Carbide Chainsaw Blade

[beenthere]

What may I ask are you cutting railroad ties into? 

[Al_Smith]

Say,on those ties you need good old fashion chipper chain . I'm not talking semi chisel but the real McCoy round nosed chipper like was used 30 years ago .

That stuff will take the abuse .Of course it won't cut nails or rocks but it will go through those creosote soaked oak ties .

Kind of odd with ties .Even a 30 year old soaked sleeper smells just like red oak when you are pulling chips from it .

[olyman]

problem is al, those dang ties have lots of the rocks used on the bed in them. i have some of the chain you speak of. stillllllll doesnt work!! decorative use, and heat-

[brazesaw]

Maybe a build up of tar on the chainsaw teeth prevented the saw from cutting through those railroad ties ?
When i seen railroad ties , they always look black like coated in tar.

And second thought , the cutting pitch on the circular saw maybe better for that job,

Because I think that carbide chainsaw should of flew right through those ties?

Or the wood could be to hard and dry for a chainsaw??

[Al_Smith]

Creosote soaked oak isn't hard like a rock or anything .

I know what he's talking about with regards to the rocks which would be regional .

Around here they use #4 balite which is hard as granite limestone for ballast .It won't powder up and break like soft stone and as such normally the ties are clean of imbeded rock shards .

Actually I've cut quit a few ties and it does dull the chains but not like some people experiance . Danged creosote gets in your eyes though ,yuck .

[olyman]

Because I think that carbide chainsaw should of flew right through those ties?

Or the wood could be to hard and dry for a chainsaw??
[/quote]   i didnt have carbide chain. just regular type e carlton, rounded tooth.  i can cut dry ash and oak with this chain, no problem. not a lot of creosote left in these ties, till you get right in the center. and lots of sand in them also, which really likes chain!!!!!!

[brazesaw]

Nasty sounding wood to cut, is creosote a wood preservative or a pesticide.

I have seen some used ties in a rail yard, I'll ask them how they cut their ties.

would rail road ties be good for raised gardens or for retaining walls ?

[olyman]

Nasty sounding wood to cut, is creosote a wood preservative or a pesticide.

I have seen some used ties in a rail yard, I'll ask them how they cut their ties.

would rail road ties be good for raised gardens or for retaining walls ?

preservative..... seen lots of them used for raised gardens, and retaining walls. retaining walls just have to be backset about 1 inch everytime you raise it one, or the wall will eventually come over--

[mike_van]

Nasty sounding wood to cut, is creosote a wood preservative or a pesticide.

I have seen some used ties in a rail yard, I'll ask them how they cut their ties.

would rail road ties be good for raised gardens or for retaining walls ?

                                                                                              Creosote is a wood perservative & bug repellant.  Carpenter ants will excavate in it for nests though.  Most people I know don't want chemical treated wood for raised beds, I sell them locust.   As long as the retaining wall isn't right up to your home, as some of the creosote  will bleed out in the hot sun. It does stink.     Forgot to add - At work [power company] for years we had one of those Wright saws, with the big 16" reciprocating blade instead of a chain. It  didn't cut as fast as a chain, but stayed sharp longer.