Deon Boynton is the first and only operator in the world running the brand new Woodsman Pro Tree Harvester 560 small wood/thinnings head when the NZ Logger Iron Test team arrives at the Jensen Logging operation in Kaingaroa Forest.
The owners at Jensen Logging have been so impressed by its performance that they have already ordered a second 560 from the Rotorua-based manufacturers and it's easy to see why.
Usually when we ask if a regular operator noticed anything different on their new gadget there is a pause as they remember back to that day the transporter rocked up and how they felt when they first powered it up and ran through the motions. With Deon there is no hesitation about the John Deere 803 and Woodsman Pro 560 combo.
“A lot more gruntier,” he smiles.
Of course, the Iron Test team wants to know if that is the saw, the feed or the grip?
“All of it. When I’m forming a skid on day one in a new block I just grab trees and rip them out of the ground with this. This head holds real good. The saw is gruntier than what I have used previously. The feed is gruntier. The delimbing is one pass and it’s clean. You can also adjust your speeds on this one which is good for fine-tuning. And the self-tensioning chain is good too.”
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