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First thinnings diy anyone?

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  • 07-10-2020 3:19pm
    #1
    blue5000
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 12,627 Mod ✭✭✭✭


    I have about 12 acres of trees, mostly sitka and norway spruce which will need thinning in the next 2 years approx. I'd like to do it myself.

    Main reason is during winter once cattle are fed the workload is light.
    2nd reason is that it's on cutaway peat and if an 18ton harvester and 20 ton forwarder go in there they'll leave ruts 3 foot deep and trees either side of the racks will be stunted.
    3rd reason is simply that there's feckall left for growers from first thinnings after everyone else has been paid.

    Any thoughts?

    If the seat's wet, sit on yer hat, a cool head is better than a wet ar5e.



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    #2
    Large bottle small glass
    Registered Users Posts: 1,721 ✭✭✭Large bottle small glass


    blue5000 wrote: »
    I have about 12 acres of trees, mostly sitka and norway spruce which will need thinning in the next 2 years approx. I'd like to do it myself.

    Main reason is during winter once cattle are fed the workload is light.
    2nd reason is that it's on cutaway peat and if an 18ton harvester and 20 ton forwarder go in there they'll leave ruts 3 foot deep and trees either side of the racks will be stunted.
    3rd reason is simply that there's feckall left for growers from first thinnings after everyone else has been paid.

    Any thoughts?

    You would want to like hardship!

    I did it for 5 out 14 acres of spruce in or around 2013. I'm self employed and my work isn't physical so I used it as an outdoor gym/headspace activity.

    I worked in wood every Saturday and either Friday or Monday. Once I got a rythm going it was grand and I enjoyed it.

    5 days a week would be pretty grim. Would you have help?

    Lots of heavy lifting if you are taking out lines. Spruce is heavy as fook when fresh.

    I paid a chainsaw contractor to do the other 9.

    My primary reason for doing it was to limit the damage to wood.

    I stacked on runners and dried wood in yard and it sold very easy locally 2 years after cutting.

    A good felling bar is a must.

    Best of luck


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    #3
    blue5000
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 12,627 Mod ✭✭✭✭blue5000


    What do you use to haul it out? I love hardship:D:D

    If the seat's wet, sit on yer hat, a cool head is better than a wet ar5e.



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    #4
    Large bottle small glass
    Registered Users Posts: 1,721 ✭✭✭Large bottle small glass


    blue5000 wrote: »
    What do you use to haul it out? I love hardship:D:D

    Small tractor and trailer.

    Around edges I cut and split into ibc cages and hauled to yard

    On hardship, I did it all fasted! Was into ultra distance cycling at time and used it for fat adaptation.

    In wood at 7.30 work until 3 with just water.

    Meal time wasn't pretty after that!

    It won't make you rich but it'll make you strong!


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    #5
    893bet
    Registered Users Posts: 8,770 ✭✭✭893bet


    Forest is grim in the winter. Dark and wet and miserable.

    Life is too short for that hardship IMO. It will take 5 times aslong as you think.

    Agree there is nothing left for the farmer after it though once the haulage and harvester is paid. Have you a licence?


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    #6
    blue5000
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 12,627 Mod ✭✭✭✭blue5000


    893bet wrote: »
    Forest is grim in the winter. Dark and wet and miserable.

    Life is too short for that hardship IMO. It will take 5 times aslong as you think.

    Agree there is nothing left for the farmer after it though once the haulage and harvester is paid. Have you a licence?

    No, they're scarce and taking a long time to get due to some serial objector, I'm in the process of drawing up a 10 yr one.

    If the seat's wet, sit on yer hat, a cool head is better than a wet ar5e.



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    #7
    Large bottle small glass
    Registered Users Posts: 1,721 ✭✭✭Large bottle small glass


    blue5000 wrote: »
    No, they're scarce and taking a long time to get due to some serial objector, I'm in the process of drawing up a 10 yr one.

    You'll be waiting so; my application is in since August 19 and not a word since. I've asked and complained but to no avail.

    There was talk of reform of the appeal process and ecologists being hired from some Green Party senator who is now a junior minister with a forestry brief. Who knows.

    If it was me, I'd start now and do a small section and see how difficult it is. 12 acres is a lot, see how long 1 acre takes and go from there.

    Winter or the cooler parts of Spring/Autumn are the only time to do it. It's hard work you will not be cold, but when weather is warm you will be drenched in sweat. For calorie burn per hour hardly anything compares to cutting and handling wood.

    I did my ash wood by hand over about 6 months, it was way easier by comparison to working with spruce

    Either way get your application in asap.


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    #8
    blue5000
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 12,627 Mod ✭✭✭✭blue5000


    Actually I find it nice and cool in there on hot afternoons. I have an inspection path (2m high) done all the way round it, about 50m in from the edge. It's perpindicular to where the racks will be.

    I've also started high pruning the best of the NS up to about 3m. All done with a pruning saw. It's amazing the difference a path makes in young spruce. I think it's as important as a roadway before first thinning. SS is tougher to do by hand.
    Photo is in NS.
    528647.jpg

    If the seat's wet, sit on yer hat, a cool head is better than a wet ar5e.



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    #9
    CJhaughey
    Registered Users Posts: 14,906 ✭✭✭✭CJhaughey


    blue5000 wrote: »
    Actually I find it nice and cool in there on hot afternoons. I have an inspection path (2m high) done all the way round it, about 50m in from the edge. It's perpindicular to where the racks will be.

    I've also started high pruning the best of the NS up to about 3m. All done with a pruning saw. It's amazing the difference a path makes in young spruce. I think it's as important as a roadway before first thinning. SS is tougher to do by hand.
    Photo is in NS.
    I can see why you would do that with a pruning saw, doing that with a petrol saw would choke you with that little air movement.
    Strong case there for a battery saw, the ones with the battery backpack would be great for all day use but not as handy as the handheld battery pack type


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    #10
    timfromtang
    Registered Users Posts: 557 ✭✭✭timfromtang


    blue5000 wrote: »
    I have about 12 acres of trees, mostly sitka and norway spruce which will need thinning in the next 2 years approx. I'd like to do it myself.

    Main reason is during winter once cattle are fed the workload is light.
    2nd reason is that it's on cutaway peat and if an 18ton harvester and 20 ton forwarder go in there they'll leave ruts 3 foot deep and trees either side of the racks will be stunted.
    3rd reason is simply that there's feckall left for growers from first thinnings after everyone else has been paid.

    Any thoughts?
    Howdy Blue,,

    Sounds like a good plan to me.
    Like others have warned its possible you will experience desperate hardship, BUT, you will know you are doing it right when its easy.
    Brain before brawn the operation is simple enough.
    The RIGHT tools make all the difference.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xX9Xj0faq3g
    BRASH MATS, everywhere you will drive VERY important, easy enough if you fell carefully.


    If you do the thinning and present the crop nicely at the roadside then all of the money that would have gone to contractors is yours for your hardship, barring the €10 a ton or so for haulage.


    What tools do you have for moving timber? winch? crane? front loader?


    Give me a call if you like, thinning ourselves worked well for us here in Tang in 2013.


    tim

    www.youtube.com/c/timfromtang

    Fuinseog abú



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