Chestnut Coppice

Ballard · Post by **Ballard** » 18 Aug 2008, 21:44

Mike, is that you off to work in the woods again...

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=KHDoD-r9I ... re=related

JohnB · Post by **JohnB** » 18 Aug 2008, 21:49

mikepepler wrote:cherry picker? Ha! The next thing I'm going to get is one of these:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89L8ZEC14Ec

One of what? For reasons I can't state in public (having been told off by Tess at Kenneals event for saying it too often

), I can't watch videos

Post by **mikepepler** » 18 Aug 2008, 22:16

JohnB wrote:One of what? For reasons I can't state in public (having been told off by Tess at Kenneals event for saying it too often ), I can't watch videos

Erm, OK, I'll try and describe it.

It looks like a large JCB, but instead of a scoop on the end of its arm it has a complicated piece of machinery with wheels, clamps, saws and lots of hydraulics.

It drives up to a tree, clamps round it, cuts through the base of it in a couple of seconds, then lifts the whole thing up and tips it over. The tree is then whisked back and forth through the machine, skinning the bark off, and a saw cuts logs off, again taking a couple of seconds to rip through the truck.

Oh, and the video Ballard posted is a similar thing, but instead of caterpillar tracks it moves along on six legs - I kid you not!

JonB · Post by **JonB** » 18 Aug 2008, 22:46

mikepepler wrote:[
It drives up to a tree, clamps round it, cuts through the base of it in a couple of seconds, then lifts the whole thing up and tips it over. The tree is then whisked back and forth through the machine, skinning the bark off, and a saw cuts logs off, again taking a couple of seconds to rip through the truck.

Oh, and the video Ballard posted is a similar thing, but instead of caterpillar tracks it moves along on six legs - I kid you not!

Slowly, and surely, they drew their plans against us...

JohnB · Post by **JohnB** » 18 Aug 2008, 22:48

mikepepler wrote:It looks like a large JCB, but instead of a scoop on the end of its arm it has a complicated piece of machinery with wheels, clamps, saws and lots of hydraulics.

It drives up to a tree, clamps round it, cuts through the base of it in a couple of seconds, then lifts the whole thing up and tips it over. The tree is then whisked back and forth through the machine, skinning the bark off, and a saw cuts logs off, again taking a couple of seconds to rip through the truck.

Oh, and the video Ballard posted is a similar thing, but instead of caterpillar tracks it moves along on six legs - I kid you not!

Oh, one of those. They're fascinating to watch. Haven't seen Ballard's one on legs though.

I saw a neat little forwarder for small woods a few years ago. Probably much more fun than a horse

Post by **kenneal - lagger** » 18 Aug 2008, 23:44

mikepepler wrote:cherry picker? Ha! The next thing I'm going to get is one of these:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89L8ZEC14Ec

Chain saw and draw knife doesn't use so much fuel though.

RevdTess · Post by **RevdTess** » 19 Aug 2008, 09:17

JohnB wrote:
mikepepler wrote:cherry picker? Ha! The next thing I'm going to get is one of these:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89L8ZEC14Ec

One of what? For reasons I can't state in public (having been told off by Tess at Kenneals event for saying it too often ), I can't watch videos

Hah!

RevdTess · Post by **RevdTess** » 19 Aug 2008, 09:25

That 6-legged thing looks scary! Surely they could make it autonomous? 'Go chop that forest, and any hippies you find there...'

RenewableCandy · Post by **RenewableCandy** » 19 Aug 2008, 19:36

mikepepler wrote:cherry picker? Ha! The next thing I'm going to get is one of these:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89L8ZEC14Ec

Oh now that's just barking...

emordnilap · Post by **emordnilap** » 20 Aug 2008, 09:43

Ballard wrote:Mike, is that you off to work in the woods again...

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=KHDoD-r9I ... re=related

Can anyone tell me the point of that machine?

RenewableCandy wrote:
mikepepler wrote:cherry picker? Ha! The next thing I'm going to get is one of these:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89L8ZEC14Ec

Oh now that's just barking...

Scary yoke, that, innit? It snips the tree like giant secateurs while 'processing' it. Very neat. If you must process large amounts of trees, this must be fairly efficient, though. Worth reserving some fossil fuel for. Two tall trees per minute, crikey.

Vortex · Post by **Vortex** » 20 Aug 2008, 10:15

A modern high speed route to Easter Island.

Post by **kenneal - lagger** » 20 Aug 2008, 16:28

emordnilap wrote:Can anyone tell me the point of that machine?

Compacting the ground I should think.

JohnB · Post by **JohnB** » 20 Aug 2008, 23:44

I've seen the really big ones at work in pine forests on Exmoor. They cut big tracks through the trees to work from, and leave mud everywhere. When they've finished the area looks pretty devastated, but after a year or so the land seems to have recovered pretty well. They were doing selective felling, rather than clear felling, and could remove the selected trees without affecting the ones to be left. It's a pretty impressive sight, and a bit creepy when they're working in the dark with powerful lights.

Post by **mikepepler** » 24 Aug 2008, 08:56

I think the idea of the one on legs is that it can get to places that the tracked ones can't. Not sure though, as I've never seen one or talked to anyone who's used one. Perhaps the damage to the ground is less than with tracks, in the same way that horses are preferred to tractors?

I don't think I'll ever be using anything that burns that much fossil fuel though....

RevdTess · Post by **RevdTess** » 24 Aug 2008, 10:43

This video makes the purpose of the one with legs more clear
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CD2V8GFqk_Y&NR=1