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EOGHAN DALY
Eoghan Daly meets Irish contractor Dave Slattery and finds out why he and his brother Ger have stayed loyal to the John Deere brand
Having devoted his entire working life to timber harvesting, County Cork-based contractor Dave Slattery of Rosmead Ltd has seen much change in the 50 years he has served the industry, most notably the transition to mechanisation. Dave currently undertakes clear fell operations for the Fermoy, County Cork sawmill of Glennon Brothers Ltd, and holds a long term clear fell harvesting contract for Coillte.
Working mainly across counties Cork, Waterford and Tipperary, a wide variety of terrain is encountered and that puts extra pressure on his equipment. Regular upgrading is part of the operation’s development philosophy, with both harvesters and forwarders replaced often in the interests of maintaining productivity and machine reliability.
The most recent addition to Dave’s fleet is the latest generation John Deere 1470G harvester, which replaced a 1470E model. Directed towards the largest volume and most demanding clear fell contracts, the machine is complimented by an eightwheeled 1270G harvester. Extraction from both harvesters is completed by two John Deere 1510G forwarders, with one run by Dave and the second owned by his brother Ger. The two brothers work in tandem in the forest industry and have pooled their equipment resources for many years.
Bottom left inset: Dave Slattery (centre) with John Walsh (left) and Kieran Roche.
Below, below centre and bottom: Dave’s first Timberjack 1270A; Timberjack 810B; Komatsu PC210-6LC with Timberjack 762B head.
This arrangement is not the only constant, however. The brothers’ allegiance to John Deere is considered crucial to their success, as Dave explained. “We have never changed from John Deere and have really got to know the machines very well over the years, which is a big advantage when it comes to running them over the longer term. As we understand how they are made up and work, when we do have a problem we have a greater chance of being able to resolve it, and have also built a very strong working relationship with John Deere Forestry Ireland over the years, which gives us a high standard of service.”
KEEPING IT IN THE FAMILY
Dave established his timber harvesting company Rosmead Ltd in 1995 when he purchased his first timber harvester – a new
Above: The 1270G is particularly effective in densely limbed material when fitted with a H415 head. Below and right inset: A large screen takes centre stage in the John Deere 1470G with H415 harvesting head.
FMG Timberjack 1270A with 762B harvesting head. Timberjack was taken over by John Deere in 2000, but Dave’s connection to the brand goes back even further than that, having run FG and Bruunett forwarders which later became part of the Timberjack brand. Dave’s first Bruunett 578F forwarder was purchased as a used machine and, although basic, was a major step forward from the tractor and winch combinations he previously used to extract prefilled whole tree lengths from gangs of chainsaw men. “Originally, I had County tractors with
Right: Both Dave and Ger Slattery have their own 1510G forwarders.
winches and even though we took out a lot of timber with them, things were moving on and I decided it was time to upgrade to a forwarder in the late 1980s,” Dave remembered. “The used Bruunett 578F made a big difference and after a few years made way for the newer type Bruunett 678 forwarder. Even though the machines were similar in lots of ways, you could still see progress in the design. They were great machines for their time.”
Convinced by the benefits of mechanisation, Dave remained loyal to what was by then Timberjack, replacing the Bruunett 678 with his first 810B model. At the time, machines were restricted to the extraction element of the operation, with all felling and
1510G’s versatile bunk facilitates multiple bay configurations.
processing still done by a team of chainsaw operators. However, it was becoming increasingly difficult to recruit the necessary manpower in this vital area, which made the purchase of a timber harvester a necessity.
THE NEXT STEP
Dave’s first harvester came in 1995 – a six-wheeled, purpose-built Timberjack 1270A. At the time, many contractors were taking the more affordable route to mechanised harvesting by converting a tracked excavator to host a harvesting head, and Dave did go this route later on when he needed to increase harvesting capacity (see the Komatsu on page 23).
Dave transitioned from the original 1270 harvesters to the bigger 1470G to handle the larger-volume clear fell operations for Glennon Brothers. The premature clear fell work for Coillte is looked after by the 1270G. All machines bought since the excavator-based harvester have been wheeled, purpose-built harvester base units. Having previously run a 1470E, Dave fully appreciates the 1470G’s high level of proficiency when it comes to intensively harvesting commercial timber on
Above and above right: Measuring wheel of H415 head is mounted on a cylinder which maintains contact with the log.
challenging site types. Arriving during October 2020, Dave’s latest 1470G model is fitted with a H415 harvesting head that is already proven on the fleet, thanks to its fitment on the firm’s 1270G 8WD harvester.
The 1470G provides superior crane power and displays an incredibly robust build quality that makes it ideal for harvesting large trees in harsh conditions. Dave’s machine is off to a great start having harvested a range of sites in its first six months of service. While average
tree sizes may be on the decline in Ireland, the 1470G recently harvested a Sitka Spruce stand with a 1.5 cubic metre average size. This provided us with an opportunity to see the machine working at the upper end of its application range, including its 11m CH9 parallel crane, and its performance was highly impressive.
The degree of control afforded by the crane and head when felling these large trees served as a reminder of its proficiency in demanding clear fells, and the way the 1470G effectively delimbed coarsely branched crowns while maintaining measurement accuracy must also be applauded. Machine stability is assisted by the fitment of 750mm tyres on the front bogies, while narrower 710mm TRS thread pattern units are favoured for the rear.
GREEN SUPREME
The G model’s advances over the E are particularly notable when it comes to engine power and the incorporation of the PPC (Processing Power Control) system with three selectable power ranges. This dual-pump system more effectively manages hydraulic oil flow, with one
Top: Kevin Slattery has been working with his uncle Dave for eight years.
Above: 1470G holds steady whilst felling larger stems at near maximum reach.
Below: Dave Slattery was an early adopter of John Deere’s 8WD harvester.
THREE DECADES WITH 1270s
Dave Slattery’s first 1270 marked the beginning of a timber harvesting legacy spanning over three decades. “At the time, if you needed a reliable and well-proven harvester for larger timber in clear fells, there were few alternatives to compete with the Timberjack 1270A,” he said. “That first harvester served us really well and when the time came for an upgrade, moving to the next generation was an automatic choice.”
A succession of 1270 harvesters followed Dave’s first 1270A, with each new machine providing notable improvements over the last. This development ultimately led to one of the most significant changes when John Deere introduced the new eight-wheeled variant of the machine and Dave was one of the first Irish contractors to make the transition to this new configuration.
Now running the second unit of this type, the current 1270G 8WD is matched to the long term Coillte clear fell contract. The machine delivers a high degree of compatibility with a diverse range of site types and really comes into its own on steep or lower weight bearing ground conditions. Despite the effectiveness of previous six-wheeled 1270s, the eight-wheel configuration is far more capable in challenging site types.
Operated by Dave’s nephew Kevin Slattery, the machine’s balanced form and impressive stability are greatly appreciation, as Kevin confirmed. “This is our second eight-wheeled 1270G and it’s worked over 3,000 hours so far without problems. The first machine was replaced after over 10,000 hours and had a H480C head that was replaced by a new H415 towards the end of its time with us. The eight-wheeled 1270Gs are in a different league to the six-wheeled version when working on hills or wetter ground. The bogie at the back makes an unbelievable difference, with that extra weight making it much more balanced when harvesting downhill.”
As the machine is mostly intended for clear fell operations, it is shod on 710mm tyres that also contribute to its stability and low ground pressure. This in turn allows the 10m reach of the CH7 parallel crane (fitted with John Deere’s Intelligent Boom Control system) to be fully utilised. As the only machine on the Rosmead fleet fitted with the IBC system, the 1270G is seen to have advantages in certain situations. “Not only does the 1270G travel the ground very well, it also has great power and speed to the crane and head. The hydraulics run really well to get the most out of the machine. It’s in a totally different class to earlier 1270s, with John Deere really stepping up to the mark in taking it forward in this area over previous models.”
The H415 harvesting head also comes in for praise from Kevin, working very well with a wide variety of timber classifications. “With a base unit like the 1270G behind it, the H415 really is a brilliant head,” he said. “Even though we did have a head with dual-speed motors before, the heads on both harvesters are now singlespeed feed roller motors which are working fine for us. No matter whether it’s working in small or larger volume timber with rough or a few branches, the head handles it all equally well and has been very reliable, with log measurement remaining very accurate too.”
The 1510G run by Dave Slattery has recorded over 7,000 hours of trouble-free operation.
pump powering the crane and the second responsible for the head during normal processing operation. The system directs the flow from one pump to machine movement when travel is necessitated, with the other pump responsible for driving both the crane and head at that time. The system achieves maximum output from all machine elements while aiding overall efficiency.
TRIED AND TESTED
Upscaling also applies to Dave and Ger Slattery’s choice of forwarder, as they view such machines as vital for demanding clear fell assignments. Dave ran a range of different size classes before settling on the 1-tonne capacity 1510Gs. “When working in bigger clear fells, forwarders like the 1510Gs are a must. We may have started out with smaller machines, but in the longer term they can’t keep pace with a harvester in bigger timber over longer hauls. The 1510G has a very worthwhile load capacity and handles steep ground very well.”
Ger also began with an FMG Bruunett 678, followed by Timberjack 810Bs and then a larger Timberjack 1110. A number of 1210 models followed that, with the final Timberjack unit – a 1210E – replaced by the current 1510G.
Extracting mainly from the 1270G on Coillte clear fell contracts, the upgrade to the 1510G has been a positive one for Ger. “The extra 3-tonne load capacity makes a massive difference to production. It is as gentle on the ground as the smaller machine and has more power to handle the greater load capacity and cope with climbing. I have nothing but praise for its performance, reliability and comfort.”
Dave and Ger remain extremely supportive of the whole John Deere forwarder concept and are endlessly impressed by the high performance level, positive tractive abilities and overall build strength. The machines feature the John Deere Adaptive Driveline Control system, which controls engine rpm, while three working modes ensure power and tractive force are optimised for specific demands.
ALL THE TRIMMINGS
Working as owner-operators, the Slattery brothers also appreciate their machines’ level of refinement, as well as the slewinglevelling cabins. “With the levelling and rotating cabin, I don’t think any other forwarder can compare from an operator’s comfort point of view. This is my third machine with this type of cab and I wouldn’t even think of a fixed cab option now.
“The first 1210E I had gave some problems with the cab,” he continued, “but the manufacturer has since perfected the design. This 1510G is working very well with no problems whatsoever.”
SLATTERY TIMBER HARVESTING FLEET
Dave Slattery - Rosmead Ltd Machine Year Hours John Deere 1470G harvester 2020 1,100 with H415 head John Deere 1270G 8WD harvester 2019 3,500 with IBC and H415 head John Deere 1510G forwarder 2018 7,100
Ger Slattery John Deere 1510G forwarder 2019 5,000
Above inset: Ger Slattery at his 1510G’s controls.
