Bales and Logs Farming Simulator 17 Guide
Last update: 31 October 2016
Wood can be sold in form of short, 2-3metre pieces, or longer which are up to 8m, or even as whole trees (after previous cleaning). You can sell whole trees even without cleaning, but you'll receive less money for them, so you should consider spending little time to maintain good quality. The better option is to process wood into woodchips, but this may not appeal to everyone, and some players are faster in acquiring and selling trees rather than woodchips. Below you will find steps that need to be undertaken in order to process the wood using appropriate machines, and prepare it for sale.
1. Cutting
You can start cutting trees right after starting the game. You just have to acquire two tools: a chainsaw (1000$) - any company you want - additionally, front loader with an attachment to cut the trees (Tree saw DFM TR3200 in Forestry Equipment tab - 5 400$).
The cheapest option looks like this: you cut a tree (cut at an angle, so its slides off the trunk by its own), remove the twigs and cut them into pieces, about 2-3 meters in length, depending on the thickness of the tree. This is done so you can pick them up with your hands - it's the fastest way of loading in this phase of the game. If you managed to buy a wood crane (attached to trailer or in cheaper option:: a Log Fork as an attachment to front loader - 800$) you can try to load bigger pieces - longer (and straight!) pieces yield more money.
Loading small pieces with your bare hands and selling them is not profitable, but doesn't require extra equipment. If you have a loader, load longer pieces, around 5m. Small pieces should be made into woodchips - more on this in the next chapter.
When you want to get your tree cutting game to the next level, you can buy special wood harvesters - Sampo Rosenlew HR46X for 188 000$. With one use, such device cuts a tree, cleans it, and cuts into pieces with set length (1-6m). However, it cannot handle the biggest trees - these require Ponsse ScorpionKing for 317 000$.
2. Freight
The second basic item is the semi-trailer. If you can handle it, you can use Fliegl 180, the cheapest trailer for transporting bales (cost - 12 000$, Baling Technology tab), however a semi-trailer from the Forestry Equipment tab - Fliegl Timber Runner (17 000$), as its cheap and allows transporting even the whole trees. Next stop is a good loader so you can use your semi-trailer comfortably - a front loader by the tractor is insufficient for comfortable loading. Other approach is marked by Stepa FHL 13 AK (54 000$) - its huge advantage is the ability to modify it for transporting bales of hay or wood bales, so it's much more versatile. It also sports a lift that will allow transporting pieces up to 5 meters.
Watch out for Wheel Loaders. They have very large forks for wood that are not intended for loading single parts, but more at once - people beginning their adventure with wood should buy a Telehandler.
Remember to park the trailer on possibly the most flat area so the wood doesn't fall off. If your vehicle park include Stepa semi-trailer, start with spreading the supports to maintain stability. Start loading - whether it is lengthwise or crosswise, it doesn't matter - however more smaller pieces will fit if you load the wood crosswise. Make sure that the pieces don't stick out of the trailer - you may hook against other vehicles/objects. Don't forget to fasten the whole load with safety belts. When you loaded the cargo crosswise, the belts doesn't stick to the wood and doesn't look stable, but the whole load is perfectly steady.
3. Unloading and Sell
Unloading takes place in the Sawmill. There are three methods of unloading available: throw the wood on the area marked by yellow color, as similar to other wares you may bring to the purchase spot. You can also use the method from the previous installment - throw the whole load to the water in the designated spot by the sawmill. You can use a train (controlled by you) to transport the wood to the sawmill (only in Goldcrest Valley). Every option yields similar results when it comes to money. You don't need to unload steady and carefully - just drop the whole load (don't forget to remove safety belts) to the chosen zone.
Prices (normal difficulty level):
- Pieces that are cut by a manual chainsaw (2-3m) and loaded by hand can net around 100-200$ for one piece;
- For evenly cut 5m bales (as thin as Sampo Rosenlew HR46X allows it) you'll receive around 250-350$;
- Common (around 20cm in girth, 10m in length) trees delivered as a whole - 500-1000$;
- For the biggest and most thick trees (poplars, as seen on the screenshot above), cut in 5m pieces - 1500-3 000$;
Important - if you deliver trees as a whole, remember to clean them with a chainsaw before delivering. For uncleaned trees (with twigs) the reward is 50% less than usual!
As you can see, the price range is quite wide. Remember that the more time you devote to forestry, your abilities will rise accordingly, and the time required for every action will be lower. When your employees are taking care of farming, you can take care of your financial stability by gathering wood. The prices are constant, so there aren't any special directives when and how much you need to deliver to the sawmill.
3a. JENZ HE 700 StA
Such device is available for buy in the objects section for 72 000$, with a daily maintenance cost of 140$. This machine allows selling wood at a distance. The wood is made into woodchips, but you don't need to transport them, and the payout is about 10% higher. Only problem is the need to put every single log in the machine and looking after it so it gets fully grinded. If you are planning to transport large quantities of wood, you'll delivering them to the sawmill will be quicker than grinding every single log.
4. Summary and Tips
Forestry is not as profitable as it was in Farming Simulator 15. It's a good activity when you've finally managed to automatize your agricultural section. However, keep these few points in mind, so your profits and comfort stay high:
- Always deliver clean wood, without twigs;
- Wood pieces that are longer, thicker, and simpler always yield more money;
- To have an easy start-up, you can use this trick - cut trees located by the sawmill, clean them, and transport them quickly (using the cheapest front loader) to the water by the sawmill;
- Always remember to use safety belts on the semi-trailer;
- Use telescopic loaders in the later phases of the game, or cranes built in the forestry machines for highest enjoyment.
- Small wood pieces and remains can be mop up and processed into woodchips
- If you are planning to use a cleared area, remember to remove tree trunks.