Chipper chain

[joe_indi]

Is it possible to run a chipper chain of 18" on a MS460 or MS660 without overloading the saw?
Would it have any advantages or disadvantages compared to a full chisel chain?

[Kevin]

The Stihl site recommends

RECOMMENDED RANGE
OF GUIDE BAR LENGTHS
   40 to 90 cm (16" to 36")
STIHL ROLLOMATIC® ES

for the 660.

The only advantage chipper has over chisel is staying sharper longer in dirty wood but it doesn't perform as well as chisel in clean wood.

[Al_Smith]

I don't know where or if you can even find genuine chipper chain any more . What most people call chipper is actually semi chisel .This has a squared side and a rounded tooth but real chipper is roundish all the way .

Somewhere in my tons of junk I have around 40 new old stock loops of chipper  but heaven only knows exactly where .

It cuts just fine just isn't as fast .In something like wet cotton wood it's kind of neat though .If it's sharp all the way to the gullett it will blow big old french fry chips about 3 inch long .Reminds me of a wood planer .

[joe_indi]

The only advantage chipper has over chisel is staying sharper longer in dirty wood but it doesn't perform as well as chisel in clean wood.

How would you rate the chipper against the semi chisel? Would the chipper cut faster than a semi chisel?

Al, Carlton has a 3/8 0.63 chipper the A3S.
Here is a picture of its profile:


How close is this chain to being a genuine chipper?

[Al_Smith]

That's the real McCoy .I didn't know anybody still made it .

Ha,I have a partial roll of Oregon number 10 ,1/2" chipper .I know for a fact nobody makes that any more .

[joe_indi]

That's the real McCoy .I didn't know anybody still made it .

Al,
Now, that's great .
Well the Carlton A3S (3/8 - 0.63 - Chipper) isavailable and I intend to get a couple of loops to try out.
But, I would like to know the opinions,  you who have already used it have about the chipper.
That would make me more prepared for any surprises or disappointments.

[bandmiller2]

Joe,use it, its all we had for a long time you may not notice much differance if its sharp.Its supposed advantage in dirty timber may just be wishfull thinking.I think if you cut with cipper and semi chisel til dull the pile would be the same size, semi just does it a little faster.Frank C.

[Al_Smith]

Back in the day all we had was chipper chain and saws with no chain brakes  or mufflers for that matter .We did just fine .--and some whine about no chain brakes hmm .

The first chisel chain I ever used I thought was the greatest thing since sliced bread or beer in a can .--still do .

[sawguy21]

Gee Al, didn't know you are as old as me When I started a few fallers wanted chisel but they were the exception to the rule. Hardly any chipper today but some log home builders like it for notching, apparently it is a little smoother.

[Al_Smith]

Well truth be known I have a year on you .Just because I act like a teenager I'm not one . Ha,I could retire if I wanted to but I'm having too much fun .

[joe_indi]

I just tried out the Carlton Chipper chain on a Stihl MS460.
I have uploaded part of the video on youtube.
This is the link:


True to what many have stated, the cutting speed was much lower than a chisel, but the chipper seems to retain its sharpness for a very, very long period of use.

Joe

[Warbird]

Is there a greater risk of kickback using genuine chipper chain?

[joe_indi]

Is there a greater risk of kickback using genuine chipper chain?

Nope.
Actually its less aggressive than a Chisel chain.
The only thing I found very pronounced (for a better word) was that you need not apply any pressure on the saw.You just have to let the chain choose its own feed pressure.
Its a rough cutting chain but its not rough on the user.

[Al_Smith]

Chipper was all we had back in the day and it served us well .The secret is like I said make sure the side plate gets sharpened clear down to the tie strap and it will pull the nicest noodles in soft green wood like silver maple .

With chisel if you kiss the dirt just once you had just as well file the chain ,chipper will take much more abuse before it needs attention .In addition to that chipper is much more forgiving for the less experianced filer . Of course like any chain it will cut in a circle if you lean one side too heavy .

[bandmiller2]

Joe, do they make steel toed flip flop sandals??Your footwear makes me a little nervous of course this was just a short demo. Frank C.

[joe_indi]

Chipper was all we had back in the day and it served us well .The secret is like I said make sure the side plate gets sharpened clear down to the tie strap and it will pull the nicest noodles in soft green wood like silver maple .

Actually that chain did hit the dirt once or twice, but it did not seem worse for that.

Joe, do they make steel toed flip flop sandals??Your footwear makes me a little nervous of course this was just a short demo. Frank C.

Well Frank,
Steel toed boots cost nearly 25% of the cost of a MS460 here.
And the temperatures outside are above 33 C+.
So the choice we have is do we stew 'em or chop 'em.
The latter is the preferred choice because it rarely happens.
 

[HolmenTree]

Is there a greater risk of kickback using genuine chipper chain?

Some chipper chain has no offset in their depth gauges [just straight up and down or flat]and will cause some extra kickback energy.
In my neck of the woods we called the old Oregon chipper chain DP chain. I started falling for a living in the mid 1970s and everyone was using chisel by then. My older brothers said all they had in the '60s and earlier '70s was DP chain.
Willard.

[joe_indi]

Willard,
Oregon 'DP' chain has bumper links. The Carlton A3S chain is similar to the Oregon 'D' which has no bumper links.

Joe

[Al_Smith]

I don't think you could even find chipper to amount to much in this area until the early to mid 80's .In the 60's it was all chipper .Later semi chisel .

Believe it or not the very first chisel I ever saw was Oregon 1/4" skip used on little saws .Ralph Nadar the supposed consumer advocate was instrumental it getting it taken off the market under the premise it was unsafe for use on small saws which were primarily used my home owners . I guess he didn't take into account the fact that small top handles were used by pro arborists .More accurately I think it was the fact he didn't care . Too bad because in comparrison to the chipper that stuff was fast as greased lightning .

[HolmenTree]

Willard,
Oregon 'DP' chain has bumper links. The Carlton A3S chain is similar to the Oregon 'D' which has no bumper links.

Joe

Thats corect Joe. Bumpers on the drive links. Then when the chisel came out in the mid '70s it was called LP. Not until 1982 the LG chisel came out with the bumper on the depth guage. At our forestry company since day one in the very early 1970s, we had to use safety chain. On the west coast anything went.
Willard.