THOUSANDS flocked to Scone Palace in Perthshire last month for the return of the Scottish Game Fair.
The event is renowned for its wide array of more than 450 exhibitors. Those with an interest in trees and timber could find some interesting stands along Woodland Row.
Leading the pack was mobile sawmiller and Wood-Mizer agent Keith Threadgall, showcasing his LT70 with regular demonstrations.
“It’s got a petrol engine, will cut up to 6.1 metres long and handle up to a 95 cm diameter log,” said Keith. “It has a wireless remote, which means I’m free to walk around the machine while it’s in use, keep away from the sawdust and view the cut from different angles. It’s very user-friendly.”
Keith, who in the days previous to the show had taken the LT70 to Dunoon and Balmoral to mill timber for customers there, demonstrated its ‘user-friendly’ credentials by letting visitors take the remote control and try for themselves.
He said: “Today we’re milling some Scots pine and larch into cladding for a local customer. I’m hoping to meet people from estates who have an interest in contract sawmilling or potentially buying a sawmill from us. There are a lot of estates in Scotland that could use one of these machines.”
At the other end of the scale, a Kellfri SV500B sawmill was among the range available to view on the PJ Gaul stand.
Describing it as a ‘starter mill’, Alan Gaul said: “It’s really aimed at the domestic user, someone who has some timber lying around and wants to make some use of it. It’ll do up to a 50 cm diameter log. It’s a very basic manual system, but it’ll go up to a five-metre deck.”
Other products, aimed at small woodland owners and arborists, included circular saws, log grabs, loaders and tipping trailers.
Situated between PJ Gaul and Keith’s Wood-Mizer tent was No More Digging, an innovative alternative to concrete foundations using galvanized steel ground screws.
Joiner Chris Taylor discovered the product after searching for a more eco-friendly method to install garden rooms.
He said: “It seemed ridiculous to be offering customers an eco-friendly, locally sourced garden room and then sticking a load of concrete in the ground. No More Digging not only uses 80-per-cent less carbon than concrete, but can also be installed much faster, increasing overall construction.”
The product has been put to work on all manner of projects, including garden rooms, house extensions, solar arrays and nature reserve walkways.
“I think it would be great for doing signs and fencing across forestry estates,” said Chris. “It’s much more eco-friendly, using way less carbon, and doesn’t impact the ground. I think it really lends itself to forestry.”
Meanwhile, drawing attention to the RTS stand was a fully kitted out Valtra N154 with forestry guarding, Botex crane and KRPAN winches – a recent purchase from Jas P Wilson for arb contractor Ralph Yeaman Jr.
“The majority of my work is tree climbing, which I love, but I’ve been buying up more machinery lately, including a mulcher and stump grinder,” he said. “The Valtra is ideal for carrying out work on dangerous trees and it has led to me doing some bigger jobs, including for RTS.”
The Scottish Game Fair will return in 2025.
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