Forestry Machinery Issue 3 Autumn 2019

WORLD E! EXCLUSIV

AUTUMN 2019 • ISSUE 3 • £4.10 KIT AT WORK

USERS REVIEW MACHINES FROM SAMPO ROSENLEW, ROTTNE AND PRIMETECH

DRIVEN

JOHN DEERE TAKES ON TOUGH TERRAIN

BEHIND THE CONTROLS OF THE FIRST PRODUCTION 1010G FORWARDER OPERATOR VERDICT

PONSSE ERGO HARVESTER AND WISENT FORWARDER IN ACTION

SITE VISIT

ADDED TRACTION

IN EUROPE WITH THE LATEST WELTE W210 CLAMBUNK SKIDDER

HOW CLARK TRACKS KEEP A WELSH KOMATSU FLEET MOVING

WHY COMBINING FARMING AND FORESTRY WILL BE KEY FOR FUTURE SUCCESS 001_FM003_Cover_FINAL.indd 1

22/08/2019 16:35

Handle More with Liebherr.

A reliable partner for your timber and forestry needs With over 50 years’ experience in the UK’s material handling and earthmoving market, Liebherr-Great Britain is the first port of call for operators wanting a professional, reliable and productive solution to their timber handling and forestry requirements.

Liebherr manufactures a wide range of tele-handlers, wheeled loaders, wheeled and crawler material handlers, excavators and dozers for use in the initial harvesting stage through to the loading of finished products and residues.

Our range of equipment can be supplied in standard material handling specification or designed to suit your application, and comes with full support from the manufacturer.

Liebherr-Great Britain Limited Normandy Lane Stratton Business Park Biggleswade, Bedfordshire SG18 8QB Tel.: 01767 602100 www.liebherr.com

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ED’S LETTER

WORLD !

EXCLUSIVE

AUTUMN 2019 • ISSUE 3 • £4.10 KIT AT WORK

EDITOR Graham Black editor@earthmoversmagazine.co.uk EDITOR Peter Skilton peter@farmmachineryjournal.co.uk ART DIRECTOR David ‘Spike’ McCormack ADVERTISEMENT SALES Clive Coe 020 8639 4402, Alex Cronin 020 8639 4405 ADMINISTRATOR Martin Attis 020 8639 4409 PUBLISHING DIRECTOR Paul Cosgrove 020 8639 4401 CONTRIBUTING WRITERS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS David Wylie, Eoghan Daly, Jonathan Wheeler, Ken Topham, Nick Drew, Paul Argent, Paul Carter Forestry Machinery is published by Sundial Magazines Ltd, Sundial House, 17 Wickham Road, Beckenham, Kent, BR3 5JS TEL 020 8639 4400 FAX 020 8639 4411 EMAIL info@forestrymachinerymagazine.co.uk WEB www.forestrymachinerymagazine.co.uk SUBSCRIPTIONS Earthmovers subscriptions, Trinity House, Sculpins Lane, Wethersfield, Essex, CM7 4AY TEL +44 (0)1371 853632 EMAIL earthmovers@escosubs.co.uk Farm Machinery Journal subscriptions, Trinity House, Sculpins Lane, Wethersfield, Essex, CM7 4AY TEL +44 (0)1371 853634 EMAIL farmmachineryjournal@escosubs.co.uk NEWSTRADE Seymour Distribution, 2 East Poultry Avenue London, EC1A 9PT TEL 020 7429 4000 REPRO Design & Printing Solutions Ltd, The Coach House 101 Northwood Road, Whitstable, Kent CT5 2HE TEL 01227 770034 PRINTING Walstead Southernprint, 17-21 Factory Road, Upton Industial Estate, Poole, Dorset, BH16 5SN COPYRIGHT Sundial Magazines Ltd 2019. All rights reserved.

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CONDITIONS FOR ADVERTISING All advertisements are accepted subject to the publisher’s standard conditions of insertion. For a copy of advertising terms & conditions, please write to Paul Cosgrove at Sundial Magazines Ltd, Sundial House, 17 Wickham Road, Beckenham, Kent, BR3 5JS

USERS REVIEW MACHINES FROM SAMPO ROSENLEW, ROTTNE AND PRIMETECH

DRIVEN

JOHN DEERE TAKES ON TOUGH TERRAIN

BEHIND THE CONTROLS OF THE FIRST PRODUCTION 1010G FORWARDER OPERATOR VERDICT

PONSSE ERGO HARVESTER AND WISENT FORWARDER IN ACTION

SITE VISIT

ADDED TRACTION

IN EUROPE WITH THE LATEST WELTE W210 CLAMBUNK SKIDDER

HOW CLARK TRACKS KEEP A WELSH KOMATSU FLEET MOVING

Autumn 2019 Issue 3 COVER IMAGE Eoghan Daly

WHY COMBINING FARMING AND FORESTRY WILL BE KEY FOR FUTURE SUCCESS

WELCOME

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

The long awaited John Deere 1010G eight-wheeled forwarder has finally entered production. If the initial impressions of the owner-operator of the first production example to go into service are anything to go by, it looks like it is everything that customers have been demanding. Particularly the huge options list, which includes different wheelbase lengths, a choice of bunk widths and a variety of bogie axle configurations.

At the other end of the scale, we also report on a pair of four-wheeled forestry machines. Dedicated compact thinning harvesters have never really found favour in the British Isles, the market taking the view that there would never be sufficient work to justify such an investment. However, this situation may well be changing in Ireland, where a significant number of private plantations are coming on stream. To discover the advantages of such a machine we went to see a Rottne H8D in action. Of course, such an application is driven by the Scandinavian selective thinning approach, which helps maximise a stand’s long-term value.

A new entrant to the UK & Irish market is Sampo Rosenlew, through dealer Oakleaf Forestry. Their smallest harvester to date, the four-wheel HR46X model, has recently been demonstrated in Ireland and made a huge impression. What it says on the box of the HR46X is that it is a compact thinning harvester. In reality, it is far more than this, punching well above its weight. If this is an indication of their design ethos, the imminent launch of a full range of larger forestry equipment will be disruptive to established players in the market.

We also visited the Czech/Slovak border to see a six-wheel Welte W210 clambunk skidder at work. This machine is currently used with skyline extraction systems to haul full trees from the landing, then process, segregate and stack the resulting logs. The intention is also to use it as an in-stand harvester and a roadside processor. This multi-purpose machine will greatly extend the range of services offered by its owner, for what is reported to be a surprisingly cost-effective investment.

Graham Black & Peter Skilton

THE MAG AZIN

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CONTENTS

CONTENTS AUTUMN 2019

REGULARS 3

WELCOME

The leading highlights contained in this issue

9

NEWS

The latest industry developments and updates

76

FORESTMOBILIA

p13

Ertl’s 1:50th-scale John Deere forestry models

FEATURES

p31

13

NEW PRODUCT JOHN DEERE 1010G

First production model to enter service

19

RUNNING REPORT KOMATSU 931 XC & 855

Harvester & forwarder in tough conditions

25

DIVERSIFICATION AGROFORESTRY

Trees and arable crops work well together

31

EURO FOCUS JUHA HOLM

Finnish timber firm cutting 250,000m3 a year

35

SITE VISIT WELTE W210

German-built multi-task Clambunk skidder

42 FLEET FOCUS

ASHBROOK FORESTRY

A new force in forestry and land clearance

45 OPERATOR VERDICT

p57

p19

p62

PONSSE ERGO & WISENT

North-Wales contractor loyal to Ponsse kit

51

SITE VISIT JOHN DEERE 1270G

Timber harvester on clear-fell work in Scotland

57

MULCHING PRIMETECH

Range of specialist heavy-duty tracked carriers

62

NEW MACHINERY TERRATECH TTS-400

Versatile tree shear in action in North Wales

67

OWNER-OPERATOR ROTTNE H8D

The case for compact thinning harvesters

73

WORKING DEMO SAMPO HR46X

Finnish harvester demonstrated in Ireland FORESTRY MACHINERY AUTUMN 2019

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For Sales & Service please contact John Deere Forestry Ltd. Ballyknocken, Glenealy, Co. Wicklow, Ireland Tel: +353 (0)404 44969 (Sales) Contact Ed Power Mob: +353 (0)87 2542570 John deere First DPS with Border.indd 2

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TILT THE ADVANTAGE IN YOUR DIRECTION with the

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Experience reduced labour on jobs, quicker completion time, less movement of your machine on-site, ǕȸƺƏɎƺȸ ƬȒȇɎȸȒǼ ƏȇƳ ȅȒȸƺ ȵȸƺƬǣɀƺ ǝƏȇƳǼǣȇǕِ

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And the innovations behind the NOX Tiltrotator range mean you can enjoy even more advantages. No cylinders to get caught or damaged working in conf ined spaces, no drop-off in power thanks to a smooth, constant torque delivery, an impressive 50° tilt angle on both sides and the largest range of specialist attachments available from a single manufacturer – making it a highly eff icient addition to any job site.

Save time, save money and tilt competitive advantage f irmly in your direction.

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Trenching, forestry and working in conf ined spaces is made easier and more prof itable without cylinders

Robust build quality and an oilimmersed rotation unit increases longevity and lowers maintenance

Elliptic Rotary Actuator delivers smooth, constant torque through the entire tilting angle with no drop-off in power The largest range of attachments from a single manufacturer, compatible with all leading quick coupler systems

nox+ Smart control system

NOX PROP fully-proportional controls for reduced operator fatigue, multi-user ȵȸȒˡǼǣȇǕ ƏȇƳ ‫ٖ(ב ۭ (א‬J¨³ ȸƺƏƳǣȇƺɀɀ

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NEWS

FORESTRYMACHINERYNEWS

FORESTRY CONTRACTOR BOOSTS FLEET WITH DOOSAN

S.

Richardson Contracting Limited, based in Langholm in Dumfriesshire in Scotland, has purchased eight new Doosan DX160LC-5 HT 16-tonne High Track crawler excavators for work won the company’s forestry contracts throughout Scotland and north England.

The new Doosan High Track excavators were supplied by

James Gordon Ltd (Gordons), the authorised dealer for the Doosan Heavy range in the south west and Borders regions, as well as the central belt of Scotland as far as Argyle and Bute and the county of Cumbria in the north of England.

Company owner Simon Richardson commented: “We were introduced to the Doosan DX160LC-5 HT High Track

ROYAL HIGHLAND SHOW SUCCESS FOR SCOTTISH BIOMASS SUPPLIER Pentland Biomass, based in Loanhead, Midlothian, attended the Royal Highland Show again in 2019. As well as selling their BSL accredited Woodchip across the central belt of Scotland and the Borders, they had a number of useful conversations about providing their commercial chipping service – with their eye-catching chipper machine on stand.

This service is delivered by a 400hp PTO-powered Musmax Chipper that can process up to 50 tonnes of logs per hour.

They also displayed their new Wholesale Log Service, which sees them selling large HGV artic loads of kiln-dried logs to firewood companies throughout Scotland and the north of England.

excavators by Darren Nicholson, sales manager Cumbria & Borders for Gordons Construction Equipment.

The Doosan High Track excavators are well-built, fit-forpurpose machines that have provided us with many advantages in the forestry work we do, from preparing ground and mounding work to drainage and building forestry roads.

“The Doosan High Track design allows us to easily negotiate tree stumps and other obstacles in forests, traversing sites much more easily and not having to move the amount of material as in the past.”

The DX160LC-5 HT excavator combines the upper-structure from Doosan’s DX140LC-5 14-tonne model with a heavier-duty 18-tonne class high-track undercarriage, increasing the ground clearance from 410mm in the DX140LC-5 to an impressive 615mm.

In its standard configuration, the digging depth of the DX160LC-5 HT is 5355mm, the digging height is 8940mm and the digging reach is 8080mm.

Simon Richardson added: “Unlike our previous excavators that were specially modified, the Doosan DX160LC-5 HTs are purpose-built machines for the forestry and rough terrain work we undertake.

We initially tried out a DX160LC-5 HT from Gordons and it performed really well and our operators liked the machine. So it was an easy decision to purchase more of them.”

NEW TRACKS FOR OFFROAD VEHICLES Camso has launched its X4S track system for ATV and UTV vehicles, said to offer better flotation, greater traction and responsive handling. The system has been designed to fit small to mid-size UTVs with up to three seats and also ATVs, the system being cross compatible between the two. The flex-track design is more stable and comfortable than flat tracks, as the frame is engineered to provide better handling.

FORESTRY MACHINERY AUTUMN 2019

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NEWS

FORESTS OF FLOWERS A

picture perfect swathe of beautiful wildflowers has swept across farmland close to York but the scene does not tell the whole story. The flowers are blooming as the result of an environmentallyminded farmer who has used a unique farming technique to turn 74 acres of his land into a beautiful wildflower woodland.

Alwyn Craven and his mother own more than 120 acres of land at Home Farm, Huby, near York, and are turning most of it over to nature. As well as planting hundreds of trees, they are using a unique technique known as ‘soil inversion’, using a 1m-deep

plough to turn over the soil – burying weed seeds and fertile soil – followed by spreading wildflower seeds over the ground and tree planting. It creates what is known as ‘forests of flowers’.

Peter Leeson, partnerships manager at the Woodland Trust, which has provided some of the many hundreds of trees, said: “This really is an inspirational project. The forest of flowers technique creates reduced fertility on the surface, which allows the wildflowers to thrive.”

Alwyn was concerned about the lack of wildlife and very poor state of the soils on the

NEW GREENMECH CHIPPERS Following its launch at the ARB Show last May, the first batch of EVO 165 wood chippers recently left the GreenMech factory for dealerships across the country. The culmination of three years in design, testing and production, the new series was pictured at dispatch with just a handful of those who took EVO from concept to completion. Managing director Jonathan Turner said, “We’ve been overwhelmed by the reaction we’ve received to the new series. It’s been fantastic to see all the hard work come together, with the wealth of new features contributing to our most efficient chipper of this size to date. Now that they’re out with our dealers, we’re keen for more potential customers to see just what they can do.”

10

farm and sought advice and support from the Woodland Trust. He said, “I looked around and saw that certain farming methods were detrimental to flora and fauna, such as the use of pesticides and vast swathes of arable grassland, and I wanted to do something about it. The soil inversion technique promotes the growing of wildflowers around the strategic planting of trees.

“It’s exciting times as Home Farm is rapidly changing. Not only are the trees growing up, we are seeing a rapid increase in the numbers of insects, butterflies and bees due to the abundance of wild flowers.”

ALLIANCE EXPANDS FORESTRY TYRE RANGE Shortly after its market launch, more and more foresters and contractors are relying on the new 344 Forestar ELIT, the world’s first low-pressure forestry tyre, for which an additional size has been introduced for forwarders: the F344 ELIT is now available in 600/55-26.5 20 PR F. “This makes it possible to use the innovative and above all soil-protecting tyre concept on common forwarders as well,” explains Francois Girard of ATG. The Alliance Forestar 344 ELIT uses constructional enhancements to carry the same load while being inflated up to only 2.5bar, compared with standard forestry tyres that are inflated to 4.5 – 5bar. Low-pressure tyres offer a significantly larger footprint leading to lower soil compaction and a comfortable ride for the operator. In addition, a larger footprint provides high traction.

AUTUMN 2019 FORESTRY MACHINERY

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WORLD EXCLUSIVE

NEW PRODUCT | JOHN DEERE 1010G

FIRST OF MANY Eoghan Daly visits the first production model of John Deere’s 11-tonne capacity 1010G forwarder to enter service

F

ollowing last year’s reveal of prototypes of the future 910G and 1010G models, the industry has been eagerly awaiting the roll-out of John Deere’s new generation of forwarders.

One of the highlights of these new products is the comprehensive catalogue of factory options available. They provide a true opportunity to tailor the machine to meet an individual contractor’s long-term needs. Among these options are different wheelbase lengths, a choice of bunk widths, a variety of bogie axle configurations – including balanced and unbalanced variants – together with a long trailer bogie. In addition, a range of different reach cranes is available, together with either a fixed or rotating cab.

Following an extensive demonstration and testing period with the prototypes, the first production models are now rolling out of the factory. The first production-spec example of the 1010G model was configured to meet the specific needs of an Irish contractor and has now entered service.

BUYING DECISION Mossie Browne runs the long-serving timber-harvesting contractor Maurice Browne Forestry, based near Killarney. The firm mainly undertakes harvesting work for the state-owned forest company Coillte, throughout Co Kerry and across the border into West Cork.

Typically operating over challenging ground, the firm undertakes a wide range of thinning and clear-fell assignments.

A new eight-wheel John Deere 1170G all-round harvester has proved to be the ideal machine to tackle this range of work over this landscape. It was delivered in January this year, replacing a 1070E model.

Mossie then began to consider a new forwarder, again something that could cope with challenging terrain, but sufficiently compact also to support thinning operations.

“THE LONG BUNK CAN ACCOMMODATE VARIOUS MULTIPLE BAY CONFIGURATIONS TO MAXIMISE PAYLOAD”

Above: The optional long rear bogie is a major factor in improving the machine’s stability and terrain friendliness

Being able to accommodate twin bays of pulp grade logs is a major advantage when working over long hauls in premature clear-fells FORESTRY MACHINERY AUTUMN 2019

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Due to a scarcity of stacking space, this haul of pallet wood logs was loaded directly to the waiting truck by the 10m-reach crane on this 1010G

“WITH THE SLEWING AND LEVELLING BASE IT IS A FIRST CLASS DESIGN AND WELL AHEAD OF MANY OF JOHN DEERE’S COMPETITORS”

Mossie said, “It’s different for bigger contractors who have a fleet of machines in various size classes to match to each type of work. For a contractor like me, with two machines and a need to be able to do all stages of thinning and clear felling, selecting a true all-round machine is the only way. A lot of our work is clear felling on difficult ground so a forwarder in a heavier size class than the 910G made more sense.

“From the minute I saw the 1010G in Finland last year, I could not leave it behind and knew it was the machine I had always wanted. I had run several 810s over the years, which were just not able for the kind of work we do over the longer term, as they gave bogie problems after 4000 hours. A stronger machine with better clearance and load capacity is the only way to tackle these kinds of sites.

“Since using the 810s I had changed to Komatsu and on seeing and operating the 1010G, as well as the possibility of choosing from so many options, I could get the machine I wanted with every part of it matching in with the need to be a true all-rounder.”

This new forwarder has been configured with the CF510 crane, the longest reach double extension model available for the 1010G

WALK-AROUND Extracting pallet wood, the payload being maximised through cross loading a second bay to the rear of the bunk

14

Immediately the 1010G was commissioned it went straight into service on a difficult clear-fell assignment. The elevated site is located in the heart of a remote mountain valley on the Kerry/ Cork border. The ground conditions consist of a covering of peat, interspersed with boulders and rocky outcrops. The entire 11,000-cubic-metre harvest will be extracted to a single point at the base of the hill, resulting in the 1010G undertaking long and arduous hauls.

We met man and machine three weeks into this baptism of fire, during which time the 1010G had been faultless, without any

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NEW PRODUCT | JOHN DEERE 1010G This picture, right and below right inset: The forwarder was configured with the optional levelling and slewing cab, which includes John Deere’s TimberMatic control system

teething problems whatsoever. Mossie carefully considered all the available options and decided on a long-wheelbase machine with a narrow load bunk and a narrow headboard. In this configuration the load bunk is 2.5m wide x 4.5m long and provides good capacity for clear-fell operations in a compact form appropriate for thinning work.

The long bunk can accommodate various multiple bay configurations to maximise payload. Obviously twin bays of stakes are possible, but more interestingly is the forwarder’s ability to facilitate twin bays of pulp lengths, welcome due to the high pulp content in most premature clear-fell jobs. When it comes to pallet wood lengths, Mossie cross loads such material to the rear of the standard front bay. This extra capacity is facilitated by placing two sawlog lengths at the curve in the bunk frames to provide a base for the material.

One of the most distinguishing features of this example is the use of long trailer bogies, which are an unbalanced design, while the front bogies are of the balanced type. The long rear bogies help to

keep the forwarder extremely stable, irrespective of the haul being extracted. This 1010G offers a ground clearance of 640mm and a tight steering angle of 44 degrees, while the position of the bogies ensures precise tracking as the front and rear tyres follow the same course.

DIFFERENT TRACKS The 700mm-wide tyres are encased in band tracks, producing an overall width of 3m, similar to that of the 1170G harvester. The front band tracks are of the climbing variety, while the rears are flotation units specified with heavy-duty pins, as there is increased stress on the wider spread of the rear tracks across the long rear bogies.

Mossie said, “This first clear-fell site the machine is working in is the ideal test for it, as it shows how well it handles steep rough ground. It has great climbing power and never seems under pressure.

“The ground clearance and stability of the machine are among the things that impress me most about it since putting it to work.

IN THE CAB Since the launch of slewing and levelling cabs

towards the bunk, the view is the same.

of the E Series forwarders, Mossie has always

There’s a very low noise level and everything

by six degrees that sets this forwarder’s cab

specified this option. Despite a few problems

is positioned where you would want it. With

apart from the rest. It also includes the latest

with the system on his previous machines, he

the slewing and levelling base it is a first class

control and operating suites in the form of

is confident that these difficulties have been

design and well ahead of what many of John

the TimberMatic control system. The

eradicated on the G Series.

Deere’s competitors have to offer.”

TimberMatic Maps system is also incorporated,

He said, “With the slewing and levelling cabin, it doesn’t matter if you’re facing forward or

However, it is not just the ability to slew through 290 degrees and to level forwards

and backwards by 10 degrees and side to side

allowing the harvester to share the location and volume of logs with the forwarder.

FORESTRY MACHINERY AUTUMN 2019

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JOHN DEERE 1010G | NEW PRODUCT “WORKING ON THIS STEEP SITE, TRAVELLING OVER STUMPS AND ROCKS IS A BIG TEST OF ANY FORWARDER”

This picture and below inset: Owner-operator Mossie Browne is giving his brand new 1010G forwarder a good workout on this challenging site

Working on a clear-fell site like this, the advantages of the bigger profile 26.5 tyres are really noticeable and it’s unbelievable how stable the long rear bogie has made the machine.

“Working on this steep site travelling over stumps and rocks is a big test of any forwarder and the 1010G is performing really well.”

LONG CRANE

everything possible to attract new operators. Making machines easier to use has a big part to play in this. The IBC also makes movements much smoother, which can only be good for the crane over long-term use.”

Mossie made an unusual choice of crane: the CF510, which is the longest reach double extension model available on the options list.

It offers a total outreach of 10m but retains a high grapple capacity with strong slewing and lifting torque values.

As Mossie explained, “Double extension forwarder cranes may not be used by many in Ireland, but having seen the benefits of it I wouldn’t be without it now. It means I can reach two rows of logs CONCLUSION from a single brash mat in a clear fell, which is a big advantage in The uptake of the new 910G getting a load on the machine very quickly.” and 1010G forwarders in Ireland The long-reach crane also helps when stacking logs on the appears to be gaining momentum, as a roadside, especially when the forwarder is working from number of variants of both models are being selected the forest edge, as it allows the operator to place log by contractors across the country. While purchasing stacks as close to the road verge as necessary. the first of any new model carries a certain risk, DRIVELINE Of particular note is the crane’s hose routing, Mossie is confident about the design and over In common with its fellow which is over and through the boom wherever the moon with its initial performance. range members, the 1010G is possible. This is particularly welcome when He concluded by stating, “All the main powered by a four-cylinder, Stage 4 emissions-compliant reaching into the stand in thinning work. parts of the new 1010G are well proven John Deere engine, in this The CF510 also features John Deere’s already, so I had no doubts about being the application delivering a innovative Integrated Boom Control (IBC) first to buy one of these machines. With the whopping 730Nm of torque. It system. prototypes out working for some time, they drives a hydrostatic mechanical Mossie continued, “Once I’ve got into should be well proven. With the 1010G, two-speed transmission, delivering a tractive effort using it, I can see a lot of advantages with the John Deere really has a machine that can of 160kN, impressive IBC system. It’s great to see forest machines work equally well in thinnings and clear-fells, for a forwarder in this becoming so user friendly, as we need to do which is exactly what I’ve always needed.” size class.

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The Fastrac difference

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RUNNING REPORT | KOMATSU 931 XC & 855

ON THE

RIGHT TRACK

North-Wales contractor Dylan Taylor has been running Komatsu equipment for eight years, operating a 931 XC harvester with an 855 forwarder, plus Clark Tracks to keep him moving. Ken Topham paid a visit to see the machines working in tough forestry conditions

D

ylan Taylor’s operation is based in the Conwy Valley, north Wales, where he was working on a second thinning job for Scottish Woodland when we met up with him. It’s a delicate job requiring judgement and concentration both from the harvester and forwarder operators, especially as late January snow had added another element of risk.

Dylan followed his father into the forestry industry and has been running his own business for 20 years. Consequently he is a well-seasoned hand in the woods, having worked with chainsaws and skyline winch systems. He progressed from an excavatorbased harvesting system to the Komatsu, which is a much more capable outfit in the increasingly demanding terrain that forestry

timber, while trying to minimise traces of his contractors encounter. presence in the woodland. An experienced A key component in the operation is the hand, he worked all the steep terrain first so running gear and Dylan’s tracks of choice that he could drop the tracks off, which can are made by Clark of Dumfries, Scotland. give up to 20 per cent fuel This brand has a 30 per cent saving on terrain that world market share in the forestry “THE MACHINE doesn’t demand the sector and makes every forestry traction. track it sells in its Scottish factory. HAS TO BE WELL SET UP TO REDUCE Clark tracks are exported worldwide, both to end users and DAMAGE” TRACKING ON around 45 per cent of production The forwarder runs two is fitted as original equipment by forestry types of track as well as Nokian Forest King machinery manufacturers.

TRS 2 tyres, which are standard cleated tyres The tracks are fitted to Dylan’s fourand provide reasonable traction on their month-old Komatsu 855 forwarder, which is own. During our visit, however, the operated by Pete Lloyd. He had his work cut forwarder was fitted with tracks all round: out on the thinning job, sorting and Clark Grouzers under the cab, for traction; stacking up to three grades of snow-covered and Terra 85s under the payload for

The average 25-degree slope was no challenge as the harvester’s cab can remain level up to 22 degrees and it can cope with 45 degrees

Owner-operator Dylan Taylor has been running Komatsu kit for eight years

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The working face of the C144 head: driving wheels in the backplate reduce power requirement. Dylan had the same unit on his previous harvester

Back to the stack: the cold weather was keeping the track in good order more flotation. When between 12 and 15 the rear tracks are much more aggressive tonnes of timber are added to the when you’re reversing. This kind of job forwarder’s 18 tonnes, the machine has to requires some consideration and minimal be well set up to reduce damage. disturbance. I can swing the crane all the Despite its hours, the forwarder’s 170kW way round, so the head is over the back of (230hp) engine runs on a whiff of diesel, the machine to even out the weight on the consuming around 12 litres per 931. Not all harvesters can PROFILE hour in eco mode at maximum do that, which means I 1400rpm. Dylan specified the have some leeway in terms ten-metre crane, which reduces the BUSINESS FORESTRY of traction,” amount of manoeuvring and ties in HARVESTING CONTRACTOR Dylan’s harvester is shod with the harvester’s reach, allowing MACHINES 2017 KOMATSU 931 XC with Nokian Forest King Pete to follow in Dylan’s tracks.

HARVESTER, 2018 KOMATSU 855 F2 tyres, which are specially designed for use FORWARDER with band tracks. The CHANGING TRACKS USED FOR TWO YEARS design of the cleats allows During our visit the harvester was OPERATORS better purchase on the running on just front Grouzer JOHN DOLAN, PETE LLOYD inside of the track, and tracks, with two studs per plate for LOCATION CONWY VALLEY, NORTH WALES Dylan has found the extra traction rather than the arrangement to be very standard single stud. Dylan normally runs on the Grouzer CX variant on positive: “The tyres work really well with tracks; you can run the tracks slacker and the rear, which has a pair of deeper and still get a positive drive. They save fuel and wider studs for increased traction on tyre wear and reduce stress on the bogies.” demanding slopes, but the same bands as The tracks accompany Dylan’s machines the normal Grouzer, He explained, ”I don’t when he changes them: “They’ve probably always run with a full set of tracks. At 20-25 got 40% life left in them. They come with all degrees the terrain was not too steep and

DYLAN TAYLOR

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Above: The Grouzers on the harvester have a two-stud per plate arrangement, available as an option from Clark

Above: The steering wheel is Dylan’s only negative in the cab

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RUNNING REPORT | KOMATSU 931 XC & 855 “THE FORWARDER OPERATOR HAS TO BE SWITCHED ON TO IDENTIFY

BY EYE THE DIFFERENT LENGTHS”

TECH SPECS

KOMATSU 931 XC HARVESTER

ENGINE 190KW 7.4-LITRE AGCO POWER TRANSMISSION HYDROSTATIC HYDRAULICS THREE-PUMP 528LPM TYRES 710/45 X 26.5 WXLXH 9FT 10IN X 26FT 4IN X 13FT HARVESTING HEAD C144 RUNNING GEAR COMFORT BOGIES, CLARK GROUZER FRONT TRACKS, CX REAR TRACKS WEIGHT FROM 21,800KG

KOMATSU 855 FORWARDER Above: Dylan praises the Komatsu’s visibility from behind 15mm glass that’s pretty much bullet proof

Below: Making fresh tracks in the snow, Pete built a fresh stack on the next road, having worked out the upper section of the wood

ENGINE 170KW 6.6-LITRE AGCO POWER TRANSMISSION HYDROSTATIC TYRES 710/45 X 26.5 RUNNING GEAR COMFORT BOGIES, CLARK GROUZER TRACKS (CAB END), CLARK TERRA 85 (BUNKER END) OPTIONAL EXTRA 10-METRE CRANE

Left: Dylan’s machine cuts the logs to length depending on size, giving the most efficient use of each log the joining links you need for the life of the track, so once they reach about six months old, we are at the point where we take out a band. They don’t stretch much after that and I’ve never broken or worn out a Clark track yet,” he commented.

Now just over a year old, the 931 XC (extreme condition) harvester is Dylan’s third Komatsu and was the first XC eightwheeler in Wales. The Swedish machine has the C144 head, which Dylan explained is the most versatile option for his workload, “It will cut up to 800mm with a single cut, but also go down to 50mm timber too. It’s what Komatsu calls four-wheel drive, featuring two driven wheels on the back plate, so there’s much less friction and power demand than heads I’ve used before.”

SWITCHED ON OPERATOR On our visit, Dylan was producing three log sizes: 3.1m saw logs, pallet bars and chipping logs. All are sorted by the harvester’s control system, via preset information.

Potentiometers on the knives in the head measure the timber diameter, enabling the harvester to determine the type of FORESTRY MACHINERY AUTUMN 2019

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KOMATSU 931 XC & 855 | RUNNING REPORT product it’s best suited to, and cuts it to length automatically. On clear-fell jobs there can be six or more types of log, so the forwarder operator has to be switched on to identify by eye the different lengths.

On a second thinning job Dylan reckons to harvest 100m3 per day, but on clear fell it would be more like 350m3.

The Komatsu is powered by the popular 7.4-litre AGCO Power engine, producing 185kW (251hp) and consuming 16-18 litres of fuel per hour. Dylan commented, “It doesn’t seem to make a lot of difference which type of harvesting we’re doing. Clear felling would seem like heavier work, but on thinning we’re using more functions more often so it only uses a little bit less at 14-16 litres per hour.”

MULTI-TASKING MACHINE The 931 XC sports three hydraulic pumps, which enable it to carry out several operations at once, which Dylan praised, “I can operate the crane, process the log and move the machine if necessary, which is helpful as the speed never drops off.” From a traction perspective the tracks do the lion’s share of the work, but both Komatsus are fitted with comfort bogies, which means they actively follow the ground. As a result, when driving uphill the top wheels were pressing down to aid traction, so the 25-degree slope wasn’t much of a challenge. The harvester’s cab levelling system can compensate for 22 degrees facing downhill, so a ride inside felt like you’re on level ground.

Dylan explained the challenges of working under Natural Resource Wales regulations, as well as in private woodland: “We have to be super careful and can’t have any brown water run-off. If we’re working near a river or stream, we can’t break the top surface of soil, so we need the right tracks to minimise the machine’s impact on the forest floor. We have brash bales in case we see any running surface water, and spill kits in case of a burst hydraulic pipe. The fines for any type of contamination are pretty steep.”

Komatsu has worked well for Dylan, who opted for service plans on both machines.

“I change them at three years old, which means they are always under warranty. The service contract means that it’s a fixed price and they are serviced every 500 and 1000 hours. The harvester does about 1500-2000 hours per year, and the forwarder a little more, so it makes it easier to manage costs,” he commented.

In his career in forestry Dylan has seen significant advances in equipment but the recent demand for UK timber has seen forestry take an upturn, while the demand for biomass has fuelled the industry’s surge.

Contractor rates are yet to fully follow, so experience and effective equipment are still necessary to remain competitive.

22

Top: A bit cheaper than a chainsaw chain at £9.80 per chain, it takes two minutes to swap Above: The levers are covered in buttons but many functions are preset so not all are used regularly

Ready to harvest with 10 metres of reach, Dylan works on a rough guide of 18 metre racks in the wood

Right: Seen not fully loaded, consideration to the forest is important by travelling without slippage

“WE NEED THE RIGHT TRACKS TO MINIMISE THE MACHINE’S IMPACT ON THE FOREST FLOOR” Letting some light in: second thinning takes time and an experienced eye to get the woodland to thrive

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AGROFORESTRY | DIVERSIFICATION

SEEING THE WOOD

FOR THE TREES There may be many benefits for farmers who diversify into agro-forestry, as trees and arable crops work very well together. Jonathan Wheeler explored the options available

M

ost farmers expanding their business go sideways and consider taking on additional acreage.

Stephen Briggs suggests they might be better served exploring more vertical options, namely trees, to effectively create an extra productive area further above the soil.

Stephen took the decision to establish an agro-forestry silvo-arable system over 125 acres of Whitehall Farm, Farcet, Cambridgeshire, around a decade ago.

His is currently the biggest such scheme in the UK, featuring 24m-wide cropping strips interspersed with 3m-wide strips planted with trees.

Stephen, who also runs a consultancy advising new entrants to the practice, says the trees and arable crops work very well together. Trees grow much taller than the arable crops, so they provide shelter and create a local micro-climate.

Their development also changes, and

there’s some evidence to suggest they establish deeper root systems than those in normal woodland, so they access deeper lying reservoirs of nutrients and moisture.

In this way they help the arable crops by protecting them against the worst of the weather, without competing with them for resources.

PRUNING THE ROOTS Stephen ensures this happens by root pruning the trees with a sub-soiler down either side of the tree strips each autumn to sever those shallow roots, so the trees have to rely on deeper lying ones.

As his farm is part owned and part tenanted, he had to gain approval from his landlord for the switch.

The tree strips include species grown for fruit and timber, so they make both a short- and long-term contribution to the business, while the arable land supports a

mixture of organic oats, wheat and vegetables.

Notably, the system requires minimal extra machinery – he says a mower to manage the under-storey of the strips is the only item. Switching to such a system does require a change of approach, but he sees clear advantages in it, chief among which is that it makes best use of the resources nature provides.

“Fundamentally, as a farmer, I am harvesting sunlight and turning it into carbon by mixing it with carbon dioxide and water. Yet just THE MOWER IS when we are gaining THE ONLY maximum sunlight ADDITIONAL and radiation from PIECE OF the sun we harvest our crops, which is EQUIPMENT effectively turning WE NEED our solar panels off.

Stephen Briggs with one of the lines of apple trees

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Between the lines of trees, crops are sheltered and suffer less weather damage

Stephen with a section of bog oak found in a ditch on the farm – proof that there have been trees there for thousands of years!

That means we are not using the resources provided to their full potential,” he says.

Planting trees, he argues, means that energy is still being harnessed. To ensure both trees and crops benefit from the sunlight the tree strips are planted on a north/south axis as much as possible.

“That ensures both sides of the trees and the arable crops get enough sunlight. The only work on the strips is that we mow one side in the spring and the other in the autumn. The mower is the only additional piece of equipment we need,” Stephen adds.

He feels farmers should consider

The only extra machine needed to run the system is a mower for the tree lines (and other farm tasks)

mimicking nature in this respect, commenting: “Nature knows all about this.

It never leaves the ground bare and always has a range of things growing to harvest sunlight. We need to learn lessons from that.”

COVER CROPS While many more farmers are now using cover crops during this period, it is far from a universal practice despite the obvious logic behind it.

Crops and trees tend to complement each other because they take up nutrients and moisture

at different times of the year, he points out.

“There are some real biodiversity benefits in having perennial refuges within what are largely monoculture systems.”

These include ground stabilisation and floodwater management: “Agriculture is still very leaky; forestry isn’t and one can help the other. Trees also reduce evaporation and wind speeds as they create a more beneficial micro-climate. They can make the environment warmer at the shoulders of the season.”

Those reduced wind speeds can translate into practical benefits such as more days that are

In high yielding years Stephen makes individual variety juices. Lower yields in 2018 meant he chose to make a single, mixed variety juice

Above: The trees provide fresh fruit for the shop, but crushing apples into juice can be much more profitable

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AGROFORESTRY | DIVERSIFICATION Stephen Briggs sells his farm’s produce through this shop

Tom Staton found significant increases in beneficial insect populations in agroforestry systems

SILVO-ARABLE SYSTEMS CAN PROVIDE AN EXCELLENT ENVIRONMENT FOR A RANGE OF WILDLIFE suitable for spraying. And – on a national scale – it would not take very much land to be converted to agro-forestry for the UK to meet its emissions reduction targets. “If we increased agro-forestry to 5.8 per cent we could meet those obligations.”

The system could also help protect vulnerable soils against both water and wind erosion risks. One of the keys is to get landlords on board with the idea so tenants can access the benefits – and the fact that land retains agricultural status and remains eligible for CAP payments are key benefits.

Making sure the tree strips provide an income is important, he says. “We chose fruit trees so we could get a payback within 15 years, although we are planting at 85 trees per hectare against the 850 – 1000 trees that would be planted in a commercial orchard.”

They have 13 different varieties of apple, all of them being late maturing varieties so arable and fruit harvests do not clash. “We have half commercial varieties and half heritage – the latter being very useful from the marketing perspective.” Most of their fruit is sold through the farm shop. In the longer term other trees that provide timber can also be included in the strips to provide an on-going source of income.

Stephen points out that the system effectively forces its users to practise ‘controlled traffic farming’, as his 6m drill is neatly matched to the 24m crop strips.

BUGS THRIVE Silvo-arable systems can provide an excellent environment for a range of wildlife, including a variety of insects that can help control pests and improve

pollination for farmers. So says Tom Staton, mainly apple, the under-storey a nectar-rich a doctoral researcher at the University of flower mix and the cropping oilseed rape.

Reading, who has been studying the effects of integrating trees into arable farms.

NATURAL PEST CONTROL “These strips have benefits for bird life, Tom suggests tree strips and their underplants, fungi and insects. Among the last storey can support a population of insects group are several beneficial predators, that could have significant benefits for which prey on pest insects that threaten the farmers in that they apply a level of natural arable crops.” control on a range of pests and could help His findings are based on studies carried reduce pesticide costs. out in 2018 in three silvo-arable sites. In the “There is also the potential to improve the study he compared the population of insects business resilience, particularly when you in the silvo-culture system with that in think about threats such as the potential for adjoining conventionally managed fields. some chemicals to be restricted or banned Each system studied uses 24m-wide crop that might be introduced in the future. By strips and tree strips of either three or four encouraging a range of beneficial wildlife metres width. on farm you could be securing yourself a The study includes two organic farms in level of insurance against such threats.”

Cambridgeshire, including Stephen Briggs’ Tom has been studying the effect on farm, where the system had been in species like spiders and beetles, and place for eight years. His tree found some remarkable strips are planted with apple increases in populations. trees above an under“We found a 30% to 40% storey of a nectar-rich increase in spider flower mix. At the numbers, and a 250% time of the study the increase in adjoining crop was ‘harvestmen’ spiders, winter oats. which are an important On the other predator on a range of Cambridgeshire farm insect pests and a huge the system had been in benefit for farmers.” place for three years; the Levels of omnivorous tree strips included a ground beetles rose by mixture of apple, other fruit, around 70% while parasitoid nuts and timber, and an underwasp populations rose by around Above: Helen storey of a clover mix and the 30%. By contrast populations of Chesshire from the adjoining crop winter wheat. root flies, frit flies and gall midges Woodland Trust The unit on a conventionally all fell. managed Nottinghamshire farm had been “These flies are all plant-feeding and in place for four years, the trees being include a range of pest species such as FORESTRY MACHINERY AUTUMN 2019

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DIVERSIFICATION | AGROFORESTRY TREES CAN DELIVER A RANGE OF wheat bulb fly, which is a root fly, and the be providing relevant advice”.

SERVICES, LIKE SOIL orange wheat blossom midge, which She also suggests more STABILISATION AND PROTECTION is a gall midge. Although their research is needed into populations were not high the operation of AGAINST EROSION enough to cause significant agro-forestry in agro-forestry should be clear what their aims crop damage in this temperate climates, are when doing it. “Agro-forestry is all about study, the results suggest and establishment integrating trees and shrubs into farming that pest outbreaks of new markets for systems rather than taking land from from these species tree products. The farming into forestry. It is a land would be more likely in Woodland Trust is management approach with multiple the conventional arable aiming to help uptake benefits. Schemes can be designed so they field than in the by farmers and avoid potential trade-offs between farm silvo-arable.” administers a grant production and other public goods that can The study is continuing scheme funded by the occur in many modern farming systems. this year along similar lines, Accor hotel group called They can include traditional features such and next year is projected to ‘Trees for your farm’, which, as farm hedgerows, shelter belts and expand to include more study over the past five years, has parkland, as well as innovative schemes such of the role and management of Above: Trees and shrubs can provided enough finance to improve livestock health as well as silvo-arable cropping, a method of the under-storey vegetation in plant over 100,000 trees in 70 as growth, says Russ Carrington growing alleys of productive trees through the tree strips. agro-forestry schemes. the landscape.

Whether to establish any ground Further details of this scheme: www.

“Agro-forestry can help provide vegetation is one of the questions facing woodlandtrust.org.uk/plant or phone 0330 connectivity across the landscape, so it those installing silvo-farming systems: 333 5303. creates wider benefits across rather than just “Some farmers choose to leave the earth in But farmers thinking of installing on the individual farm. Trees can deliver a the strip bare on the basis that it stops them range of services, like soil stabilisation and becoming a reservoir for weeds. It also A parasitoid wasp viewed protection against erosion, soil water means the trees face less competition and down a microscope, this is management, shade, shelter and additional helps their growth.” one of the more colourful forage for livestock. They also produce a and larger ones and lays its eggs inside of range of products, including fruit, nuts, SILVO-CULTURE KEY TO caterpillars material for biomass markets and – in the FUTURE FARM POLICY longer term – timber. That enables farmers Support for agro-forestry must be part of to spread their risk via growing what are any future UK-based farm policy, says Helen effectively perennial crops.”

Chesshire, senior adviser for the Woodland While some farmers might be concerned Trust. She says DEFRA missed a golden that planting trees could reduce crop yields, opportunity to give the sector a valuable she suggests the opposite could be true. “In boost when it decided not to adopt Pillar 1 alley cropping it is normal to plant the tree and Pillar 2 agro-forestry options in the last lines on a north-south axis, which reduces round of CAP reforms. the impact of shading. There may be some At the time DEFRA claimed there was yield reduction immediately next to the insufficient interest trees, but the other benefits outweigh it. in the idea. And The effect on overall yield – if managed while the decision correctly – will be more than if the same taken in 2018 to allow fields in which Left: Pan traps being used trees had been to sample flying insects planted to retain BPS eligibility so Below left: A typical pitfall long as agricultural trap sample from activity could agroforestry being analysed continue helped, it in the lab, this one includes A predatory violet ground did little to promote beetle running through predatory beetles and the technique. spiders along with a few agroforestry oats Helen says that slugs attitude should area was mono-cropped”. change, and the Woodland Trust is among a network of organisations seeking to achieve Russ Carrington, from the Pasture-Fed that.

Livestock Association, highlights how “Agro-forestry has to become a grazing trees and shrubs can improve mainstream land use. It could help us meet livestock health as well as growth. “Trees can a significant portion of our ‘zero emissions’ provide extra nutrition as animals eat leaves targets. It will also support a more and bark. Livestock can often be seen sustainable agriculture, as well as delivering browsing hedgerows. As well as searching for a range of public goods. Farmers should be extra forage, they can also be seeking out encouraged to do it and there should be no plants that contain the trace elements they barriers to involvement. DEFRA should also need. In effect they are self-medicating”.

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EURO FOCUS | JUHA HOLM

FIRST CLASS

FINNISH

Nick Drew reports on a Finnish timber contractor who cuts 250,000 cubes a year

W

hichever way you look at it, timber is big business in Finland. It is estimated that over 70% of the country’s land mass is covered in trees and it is said that one in seven Finns owns some kind of forest, somewhere in the country. Finns refer to stands of trees as green gold, as for hundreds of years these forests, full of the finest quality timber, have been among their most important sources of income.

The most common trees are pine and spruce, and birch are also common in certain areas.

Entrepreneur Juha Holm has been involved in the forestry industry for many years and has amassed a wealth of experience.

He founded his own company Puunkorjuu Juha Holm some 19 years ago, having previously worked as a forestry machine operator.

Today his firm cuts and processes around quarter of a million cubic metres of timber every year, from an area of 100 kilometres from its base in Mellilä, in south-west Finland.

The company, which last year turned over €3.3m, employs 16 people plus, as Juha puts it, a few family members who help out.

They currently run 11 locally-built Ponsse timber harvesters, together with a fleet of trucks both to transport the machines and, more importantly, to haul the timber to the sawmills.

Most of Puunkorjuu’s timber harvesting work is done for the Metsä Group, the largest privately-owned timber milling company in Finland, which owns several mill sites up and down the country.

Some other work is conducted on behalf of another major timber business, the Wetsas Group. Metsä is a business primarily engaged in the production of bio products, including pulp and sawn timber, paperboard, tissue and cooking papers, while Wetsas is more focused on producing timber for construction work.

SITE VISIT Business is booming for Juha and his team and looks set to continue that way for the foreseeable future.

Forestry Machinery magazine met man and machine at a slightly unusual job location for forestry equipment, a quarry situated at

“HIS FIRM CUTS AND PROCESSES AROUND A QUARTER OF A MILLION CUBIC METRES OF TIMBER EVERY YEAR”

This picture and above right inset: For this task Juha Holm used one of his Ponsse Ergo harvesters configured with an 11m C44 crane and an H7 multi-purpose harvesting head

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PONSSE BRIEF OVERVIEW

This year Ponsse is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first machine rolling out of its modest factory. Today the firm has a presence in over 40 countries and employs 1800 people.

Around 600 local people work at its modern factory in Vieremä.

For this unusual job, felling a hectare of trees in a quarry over a weekend, the eight-wheel Ergo proved to be well up to the task in hand First order of the day is to set up the extremely complex looking controls to suit the operator’s preference

PONSSE ERGO: BRIEF SPECS The Ergo is Ponsse’s largest timber harvester

rugged climbing tracks for added grip and

model and tips the scales at around 21.5

traction, which really help with this machine’s

tonnes. It was previously offered only as a

unbelievable climbing abilities. Power comes

six-wheeler, but now more commonly is

from a well-proven six-cylinder, Stage 5

specified as an eight-wheel combination. This

emissions-compliant Mercedes Benz/MTU

example was also featured retro-fit tracks

engine, which offers a power output rating of

over the 26.5in standard tyres. On the front

210kW (286hp) and is capable of producing

bogies it had flotation-style tracks, while on

that all-important 1150Nm of torque at

the rear bogie it was sporting the more

1600rpm.

32

Tuulissuo Lieto not far from Turku.

Due to the growing demand for its stone, the quarry needs to expand, but in order to do so around a hectare of trees had to be removed over a weekend.

Juha himself was undertaking the task, using one of his eight-wheel Ponsse Ergo harvesters. This example was fitted with Ponsse’s easy-to-use C44 parallel crane, fed from a dedicated hydraulic pump on the Ergo. The crane has a reach ranging from 8.6m to 11m and offers a gross lift capacity of 250kNm. Juha said, “While my business has expanded and I spend a lot of time in the office, I still like to keep my hands on the machines from time to time. For instance, if one of my operators is off sick I will go out and operate for them. It’s always good to keep the skills fresh when you can.”

When we arrived on site the machine had only just been delivered and, once located at the start of the cutting area, Juha set about calibrating the machine controls to suit his own preferences. All the information is displayed on the full-colour monitor in the cab.

Juha continued, “Every one of my

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EURO FOCUS | JUHA HOLM operators can programme the controls and buttons to suit him or herself, which is good as we all have different opinions and preferences on the control layouts.”

As Juha programmed in his preferred settings, he also explained about the cut lengths of the timber he processes, “The short cuts, around three metres and under 140mm in diameter, usually go for the biomass product, cellulose or pulp. The thicker wood is usually cut much longer, to be sent to the sawmills to be turned into all different types of building timber products.

The most common lengths for this usage are anything from 3.1 metres to five metres.

A real professional operator will quickly evaluate the timber in front of him and will establish the lengths he or she wants to cut.”

At the business end of the machine the harvesting head is, as might be expected, from the Ponsse stable in the form of the popular mid-range H7 model, a real multi-tasker for thinning large-diameter trees and for clear cutting.

Juha continued, “In my opinion Ponsse is the best without a doubt. I prefer every aspect of them, from the control layout and spacious cab, to their outstanding climbing ability.

Then there is the steering system, which I feel is much better on these compared to most other makes we have run in the past.

“The Ponsse harvesting heads are always classed as good performers; they offer a very high feed force without losing feed speed, which is very important – a great allrounder!”

Juha praises the cab, controls, climbing ability and steering on the Ponsse harvester, while he says the Ponsse head delivers a high feed force without losing feed speed

“I AM ALWAYS IMPRESSED WITH HOW THE PONSSE’S WE HAVE PERFORM. THEY ARE GENERALLY RELIABLE AND VERY WELL BUILT”

IN THE CAB As Juha had previously mentioned, the cab is very roomy. On the day of our visit at one stage there were three of us in the cab, very comfortably too I might add. In fact, according to Juha, the cab dimensions are among some of the best in the industry.

Ponsse’s Active Frame system also makes for a much-improved ride experience and helps to maintain the machine’s equilibrium while travelling over rough terrain.

While all-round visibility is generally excellent, I felt we were sitting a long way back to the rear of the machine’s centre joint and far away from the crane and head, which could affect the view forward, when working down a slope for instance. I am told that this is something you would get used to and maybe a cabin levelling option can be included in the future. Having said that, it was clear to see Juha’s enthusiasm for what is an excellent machine for heavy-duty clear fell on both steep and low weight-bearing ground.

In conclusion he said, “I am always impressed with how the Ponsse’s we have perform; they are generally reliable and very well built, and in addition we get great service and back-up from Ponsse.”

The front bogie wheels were encased in these flotation style tracks, while the rear bogie gets more aggressive climbing tracks

Juha Holm’s firm processes a quarter of a million cubic metres of timber a year, but he still likes to keep his operating skills up to date FORESTRY MACHINERY AUTUMN 2019

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SITE VISIT | WELTE W210 This picture and inset below: The W210 collects whole trees at the landing site of the skyline, loads them into its clambunk and hauls them out of the way for processing

“PAVEL OFFERS A COMPLETE SERVICE, PARTICULARLY ROADSIDE PROCESSING”

FOUR-IN-ONE HARVESTING

Eoghan Daly reports from the Czech/Slovak border on a Welte clambunk skidder

T

he Hostynske Vrchy area is one of the more densely forested districts of the Czech Republic, particularly the Western Carpathians mountain range on the border with the Slovak Republic. The fertile hillsides of the Western Carpathians have good soil coverage and provide ideal conditions for growing timber. However, the steep terrain results in the need for specialist approaches to harvesting the timber, and contractors in the area rely extensively on skyline extraction systems.

One such contractor is Pavel Novak who, after formal training at a dedicated forestry skills college, went on to work for a number of contractors. In 2003 he and his father established their own timber harvesting operation. Their machinery fleet includes a pair of locally-built Larix 3T skyline systems,

mounted on Zetor agricultural tractors.

They provide a working range of 600m and do not use any complicated electronic control systems.

SIMPLE MACHINE Pavel said, “Based on experiences of using the machines over the years, the Larix skyline works very well for us, as it is a very simple machine that works without problems.

They are cheap machines to run and are very well proven, since the company that manufactures them specialises in building machines for forestry and knows the challenges the machines must face very well.”

Despite their simplicity, Larix skylines offer the potential of consistently high extraction rates. This results in a need to transfer the full trees off the landing and then to process, segregate and stack the

logs. To undertake these tasks, Pavel has added a Welte W210 clambunk skidder to the fleet, which can also function as an in-stand harvester, a roadside processor or as a conventional timber forwarder. This allows Pavel not only to serve the skyline systems, but also to offer a complete service, particularly roadside processing, which was previously undertaken by another contractor.

German-made Welte forestry machines may not be familiar to Irish or UK contractors, but are well respected in Continental Europe. Other multi-task clambunk skidders are available, but Pavel has been running one of their model 115 forwarders for the past 19 years and rates it highly.

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SITE VISIT HARVESTING HEAD As the W210 is the team’s first machine capable of processing, Pavel had little experience of running harvesting heads. Welte dealer Lesni Technika recommended AFM Forest units, and Pavel chose the model 45 as being the most suitable for the multi-purpose machine. It weighs 965kg and has a recommended maximum felling diameter of 65cm. On this site, where the Welte was not felling the stems, it occasionally processed larger material without any bother.

When loading trees on to the clambunk, the head’s back knife opening width of 61cm eases this process considerably.

Pavel continued, “The AFM 45 head is everything we were promised it would be, having a very high level of feed force and still is very fast in feed speed. It grips the tree very well and delimbs cleanly without the need for reverse feeding even in the coarse trees, and measurement accuracy is also very good.”

With a firm yet compassionate grip on the stem, the head does not seem to dig into the tree unduly, while still achieving a reassuringly aggressive feeding action. This is particularly noticeable as the head approaches the crown lengths, which present tough, resilient branches. Much of this is achieved by the use of three feed rollers.

While such a configuration is available on other heads, AFM Forest was one of the pioneers of this concept. Working in tandem with four movable and two fixed delimbing knives, complete contact with the stem is assured. The head has a relatively short overall chassis length, which helps with the feeding of crooked stems.

The new Welte W210 can be set up to work as a dedicated harvester or forwarder, but on the site we visited it was being used both as a clambunk and roadside processor. There is a strong demand for logs from this site, for which a fleet of dedicated timber trucks anxiously awaits to be loaded. The W210 was being worked close to its maximum capacity, keeping up with production from the skyline and serving the haulers.

This entire operation was being run by four men: Pavel’s father felled trees in the next block to be harvested; in the active extraction area Pavel managed the skyline; there was a choker man on the forest floor; and an operator in change of the new Welte.

An added complication on this site was that much of the stand had suffered from a bark beetle infestation, and the resulting dead branches proved to be tough material.

In addition, following processing, the team had to burn any remaining branches to help stop the spread of the beetles. This activity was closely monitored to ensure it was conducted in a safe and controlled manner.

The working method was that the new Welte would clear the skyline’s landing site, loading whole trees into its clambunk. They were hauled further up the track to a temporary processing area. Here the stems were removed from the clambunk and processed into pre-defined log classifications and segregated into separate stacks for collection by the timber trucks.

The W210 had no problem powering its harvesting head, as the machine’s hydraulic system was far more powerful than is found on a forwarder. This is also true of the Welte’s durable-looking crane, which easily handles whole trees thanks to its generous lifting and slewing torque.

On this site the vast majority of material processed to date has been extracted by the skyline. However, as the team reach less acutely sloping terrain, it is envisaged that the Welte will extract full tree lengths from the stand and then process them at the roadside.

Above inset: The cab hosts three screens.

One to manage the harvesting head and the log optimisation system; the main machine control monitor; and a separate screen for the rear-view camera Above: To date the Welte has mainly been used for roadside processing applications, its AFM Forest 45 harvesting head making good progress through this tough material

WALK-ROUND Based on the W210’s six-wheel design, its weight distribution and the location of its rear bogie and front axle, the Welte delivers good traction and stability, key to a machine intended for steep slope work. Even though the machine has been largely used for processing operations in its first eight months on the fleet, it is already clear that it can also deliver good climbing abilities. The plan is to fit rear band tracks for additional traction when the machine is used as a

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Above: The clambunk incorporates an inner wire rope tensioning ring, which ensures a firm grip is maintained without the jaws digging into the material conventional forwarder or clambunk.

Adding to its multi-function role, the crane base area includes a winch with a pulling capacity of 14 tonnes. The working range of this winch is normally 80m, but it can be extended to 200m if required.

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SITE VISIT | WELTE W210

EPSILON CRANE In common with a growing trend among a range of forest machine manufacturers, especially those of German origin, the crane of choice for the machine is sourced from Epsilon. Its X140F model features a double telescopic extension offering a total reach of 10.2 metres. Mounted on a tilting base, stresses on the crane are minimised when working on slopes with this feature activated.

DRIVELINE To deliver the hydraulic and tractive power required for a variety of forestry roles, including acting as a harvester, the W210 is fitted with a Stage 4 emissions-compliant 180kW Deutz engine. Its load sensing hydraulic system uses a variable displacement pump delivering a maximum flow of 330lit/min at a maximum operating pressure of 380bar.

The hydrostatic transmission features a pair of traction motors driving through a two-speed transfer case. Low range provides working speeds of up to 16kph, high range provides road speeds up to 40kph.

Pavel said, “Fuel economy seems good on the machine. Most importantly it does not seem to be under any pressure doing this job, with very good power and hydraulic oil flow, which gets the most from the crane and head when processing.”

Above: The large two-door cab provides excellent all-round visibility for the operator, in recognition of the machine’s multiapplication role

“THE W210 WAS BEING WORKED CLOSE TO ITS MAXIMUM CAPACITY, KEEPING UP WITH THE SKYLINE AND SERVING THE HAULERS” FORESTRY MACHINERY AUTUMN 2019

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WELTE W210 | SITE VISIT Another haul of logs leaves the site. The harvesting head is designed for material up to 65cm in diameter, but can cope with larger material in a processing-only application

“THE WELTE W210 HAS BEEN DESIGNED TO ENABLE EASY AND RAPID CHANGES OF ITS CONFIGURATION” The ROPS and FOPS cab is not from the sleek and curvaceous school of industrial design, but oozes German practicality, to take into account the multiple roles the operator will undertake with the machine. The large two-door cabin offers good rearward visibility for harvesting and processing applications, and good forward visibility for hauling duties.

Operator Michal Marak said, “Welte has designed a very good cabin on this latest machine with very good space and great visibility. It is a user-friendly machine to operate and even with the harvesting head’s control and measurement system, set-up and changing log lengths and diameter settings is easy.”

The cab’s fit and finish look more durable than the norm. This is partly in recognition that operators of the W210 may well have to climb into and out of the machine more frequently than is the norm, when

Timber extraction is undertaken by a Larix 3T skyline mounted on a Zetor tractor. The Welte will be used to fell and extract full trees on less steep ground

conducting winching operations. The rotating seat console base area is also protected with chequer plate. However, it is far from a rugged or dated workplace and provides a high level of refinement.

CONCLUSION The addition of the Welte W210 demonstrates a commitment to further develop the family timber harvesting business, as Pavel remarked, “Welte machines are built strong and have very good design. The original machine shows their long life and I would have the same expectation of the new W210. It might have many more capabilities and works as a clambunk, forwarder or harvester equally well. I expect their design experience to be very helpful in making sure I get good reliability from this new generation machine and local service is also being very important from dealer Lesni Technika.”

RECONFIGURATION The Welte W210 has been designed to enable easy and rapid changes of its configuration.

For example, it takes just over half an hour to swap over from operating with a clambunk and a harvesting head to being able to run the machine as a forwarder.

Pavel explained the process: “When we take off the harvesting head to fit an ordinary timber grapple, it takes twenty minutes. Only three minutes are needed to take off the clambunk and then the forwarder bunk can be lifted on and secured in just ten minutes. This means the machine can go from a clambunk with harvesting head to a forwarder in 35 minutes.”

As the W210 can be used in different applications, much thought has gone into its rear butt plate blade, which can be used in its standard lowered position or raised to a horizontal position, depending on the machine’s working mode or operational situation. In addition, the entire tail section of the rear chassis can also be raised, which provides a much improved approach angle when reversing up a steep incline.

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World leading machinery on a budget

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Main picture and inset right: In addition to John Deere timber harvesters and forwarders, Ashbrook Forestry has invested in specialist kit for land clearance

FEEDING THE

BIOMASS CHAIN Paul Argent reports on a new force in forestry and land clearance contracting

O

ne of the fastest growing multi-disciplinary machinery companies in the north-west of England is the Ashbrook Group, particularly its plant hire activities.

This side of the business was bolstered by the demise of Hewden Hire, as Ashbrook took over their depots at Warrington and Bangor, complete with their staff and machines. The more recent demise of Hawk Hire has also seen Ashbrook expand, taking on some of their staff and heavily investing in even more plant and equipment to meet a number of new contracts.

While these actions have strengthened the plant hire side of the business, their contracting division has also been setting up new ventures, particularly to serve the site clearance, biomass and forestry sectors of

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the industry. Ashbrook Forestry, headed by Myles Dobell, is looking to recycle material and unlock its value by bringing it into the biomass chain wherever possible. To help them achieve this, at the end of 2018 they ordered a pair of brand new John Deere 1270G harvesters, together with two G Series 1510 forwarders. Delivery is expected some time in the first quarter of 2020. In addition, Ashbrook Forestry has bought specialist self-loading timber lorries.

SITE VISIT Ashbrook Forestry is midway through the de-vegetation package of the Congleton Link Road on behalf of John Graham Construction. This project involves the clearance of some 3000 trees and large stretches of hedges and scrubland, ready for

the construction of the new 5.5km bypass.

It includes the clear-fell of an area near Formby and Skelmersdale using a variety of recently-purchased used machines, including a pair of E Series John Deere 1210 harvesters, a six-wheel and an eight-wheel model. A used 1510E forwarder has also been added to the fleet.

This project is a stone’s throw from Ashbrook’s HQ, as Myles remarked, “This is an ideal job for us to have, being so close to base. We have everything on hand and can use our yard as a storage point for our equipment should we need to keep everything secure.”

The dedicated timber harvesters and forwarders have been working well on this project, and Ashbrook’s huge plant fleet is being utilised to tackle the specialised

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FLEET FOCUS | ASHBROOK FORESTRY

JENZ CHIPPER Mounted on a twin-axle chassis, the 13-tonne Jenz HEM561 chipper is capable of processing timber up to 560mm in diameter and relies on a 10-blade, heavy 820mmdiameter rotor to turn the branches into a uniform finished product.

Pulled by a new JCB Fastrac 8330, the Jenz has a Loglift 59F self-loading crane.

With a large in-feed tray, the operator quickly loads the chipper up from the comfort of the JCB cab.

With 335hp and developing 1440Nm of torque, the 8330 is the flagship of the Fastrac range. Thanks to the 70-degree rotating seat, the operator is able to see both the Jenz and the Loglift arm with ease.

Above: Despite its compact size, the Avant 635 proved to be surprisingly capable of lifting and shifting considerable loads Right: An eight-tonne Caterpillar 308 midi-excavator equipped with a selector grab proved to be an extremely useful machine on site elements of the project. For example, a tracked JCB 300T skid-steer loader complete with a timber grab was used to extract timber and other arisings from clearance areas where only low ground pressure machines could operate.

While the majority of the clearance works were mechanised, a short section adjacent to the main Congleton road and under a live overhead cable called for more traditional methods, as Myles said, “While the use of machine clearance makes us more productive and safer, our team has the skills required to fell trees in difficult situations such as we found here.”

On this part of the site seven trees had to be thinned by hand, before being dropped.

The team used a Skyjack SJ boom lift from their hire fleet. The saw-men thinned out the tops of the trees and dropped the branches inside the site perimeter. Those branches directly overhanging the road that could not be reached from the access platform were dealt with by a highly skilled arborist team, who made it look easy as they moved around the trees.

During our visit Myles was tackling one of the largest trees by this stretch of roadside.

He first put a large wedge cut into the bottom of the 20m-plus limbless tree, then proceeded to open a cut directly opposite.

Leaving his saw blade in place and

hammering wedges in, the final cut was made. Then, with the aid of a Cat 308 midi-excavator equipped with a selector grab, the tree crashed to the ground.

Using the 308, the cut branches were transported to a large pile where the latest additions to the fleet, a JCB Fastrac and a Jenz chipper (see panel), quickly devoured all the smaller material.

Wood chips from the Jenz quickly filled a pair of silage trailers pulled by John Deere 6155R tractors, all from Ashbrook’s agricultural fleet. Any trunks and branches too big for the chipper were hauled out for further processing by their new fleet of dedicated timber trailers.

Assisting the team to manoeuvre some of the large logs was an Avant compact tool carrier. Configured with a log grab, the little loader proved to be surprisingly strong, agile and more than capable of handling some very large timber.

“ASHBROOK FORESTRY IS LOOKING TO RECYCLE MATERIAL AND UNLOCK ITS VALUE BY BRINGING IT INTO THE BIOMASS CHAIN”

FORESTRY MULCHER Another addition to the Ashbrook Forestry fleet is a new Valtra T254 Reverse tractor coupled to an FAE 225 forestry mulcher.

This has proved to be extremely effective in removing hedgerows and vegetation quickly ahead of the logging and fencing work. The Valtra offers the best visibility and manoeuvrability in its class and has been fitted with specially fabricated belly protection plates.

CONCLUSION The addition of a specialist forestry division to the Ashbrook Group is good for the company and its customers. As contractors, Ashbrook provides a resource to the land clearance sector, as plant hirers they can directly support their customers, either for long-term projects or to bolster capacity in the short term.

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OPERATOR VERDICT | PONSSE ERGO & WISENT

“THE H7 HEAD IS VERSATILE ENOUGH TO CARRY OUT BOTH THINNING AND CLEARFELL JOBS”

Dylan Jones has remained loyal to Ponsse machines since buying his first 14 years ago

LOYAL LOGGER

North-Wales contractor Dylan Jones has been running Ponsse forestry since founding his own business. Ken Topham went to find out why the machines have remained his number one choice

D

ylan Jones started out his career working for a contractor in North Wales. After being thrown in at the deep end, with no experience to talk of, Dylan was instructed to find out how the harvester worked. The method was effective because it wasn’t long before Dylan was teaching new operators how to drive harvesters.

After 17 years with his employer, a Sunday evening call turned out to be the beginning of Dylan’s own contracting business. The call was to announce his boss was packing up, he’d had enough. “Do you want to buy

the harvester?” his boss asked down the phone. It wasn’t a question Dylan was expecting but he quickly made the decision to go ahead and purchase his first harvester, a Ponsse Beaver, which came with some work referrals from his former boss. Now 14 years later Dylan is still a Ponsse user.

A 2015 Ergo is Dylan’s current weapon of choice, a highly versatile harvester that suits his wide variety of work, as the contractor has made a name for himself carrying out thinning work. “Originally I didn’t like thinning, it’s slower work, but I soon got to like it,” he says. “Some of the larger

For one of Ponsse’s larger harvesters the Ergo proves very versatile contractors prefer clear-fell and with staff and machines to pay for getting tonnes through their machines is how they work.

I quite like the more difficult jobs, they are often more profitable but require more time and consideration to carry out successfully. The Ergo is more of a clear-fell harvester but is a good machine for thinning and the H7 head is versatile enough to carry out both thinning and clear-fell jobs,” he explains.

‘FEET AGAINST THE WINDSCREEN’ The site we saw Dylan working on was flat in contrast to his previous clear-fell, where it was ‘feet against the windscreen’ territory.

The flat ground brought its own challenges though. Some of the trees had fallen over and Dylan measured eight feet of soft mud before hitting bedrock in the couple of acres that needed harvesting. “It’s just part of the job, you have to think about what you’re doing as the harvester is nearly 22 tonnes and you don’t want to get it stuck, but I also have to consider the forwarder, if he gets stuck everything has to stop,” he comments.

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The Ergo and H7 head were making light work of the varying tree sizes in the wood

“I’D BE NERVOUS OF ALL OF THE EXTRA ELECTRONICS ON THE NEW MACHINE” With a two-foot deep brash mat Dylan was working with confidence in the boggy terrain, the wood fairly mature with a variety of tree sizes to deal with.

Though the H7 head is specified to 65cm, if he’s in doubt Dylan will get out and use a chainsaw. “There’s no point in breaking a knife for the sake of five minutes work with the Above inset: Moving saw; they are £1300 the brash around is key each,” he comments. to a stable work base,

FINDING A NICHE

as the Ergo weighs around 22 tonnes

For such a small forestry area, North Wales is well Right: The C44+ crane sits on its own bogey populated with forestry with 240 degrees of contractors, another swivel. The only reason Dylan has made downside is if the the more challenging jobs operator has to work something of a speciality. close to the machine as “There are few easy jobs visibility is reduced left in most of Wales; a lot of the flat and moderate woods have been harvested. There has been a high demand for timber, the biomass industry has taken

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up any spare timber, and added to the population of forestry contractors,” he reports.

The model Dylan has followed with his business is in part down to his first employer, whose ethos was leave enough in the bank

so you can keep cutting, ‘even if the trucks stop hauling, keep cutting’. This was also the driver behind the purchase of a forwarder for his business. A quiet time drove Dylan’s sub-contractor to take a few weeks off from forwarding logs because the sawmills were quiet but, as Dylan had learned, demand always picks up so he kept cutting and the forwarder owner couldn’t keep up on his return. Faced with the choice of buying a forwarder or losing work, the decision made itself and a Valmet was his first forwarder, followed by two Ponsse machines.

The current Wisent forwarder has been on the books for three years, as Dylan’s workload led him to that size of machine.

He says it’s great in thinning but lacks capacity in clear-fell, explaining that he knows if he quotes on a job where there’s a long extraction, the contractors with larger forwarders will likely win because they can move the timber more efficiently.

Charlie Shorey has been with Dylan for three years and is the main man on the Wisent. “I’d be stuck without Charlie,” Dylan explains. “He treats the kit like it’s his own and does anything asked of him.

We work really well together and people like that are hard to find. Labour in general is difficult to find these days,” he adds.

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OPERATOR VERDICT | PONSSE ERGO & WISENT TECH SPECS

ERGO HARVESTER

YEAR 2015 WEIGHT 21.5T LENGTH 8.13M CRANE C44+, 11M HARVESTER HEAD H7 ENGINE MERCEDES OM936LA EU STAGE V/TIER 4 FINAL POWER 210KW (281HP) TORQUE 1100NM (1200-1600RPM) TYRES TRELLEBORG TWIN FORESTRY 422 TRACKS CLARK TERRA 85

WISENT FORWARDER

YEAR 2013 WEIGHT 17.3T LENGTH 9.08M CRANE K70+, 10M ENGINE MERCEDES OM934LA EU STAGE V/TIER 4 FINAL POWER 150KW (201HP) TORQUE 850NM (1200-1600RPM) TYRES TRELLEBORG TWIN FORESTRY 428 TRACKS CLARK TERRA 85

Above right and above inset: A self-levelling seat gives driver comfort on slopes, along with a dome-shaped multi-function interface for the operator’s hands There isn’t a set rotation plan for Dylan’s kit. Erring on the side of caution, he will balance off the previous year’s profits and the age of the machine. “I tend to buy nearly new,” he says. “The harvesters go around three or four years, they have ten to twelve thousand hours on the clock. I try to buy them at one to two years old and the forwarders two to three years old as the pumps and engine haven’t worked as hard on the forwarders.”

LONG HOURS A typical working week for Dylan means 50 hours in the seat and 10 to 12 hours walking sites and pricing jobs. “I used to measure weekly tonnage but when you price the jobs and know the timescales you get to the point when you know what you’re earning,” he explains. Machine logistics also take time if there is a site change, a local haulier taking care of transport, usually at the weekends.

Like many in the industry Dylan’s track of choice is from the Clark stable and he tries to work a fresh set into each machine deal.

“The tracks aren’t a deal breaker compared to the cost of the machines so I usually manage to get a new set worked into the deal, if there’s little life left in the tracks that are with the machine,” he comments.

Left: Dylan’s harvester runs on Terra 85 tracks, the same as the forwarder. Although Dylan runs pre-owned machines fresh tracks are a must Dylan’s machines are shod with Clark Terra 85 tracks for both the forwarder and harvester, stating that they are a versatile track for steep grip and wet conditions.

“We have welded the extra studs on for grip but you can spec them like that now which is handy,” he adds.

Dylan’s Ponsse loyalty grew in part out of his first harvester, which was reinforced by good support. “I’ve had the odd problem with my machines but Gary Glendinning, originally our area guy, always went the extra mile to sort out any problems. They also have a non-pushy sales approach, which I

like. The machines seem to improve with each generation and with a Wales-based technician they give good back-up too.”

NEXT GENERATION Progression in the Ponsse line-up with the Scorpion King harvester impressed Dylan, having demonstrated a unit recently. “The Scorpion is fantastic,” he exclaims. “The visibility from the cab is outstanding and the self-levelling cab and crane are very impressive, but there are a lot more electronics and sensors to run that. The Ergo has been a reliable machine for me;

PROFILE

DJ HARVESTING

OWNER DYLAN JONES MACHINES 2015 ERGO 8-WHEEL HARVESTER & 2013 WISENT FORWARDER USED FOR ONE YEAR (ERGO), THREE YEARS (WISENT) OPERATORS DYLAN JONES & CHARLIE SHOREY LOCATION BALA, NORTH WALES Right: The Wisent forwarder is well suited to this job. It’s a lighter machine and is gentle on soft terrain FORESTRY MACHINERY AUTUMN 2019

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PONSSE ERGO & WISENT | OPERATOR VERDICT

I’d be nervous of all of the extra electronics on the new machine that I manage without at the moment. It’s definitely a machine to buy new but it seems like a step too far for what I currently do.”

Dylan has three sons, one five and two teenagers, one who has just finished school and the eldest who also works in the woods for another contractor. Dylan is reluctant to bring them into his business though.

“They need to learn what it’s like to work for someone, have the responsibility of holding down a job and turning up every day; and if they are using equipment they learn to respect it, because it belongs to someone and there are consequences.”

Because of his own work ethic Dylan has built a customer base for smaller woodland harvesting jobs. “It wasn’t really intentional to go that way but it’s got to the point where customers ring from referrals and repeat customers come back. They are sometimes 1500-tonne jobs but they’re often in sensitive places, like this site, where there are eight feet of bog with a stream next to it.

If a pipe burst or something like that, it could soon be a mess. I work in a careful way, safety-wise and environmentally, and smaller private customers appreciate that.”

Right inset: The H7 head is three-wheel drive and Dylan likes the versatility of the unit, being able to clear-fell and thin comfortably with it Below: Working next to a stream, Dylan is a careful operator and makes sure there’s no contamination as even silt in the water can bring heavy fines

TICKING ALL BOXES A full service approach is also a selling point for Dylan and with two brothers involved with excavators, Dylan can take on any job.

If a track needs to be replaced he can arrange it. Filing harvest permits, which most smaller customers won’t be familiar with, is a task Dylan knows like the back of his hand, all aspects of the job that larger contractors might not want to get into. Dylan also arranges re-planting, either using commercial planters, or sometimes his sons will lend a hand, planting being an operation Dylan will get his lads on board for. “They’re not afraid of a spade,” he says, explaining it’s all part of the woodland education.

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“I WORK IN A CAREFUL WAY, SAFETY-WISE AND ENVIRONMENTALLY, AND SMALLER PRIVATE CUSTOMERS APPRECIATE THAT” Right: Dylan has built a customer base for smaller woodland harvesting jobs

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SITE VISIT | JOHN DEERE 1270G “THE 1270G HAS A POWERFUL HYDRAULIC FLOW, ICB BOOM AND NEW HEAD”

PRODUCTION UP 20 PER CENT David Wylie visits a new John Deere 1270G timber harvester working in a 12,000-tonne clear-fell operation in Scotland

V

isitors to this year’s Royal Highland Show had the chance to see Elliot Henderson’s new 1270G eight-wheel timber harvester, which took pride of place on the John Deere Forestry’s stand. Once the event was over, the machine travelled a short distance over the new Forth Crossing to harvest 12,000 tonnes of softwood timber – mainly Sitka spruce and some Scots pine – on a large clear-fell contract in Fife.

Previously harvester operator David Shuttleworth had spent a month or so on this contract with a 2011-built, six-wheel drive John Deere 1270E with 13,400 hours on its clock.

The new 1270G had been on site for less than a week at the time of our visit, but it had already made a good impression.

David said, “The new Intelligent Boom Control (IBC) system automatically extends, which makes the machine much easier and simpler to operate, and the new H415 harvesting head has improved performance too. In fact, the 1270G’s powerful hydraulic flow, ICB boom and new head have increased production by up to 20%. It’s that good.”

INTELLIGENT BOOM John Deere introduced its unique IBC system on its forwarders in 2013, and its first availability on harvesters was announced during the 2017 launch of the 1270G

Left and above: Although it’s just a week into its working life, operator David Shuttleworth reckons the new 1270G has increased production by 20% over the six-wheel 1270E

model. Incidentally, much of the development and field testing of this new eight-wheel harvester was undertaken in Scotland, which was also the location for its global launch.

With the IBC system the operator does not have to individually move the different sections of the boom. The system detects the position of the harvesting head and makes adjustments to the boom’s trajectory, so that the head is moved to the tree in one continuous motion. David particularly praises the IBC’s electronic end damping, which helps to eliminate shock loading when the head comes into contact with the tree. The use of IBC is also said to improve ergonomics for the operator, providing guidance in the correct use of the boom and resulting in increased productivity.

MORE POWER At the heart of the eight-wheel drive 1270G is a six-cylinder, nine-litre, Stage 4 emissionscompliant John Deere 6090 engine rated at 200kW; the previous model was rated at FORESTRY MACHINERY AUTUMN 2019

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Above: The Intelligent Boom Control (IBC) system contributes to improved productivity by automating some of its functions

Below right: The H415 harvesting head offers the gripping and cutting power to deal with large timber and features revised geometry of its feed roller arm

COMPANY BACKGROUND The Elliot Henderson family business was established 35 years ago, initially undertaking manual tree planting. The firm is now a major

170kW. More importantly, 1315Nm of torque is available from 1200 to 1400rpm.

The operator can run the engine in one of three modes depending on operating conditions: Eco, Normal and Power. The management system automatically adjusts the engine speed to correspond with the load and also keeps the engine speed steady during high loads. At the time of my visit, David was happily operating in Eco mode and still maintaining high productivity.

forestry contracting business based in Selkirk

HARVESTING HEAD

in the Scottish Borders. Its timber harvesting

David has noticed a big improvement in

performance from the top of the 400 Series H415 harvesting head. It has been designed to offer the cutting power to deal with large timber and also promises excellent delimbing quality from its four-wheel drive feed rollers. The new geometry of its feed roller arm ensures a solid grip plus the ability to carry trunks in all diameter ranges.

It is also said to offer a solution for different kinds of clear-felling operations with three options for stem types,

work takes place all over the UK and occasionally overseas, but mainly in Scotland and the north of England.

The firm is a fully accredited member of the Forestry Industry Safety Accord (FISA) and the Forestry Contracting Association (FCA), to cover all aspects of its forestry work from planting to road building.

It runs a wide range of machines including 20 timber harvesters, an equal number of forwarders and a brash baler. Recent diversifications have included scaffold hire and plant hire. The latter business is supported with a modern fleet including excavators from one to 40 tonnes, dumpers and articulated dumpers from one to 30 tonnes and almost everything in between. The hire fleet also includes dozers with the latest 3D GPS systems and excavators fitted with Engcon tilt-rotators.

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SITE VISIT | JOHN DEERE 1270G

Above inset and left: The controls in the high-tech cab are fully integrated with the head and John Deere’s TimberMatic system to provide accurate production measurements

including soft and hardwood.

It can handle timber 750mm in diameter and features sawbar lengths from 825 to 900mm fitted with a .404in-pitch chain spinning at 40 metres per second, and maximum feed speed varying from 2.9 to 7.0 metres per second. It offers accurate cutting performance and the latest sensor technology. Working with the TimberMatic control system, it also ensures accurate measurements and with automated saw control is designed to eliminate cutting damage.

The recently-launched TimberMatic system can also provide operators with a real-time production view of the entire logging site. The data collected by the harvester’s sensors and the precise GPS location of the felled timber is automatically transmitted to the TimberMatic Maps application in suitably-equipped forwarders.

In addition to further improving productivity of the team, this system ensures that felled logs covered by a snowfall are easily located.

IN THE CAB

Right inset: In addition to a multitude of LED lights located around the machine, there are numerous external storage locations to keep spares, tools and consumables Below right: This 8WD 1270G is fitted with extra-deep wheel chain cleats on both front and rear bogies for excellent steep hill-climbing performance preferred spec is the rotating and levelling version, as found on this example. The cab can rotate through 160 degrees to face the work area and features an automatic boom follow function to keep the operator aligned with the harvesting head. The cab can tilt sideways up to 17 degrees and also tilt forwards or backwards by nine degrees.

These movements combine to help the operator sit upright when working or travelling over uneven terrain, maintaining a good posture to prevent stress on the back and shoulders.

The cab is said to have more legroom compared to its predecessor and its multi-adjustable seat can be set at one of two heights and features a vibration absorption system. John Deere has even fitted a

Maintaining high levels of operator comfort throughout long working shifts in the forest also contributes to productivity and in this regard the 1270G is “THE TIMBERMATIC SYSTEM CAN ALSO PROVIDE certainly not lacking.

OPERATORS WITH A REAL-TIME PRODUCTION Although there is an option of a fixed cab, the VIEW OF THE ENTIRE LOGGING SITE”

FORESTRY MACHINERY AUTUMN 2019

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JOHN DEERE 1270G | SITE VISIT

“ON THIS CLEAR-FELL SITE, WHICH IS ESTIMATED TO YIELD 12,000 TONNES OF SOFTWOOD, THE JOHN DEERE 1270G IS CLEARLY IN ITS ELEMENT”

Supporting the new harvester on this site is a recently-purchased eight-wheel 1510G forwarder, which also features John Deere’s IBC boom system

1510G FORWARDER

Supporting the eight-wheel 1270G harvester on this site is a 15-tonne capacity 1510G forwarder with only 2500 hours on its clock.

Operator Dale Scott also benefits from John Deere’s IBC boom system, cutting his workload while loading or unloading. This machine is also fitted with adaptive driveline control, similar to the new harvester. The operator can choose Eco, Normal or Power engine mode and the system automatically adjusts the engine speed to the load.

When the forwarder is fully loaded, Dale begins the haul back down to the stockpile area by rotating the cab to the rear to face the load.

This may seem counter-intuitive, but what he is doing is closely monitoring the angle of the load as it travels across the uneven ground. Should there be any sideways movement of the load, Dale can quickly swing the boom to the other side to use it as a long counter-balance.

small oven and fridge in the cab as standard. The high-tech leather-like material within the cab is designed to be easy to keep clean. Another innovative detail is the wiper blades, which are now made from more durable neoprene as opposed to rubber, for longer service intervals and better performance.

The 1270G has a large LCD touch control screen that is integrated into the machine and its harvesting head, in order to help automate the harvesting operation as much

54

as possible. This leaves the highly skilled operator to focus on the really value-added tasks of obtaining maximum productivity.

CONCLUSION David is impressed with the stability of the 23-tonne 1270G, even when harvesting the largest of timber. The drive train features a hydro-mechanical differential lock, hydraulically-actuated, oil-immersed, multi-disc service brakes and an automated frame brake, all designed for tackling steep

terrain efficiently and safely.

Clearly there is a noticeable difference in the performance of this new generation eight-wheel harvester compared with that of the six-wheel version previously on site. With the ICB boom, more power and the latest in harvesting head technology, the operator reports a significant improvement in production. On this clear-fell site, which is estimated to yield 12,000 tonnes of softwood, the John Deere 1270G is clearly in its element.

AUTUMN 2019 FORESTRY MACHINERY

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MULCHING | PRIMETECH

MIGHTY

MULCHERS Paul Argent reports on PrimeTech tracked mulchers

A

wide range of mulcher attachments is available for a variety of carriers, including tractors, excavators and skid-steer loaders, which are ideal to clear small areas of ground. However, when large areas have to be cleared, usually undertaken by specialist contractors, a dedicated tracked carrier with a mulching head is the tool of choice.

As the requirement from power generating firms increases for chipped timber to use as biomass fuel, harvesting operations around the country are leaving large areas of once wooded land in need of clearing. Traditionally stumps and brash were either left in situ and the new crop planted around them, or stumps were excavated and burnt. Neither alternative provided the ideal solution for the

landowner. Mulching the ground after applications in extremely arduous harvesting leaves the land easily accessible conditions. Consequently, their use in the and ready to be easily replanted. forestry sector rarely stretches them to their One of the leading manufacturers of limit. mulching and associated equipment is the Sean Reilly of Bio-Equipment said, “There FAE Group, whose PrimeTech range of is a steadily growing market for all types of tracked carriers and dedicated mulching equipment. attachments are distributed in Thanks to both “MULCHING THE the UK by South Wales-based commercial and GROUND AFTER Bio-Equipment. residential biomass HARVESTING plants really taking off over the last few years, HEAVY-DUTY APPLICATIONS LEAVES THE LAND Built around an extremely EASILY ACCESSIBLE we have seen contractors of all sizes heavy-duty chassis, the PrimeTech AND READY TO BE look at increasing the range is robust and squat in REPLANTED” services they offer to design. As an aside, cabless clients. The ability to process material remote-controlled versions are used for quicker, safer and in larger quantities than de-mining operations. In other words, before is a particular requirement.” they are designed to work in heavy-duty

Configured with a mulching head and wide low ground pressure tracks, Lord’s own PT-475 made light work of this tough job

The wet ground on this site was not really suitable for the newer PT-475 equipped with a sub-soiler head, which was running on narrow single-grouser track shoes

FORESTRY MACHINERY AUTUMN 2019

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NEW 15-TONNE PT-300 MULCHER The PT-300 – operating weight close to 15 tonnes – is powered by a six-cylinder Cat C7.1 engine delivering 302hp and developing almost 1300Nm of torque. Danfoss hydraulic motors provide the power for both the hydrostatic transmission and the mulcher transmission, and both systems require a shade under 400 litres per minute of oil flow.

The example being demonstrated was configured with an LGP undercarriage consisting of 800mm single grouser pads and exerting just 0.26kg/cm2, allowing the carrier to traverse extremely difficult terrain with relative ease.

Mulcher operator Sam Lawrence said, “The single grouser track allows us to climb some of

Above and inset left: The 15-tonne PT-300 is powered by a 302hp Cat engine delivering almost 1300Nm of torque, to drive the Danfoss hydraulic motors that supply the head and mulcher

Below and below left: The cab is glazed with impact resistant Lexan Margard and is quiet, spacious, well appointed and functional

the steepest terrain around and yet we are still able to cross some very wet ground with this machine.”

At just 5m in length, the PT-300 is capable of squeezing into some tight spots and its overall height of just 2.75m makes it more than capable of working under tree canopies if required.

While mulchers are regular prey for tree stumps, the PT-300 has over 460mm of ground clearance beneath its belly plates in the event that a stump has to be left in place.

This PT-300 has been configured with a FAE 300U mulching attachment, mounted on a sturdy three-point linkage on the front of the PrimeTech.

The head is designed to cover just over two metres of ground in each pass and is capable of grinding material up to 400mm in diameter. The head rotates at almost 1700rpm and carries 70 tungsten carbide B3-style tips. It also features a heavy-duty bar arrangement, which can be used to push over small trees or used as a rake to move material around the job site.

The PrimeTech range consists of five models from the eight-tonne, 160hp PT-175 to the 30-tonne, 600hp PT-600. In addition to a mulcher head, these tracked carriers can be configured with a range of FAE attachments, including soil stabilisers, stone crushers, asphalt and stump grinders.

Attachments can usually be swapped over in about half an hour.

While the smallest and the largest models in the range can perform specific services for the forestry and landscaping industries, it is the 15-tonne PT-300 and the 24-tonne PT-475 that are likely to be best suited to the requirements of UK mulching contractors.

Both these models feature the latest emissions-compliant Cat engines and Danfoss hydraulic pumps.

Bio-Equipment recently bought a number of the latest PrimeTech self-propelled

58

mulchers for customer demonstration and evaluation throughout the UK. We encountered a brand-new PT-300 model being evaluated by Peter Lord, one of the industry’s leading contractors, on a project in the Midlands (see panel). But first we visited a site in Leeds to see the larger PT-475 model in action.

SITE VISIT A key model for UK customers is the PT-475, a 24-tonne machine powered by a 475hp Cat C13 engine delivering over 2000Nm of torque. It is designed to undertake large areas of land clearance, and Lord’s regular mulcher operator Sam Lawrence is expected to clear up to two hectares a day, depending on the material.

As its large mulcher head requires an oil flow of almost 600 litres a minute, the

machine isn’t the most frugal in the world and consumes about 58 litres of diesel an hour. However, this needs to be put in context, as there are very few machines in the market that could compete with the level of productivity available from the PT-475.

Lord’s PT-475 has been fully specified to cope with the variety of projects the company undertakes. This includes a rear hydraulic winch capable of assisting in holding the machine steady on any steep slopes, as well as aiding any tree removal work.

Sam said, “We run the machines on full power – as they are designed to – and achieve a very good clearance rate in most ground conditions. As with our PT-300, the PT-475 is on wide LGP tracks, which are ideal for our operations. If we need to undertake any work on steep slopes, we have a set of bolt-on grouser bars to help us

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MULCHING | PRIMETECH Main picture and left inset: The demonstration PT-300 model was configured with a FAE 300U mulching head, which requires an oil flow of almost 400 litres per minute

grouser shoes that are ideal for hill increase the machine’s stability and climbing, it left a distinct furrow in the soft climbing ability.” ground. The sub-soiling Despite weighing 24 tonnes, head is designed to the wide and long undercarriage on the PT-475 “THE HEAD ROTATES penetrate up to 400mm ensure that it floats over the AT ALMOST 1700RPM into the soil to remove most root material, very wet site near Leeds on AND CARRIES 70 leaving the ground which it was operating.

TUNGSTEN CARBIDE easier to replant.

Looking back at the finished B3-STYLE TIPS” Operator Sam said, ground there is very little “The ground on this site evidence that a large carrier is just too wet for the narrow tracks. Fitting it has been running over it. with the double grousers, which we have on Sam concluded by saying, “It’s ideal for the other machine, would alleviate the this type of work, although this site is very problem.” wet after the period of heavy rain we’ve just had.”

The second PT-475 on the Leeds site, a PRIMETECH CABS newer model configured with a sub-soiling The same cab is fitted to the PT-300 and the head, was less suited to the extremely wet PT-475, both of which also share a similar conditions. Fitted with narrower, single layout of their major components. The cab

is spacious, well appointed and functional.

One of its main features is that it isolates the operator from both the roar of the big Cat engine and the noise from the mulching head – both typically running at full power.

The large front screen and door windows of the ROPS and FOPS cab are glazed with impact resistant Lexan Margard to ensure the safety of the operator. Inside the air-conditioned cab there is a fully airsuspended seat and a 7in colour display showing all the relevant machine functions.

Access to the cab is via a set of large, non-slip steps over the tracks.

Behind the cab, the engine is housed in a large, well-insulated compartment accessed via heavy-duty steel doors on both sides of the unit. The rear of the compartment contains the heavy-duty cooling system, again accessed through substantial doors.

FORESTRY MACHINERY AUTUMN 2019

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A CUT ABOVE

Both blades move on the TTS-400 so each blade only has to cut half way

Huw prunes a hardwood tree with the TTS-400 and is able to cut and bring sections down safely

W

ood Energy Wales has been growing steadily since its beginning in 2014. The demand for wood chip to feed biomass systems peaks at between 800 and 900 cubic metres per week during winter months, dropping in the summer. But fuel is still required for combined heat and power (CHP) systems during warm periods, not least by Huw’s own system where the four CHP generators not only feed into the national grid but also provide heat for the drying floors where chip is dried down to 18 per cent moisture for clean burning.

The company had previously used an R-Top 500/25, which functioned well and

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The TerraTech shear comfortably harvests a tree that is ideal for biomass with a 30 to 40-second cycle time late 2018 and though he had a contractor was used mainly in Huw’s own wood, where come in and harvest part of the wood to give the average tree was getting towards the him a buffer, he realised that dedicated upper limit of the R-Top’s operating range harvesters are not the ideal solution for his of 150mm. However, Huw reckoned the woods.

R-Top would confidently take 250mm “The harvesters are very good in terms of trunks. output and terrain capability, Huw found he was increasingly but they cut the brash off and running out of capacity so leave a mat, which is a pain for decided to upgrade. The aim of “HARVESTERS the game for Huw and his son CUT THE BRASH re-planting, and there is a loss of crop that could be Carwyn is to get as much of the OFF, WHICH IS processed.” The chip Huw and tree through their Mus-Max 10XL A PAIN FOR Carwyn produce has to be of chipper as possible and in the RE-PLANTING high quality G50 size. maximum size of timber the AND THERE IS A While they don’t wish to get machine can handle. Huw LOSS OF CROP” too much bark in the sample, acquired a mature woodland in

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NEW MACHINERY | TERRATECH TTS-400 A British-built TerraTech TTS-400 tree shear has been purchased by North Wales biomass producers Wood Energy Wales to boost capacity, as Ken Topham discovered PROFILE

WOOD ENERGY WALES OPERATOR HUW OWEN MACHINE TERRATECH TTS-400 LOCATION CONWY VALLEY, NORTH WALES MAIN ROLE HARVESTING SOFTWOOD AND WOOD CLEARANCE

TECH SPEC

TERRATECH TTS-400

EXCAVATOR REQUIREMENT 13 TONNE (MINIMUM) POWER TWO HYDRAULIC SERVICES CAPACITY 400MM BLADES 450MM, HARDOX 500 WEIGHT 1100KG (1250KG WITH ROTATOR) ROTATOR ADAN

which can occur with smaller material being chipped as the ratio of wood to bark goes down, Huw and Carwyn screen the dried material, which takes out most of the unwanted elements. This part is then sold into the agricultural sector for bedding, minimising waste from their harvested produce.

CLEARANCE AND CHIPPING Though Wood Energy Wales harvest timber from their own wood, Huw and Carwyn also carry out clearance and chipping contracts.

This has been the main driver behind the upgrade to the TerraTech TTS-400, which is not only physically bigger than their

The grapple arms seem powerful and well protected by the shear chassis, with pipework routed to the rear

Above inset: The rotator is optional but Huw’s work is not all straight harvesting so it was considered a necessity

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The TTS-400 shear has impressed Huw, who describes it as “an animal”

A 210mm softwood tree was cut at the base and lowered whole, the shear and JCB both comfortable previous shear, but its capacity eclipses the R-Top by 200mm comfortably.

“The R-Top did us very well but we were pushing its limits,” says Huw. “It is a smaller shear and we just out-grew it. The TerraTech is a different animal and it’s testing the digger now. You have to think about what you cut with the extra weight of the shear and the larger trees as you could very quickly get into trouble on slopes.”

The TerraTech is built in Yorkshire and this model, the TTS-400, is designed to fit 13-tonne machines, requiring two hydraulic

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The limit on this oak was 360mm and the solid trunk gave the shear a good test services for power. There are two grapple arms and two cutting knives instead of the stationary shear bar Huw was used to and the Hardox blades are 450mm in length.

An Adan rotator is an option and, if fitted, takes the total weight of the attachment to 1250kg.

In operation, using the TTS-400 seems effortless. Huw is well practised and with three dimensions to position he demonstrated its abilities by pruning a mix of soft- and hardwood trees around his own farm. Cutting a 210mm softwood tree, Huw

was able to cycle back to his next tree in about 30 to 40 seconds from cut to cut.

The tree was about 15 metres in length, and Huw said the JS130 could comfortably handle the size in softwood, but that he has to be careful with comparably sized pieces of hardwood, especially when working at reach with the boom.

Taking down an oak with a trunk of 500mm at the base was fairly uneventful until reaching the base. The TTS-400 maxed out at 360mm, which it took with one cut, but when Huw attempted a cut

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NEW MACHINERY | TERRATECH TTS-400 Pruning the hardwood trees into manageable chunks, the rotator allows Huw to get proper purchase on the limbs before cutting

The beauty of a shear is that the reach of the excavator can make taking trees down much safer than by hand

“THE TERRATECH IS A DIFFERENT ANIMAL AND IT’S TESTING THE DIGGER NOW”

Right: The Wood Energy Wales frontline includes key kit to keep the local supply of biomass flowing Below right: The product of Carwyn and Huw’s labour is G50 chip, dried to 18 per cent dry matter Above inset: Huw has the rotator set to work from the joystick buttons on his JS130

Right: The grapple and blade function operates from the pedal service about 500mm lower down, the TerraTech was unable to cut it. It’s an impressive performance considering the knotty material, especially given that the spec sheet recommends 400mm as the capacity, which probably isn’t based on oak!

POWER SUPPLY Naturally the shear needs two extra services.

Huw runs his with the shear on the foot pedal and the rotator on the joystick buttons, a configuration he seems comfortable with. The rotator looks to turn

at a reasonable speed and the grapple arms move at a good pace, the shear closing at a purposeful speed after the grapple arms have closed on to the timber.

While Huw and Carwyn do harvest their own woodland, a turn in the nature of their work also fuelled the need for upgraded capacity. Huw has always tried to keep the chipper working with customers for biomass, but increasingly he has become known for clearance jobs. This type of work suits Wood Energy Wales because they can use more of the equipment they have

already invested in for their own harvesting, with an added bonus that more often than not the timber cleared can be added to their biomass stock.

Huw is not a man to stand still so if he thinks an upgrade will help the business at any point in the triangular equation of time, convenience and output, he will make the step. Wood Energy Wales has built up an impressive inventory of equipment with the approach of buying the right machine for the job, slightly ahead of time. Calculated speculation is Huw’s specialty.

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OWNER-OPERATOR | ROTTNE H8D

THINNING

FOR GROWTH

Eoghan Daly looks at the case for the use of compact thinning harvesters, especially in Ireland

E

ffective crop management during a plantation’s formative years largely dictates timber growth rates. As a result, performing the crucial task of thinning in a sensitive and responsible manner makes good business sense. Much could be learned from the Swedish model where frequent thinning is practised in the early years by using dedicated compact, lightweight thinning machines.

Small thinning harvesters have mostly been ignored in the British Isles, the conventional wisdom being that it is extremely difficult to obtain sufficient work for them at profitable rates. This state of

either side, which often requires the use affairs may well be changing in Ireland, of a smaller, more manoeuvrable machine. as a significant number of private As the popularity of plantations come on stream. multi-purpose, all-round The normal approach “THE timber harvesters grows, most would be for contractors to SCANDINAVIAN manufacturers have moved use an all-round harvester for away from dedicated early early thinning work, secure APPROACH OF A thinning harvesters. Those in the knowledge that such a GREATER FOCUS that still produce them machine has greater earning ON SELECTIVE typically offer simple potential in other THINNING” harvesters with few operator applications. In turn, this comforts, which struggle to encourages a predetermined be accepted as modern professional-grade systematic approach to thinning, typically machines. Sampo Rosenlew offers 1-in-7 line removal. This contrasts with the something that is much better than the Scandinavian approach of a greater focus norm, but Rottne offers what many believe on selective thinning from the lines to

This picture and right inset: The Rottne H8D thinning harvester features a unique levelling and ground clearance height adjustment system on all four of its wheels

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to be the ultimate in-stand thinning harvester in the form of its H8 model.

EARLY THINNING To learn more about the Scandinavian approach to early years thinning, we visited owner-operator Magnus Oberg, who operates in the Vaxjo area of southern Sweden. Magnus is one of many contractors who have built a successful businesses based purely on performing early forest thinning work. He operates a single Rottne H8D four-wheel harvester and runs a viable and busy business without the need to invest in a fleet of much larger forestry machines.

He said, “Since I decided to specialise in thinning, this size of machine is ideal. It is much more efficient to run and has similar volumes of production in this size of material, so it makes perfect sense to me.

Running a large harvester in thinnings will not get higher production and its much higher power and hydraulic oil flow are just under-utilised. Also its much greater cost of operation and ownership is something that will not be recovered.

“The concept of a dedicated Rottne thinning machine was known to me and well proven, as my first machine was the earlier generation H8B, which I purchased used with 5000 hours. I ran it for just over four years and it showed me how good a machine these compact thinning harvesters

600mm-wide tyres. Magnus believes that it is a very ground-friendly harvester, the only difficulties being encountered when he is working over really wet peat.

But this is not the whole story, as the H8D has a unique levelling and ground clearance system. All four wheels are mounted on hydraulically-adjustable, independent pendulum arms. They can be used to adapt the machine to ground irregularities, or to adjust ground clearance, from just 235mm up to a stump-clearing 1067mm.

Above: Rottne has maintained good service access and Magnus continued, “With the design of a decent view to the rear on this compact machine, the Rottne H8D you have clearance when which features a Stage 4 emissions-compliant engine you need it and can lower the machine right from Rottne really are. down if required. It works very well if “I then decided to upgrade working on a cross slope, which would in the interests of keeping otherwise be very difficult reliability at high levels, as my with a small, relatively narrow original machine had worked machine like this.

“IMPRESSIVE 15,000 hours when I decided “The machine stays fully PERFORMANCE it was time for a replacement. level when going over uneven WITH THE ABILITY It had been so positive for ground or larger rocks and TO TACKLE TREES me, there was no point in also levels it on slopes, so it WITH A DIAMETER makes a major difference to looking beyond Rottne.”

AT BREAST HEIGHT everyday operation. Having OF 33CM” such flexibility when it comes WALK-AROUND to ground clearance on a A four-wheel forestry machine of this size is not machine may be off-putting common and is one of the areas where to some users, who look for lower ground Rottne is a major step ahead of the rest. pressure delivered by a six- or even an “The H8D is a great machine to climb and eight-wheel harvester. However, the H8D is very stable too. Since it can be levelled to weighs just over 10 tonnes, spread over four

The H8D is a compact and nimble harvester that packs a real punch, ideal for selective early years thinning applications

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OWNER-OPERATOR | ROTTNE H8D overcome slopes in front or to the rear as well as cross slopes, the full reach of the crane can be used without having to worry about it becoming in any way unstable.”

CRANE & HEAD Rottne buys in engine, transmission and hydraulic components, but

SIZE & ACCESS An essential design requirement of such an early thinning harvester is its compact dimensions, to enable it to weave its way through the forest without causing damage to standing trees. Even on 600mm tyres, the H8D has an overall width of just 2.2m and its 43-degree steering angle delivers a tight turning circle. This makes it ideal for the more intricate working approach of in-stand selective thinning. However, it also offers impressive performance and the ability to tackle trees with a diameter at breast height (DBH) of 33cm.

The D Series Rottne features a Stage 4 emissions-compliant John Deere engine (see panel), complete with a diesel particulate filter (DPF) and an AdBlue system. A lot of design work has taken place to ensure all these elements are packaged in the rear section of the machine, while maintaining an acceptable level of rearwards visibility from the seat. This is important, as such a harvester typically has to reverse out from the end of a thinned line. In addition, one of Rottne’s traditional strengths is its safe and easy service access, particularly important when it is likely to be operated by a lone worker in an isolated site.

manufactures all the structural elements of its machines in-house.

Unlike many of its competitors, this

In addition to allowing the machine to traverse obstacles and work on a cross slope, the system also enables the operator to drop the ground clearance for maximum stability

also extends to designing and building its own cranes and harvesting heads.

This H8D is configured with a Rottne RK50 parallel crane that offers 7m of reach, when using the 1.4m telescopic extension. The crane is mounted on a tilting base that offers 15 degrees of forward and 20 degrees of rearward movement. This tilting base almost overhangs the front of the chassis, allowing best use to be made of its reach and contributing to what is a particularly well-balanced machine.

Magnus continued, “The latest generation Rottne parallel crane built for the H8D has much more power and speed of operation, which can only be positive for productivity while it is to a proven design which should mean long-term benefits. It’s a very strong crane and among the other benefits are the way in which hydraulic hoses are routed over the crane, which is well designed from the view point of protection and reducing wear.”

Rottne harvesting heads may not be well known outside of Scandinavia, but they are extremely well respected in the region. The H8D, configured with an RK50 crane, carries the

This picture and inset below: This H8D is configured with a 7m Rottne RK50 parallel crane on a tilting base, fitted with a 480kg Rottne EGS 406 thinning head

smallest model in their range, the recently redesigned EGS 406 dedicated thinning head. This compact head weighs 480kg and offers a nominal maximum cutting diameter of 43cm. The top knife opening is 46cm and 51cm for the lower knives.

Fitted with four movable and two fixed delimbing knives, complete contact is maintained and performance in trees with lower limbs remains consistent, thanks to the incorporation of two lower movable knives. In addition, the compact formation of the head results in easy placement in thinnings, while its relatively short chassis makes handling crooked material more user friendly.

Magnus observed, “The performance of the head is a major improvement over the EGS 405 head I used previously. It has much more speed and the rollers seem to grip the tree much better. Measurement accuracy is good even in the larger material.”

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ROTTNE H8D | OWNER-OPERATOR

On the H8D the entire rear hood is hydraulically raised well clear of the components to provide unimpeded access.

A series of steps and a gripped catwalk are then lowered, which eliminates the risk of climbing over the rear tyres for access.

Magnus remarked, “The H8B had excellent service access and was very well designed, but the H8D is even more impressive, given that there was so much extra to be accommodated beneath the

“FEW OTHER MACHINES COMBINE BIG MACHINE FEATURES IN A COMPACT PACKAGE LIKE THIS” panels, without growing the size of the machine. Rottne always offers machines with first class access and this new H8D is no different.”

The cab on this small four-wheel harvester is identical in size and layout to that used on larger Rottne harvesters, but is on a low fixed mount without cab slewing and levelling. This mounting position results in an operator eye level below the dense branches usually associated with an early thinning stand, providing a good view

through the stand. Apart from its size, one other advantage of using a cab designed for more powerful forestry machines is its extremely low interior noise level, quoted at just 67dBA. Magnus said, “The concept of the machine is improving with each generation and not just in small ways, as this latest D series machine is a major step up from the H8B. “There are very few other thinning machines available that combine big machine features in a compact package like this and, from the point of view of the operator, it is a first class harvester to use. Visibility is excellent as is the layout and I don’t think there is a quieter cab to work in.”

CONCLUSION Magnus is extremely positive about his investment in a specialist Rottne harvester, based on its first eight months of operation, which will help him deliver consistent performance and reliability for his customers in the years to come.

He concluded by saying, “Before starting to run my own machine, I worked as a

Top and above inset: Its new owner-operator reports that visibility is good, the cab is incredibly quiet; the harvesting head is quicker, has more grip and is accurate forwarder operator and I can now see that this was a successful decision for me to become an owner-operator of a thinning harvester. The running costs with a smaller machine like the H8D are low and, since I now have the benefit of running a new machine, reliability should not be a concern.”

ROTTNE H8D DRIVELINE The H8D is powered by a Stage 4

that feature three speed ranges.

hydraulic services, which are

being very efficient to run. It has

John Deere engine rated at 125kW

This provides a tractive force of

based on a separate 245L/min

a much bigger fuel tank than the

and delivering 667Nm of torque

137kN, greater than any other

load sensing system.

older model and uses very small

at 1500rpm, fed by a 268-litre fuel

similar-sized dedicated thinning

tank. The fully hydrostatic

harvester. This transmission is

machine is under no pressure and

noticeable increase in cost over

transmission uses wheel motors

driven independently of the

has plenty of power, while also

the H8B.”

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Magnus said, “The new

volumes of AdBlue, so there is no

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Jim Wilmer & Sons, Roselle Workshops, 4 Dalquharran, Dailly, KA26 9QJ T: 01465 811600 • www.jimwilmer.co.uk

Jim Wilmer & Sons UK Distributor FORESTRY MACHINERY AUTUMN 2019

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WORKING DEMO | SAMPO HR46X

SMALL SAMPO

SURPRISE

As Eoghan Daly reports, Sampo Rosenlew has confirmed its commitment to the UK and Irish marketplaces

T

he Finnish-based manufacturer Sampo Rosenlew is on the cusp of introducing a complete range of forestry machines, right up to large clear-fell units. The relatively recent appointment of Oakleaf Forestry as its dealer for Ireland and the UK underlines its commitment to these markets, as does the extensive demonstration programme of its smallest harvester, the HR46X model. This has spent much of 2019 working in the UK and has recently completed a successful demonstration in Ireland.

The feedback from those who watched or operated this harvester in Ireland was one of surprise, as it performed way above their expectations. The HR46X is billed as a cost-effective early thinnings harvester, whose purchase and running costs are in line with this low-volume, low-return application. What surprised visitors to the demonstration was that it appeared to be equally at home undertaking later thinning applications in larger trees.

SITE VISIT The demonstration site was kindly provided by G&G Timber Harvesting, on a Coillte plantation near Mountrath, Co Laois.

While the site was generally free draining, it did present some less favourable areas to demonstrate the traction available from the lightweight four-wheeler, Above: Fitted with which also climbed the sloping areas on site 650/60x26.5 tyres, this with ease. compact and manoeuvrable Initially, some attendees were quick to thinning harvester provides pass judgement on the diminutive size of higher than normal ground the HR46X. These opinions were soon clearance of 670mm revised, as the machine harvested some of the larger stems within the stand, which contained a variety of species and also provided a good mix of smaller material. This early thinnings harvester comfortably met this challenge and did so at a surprisingly low hourly running cost.

Host Greg Cuddy, who runs G&G Timber with his brother Garrett, has an eight-wheel Komatsu 901XC harvester and approached an opportunity to operate the much smaller HR46X with an open mind. He stated, “I was really well impressed by the

“WHAT SURPRISED VISITORS WAS THAT IT APPEARED TO BE EQUALLY AT HOME UNDERTAKING LATER THINNING APPLICATIONS”

Reaching into the stand to fell and process larger stems demonstrated the HR46X’s stability and crane power

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SAMPO HR46X | WORKING DEMO Despite not being fitted with wheel chains, this small harvester demonstrated good climbing ability

“IT MAY BE COMPETITIVELY PRICED BUT THIS DOESN’T SHOW IN THE QUALITY OF BUILD”

Sampo Rosenlew harvester. If I had a continuous flow of early thinning work, I would have no hesitation in buying one, as it’s great value for money and very efficient to run. Harvesting between 70 and 100 tonnes per day, depending on tree size, in thinnings and only burning six to seven litres of diesel per hour makes it very attractive.

“It may be competitively priced but this doesn’t show in the quality of build and with all the main components being well proven, it should be a great machine. The crane handled very well and the machine was very stable. It was also great to climb even without wheel chains.

“I was especially impressed with the harvesting head and it was spot on when it came to measurement accuracy. The measurement system was also very easy to calibrate and was on the same level as that used by other manufacturers. Even in crooked lengths or hardwoods it handled them very well. Putting hardwoods through

The cab is a dedicated timber harvester design and features good visibility with sensibly positioned but comprehensive controls

74

the head was very easy as it handled forks and heavy branches well. Other heads would just break off the length when forcing it through the head, particularly when coming up against a ring of branches. This makes a harvester like this ideal for a contractor working in either softwood or hardwood thinnings.”

The low-set crane base helps forward visibility and offers a tilt facility to both sides

CONFIGURATION The HR46X is a direct descendant of Sampo Rosenlew’s first thinning harvester introduced in 1997. Company owner Timo Prihti comes from a Finnish farming/forestry background and understood the need for a way to cost-effectively undertake early thinnings. With a 150-year history of heavy engineering and manufacturing, he decided that his company would develop a solution to this issue.

The modern HR46X may have the same overall dimensions as the original harvester, but thanks to continuous product development it is a far different beast under its skin, with a far higher earning potential.

Depending upon specification, the harvester weighs between 8.0 and 9.5 tonnes. Even with the widest tyres from the large catalogue of options, the HR46X is just 2.4m wide. It also provides a 50-degree steering angle, all of which ensures good manoeuvrability. This example was configured with Nokian Forest King TRS L2 650/60x26.5 tyres, providing good grip and a big contact area from wide and large-profile rubber, with a ground clearance of 670mm.

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This picture and above inset:The demonstration machine was configured with a Kesla 18RH II harvesting head designed for stems up to 43cm in diameter, on a 7.1m Kesla parallel crane Some will be hesitant in using a four-wheel harvester over unfavourable ground, but in reality the lightweight HR46X can cope with most sites, except those with an extremely low weight bearing capacity. In the grand scheme of things, such sites are probably best left unthinned, due to the increased risk of suffering windblow damage.

The HR46X has a low centre of gravity, and its most notable feature is the extremely low-set position of the crane base. This has obvious stability and performance benefits, but also results in good visibility towards the ground immediately ahead of the machine, an area where many timber harvesters fall short of operator expectations.

The Kesla parallel crane offers an outreach of 7.1m, a lifting torque of 55kNm and a slewing torque of 17kNm. On the Irish demo site it handled stems up to 0.3 cubic metres in volume with ease. An interesting feature of the crane is its tilting base, which allows a degree of levelling to either side and provides a handy boost to stability if working on a moderate cross slope.

HARVESTING HEAD The harvesting head on the demonstration machine was a Kesla 18RH II model, which is intended to handle trees with an upper diameter limit of 43cm. The demonstration showed that this was

by no means an ambitious claim, as it confidently gripped and handled the larger material on site.

This head has three movable knives, but without a second lower knife. There did not appear to be any loss of handling or delimbing ability with this set-up. The head also has a two-feed roller drive, offering a good balance between feed force without compromising on speed.

The compact 18RH II head offers ease of placement and movement through remaining trees in early thinnings stands.

However, a wide variety of other heads is available for the HR46X, including the Keto 51 and other similarly proportioned units.

Good visibility to the working area is helped by the HR46X’s low-set windows and sloping windscreen. Despite the machine’s compact design, the cab is a decent size with controls positioned to be as convenient as possible. Low in-cab noise levels are achieved by good sound insulation and a sedate tone coming from the engine, as it operates at low revs and is never strained.

While the machine and its harvesting head may have been relatively unknown in the UK and Ireland, Oakleaf Forestry has succeeded in bringing another Scandinavian favourite to the attention of the industry. With larger machines due in the near future, Sampo Rosenlew has made a good start of penetrating the market.

DRIVELINE DETAILS The HR46X is powered by a Sisu-derived Agco

case providing a flow of 294 litres per minute

Rosenlew. The resultant tractive force of 90kN

engine rated at 124kW. The X Series of the HR46

at an engine speed of 1300rpm.

easily coped with the gradual slopes in many

features a larger hydraulic pump than standard,

The machine’s climbing ability is helped by

areas of the site, but also admirably handled

a 140cc Rexroth unit. The driveline strategy is to

the use of Black Bruin wheel motors, which are

the more acute slopes, particularly below the

run this larger pump at lower engine revs, in this

manufactured by a subsidiary of Sampo

forest road.

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GREEN FORESTRY MACHINES REFLECTING THE latest in wheeled harvesters, in addition to a six-wheel 1270E model, there is also an eight-wheel 1270G. They feature an articulating chassis, a rotating cab and, on the 1270G, an H415 harvesting head.

Steven Downes reviews Ertl’s latest scale models of John Deere forestry machines produced in 1:50 scale

FOUR TRACKED harvesters are available, each one highlighting a different technology or system. The latest release is the 3156G (as shown), which has a standard design undercarriage, high mounted cab for better visibility and a straight boom and arm terminating with the Waratah cutting head.

The 2954D has a similar look to a standard excavator with conventional boom, although the cab has been designed with an angular look that incorporates various safety features. The 909K has an unusual undercarriage frame that allows the upper-structure to angle, ideal for working on slopes. The boom design is also different and offers a longer reach. For confined spaces, a combination of specialist undercarriage and compact design is shown with the 859M, which again retains the ability to work on slopes and even has single grouser track shoes fitted for extra grip.

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FORESTMOBILIA | JOHN DEERE

IN ADDITION to wheel loaders fitted with log-handling grapples, there are also two specialist tracked log loader models, the 2954D and latest release the 3156G (as shown). These are fitted with live heel grapples and forestry cabs.

TRACKED 959K and 859M feller-bunchers are available, both with a tilting upperstructure. Opening body panels reveal some internal detailing and both models are fitted with single grouser track pads for authenticity.

The cutting head has a rotating lower cutting disc and four independently operating grapple arms with the added ability for the unit to rotate through 360 degrees.

SKIDDERS FEATURE an articulating chassis with large, deep-tread tyres, an adjustable front blade and a rear arm configured with a large log grapple. The grapple can open wide and grip, replicating the functionality of the real machines. Three skidders are produced: the 648G, the 748H and dual-wheel 948L (as shown). Each model is also equipped with a non-functional winch.

WHEELED FELLER-BUNCHERS are represented by three versions of the 843 base model: the 843J and the 843K have some small tooling and printing differences, while the latest 843L (as shown) reflects design changes to the bodywork and attachment.

ONLY ONE forwarder model is available from Ertl, the 1110E. This eight-wheel articulated log hauler features a rotating cab, an opening engine compartment and a telescopic handling boom fitted with a grapple. There is also a front dozer blade, folding access ladder and pivoting bogies to allow the model to depict travelling over uneven ground.

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READER PHOTOS

WORLD OF FORESTRY

Your photos of machinery spotted in action around the globe This Timberjack 1470D isn’t always working in such forgiving conditions, as seen here carrying out thinning work at Bayham Abbey, near Royal Tunbridge Wells in Kent.

The harvester, which works alongside a Timberjack 1100D forwarder, belongs to E&E Logging Ltd, which is run by father and son team Ivan and Zac Elliott from Kent.

The 1110D forwarder is seen here loaded with 3.7-metre larch logs at Woburn in Bedfordshire.

The 1470D is seen here stuck again near Puncheston in Wales. An excavator was required to dig around the machine to release it, with the remaining trees and timber used as a platform to stop the digger sinking.

The 1110D isn’t immune to getting stuck either. It also needed extracting from the same site in west Wales.

The 1470D is photographed here stuck in a dried up river bed near Leeds Castle in Kent. This time the operators had to dig around the machine manually to release as much suction from the mud as possible before it could be winched out using a Fordson Major with a Belton winch.

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