I've been fishing and caught this whopper..lol

[Charlie Farley]

Evening all,
Like many of us, I'm still working but I've had a few long overdue days off to do some essential work around the place.
Hired in myself a self-drive top tool to help do some perimeter maintenance, a long-overdue job to be honest, well about 30 years overdue..lol
we have a very important stream that passed through the property and it has to be clear otherwise the environment agency will be on the case if it gets blocked .
Anyway its a fair old length to be maintained, way to much to be done in waders with a fork with a lot of fallen trees and debris build up to address.

There has been a very large root and trunk laying over the stream for the last few years but with recent wet weather it had decided to dislodge its self and slide down in the stream and prettywell block it up.
I have a pretty good idea on the weights of tree trunks etc and reckoned this is about 4-5 ton in weight as it's oak and saturated with a root, approx 12-13 ft long aswell, pic doesn't really give atrue perspective as the excavator rake is pretty large to startwith.

There isn't access at this time of year due to the field being waterlogged so wheeled access is a non starter.
So opted for a 14t hitachi excavator, rated at about 5 ton straight lift at 3m out should be fine.
Mission accomplished and it was a lump, just need to find a new home for it along with numerous others so far this week.

sometimes bigger is better..lol
anyway, I still have a few days left to finish clearing it all and leaving things tidy and not like the Somme.

 

[NHN]

So it was you in Hertfordshire...........

 

[Charlie Farley]

I'm denying everything..

 

[NHN]

I'm denying everything..

Tbh he did the right thing by my readings, can't please them all.

 

[quattrogone]

If you let it dry out in the corner of the garden you could burn it away......should be all gone within a few years

 

[Charlie Farley]

If you let it dry out in the corner of the garden you could burn it away......should be all gone within a few years

I have more than enough logs to be honest , but, its oak and they do burn very well after a 2-3 years seasoning.
I'll probably get the chain saw on it, nip off the root and dump it on my massive bonfire waiting to be lit on Monday, log up the rest in manageable lengths and stack them in a lean-to shack to dry out, then get the hyd log splitter on them.
Decent oak logs are not cheap these days, not sure what 4 ton of oak logs would cost, a few pennies me thinks.

 

[quattrogone]

I haven't got a hydraulic log splitter just my trusty axe
I did have some oak recently that defied my axe abilities so I ended up "cubing" it up with my old husky51 I love walking into my wood shed in the autmn and having a deep inhale the day after I've stacked a load of freshly split logs..

 

[Charlie Farley]

Oak can be a real pain to split with an axe if there are a lots of knots in logs, that's why I invested in the log splitter, just hook it up on the 3 point linkage, stick the PTO in drive and it's so much easier, 20T force versus a log, no competition ..lol

 

[quattrogone]

Stop it! I already have wood envy from the size of that "log"

 

[Charlie Farley]

you can have chap , if you come and get it...saves me messing around with it.lol

 

[Jcbmally]

Evening all,
Like many of us, I'm still working but I've had a few long overdue days off to do some essential work around the place.
Hired in myself a self-drive top tool to help do some perimeter maintenance, a long-overdue job to be honest, well about 30 years overdue..lol
we have a very important stream that passed through the property and it has to be clear otherwise the environment agency will be on the case if it gets blocked .
Anyway its a fair old length to be maintained, way to much to be done in waders with a fork with a lot of fallen trees and debris build up to address.

There has been a very large root and trunk laying over the stream for the last few years but with recent wet weather it had decided to dislodge its self and slide down in the stream and prettywell block it up.
I have a pretty good idea on the weights of tree trunks etc and reckoned this is about 4-5 ton in weight as it's oak and saturated with a root, approx 12-13 ft long aswell, pic doesn't really give atrue perspective as the excavator rake is pretty large to startwith.

There isn't access at this time of year due to the field being waterlogged so wheeled access is a non starter.
So opted for a 14t hitachi excavator, rated at about 5 ton straight lift at 3m out should be fine.
Mission accomplished and it was a lump, just need to find a new home for it along with numerous others so far this week.

sometimes bigger is better..lol
anyway, I still have a few days left to finish clearing it all and leaving things tidy and not like the Somme.

View attachment 214327

Extremely capable machine

 

[Charlie Farley]

Even has a heated seat and radio that works, almost civilised these days.

 

[Jcbmally]

Even has a heated seat and radio that works, almost civilised these days.

My last machine had air-con, but no heated seat, they do care for the digger driver now

 

[Charlie Farley]

They certainly do chap, controls are so sensitive aswell, none of this heavy handed stuff...lol
I've not used a mid sized for a few years now , last bigger one I hired was a Ackerman H7c and it was a lump and went on to become the new volvo 20T kit.

big toys for big boys..lol

not this one as such but the same model back in the early 90's

 

[quattrogone]

Looks ideal for getting a log down to Devon

 

[Charlie Farley]

Nah, fuel cost would be a tad costly otherwise i'd go for it..lol

 

[Jcbmally]

They certainly do chap, controls are so sensitive aswell, none of this heavy handed stuff...lol
I've not used a mid sized for a few years now , last bigger one I hired was a Ackerman H7c and it was a lump and went on to become the new volvo 20T kit.

big toys for big boys..lol

not this one as such but the same model back in the early 90's

Real toys for real boys

 

[Charlie Farley]

Real toys for real boys

indeedy.

 

[Jcbmally]

indeedy.

All the old school stuff was stronger as well, used to have an old Liebherr 912 rubber duck back in the day (below) and boy could it dig, granted all new stuff is easier but has to many computers, even the new HGV trucks are all auto and it's point and squirt.

 

[Charlie Farley]

All the old school stuff was stronger as well, used to have an old Liebherr 912 rubber duck back in the day (below) and boy could it dig, granted all new stuff is easier but has to many computers, even the new HGV trucks are all auto and it's point and squirt.
View attachment 214402

Agreed chap, new kit is nice and very user friendly and a pleasure to use, but a lot of it is not designed to have a long working life .
I know a few guys that are still actively working with Hymac 580c's still, they just keep on going day after day, year in year out, part gets replaced but not but last a long time.
I could never get the knack of using the 580's , I think my brain had become some programmed to the ISO layout used so widespread , I just couldn't make the change to foot control aswell.

Liebherr make top notch kit , the next level really .

 

[Charlie Farley]

I can do the SAE layout ok too, just need 10 mins to get used to the reversed layout, that said most new kit have switchable ISO to SAE systems so cater for either preferred operator layout.
I think ISO is now the accepted standard layout.

 

[Jcbmally]

I can do the SAE layout ok too, just need 10 mins to get used to the reversed layout, that said most new kit have switchable ISO to SAE systems so cater for either preferred operator layout.
I think ISO is now the accepted standard layout.

I used to get asked how I transition from one ISO to other machines such as the older 3CX SAE system, I just put it down memory muscle. With the older 3CX being in front of you my mind would work one way and obviously another way with the ISO. New 3CX now have the controls at your side and have adopted the ISO style. The one that used to throw and I would need a good 10mins on was the CAT 180 excavator because although it was ISO the control layout (in front of you) made my brain think SAE (if that makes sense.
PS, not seen a Hymac in a long time, I could talk diggers, cranes, trucks all day long.

 

[Charlie Farley]

I used to get asked how I transition from one ISO to other machines such as the older 3CX SAE system, I just put it down memory muscle. With the older 3CX being in front of you my mind would work one way and obviously another way with the ISO. New 3CX now have the controls at your side and have adopted the ISO style. The one that used to throw and I would need a good 10mins on was the CAT 180 excavator because although it was ISO the control layout (in front of you) made my brain think SAE (if that makes sense.
PS, not seen a Hymac in a long time, I could talk diggers, cranes, trucks all day long.

Yes, the 3cx SAE thing was always a brain twister for me for the first 10 mins, then i was ok, just remembering the alternate operation initially was the challenge..lol, now they are all ISO which does help with us older chaps ..


I've found one annoying thing with the 130 LCN i have on hire at the moment, i asked for a rake attachment as I'm clearing scrub and roots aswell and don't really want to move more top layer soil than need be, the rake is brill for ditching as you don't get a bucketful of water, only the debris, but the design of the rake is pretty flat with a crossbar very close to the tines, so you can't get a clean sweep through the ground as the bar acts as a blade and drags soil with it bit of pain but just requires a bit more concentrations when skimming the top layer etc.

The real pain is that at full curl it is still very flat so it's very hard to get a decent grab of anything , it just gets pulled in closer to the machine, would be fine with a thumb attachment but it doesn't have one, anyway I have changed my approach to using the rake and although it is not ideal its doing the job.
So not really a machine issue, just the attachment that is letting the side down..lol
I suspect the rake is more geared towards hardcore and rubble to be honest , not forestry type usage.

Anyway its on hire until Friday so i need to maximise its potential to warrant the hire cost.

 

[Jcbmally]

Yes, the 3cx SAE thing was always a brain twister for me for the first 10 mins, then i was ok, just remembering the alternate operation initially was the challenge..lol, now they are all ISO which does help with us older chaps ..


I've found one annoying thing with the 130 LCN i have on hire at the moment, i asked for a rake attachment as I'm clearing scrub and roots aswell and don't really want to move more top layer soil than need be, the rake is brill for ditching as you don't get a bucketful of water, only the debris, but the design of the rake is pretty flat with a crossbar very close to the tines, so you can't get a clean sweep through the ground as the bar acts as a blade and drags soil with it bit of pain but just requires a bit more concentrations when skimming the top layer etc.

The real pain is that at full curl it is still very flat so it's very hard to get a decent grab of anything , it just gets pulled in closer to the machine, would be fine with a thumb attachment but it doesn't have one, anyway I have changed my approach to using the rake and although it is not ideal its doing the job.
So not really a machine issue, just the attachment that is letting the side down..lol
I suspect the rake is more geared towards hardcore and rubble to be honest , not forestry type usage.

Anyway its on hire until Friday so i need to maximise its potential to warrant the hire cost.

Yeah sounds like they provided you with a small demolition attachment (screed) but I'm sure you'll make it work.

 

[Charlie Farley]

I'll manage..lol

 

[Pinky1959]

Why not advertise the oak on a local site or contact a local furniture maker as oak is scarce and can be expensive.

 

[Charlie Farley]

Good suggestion chap, might make a few enquires.

 

[samyam]

All the old school stuff was stronger as well, used to have an old Liebherr 912 rubber duck back in the day (below) and boy could it dig, granted all new stuff is easier but has to many computers, even the new HGV trucks are all auto and it's point and squirt.
View attachment 214402

I use a doosan rubber duck sometimes there a smooth machine. Great all rounder too


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[Charlie Farley]

I've done what i needed to do for now with the ZX and it's been a really nice bit of kit to use, very good reach aswell for a 14t machine.
Fuel consumption has been excellent compared to previous kit I've had.
It is far too wet now to move onto the next phase so that will be in the summer, may have to hire something a bit bigger for that project...

 

[samyam]

I've done what i needed to do for now with the ZX and it's been a really nice bit of kit to use, very good reach aswell for a 14t machine.
Fuel consumption has been excellent compared to previous kit I've had.
It is far too wet now to move onto the next phase so that will be in the summer, may have to hire something a bit bigger for that project...

View attachment 214572

20t cats are a nice bit of kit


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[Charlie Farley]

Yes , i've seen some recently, maybe worth a closer look ready for the summer project.

 

[Charlie Farley]

Doing the figures this evening and it's not been too bad hire wise.
The machine it's self was very reasonable for a weeks hire, £550 was pretty good , what put the final cost up was the dreaded del/col cost , Hire in ins and the VAT.
£300 haulage, £170 ins and the fuel, I used half a tank so stick on another £150 + the VAT , so approx £700 for extra cost with a all intotal of Approx £1300 ish
May sound a lot but given I had quotes to do the same work of around the £8k mark by doing the work myself it worked out really well, that said not everyone maybe happy to do some projects themselves but it doesn't worry me.
Happy days.

 

[Jcbmally]

Doing the figures this evening and it's not been too bad hire wise.
The machine it's self was very reasonable for a weeks hire, £550 was pretty good , what put the final cost up was the dreaded del/col cost , Hire in ins and the VAT.
£300 haulage, £170 ins and the fuel, I used half a tank so stick on another £150 + the VAT , so approx £700 for extra cost with a all intotal of Approx £1300 ish
May sound a lot but given I had quotes to do the same work of around the £8k mark by doing the work myself it worked out really well, that said not everyone maybe happy to do some projects themselves but it doesn't worry me.
Happy days.

Haulage/fuel is always the "extra cost" unless you know people in the industry. I get in touch with an old employer that I still do a bit for when he needs it, then it is just favour for favour. Also the benefit of delivery, use, collection is all done by me.
I also use a well know hire companies up my end and TBF the haulage is always reasonable but I do have a good relationship with them.

 

[samyam]

Doing the figures this evening and it's not been too bad hire wise.
The machine it's self was very reasonable for a weeks hire, £550 was pretty good , what put the final cost up was the dreaded del/col cost , Hire in ins and the VAT.
£300 haulage, £170 ins and the fuel, I used half a tank so stick on another £150 + the VAT , so approx £700 for extra cost with a all intotal of Approx £1300 ish
May sound a lot but given I had quotes to do the same work of around the £8k mark by doing the work myself it worked out really well, that said not everyone maybe happy to do some projects themselves but it doesn't worry me.
Happy days.

Flannerys is quite steep on the haulage £300 haulage isn’t to bad and £550 for a week is cheap


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