Based in Bayswater, Victoria, Bluey’s Tree Removals services Melbourne’s eastern suburbs, the city itself, and the Dandenong region. These days Bluey’s Tree Removals does most of its work for commercial clients and runs the equipment it needs for commercial operations. As the company grows, the focus on larger and heavier machinery is increasing. The company’s equipment includes trucks, chippers, excavators, stump grinders, and a skid-steer loader.
Owner Paul Robinson has recently added a couple of attachments from Forest Centre: a Vosch grapple saw and a Westtech Woodcracker splitting grapple. Although the new attachments are recent additions, Paul is clearly very happy with both.
happy with Forest Centre and his new
Vosch grapple saw and a Westtech
Woodcracker splitting grapple.
Westtech Woodcracker splitting grapple
The Westtech is especially interesting. It’s a new name in the Forest Centre catalogue, and if Paul’s reaction is anything to go by, Westtech will be around for a long time to come.
“It performs great!” said Paul, referring to his W1350 with 360-degree rotation, which is designed specifically for breaking down large-diameter tree sections for ease of further processing.
“We get logs back from the job and they’re no good for the sawmill and we don’t deal with firewood. They used to be a bit of a pest. Now we just get out the Westtech, split ’em all up and run ’em through the chipper. That’s it. Job’s done. We don’t have to worry about anything.
“We’ve had the Woodcracker for at least six months, or maybe a bit longer. It goes on the 10-ton excavator, and we’re getting an adaptor made to put it on the 15-tonner.”
Vosch rotating grapple saw
When tackling serious clearing works, Paul has found his new Vosch rotating grapple saw to be an asset in every way.
“I’ve had to get my head around how to utilise the Vosch best. Once you do that, you suddenly realise just how much it can do,” Paul explained.
“I’m doing undercuts and top cuts on sections of big cypress trees that are way too big to hang on to. But with the Vosch I can just cut ’em up high and let ’em come off the tree. I never would’ve thought I could do all the things I can with it.
“Now it just comes down to the operator being good enough to do what the saw can do and understand the capabilities.”
It’s the versatility of the Vosch grapple which has caught Paul’s attention. That and the safety aspects of its use.
“It’s very, very handy,’ he said.
“It’s especially good for trees on the ground. We’re dropping cypress trees that are 100-foot high and four- or fivefoot diameter at the base, and you’ve got multiple leaders. With the Vosch I don’t need to put anyone in there with a chainsaw. I just pick the whole tree apart, basically back to a trunk, and I do the whole thing from sitting in the cabin. No one’s trying to climb over branches, no one’s worried about it rolling over, no one’s getting in pinch points or crush zones or anything like that. It gets the whole OH&S side of it under control…I don’t have to worry about anyone being in there. That’s a huge advantage. Not just when trees are in the air, but when they’re on the ground. No one’s in harm’s way, and it’s just so much more efficient.”
the Vosch grapple are eye-openers.
Service
Forest Centre has played a big part in Paul’s satisfaction in his purchasing decision, and Forest Centre Sales Manager Rey Kell is clearly focussed on customer service.
“Rey’s been great!” grinned Paul.
“I can ring him pretty much any time within reason, and he just makes himself available. And he knows the products, which is really helpful. There’s nothing worse than ringing people who’ve got no idea.
“We’ve run a few ideas past him with a few different options we’ve been looking at for the company, and he’s been really good – really helpful with everything.
“I certainly can’t complain about anything with Forest Centre.”
It looks as though Bluey’s Tree Removals and Forest Centre are a firm alliance, and will be for the foreseeable future.
Find out more at forestcentre.com.au and blueystreeremovals.com.au.
Bayswater, Victoria, does most of its
work for commercial clients.