and processing area for materials with a dedicated bay for two grades of chipped material which James says is in demand of late. “We use Sylvagen, part of the huge AW Jenkinson Group to handle all our chipped material. We have seen prices of round timber uctuating over the last few years with the price of chip increasing signi cantly,” James explained. “This led us to look at increasing our chip capacity over the last couple of years to meet the demand and this has led us to invest heavily in two new bits of kit to allow us to do this and more importantly, do it effectively.”

INCREASING CAPACITY

The rst part of the puzzle was the huge investment in a Morbark M20 chipper. Mounted on a wheeled chassis, the original dealer for the chipper left the industry just as the machine was delivered leaving James in the lurch. This improved when Blue Machinery took over the dealership. Capable of handling 584mm diameter logs, the 415hp

WOODCRACKER

|

Caterpillar-powered machine simply devours the timber fed into it. Whilst Morbark is reluctant to give actual production gures for the chipper as there are so many variables, during our time with James he quickly lled the bulk body on the Iveco with approximately 10 tonnes of material, which equates to a potential output of up to 160 tonnes per day meaning the chipper has given the company a huge production increase over their older Bandit model.

Feeding the chipper regular sized logs is one thing but James and his team regularly encounter larger material. “The market for biomass material constantly uctuates. Recent changes have meant that timber we would cut up is now a viable source of income following chipping,” James said.

Tree

explains to Paul Argent how its recently acquired Westtech W1350 Woodcracker has fitted seamlessly into its already-capable fleet of machinery

FORESTRY MACHINERY SPRING 2023 47

James Greenwood and the mighty W1350 Woodcracker.

Contractors

PUZZLE PIECES

IMAGES

PAUL ARGENT

take a look in Europe to see what their solution is and saw the Westtech Woodcracker was favoured.”

NATURAL SELECTION

Receiving a quote on an Austrian manufactured Westtech W1350 Woodcracker from Aaron Maslen, James was keen to get one on order. “We saw videos of the Westtech on YouTube and thought it would be a far better tool for us, offering better splitting power and capacity and giving us to option to use it to stack material and load a chipper. Following our initial conversations with Westtech, we also went to see German tree specialist Latour using the equipment and were blown away with the versatility of the W1350.”

Constructed from lightweight yet super-strong Hardox steel, the twin jaws are worked by a single, large diameter ram mounted horizontally in the body of the grab. The large plates on the end of each arm are slightly chamfered to allow them to cut into each log and split the timber apart easily. Cutting forces exerted at the tip exceeds 34 tonnes allowing even the hardest wood to be quickly split. The curved jaws give a maximum opening width of 1,370mm allowing James to handle almost all the timber he regularly comes across. “If we nd anything larger, we can still split it, but it takes a few more goes just taking off smaller bites,” James commented.

With Greenwoods having a large pile of tree trunks, butt ends and pieces of trunk from all species of trees piled up in the yard, it was an ideal opportunity for Forestry Machinery to take a look at just what the attachment can provide. James sat himself on the concrete yard with the blade of the Volvo on the ground before stretching the arm out to pick up from the piled logs sitting close by. Despite having 1,200kg sitting on the outstretched dipper, the

Right: At the end of the Westtech W1350 head is a Volvo ECR145E.

Below inset: Even bigger timber just takes more biting...

added weight of a dense willow truck measuring over 4m in length and 1m in diameter caused the Volvo no issues at all.

While the Westtech carries a price tag more than double that of a good cone splitter, James has concluded that his choice works out that he can effectively double his production with the W1350. This also means a huge fuel saving, especially as his machines now must run on white diesel. With the W1350 tted, the Volvo can now stack the round timber, process it and load the chipper, reducing the volume of machines on site and the downtime associated with swapping over attachments.

FUTURE-PROOF

The Morbark M20 chipper is also a machine that has been speci ed as a production tool. “We wanted a chipper that would future-proof us and the Morbark meets these expectations.” James explained. Putting short, thin pieces of timber through barely troubles the Morbark. The 910mm diameter drum simply eats the smaller material whilst the larger, heavier and more twisted material makes the engine dig in and work whilst still quickly pulling the timber through and producing a uniform chip. The automatic infeed table allows material to be placed away from the chipper opening resulting in a steadier ow of material and less potential damage to the machine. The adjustable discharge spout allows the Iveco’s body to be loaded easily and will also discharge straight into one of the many walking oor trailers visiting the yard on a weekly basis.

One issue James is very vocal on is the use of white diesel in the machines. Whilst he has no issue with the road-going kit using the highly taxed white diesel, he believes both the forestry and construction industries are being unfairly penalised with their use of white diesel. “It’s massively impacted our costs, hitting us hard in the pocket. We have tried our best to keep the majority of cost increases away from our clients. This is one reason we have looked at increasing our earnings through additional biomass production and adding further versatility through our attachment choices,” James added.

Below: Morbark M20 chipper and Iveco Trakker 4x4 hook lift truck.

“THE CURVED JAWS GIVE A MAXIMUM OPENING WIDTH OF 1,370MM”

DIGGING IT

attachments

IMAGES MANUFACTURERS Bobcat

The mini-digger sector is competitive and most manufacturers have a machine in the 3-tonne weight class – some are a little under, or over. The excavators in the class have features found in larger machines, with more spacious cabs and hydraulic capacities that can match up to using some key attachments, with the weight to work with brash and trees. Diggers in this class are often used in a support roll, feeding a shredder, or tidying up after a heavier machine has been on site.

As with many of these articles, we’ll try and nd common feature sets – we’re not comparing like for like. The stand-out features will be hydraulic capacity, boom and dipper features, engine power,

and track equipment. In the forestry sector, out and out digging performance is unlikely to be the top of a buyers list – hydraulic performance to run mulchers and shears is more likely a consideration.

BOBCAT

One of the brands that doesn’t have an exact match, but its E27z is in the right range, with a base weight

Ken Topham focuses on 3-tonne mini-excavators widely used in arb and clearance operations. Machines in this class can’t usually be transported by 4X4 and trailer, but still provide good site to site transport options, while having the capacity on the job to handle an array of

of 2,705kg with cab and bucket, the zero-tailswing will be too heavy to tow by a 4x4 once you t a quick hitch and it’s ready to work. The Bobcat comes with a 1,550mm dozer blade, which can go down 420mm from track base, and up to 385mm. With a standard dipper, the E27z can reach 4,518mm, dig to 2,547mm and has 23.7kN of digging force with standard bucket. Maximum dump height is 3,043mm, and max digging depth is 2,547mm.

The boom swing can go left by 70 degrees and right 55 degrees, slew rate is 9.3rpm. The track length is 1,965mm, with 25kPa of ground pressure with rubber tracks, and can travel at 2.5 and 4.3kph. The hydraulics have a total capacity of 94.25L/min, with the primary auxiliary output of 53.75L/min at a relief pressure of 180bar. The Bobcat is powered by a 19.98hp Stage 5 Yanmar motor. The cab is an airy space with front and side opening windows, the soft grip joysticks provide access to high frequency functions as well as the main working controls.

TAKEUCHI

The TB230 weighs in at almost exactly 3 tonnes, tipping the scales at 3,020kg with a bucket and fuel and standard cab. The TB230 measures 1,330mm from centre to tail, which has a normal swing. The blade is 1,460mm wide, and height range is 380mm upwards and 310mm down. With standard dipper, the TB230 can reach 4,710mm at ground level, and has a maximum digging force 20.9kN with a bucket. Maximum dump height is 3,230mm, and max digging depth is 2,835mm.

The Takeuchi can swing the boom to the left by 79 degrees and right 58 degrees, slew rate is 10.3rpm. The track length is 1,900mm, ground speed is 2.9 and 5.2kph. Primary axillary hydraulic output is 54L/min at 210bar. Takeuchi uses Yanmar engines, and the TB230 has an 18.2kW (24.4hp) Stage 5-ready motor. The cab provides similar space to the larger class Takeuchi excavators, the controls have sliders for auxiliary hydraulics with programmable presets accessed via the touchscreen.

DOOSAN

Doosan’s DX27Z-7 zerotailswing excavator has a 2,798kg operating weight with cab and bucket.

Blade dimensions and range are 1,550mm wide, lifting up to 383mm, maximum depth is 335mm. A standard dipper gives the Doosan 4,655mm of reaching digging for of 21.8kN, and this digger has a maximum bucket capacity of 0.6m2

Maximum dump height is 2,935mm, max digging depth 2,645mm.

The DX27Z-7 has a boom swing of

“THE MINI-DIGGER SECTOR IS COMPETITIVE, AND MOST MANUFACTURERS HAVE A MACHINE IN THE 3-TONNE WEIGHT CLASS”

Takeuchi

Doosan

66.5 degrees to the left and 53.5 degrees right. Slew speed is 8.3rpm, track length 1,960mm, ground pressure 28kPa, and travel speed is 2.4 to 4.2kph. Primary auxiliary output is 58L\min at 220bar. The engine is Doosan’s own 3-cylinder Stage 5 18.4kW (24.7hp) motor. The cab is air conditioned and has front and side opening windows, a radio is tted as standard.

YANMAR

The Vi033-6 weighs in at 3,275kg with cab, rubber tracks and a bucket. It’s a zero-tailswing machine, and the front of the upper structure is also within the tracks when slewed. The blade is 1,550mm wide and its working range is 375mm upwards and 325mm at its

lowest position. With standard dipper, the Vi033-6 can reach 4,870mm and has a digging force of 29.9kN at the bucket. Maximum dump height is 3,160mm and max digging depth is 2,950mm.

Boom swing to the left is 43 degrees and 65 degrees to the right, slew rate is 10.5rpm. Track length is 2,160mm and travel speed is 2.7 and 4.5kph. Primary auxiliary output is 53.8L/min at 210bar. The Yanmar engine is rated at 18.5kW (24.8hp), and has an eco

mode as standard. The cab can be equipped with air conditioning, and has front and side opening windows. Air suspended seat is standard, and the controls have proportional controls for the auxiliaries.

JCB

JCB’s offerings in the sector are wide, but here we’ve gone for the 8026, which weighs 2,698kg transport weight (includes a 12-inch bucket). The blade is 1,550mm wide and can lift 333mm above the ground, and lower too 405mm. With standard dipper, the 8026 CTS can reach 4,770mm and has a force of 23kN at the bucket. Maximum dump height is 3,220mm, and max digging depth 3,050mm.

The boom can swing 450 degrees to the left and 600 degrees to the right, while slew speed is 9.6rpm. Track length is 1,870mm, and the JCB can travel from 2.5 to 4.9kph. Primary auxiliary hydraulic output is 59L/min. The 8026’s Stage 5 engine outputs 18.9kW (25.3hp), and the cab has front and side opening windows, which are all at glass. There are also electro proportional thumb switches for the auxiliary outlets.

KUBOTA

Kubota brings its KX030-4 to the table, at 2,865kg ISO weight – rubber tracks, cab and 12-inch bucket, and 75kg operator, but no quick hitch. Blade width is 1,500mm.

Yanmar

Kubota

JCB

“THE JCB 8026’S STAGE 5 ENGINE OUTPUTS 18.9KW”

With stock dipper, the Kubota can reach 4,690mm and has a digging force at the bucket of 24.5kN. Maximum dump height is 3110mm, and max digging depth is 2,670mm.

Kubota’s boom can swing can go 77 degrees left and 57 degrees right – slew speed is 9.5rpm. Track length is 1,980mm, with a ground pressure of 26.6kPa. Traveling speeds are 2.9 and 4.5kph. The primary auxiliary hydraulics have an output of 49.5L/min at 240bar. Kubota naturally uses its own engine, which is a 4-cylinder, Stage 5-compliant unit producing 17.7kW (23.7hp). The cab is one of the larger spaces, and has side and front opening windows, adjustable wrist supports, and electric proportional auxiliary hydraulics.

VOLVO

The EC27D is in the 2.7-tonne range at 2,730kg with cab and rubber tracks but no bucket and quick coupler. Blade width is 1,550mm. With a stock dipper, the Volvo can reach 4,427mm and has a digging force at the bucket of 24.59kN, plus a maximum dump height of 3,092mm and depth of 2,586mm.

The Volvo’s boom swing travels 72 degrees left and 53 degrees right. Slew speed is 9.4rpm. Track length is 1,906mm with a ground pressure of 27.8kPa, and

travel speeds are 2.6 and 4.8kph. Primary auxiliary hydraulics have 50L/min ow at 250bar. Volvo has its own motor, which is rated to 15.6kW (20.9hp) in this machine, and is Stage 5-compliant. The cab is quite central on the Volvo, with front and side opening windows, proportional electronic controls for the auxiliaries.

HYUNDAI

Hyundai’s R30Z-9AK is almost bang on 3 tonnes at 3,005kg including cab, rubber tracks and a 0.8m3 bucket, but no quick coupler. Blade width is 1,550mm. A standard dipper will give 4,650mm of reach and digging force of 20.1kN at the bucket. The R30Z-9AK offers a maximum dump height of 2,890mm and digging depth of 2,500mm.

Boom swing on the Hyundai is 75 degrees left and 50 degrees to the right, with a slew speed of 9.1rpm. Track length is 1,970mm, and ground pressure is 29kpa; the Hyundai will travel at 2.4 and 4.3kph at out. The Primary hydraulic output ow is not available, but the circuit runs at 220bar. The R30Z-9AK is powered by a Kubota Stage 5, 18.5kW (24.8hp) engine. The cab has front and side opening windows, and oormounted auxiliary control pedal.

CATERPILLAR

The 302.7 CR is the 3,050kg option from

“HYUNDAI’S R30Z-9AK IS ALMOST BANG ON 3 TONNES INCLUDING CAB, RUBBER TRACKS AND 0.3M3 BUCKET”

Hyundai

Cat and that weight is with cab and fuel but no bucket or quick coupler. The blade width is 1,570mm. A stock dipper will give you a maximum reach of 4,510mm with a digging force of 23.3kN at the bucket. There’s also a maximum dump height of 2,950mm, and maximum digging depth of 2,510mm.

Boom swing on the 302.7 CR is 75 degrees to the left, and 50 degrees right, with a 9rpm slew speed. The tracks put down 29kPa, and travel speed is 2.6 and 4.5 kph. The primary hydraulic output has a ow of 65L/min, at a pressure of 245bar. The engine is a Cat C1.1 Turbo, Stage 5 motor producing 17.6kW (23.6hp). The cab has side and front

opening windows, and can be equipped with air conditioning. It also has adjustable wrist rests and a suspension seat.

HITACHI

With the ZX33U-6, Hitachi has one of the heavier machines – the smaller model tops out at 2.5 tonnes, so this 3,320kg machine is closer to the others in capacity. With

standard dipper, the ZX33U-6 can reach 4,890mm and has a maximum digging force at the bucket of 27.2kN. Maximum dump height is 3,030mm, while maximum digging depth is 2,790mm.

The Hitachi’s boom can swing 62 degrees in both directions with standard con guration, with slew speed 9.1rpm. The tracks are 2,110mm long and create ground pressure of 31kPa; tracking speed is 2.8 and 4.3kph. Primary hydraulic pressure is 250bar. Power comes from a 3TNV88 Yanmar engine rated to 18.8kW (25.2hp). The cab has side and front opening windows, adjustable armrests and thumb sliders for auxiliary controls.

Caterpillar

“WITH STANDARD DIPPER, HITACHI’S ZX33U-6 CAN REACH 4,890MM”

Hitachi

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Farm Machinery Journal

The magazine for modern farm equipment

Farm Machinery Journal is a one-stop shop for all modern agricultural equipment. The dedicated monthly magazine provides comprehensive coverage on the biggest machinery topics in farming while offering informative and in-depth features that engage and educate operators and owners. The simple easy-to-read design of Farm Machinery Journal is crammed with undiluted machinery reports picked fresh from the field to appeal to every reader in the wide farming audience.

Farm Machinery Journal is the smart choice for every switchedon owner and operator. First drives of brand new harvesters sit alongside multi-machine tests pitching the closest rivals at the hands of operators who spend their working lives at the controls of the latest farm equipment. Looking to update implements? Expert buyers guides help make every decision easier, whether looking to buy new or used. If it's found on the farm, you'll find it covered in Farm Machinery Journal.

To buy a copy or subscribe and get home delivery tel +44 (0)1371 583634 or visit www.FarmMachineryJournal.co.uk

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The best for construction equipment

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To buy a copy or subscribe and get home delivery tel +44 (0)1371 853632 or visit www.EarthmoversMagazine.co.uk

WOODWORKERS

Top forestry equipment offered for sale in the used market, including giant harvesters, stump grinders and highlights from the FinnMetko show

In the market for forestry equipment that isn’t quite brand new? Then you’re in luck! In this issue of Forestry Machinery, we dive into the world of second-hand machinery and highlight a few of the most interesting prospects, starting with a rather large harvester from a famous manufacturer in Finland…

PONSSE BEAR

Ponsse harvesters are renowned for their all-round capabilities, so when one comes onto the second-hand market, they’re always worth a closer look. The current Ponsse harvester line-up comprises – in size order, starting with the smallest – the Beaver, Cobra, Scorpion, Scorpion King,

Scorpion Giant, Ergo and nally the Bear, which is the biggest of the lot. In Ponsse’s words, “The most powerful engine, the sturdiest crane, two large work pumps, large harvester head, incredible production in dense forests and re ned ergonomics: these are what the Ponsse Bear is made of.”

The 2008 Bear model pictured here had clocked up 17,600 hours of service in the hands of two previous owners, and was offered for sale by Ponsse UK. As well as a C55 crane with stonking 11m reach and 280-degree turning angle, this bright yellow machine packed a Ponsse H8 head, OptiControl measuring system, plus a 300kW Mercedes-Benz 3A engine linked to a NAF transmission. As standard, the 6-wheeled behemoth weighed in at 24 tonnes (net) and operators are treated to air conditioning and a radio.

2008 Ponsse Bear harvester with 17,600 hours.

TEMPTING TRIO

STUMP GRINDERS — £18,000

Stump grinding is a quick and easy way to remove tree stumps, helping to prevent regrowth in the future and it avoids a potential trip hazard/obstacle for equipment. Machines that carry out this work vary greatly in size, but all carry the same basic tool – a spinning blade which is lowered onto the stump to start chewing it away, in the process producing chips that can be used as mulch. Here are a three used grinders we spotted with values up to £18,000.

Toro STX-26

Kicking o our tempting trio is this 2015 Toro STX-26 stump grinder o ered for sale by Groundserv in Surrey for just £8,950 plus VAT. For that amount of money, you get an ex-hire fleet machine that starts and runs “perfectly” with 1,200 hours on the clock, and “all bearings and motors in good condition”. There’s a streamlined control system that makes operation easy, a 16-inch diameter cutting wheel and rubber tracks too.

Predator 38X

Based in Oxon, Predator specialises in the sale of stump grinders. This 2013 P38X model was stickered at £11,750 plus VAT on the website of 1st Base Plant in Warrington. Said to be in good working condition after 830 hours of service, cutting dimensions of the P38X are 450/800/1,370mm (depth/height/swing).

Weighing 1 tonne, there’s a 480mm MT wheel and teeth comprised six Multi-Tips. Predator reckons it’s the narrowest machine in its class.

Bandit SG-40

A little more pricey was this 2020-built Bandit SG-40 stump grinder o ered for sale by Field & Forest Machinery in Broxburn, West Lothian. Carrying a sticker price of £17,250 plus VAT, its condition was described as immaculate with 51 hours of use. Designed as an all-terrain machine with rubber track undercarriage, it boasts a 457mm cutting wheel with eight teeth and 1,190mm swing. There’s also a pivoting control panel and 38hp (28.3kW) engine with 26.5L tank.

KOMATSU 931XC

Sticking with harvesters but considering something younger, there were plenty of Komatsu 931s for sale at the time of writing. Komatsu Forest UK had priced this 2019 XC model at £280,000 before VAT (£336,000 with VAT) with a reasonably 6,200 hours of operation under its belt. An 8-wheeled harvester with just one previous owner, the Agco/Sisu engine’s output was rated at 170kW. The Komatsu 230H crane offered a 10m reach and on the end of it was a Komatsu S132 head – both of which were linked to the manufacturer’s MaxiXplorer system. Transport weight was noted as 22,860kg, overall condition was rated 4 out

of 5, and the latest inspection was carried out in November 2022.

KOBELCO SK140 HARVADIG

Jas P Wilson’s website is a great bet when it comes to nding used forestry machines, and this 14-tonne Kobelco SK140SRLC-5 Harvadig did not disappoint. Rolling off the production line in 2017, it has since racked up 7,000 hours in the eld. The base machine had been tted with a full guarding kit (great news for those operators working under the canopy of trees), and its new owner could select a new Keto 150HD harvesting head to go with the excavator. Contact the agent for pricing details.

JAS P WILSON

2017 Kobelco SK140SRLC on 7,000 hours.

6,200-hour Komatsu 931XC harvester.

TOP SPOTS AUCTION HIGHLIGHTS

SCANDI VETS

Eoghan Daly reports on a variety of used machine options presented at the FinnMetko exhibition in Finland, including John Deeres and a Komatsu

Timberjack 810B 8x8 skidder (1996)

€17,000/£14,780

Under 13,400 hours, air conditioning, joystick steering, 600/50-22.5 tyres.

Kobelco SK210LC-10 excavator (2017) £37,000

5,200 hours, 2,950mm stick, 700mm shoes, quick coupler, 900mm bucket, air conditioning, air spring seat, cameras.

Ponsse HS10 8x8

harvester (1995)

€7,000/£6,140

16,500 hours, harvesting head, air con and 2009 Moipu 400ES chassis.

Doppstadt DT320 Grizzly 4x4 horizontal grinder (2002)

€25,000/£21,700

Enclosed cab, 6-cylinder DAF engine, 1,200mm rotor, 1,100mm discharge conveyor, 2,657 hours of service.

Forest machine dealers have experienced increased demand for their used stock in recent years owing to extended lead times for brand new equipment. When a need to increase capacity arises and an immediate term machine solution is sought, the used machine market is the most obvious

❶ This impeccable 2018 John Deere 1270G in 6-wheel-drive configuration with 10,800 hours worked and fitted with a CH7 11.7 parallel crane looked a very tidy example of this popular harvester. The machines crane features the proven IBC system, o ers a reach of 11m and was paired with a John Deere 414 harvesting head. The machine commanded a price of €222,000.

❷ Komatsu machines included two examples from this respected manufacturer. These comprised a 2014 built 911.5 6-wheel drive harvester and a slightly older 901.5 from 2011. The 911.5 was showing 20,500 hours while its smaller counterpart had 19,500 hours service completed. Equipped with a CRH18 crane and C93 head, the 911.5 was quoted at €93,000 while the 901.5 with a CRH16 crane and Komatsu 350 head had a price tag of €75,000, which included a set of tracks and wheel chains.

❸ Older John Deere machines were also included in the used equipment showcase including this 1070D 6-wheeled unit. Having worked 26,000 hours to date, the machine employs a TJ180 parallel crane and a John Deere 754 harvesting head. A set of band tracks were included in the €65,000 asking price.

❹ Ponsse Scorpion harvesters have become popular choices on the used forest machine market with this trend reflected in the machines o ered in the Finnish line-up. Both Scorpion King and Scorpion models were presented with the latter comprising a 2016 built model. Showing 16,400, its specification comprises a C50 crane with 11m reach capability and a H6 harvesting head. The asking price of €190,000 did not include tracks or chains.

solution. Nevertheless, used forest machines currently on offer differ greatly from those of the past, with many contractors practicing more frequent machine replacement thereby releasing modern machines with plenty of life remaining onto the market. Here are a few examples that caught my eye in Finland…

❶ ❷ ❸ ❹

s.

•actively suspended saw unit

The suspension prevents clamping of the saw even at high-risk force.

•automatic chain tensioner

The working process is not interrupted by a jumped off chain

for attachment to rotatable telescopic handlers. -risk force. in e driver’s cab and

•grease lubricated chain Avoids oil fogging, which would cause contamination of the driver’s cab and is also economical and longer lasting.

•powerful gripper for safe holding of the harvested material Developed for tree fellings due to safety reasons.

•made of high-strength Hardox® steel Low maintenance and wear, highly rugged and durable.

•strong Tiltator: machine is endlessly rotatable For efficient and flexible operation.