Having passed class 2 just over 2 years ago and class 1 , 4 months ago I’ve been driving arctics about 2 days a week since ( the rest of the time ro/ ro skip loader )
Any I handed in my notice today and next Monday start on round timber haulage out of the forest to power station , pulp mill etc
Really chuffed to get the job as he really wanted someone with crane experience , but I had a play with the timber crane when I went to see him on Saturday which was fun if a bit daunting at first
I will be out 4 or 5 nights so need to get organised with night out gear stove etc …
The unit will have a fridge and possibly microwave
I think I might get a solar shower too if I have to night out in the forest
Just glad we don’t get bears in the woods over here
Anyway anyone got any good advice , I have seen the excellent diary by dingo , which partly inspired me to apply for the job
About time we had a new " dingo diary " I think
If it’s like most of the timber guys round here you’ll need good off-road skills, and a CB radio; you might find the truck’s already got one fitted. So that you can keep in touch with the other guys and not bash into them in the forest, BTW.
Wouldn’t bother with the solar shower; the clue’s in the name, they need sunlight to work and even in summer you won’t be finished too much before sunset on that job!
Cheers side valve , well I’m used to landfill sites and sodden building sites so I’m ok with the offroad bit , at least with double drive …
No doubt it’s totally different with 6x2 tractor unit and tri axle trailer , the unit will be either a Volvo or scania with tag axle .
At least we have the long daylight hours and dry (hopefully )weather to get to grips with it all !
Well I though the solar shower was a good idea We might have a day or two when sunshine
Cheers mike
Noo speedy guy that’s matchwood I Will be carrying proper treewood.
Ha carry fast yes it’s the F88 Volvo , well not really but know th e one you mean or is it a scania with the crane over the cab
Mick , yea I will update as to how I’m getting on , maybe even pics too
Can you do a photo diary topic on here? It’s this kind of job I’d like to see more of and there just arn’t enough topics about stuff like this. Part of my work is for a firewood traider and we process up to 1500t which all comes in via one owner driver from Somerset. So apart from having a genuine interest in your particular job, anything which involves machinery other than the truck and/or is off road is of interest to me.
Hi NRT, I’ will try to do a diary might be a week or two tho ,need to get settled in first . will take a couple of weeks to get half decent with the crane but will try to get a pic or two up for a start …
Have a look at dingo’s posts they are very good diarys , if you haven’t already .
I used to brick and block and enjoyed it too. We did have another haulier in last week with timber, think the haulier was somebody Williams? I was not there that day but was told it was a pretty new Volvo with in-cab tyre pressure adjustment. Fancy!
Maybe contact bubsy on here. He does timber down that way, but can’t think for who off the top of my head.
Most importantly, take it easy (to start with at least). A tag axle unit is different to drive than a normal unit, especially with off road tyres. You can get sea sick going round corners!
Just be thankful you don’t have midges in your party of the world!
Thanks HS ,
All taken on board , I have driven a scania with the tag axle up briefly does take a a bit of getting used too for sure
Luckily no midges down his way , at least I hope not !
I spent a day with a timber haulier in South Wales some years ago.
My main surprise was how disorganised the job was…for instance it seemed they could have instigated a one-way system in the woods but didn’t, so, as said, you need a CB radio to try and find out where the other trucks are because there usually isn’t enough room to pass on the forest roads.
Don’t let the back end of the trailer fall off the road into the ditch (this happens quite often apparently).
And (important for the summer) most of the forest roads are used by the public…watch out for mountain bikes etc.
With my motorcycling head on, I remember a particularly fraught day when an enduro (like a car rally only for bikes) was being run in a forest and there was a timber truck ‘swimming against the tide’ of motorbikes doing 60 mph down a forest track. The forestry management hadn’t thought to cease operations while the event was in progress.
So, expect the unexpected.
All that aside, it seemed like an interesting job, albeit it’s bloody cold operating that crane when it’s snowing. One thing’s for sure, you’ll never be bored doing it!
Although I was in timber in Scotland and you won’t experience midges, a bit of advice…
If you have a burst oil pipe, that you are busy fixing, you will probably have a large spanner in your hand. Remember this when flapping your hand about your face to clear the midges.
I forgot. I ended up on my arse in a ditch with a sore head.
happysack:
Although I was in timber in Scotland and you won’t experience midges, a bit of advice…
If you have a burst oil pipe, that you are busy fixing, you will probably have a large spanner in your hand. Remember this when flapping your hand about your face to clear the midges.
I forgot. I ended up on my arse in a ditch with a sore head.
One of those times you’re really glad someone wasn’t filming you on his mobile…pity though.
As GasGas said,watch the trailer as the tracks camber off sharply and if you get the trailer wheels off the crown of the road the trailer will fall in.
Remember too that you will have a high centre of gravity so steady on the corners fella.
Something you need to bear in mind too,especially if it’s just been fell is that the sap will be up and this means two things…it will be heavier but more importantly it will be as slippery as ■■■■. There’s a vid on here of someone barrelling down a slip road with standing traffic at the side of him and then having to clap them on…if you drove like that prick with a load of logs they would have been through the cab.
As above,the sap coming out of logs just now means its like trying to pick up fish,don’t open the grab up fully when you go to pick logs up, about 3quarters open is perfect,that way when you close the grab the jaws will touch and nowt will fall out and smash something,oh aye,you will smash something,probably a wing or 2,odd tail light on unit,everybody does,pipes will burst,tyre fitters will become your best mates,tempers will fray,knuckles will get skinned changing burst pipes etc and it will be 6months minimum before you start feeling confident.Don’t worry about how quickly you load or how tidy it looks,that all improves through time.Keep plugging away and eventually you’ll be doing one of the best jobs out there,a real drivers job
We might have a day or two when sunshine 
, well not really but know th e one you mean or is it a scania with the crane over the cab 
