CONFOR woodland show 2015

[Toby Allen]

To help you plan your day here is the schedule for the Forestry Workers Zone, pop in and say hello.

Stand D5

Outside the tent will be free tea and coffee, a classifieds board, somewhere to hang out and the competitions to win the SUGI HARA bars and chain from Chainsawbars.co.uk.
There will also be 2 very brave people encouraging you to join in with simple back and neck exercises we should be doing to prevent back strain.

In the tent-
Thursday
9am Toby Allen- Continuous Improvement and Kaizen
10am NCFED-Opportunities for hazel coppice
11am Peter Harmer- Harvester and horses, the implications of using different machines.
12pm Chris Hughes- Managing risk on site the easy way, practical steps to keep safe.
1pm Dave Rossney- Felling efficiency and ergonomic handling.
2pm Gillian Clark- FISA update
3pm Helen from GIB - How to obtain Grown in Britain licensing.
4pm Steve Fowkes - The new Forestry Apprentice Scheme and how you can help.


Friday
9.30 Toby Allen- Continuous Improvement
10am NCFED- News and update from the coppice federation.
11am Dave Rossney- Felling efficiency and ergonomic handling.
12pm Peter Harmer- The dynamics and implications of different harvesting methods
1pm Chris Hughes- Managing risk on site the easy way.
2.30pm Q+A panel - with the theme of 'How we can improve efficiency, profitability and safety' bring along your questions for the panel.
3.30 pm-Competition results, feedback session and suggestions for the future.


See you there.

[Wendelspanswick]

Did anyone go today?
I'm off there tomorrow so any tips on what to lookout for are gratefully received.

[Wendelspanswick]

Well I had a good, if dusty, time yesterday. A really good day with lots of big boys toys. Had a chance to get up close and personal with the Woodmizer, the Norwood and a Polish offering, the Track-Met, imported by Old Station Yard Sawmill.
If I had to choose between the Woodmizer and the Norwood I would go for the Norwood but overall the Track-Met beats them hands down, the construction of the saw being more heavy duty and geared for industrial use. They are all priced similarly but the downside is the Trak-Met is electric only so further investment in a genset would be needed.

I got a free Stihl hat, bought a few logging bits, made an appointment with an advisor for the Countryside Stewardship Grant Scheme and generally made some good networking contacts.

It's also firmed up my decision to go for the Woodlands Mill sawmill as my entry level introduction to bandsaw milling. I plan to buy the basic model (£3000 including vat), and use and improve the saw (mounting it on a trailer will be one modification, plans are on the website) till I outgrow it and then trade up if needed.

[PamD]

Interesting post. I would have liked to go to the show but could not get away from work. I am also looking at an entry level bandsaw mill and liked the Woodlands Mill sawmill. It had good reviews on Arbtalk. Did they have a Timbery 100 from Woodmizer on display as well?

Would be interested to know what made you decide on the Woodlands Mill and if there is a distributor or demo unit I can go and view in Kent.

I will not mount it on a trailer so will just assemble it at the tree and move the milled planks.