Author Topic: ripping chain (Read 4298 times)

etat · « **on:** December 09, 2003, 05:16:30 pm »

I remember even back years ago seeing advertisments for some kind of a attachment to use with a chain saw to rip boards for use as lumber. Now back at that time I was cuting a lot of firewood every year and when I''d see me one of those ads I'd think it was a big ole scam cause I knew my old saw didn't cut worth a 'DanG' lengthways. Old homelite with an 18 inch bar. Cutting oak, ash, and a few hickory along. Lots of it was follering logging trucks and cutting up tops they left. Anyways, figured all this'd be good for is just to burn up your saw and kill yourself while you was doint it. Now here lately here and there I've heard there's such a thing as a ripping chain for a chainsaw. I'd like to find out a little more about such things.

Kevin · « **Reply #1 on:** December 09, 2003, 05:39:10 pm »

You can buy a commercial ripping chain right out of the box, here's one Oregon example.

These chains feature a special factory grind for making dimensional boards and planks from larger timbers by "ripping" (cutting parallel to the wood grain).

* Standard chassis and cutter parts are used; cutter grind is the only difference from standard chains
* For use on chain-type sawmills; not recommended for hand-held use
* LubriLink™ tie straps help keep oil where it's needed - on the chain
.

Here's a supply link ...
http://www.fosterssales.com/

Duane_Moore · « **Reply #2 on:** December 09, 2003, 08:30:18 pm »

good question, good answer, thought the forum got lost is high teck stuff,, this is for me, need the basics thanks keep up the simple stuff,, Duane

etat · « **Reply #3 on:** December 09, 2003, 09:14:32 pm »

Does these things work pretty good. Saw some pictures a while ago with a guy running a BIG saw to split a BIG tree. Something more suited to me for now would be to build up something for hobby work. Specifically maybe square up some fair sized cedar logs enough to split on a table saw. I just hate to think of them cedar logs going to waste, and there's not really enough to justify carring over into the next county and getting the amish to saw for me. (translation: I'd like to have me a new toy to play with)

Duane_Moore · « **Reply #4 on:** December 09, 2003, 09:26:50 pm »

me too, new toys, get bored with them so easy anymore, want a Alaska mill to see if I like it, was lookin at the, saw buddy, band saw for 1900$ but what if i don't like cuttin wood, got too many toys to get rid of now, I like this tread, Duane

Kevin · « **Reply #5 on:** December 10, 2003, 06:10:09 am »

The Alaskan will cut perfect lumber if you put in the effort.
You need a true slabbing rail and it must be installed properly so the first cut is perfect then all others will follow.
It's labour intensive, stinky , loads of fun and usually leads to a bigger mill. --Photos MUST be in the Forestry Forum gallery!!!!!--.com/album/13012199FerMiAUOtI

Oregon_Rob · « **Reply #6 on:** December 10, 2003, 06:28:16 am »

Did someone say cedar and chainsaw mill?
I rescued a cedar log that had blown down from the burn pile and milled it with my chainsaw.

Minnesota_boy · « **Reply #7 on:** December 10, 2003, 10:11:18 am »

Kevin,
Will the purchase of a bigger mill lead one backwards towards a chainsaw mill?

I've considered making a carriage for my Woodmizer to carry a chainsaw mill just to have the ability to mill wider slabs. I forsee demand for tabletops that are 3 feet or wider.

Kevin · « **Reply #8 on:** December 10, 2003, 10:13:20 am »

A guy should have a few of each.

etat · « **Reply #9 on:** December 10, 2003, 11:38:19 am »

type of saw required, bar length, plans to build?

Kevin · « **Reply #10 on:** December 10, 2003, 11:52:07 am »

type of saw required ?
The bigger the better, 90+cc.
bar length?
Depends on the size of mill you buy or build and the size of log to be milled.
plans to build?
Can't help you there, I bought my mill.

fencerowphil (Phil L.) · « **Reply #11 on:** December 10, 2003, 12:02:45 pm »

Hey CK,

When you consider the relatively low cost of milling frames, you would just have to love to tinker (admittedly I do) to make it worthwhile to build your own. The two primary candidates are the Granberg Alaskan and the GB. They are very different in construction and the price directly reflects that difference: The GB costs more and looks worth every penny of increased cost.

GB: snssawshop.com, as well as Fosterssales.com
http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?s=654f7d1afffcc2f664b46a238085bae4&threadid=11326

Granberg:
http://www.madsens1.com/granberg.htm

Masden's has best price on some models. ToolCenter beats them on the larger models.
Phil L.

IndyIan · « **Reply #12 on:** December 11, 2003, 08:20:50 am »

,
Depending on what kind and size of wood you're doing you can get away with a smaller saw. I do mostly White Pine 14-18"diameter, with a 372 and it works pretty well. I stay away from 14"+ hardwoods though, I feel they work the saw to hard.

I only add this so you don't feel you have to buy a monster saw to try out chainsaw milling. If you plan your cuts you can make a 12" log into 2by8's without making a cut much over 8" wide.

If you want to make 4by4's out of 6" softwood trees you might get away with a 50-55cc saw if the chain is always kept very sharp. Just be careful with your saw as its easy to burn it out milling. Long term, the bigger saw is better but you can make boards with the smaller saw's.

Ian

Gus · « **Reply #13 on:** December 12, 2003, 11:05:24 am »

Kevin,

Nice set of pictures of milling. Thanks.

Kevin · « **Reply #14 on:** December 12, 2003, 11:36:40 am »

Thanks;
I did that for people starting out.
When I got into it there was nothing available and it was all trial and error.

Oregon_Rob · « **Reply #15 on:** December 12, 2003, 12:50:04 pm »

I would like to second that.
Thanks very much to Kevin. You have helped many people, including myself, get started in milling. Also, thanks for moderating a bunch of unruly, wood tick, wanta-bees like us. Guys like you are to few and far between.
A couple of other guys who deserve honorable mention for sharing their knowledge of chainsaw milling are Ralph Foster and a guy who goes buy the name of Lumber Dennis on the Yahoo forum. Thanks guys.

IndyIan · « **Reply #16 on:** December 12, 2003, 02:23:12 pm »

I'll second Oregon_Rob's second

Reading what Kevin and the guys at the yahoo group have wrote convinced me that you can make boards with a chainsaw!
Good work guys!

Kevin · « **Reply #17 on:** December 12, 2003, 02:31:46 pm »

Thanks;
I appreciate that.

aothmer · « **Reply #18 on:** December 12, 2003, 05:21:32 pm »

This site has some good info about chainsaw milling.

http://home.nc.rr.com/cquade/milling.htm

Kevin · « **Reply #19 on:** December 12, 2003, 05:51:50 pm »

That's good I can add that one to my site, thanks.
I wonder if he took out the fence when he dropped that elm tree?

Toolboy · « **Reply #20 on:** December 12, 2003, 09:06:27 pm »

Hi Kevin,

The fence didn't take a direct hit but it did get sprayed with debris!

What looks like it could be a crunched fence is actually the gate swung open to the tree. (The gate is driveway width.) If you look carefully behind my friend in the upper left corner you can see that he's standing in front of a post and that the fence extends to the left out of the picture. The gate swings across the driveway to the post in the middle of the photo with the red flag near the top. My friend had removed the fencing from the 3 posts just behind the tree before I arrived, thinking that I'd fell the tree in that direction. The tree looked to me like it wanted to go more to the left so that's how I dropped it. My friend said that either way was fine with him so long as it fell away from his garage (shadow in the photo).

The elm I milled from that tree is pretty but so dense that I can hardly get it to take a stain!

Christopher

Stephen_Wiley · « **Reply #21 on:** December 12, 2003, 10:28:56 pm »

Christopher,

Welcome to the forum, interesting web site - how long have ya been a woodbug?

etat · « **Reply #22 on:** December 13, 2003, 12:58:27 am »

For those of us green horns that haven't ever tried ripping I've got a couple of questions. How do you get the first cut straight, is there anything important we ought to know about that. Is kickback a concern or problem when running one of these type outfits. What are the danger factors of doing this, is there anything specific we can learn other than normal chainsaw safety that we should be aware of. How many board feet can you expect to cut before the chain needs sharpening. For those of you that have done this, can you tell us of any problems you had starting out?

Kevin · « **Reply #23 on:** December 13, 2003, 05:45:19 am »

Christopher , thanks for documenting your work, it's a big help to anyone just starting out.
I have only milled one large elm with the chainsaw and it wanted to twist every which way when drying.
I have it stickered on the bottom of a pile of lumber here but haven't looked at it lately.

fencerowphil (Phil L.) · « **Reply #24 on:** December 13, 2003, 03:11:32 pm »

A few questions, eh?

Quote

How do you get the first cut straight, is there anything important we ought to know about that?

As Christophers' and Kevin's pictures show, a guide rail or plank system is a must. If "eye-balling" it doesn't cut it for you, pulling a string end-to-end down your rails/plank, can show any sag. Levelling each end with a bubble level will get rid of "wind" or twist in your guide. If the slab is being intentionally set out of level, You can lay a straight item 3' to 4' long across each end and sight down the log to eliminate twist.

Quote

Is kickback a concern or problem when running one of these type outfits?

If you don't use kerf wedges behind a really wide cut you can waste power, but it is rare to get truly dangerous kickback.

Quote

What are the danger factors of doing this, is there anything specific we can learn other than normal chainsaw safety that we should be aware of?

Chainsaws are dangerous, period. (Just ask my left knee.) Actually, once a saw is in a ripping frame based upon a rail guide system, it is safer than a bare chain saw. The rig Kevin shows for edging has a lot of exposed chain, so you can see that this type procedure is more dangerous that the actual ripping. If you don't like edging, just plan to cut a three-sided cant, so that all your edging is done as you rip the cant.

Quote

How many board feet can you expect to cut before the chain needs sharpening?

That varies greatly. Taking a stab, I would say 120' on the tough hombres, such as Live Oak, Pecan, or dried hardwood logs in general, to 300-400 plus for "nicer" woods such as Yellow Poplar or Eastern White Pine.

Quote

For those of you that have done this, can you tell us of any problems you had starting out?

You kiddin'? EVERYTHINK was a problem! Hey, that's part of the fun.

Not setting up for a good straight first cut.
Not understanding how fast the chain would dull.
Not understanding how much difference in "stay
sharp" thick fibrous, dirty bark would cause.
Not tightening the mill onto the bark enough and
cutting half way thru the bolts because of it.
Not understanding how long set-up and log/cant
manipulation would take in proportion to the
actual cutting time.
Not realizing that hitting a nail can't be overcome
by just a few strokes of the file. You must
swap chains or have a grinder to cut away
that level of damage to the cutters.
Here is the process in smilies:

:-/

P.S. Study the photos, and get "the book".

Phil L.

etat · « **Reply #25 on:** December 13, 2003, 04:40:06 pm »

Thanks for clarifing although I'm not sure looking at a book is the best way to learn. Pictures too, may help in the initial setup, but as you know there is no subsitute for real experence, and when it comes to chainsaw millling I have none. Wouldn't want to cut my leg off first thing. Now if cutting trees for firewood I could hold my own me thinks. Not too bad at sharpening a chain. Pretty fair at figgering out what a tree's gonna do when you cut it. If the questions were dumb, they weren't intended to be so

Toolboy · « **Reply #26 on:** December 13, 2003, 07:21:56 pm »

Stephen - I've been a chainsaw miller only about 4 years now. I originally started out to help offset the cost of purchasing lumber for my woodworking hobby. And despite the hard work, Ive found that it's a real joy to do. So much so that I find myself wanting to spend more time milling than woodworking, which is why I started milling in the first place...

- Phil's responses are about right. I don't think that there's a lot of kickback potential except maybe just as you're putting the bar into the log. The rest of the way the saw's go nowhere to kick back to since the rig holds the bar in the log.

One of the biggest problems I found early on was that I wasn't adequately planning ahead to maximizing my milling time. Prepare a checklist of everything you'll need in the woods and run through it before you leave home. Include one spare EVERYTHING on the list!

Seriously, if you break or lose something in the field you may waste 2 hours of daylight or more on your round trip going into town and finding that replacement part. Break something on Sunday and you may as well pack it in for the day.

Christopher

etat · « **Reply #27 on:** December 15, 2003, 04:51:53 pm »

Ordered me a ripping chain. Gonna try to split a log or two before I go any further. Find out for myself. Thanks Christopher
for the additional information. I couldn't find the 'book'. Must a not been a best seller!

Still would like to learn more..............

Duane_Moore · « **Reply #28 on:** December 15, 2003, 07:17:27 pm »

gona get me some too. sounds like good stuff, try it on some logs, then see what happens, gots some walnut sticks that need cut long ways, Duane

fencerowphil (Phil L.) · « **Reply #29 on:** December 15, 2003, 07:53:39 pm »

Sorry, CK,

I figured that I had mentioned "the book" so many times that everyone would have gotten tired of me listing it :

Chainsaw Lumbermaking, by Will Malloff, published 1982 Taunton Press. One source is Amazon.com.

When Malloff wrote "the book" he had been making a living at chainsaw milling for twenty years. There are so many step-by-step photos of so many different parts of the process, that you would be amazed! He even shows how to build a homemade mill out of two pieces of threadall, scrap 2x4s, and plywood! If you update his techniques to take advantage of rechargeable drills and modern powerheads, you are ready for the woods!
Phil L.
P.S. Of course, if you don't want his twenty yrs.
experience, skip "the book".

etat · « **Reply #30 on:** December 15, 2003, 08:15:05 pm »

Well, I had no idea. Woulda made a whole lot more sense to me if I'd know there actually was a book. Really, I just thought you were being cute and maybe took it the wrong way. Hate to get off on the wrong foot and all, but again, I had NO IDEA what you were talking about. And honestly, sorta got my dander up as I thought I was asking pertinant questions.Course If I'd already knew all the answers, or maybe even a few of em, I probably wouldn't have needed to ask anyway. One thing I enjoy about this forum is all the joking that goes on here without actually putting anybody or their idees down. O heck, maybe some of em deserve to be put down. Anyway, If that is what you were trying to do, well, I guess I owe you an apology. I'm sure there others besides me, (at least I hope I'm not the only uninformed one in the world) that will be ordering this book. 20 years actual experience would be hard to beat, Seriously,

fencerowphil (Phil L.) · « **Reply #31 on:** December 16, 2003, 04:04:03 am »

Liked your questions, CK.
That's why I quoted them and broke 'em down one-at-a-time.

I have the same problem as Christopher/Toolboy: Hooked on milling! I would rather just open up logs to see what God painted inside. I keep gathering logs which would have been wasted or burned - easily collecting more than I have time to cut. Friends assume that my motivation to work this hard is the end product.

Too late for therapy! I'm hooked!

Sawdust! The anti-drug!
Phil L.

etat · « **Reply #32 on:** December 16, 2003, 10:45:04 am »

Thanks Phil, I got to go back to work now but later I'm going to search the computer for 'the book'. Again thanks for the followup.

Duane_Moore · « **Reply #33 on:** December 16, 2003, 09:11:16 pm »

printed that one off, will try to find the book, thanks for the Info, Phil L. Duane

woodbeard · « **Reply #34 on:** December 18, 2003, 04:35:04 am »

It truly is a great book, but you'll have to be real patient if you want to find it at a reasonable price. And ya gotta love a guy who limbs with a 090

, were you planning on using the ripping chain freehand ( without a milling attachment? ) I don't know for sure, but that might not be a good idea. Anyone got any info on the safety issues here? I know you're not supposed to use it for crosscutting ( bucking, felling, etc. ) What brand/model did you order?

Paul_H · « **Reply #35 on:** December 18, 2003, 11:25:07 am »

Ten years ago I met George,who was in his mid 50's.(died about 4 years ago).George was a local legend and had no fear of man or beast.
In the late 1970's he took up hang gliding and after awhile thought that he'd add an engine to help him along.It was a small town,and most had gathered around to watch George's flying machine.I wasn't there,but have heard this account from several who were.
Everything was going well and he was cruising along at about 300'. Then,wind or something caused the machine to stay in one place and he seemed to just hang there,stalled.He went straight down,wings,George,engine and all and hit a barbed wire fence.
He was pretty well toast,except Dr Moody was there and drained fluid out of his chest right there in the field,and George was sent to Vancouver where he eventually mended.Dr moody saved his life.

I met George in the Spring of 1992,when he came to drive our off hwy log truck.He had a angry red scar right in the middle of his forehead,complete with stiches still in place.The scar ran from the top of his nose,straight up into his hairline.I shook his hand and asked "what happened to you?

George laughed and told me that he was having oiler problems with his 066 and had held the saw wide open with the tip of the bar close to a log,to see if any oil was coming off.He was closer than he thought,and the tip hit the log.Before he knew it,the bar hit him like an axe.
The chain brake worked,but the force still pole-axed him

So he is taken to the clinic,and Dr moody is stiching him up.He said Moody asked him,"did it hurt George?,does this hurt too?
George said he answered Yes! to both questions.

Dr Moody said, "Good!"

Kick back happens too easily,be carefull.

IndyIan · « **Reply #36 on:** December 18, 2003, 11:31:09 am »

When I rip free hand, which has always been with regular chain, I keep the bar nose cutting last.

So when I've got a big ugly round I can't split, I start the cut at the edge of the block and leave the saw at an angle upwards(maybe 30deg) with a firm grip and the saw wide open. Also I try to keep out of the plane of the cut but not to the point of being awkward. The 30 deg up angle doesn't let the nose get a run up the cut if the saw starts to kick back. I've also ripped a few cedars trees in half for a quick bridge but they were horizontal. I'm sure its not recommened but I think about where the saw will go if it kicks back and I stay out of that area.
Also a 372 with a 16" bar cuts white cedar like a laser so I do some ripping cuts when needed for projects.

Ian

Sawmill_Bill · « **Reply #37 on:** December 18, 2003, 11:35:45 am »

Another "book" to get that is easier, is "Wood and how to dry it (FWon)". This has an article that gives the essence of "Chainsaw Lumbermaking". It can be found in many book stores.

Paul_H · « **Reply #38 on:** December 18, 2003, 11:39:47 am »

Welcome to the forum Sawmill_Bill.

etat · « **Reply #39 on:** December 18, 2003, 04:19:46 pm »

woodbeard, well I was thinking about trying it free hand before I sprung for the attachments. Using a old homelite HOMELITE SUPER XL-12 , it's about 20 years old. Wow, I just now realized how old it was. Has always been took care of and still runs good but hard to crank. Not as fast as newer saws, but lots of torque. Havn't ever had a lot of problem with kickbacks, seriously, If cutting a tree in the woods I always clear the small brush and vines back first, and make sure I have a clear escape path in at least two directions. Whoever else is in the woods with me I like to know exactly where they are. I do try to be carefull. 18 inch bar. Big ole heavy saw. Usually use one of the el cheapo walmart kind to cut the small limbs, even if they don't last they're cheap. The old homilite is hard to get parts for now. Just told em at the saw shop to get me a chain to fit it. On the phone. Now you making me wonder what i've got myself into.

woodbeard · « **Reply #40 on:** December 18, 2003, 07:35:16 pm »

Actually unless my info is wrong, the superXL-12 was discontinued by 1970. Time flies when you're having fun, eh?
It may last another 30 yrs too. 58cc, so I wouldn't push it too hard. Milling is real hard on saws, especially smaller ones.

Unless someone has some experience to the contrary, I would suggest using a regular chain for freehand ripping in the manner IndyIan explains. Save the ripping chain for if/when you decide to get an attachment. Just seems to me that it might be hard to control because of the top plate angles.

etat · « **Reply #41 on:** December 18, 2003, 08:34:02 pm »

Woodbeard, I definately think you are giving sound advice. I will give that a try. I bought the saw as a discontinued model in 1981 or 82 from Gibsons right before they went out of business. I think I gave 356.00 for it at the time. I think the price before markdown was around 4 or 450. I'm really not sure about the price. The saw appears exactly like this one.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dllViewItem&item=2365562425&category=20538 Now you have gotten me wondering, and feeling older, but I do know when I bought it.. I have cut many a cord of wood from that old saw, but not in several years. The best easiest firewood I ever cut and split. The year was 1985 and I have kinfolk who live in memphis but own about a hundred acres of hardwood on hills and hollars in Center, Ms. She contracted with someone to cut her timber and told me I could cut up all the tops I wanted for firewood. A few weeks after the timbercutters had packed up and left I found a large pile of logs they had not only left behind, but drug brush in front of. I called my aunt. She said she had been paid, and informed that they were completly through. Called me back the next day and said that indeed they were through, she didn't mention the logs to them and told me I could have them. The logs were red oak, white oak, a couple of ash and one big ole hickory. This was about the middle of june. Fourth of july week I cut, split, and hauled out firewood all week. My dad helped. I'm thinking there were about two loads of logs, and boy did they split good. All but the hickory, I cut a few chunks of it and left that sucker laying. Couldn't split it. Man did that make pretty firewood. About two weeks after I got through I saw a truck,and loader go down the road. I followed em on my four-wheeler. All they found was a pile of sawdust and that one ole hickory which they left. I never did know if they had paid her for this timber, I always supect they were trying to steal, again, I never knew. The circumstances were supect, but boy oh boy. Didn't have to cut the trees, didn't have to worry about the limbs and tops, just cut em, split em and load em. On their way back through, empty handed, they slowed way down and looked over my cords of firewood. Kept going and never said a word.

woodbeard · « **Reply #42 on:** December 19, 2003, 05:09:20 am »

Probably veneer logs too! Maybe they realized at that point they could have still made good money off them if they had been honest. Now all the extra profit they thought they had went up in smoke

fencerowphil (Phil L.) · « **Reply #43 on:** December 20, 2003, 07:58:10 pm »

Today I was cutting some Post Oak, knowing it had some metal because of the black stains. Good that I had a "meaty" chain, since I did hit six nails and one of my own broken deck screws which I had forgotten about breaking off.
I sharpened one chain and touched up the other.

This was a good opportunity to try the two chain types, which I had mentioned in another thread:
Starting point Stihl 404/.063 ga. Rapid Super full chisel

Chain #`1 Grind a pair of cutters at 0 degrees
followed by a pair of cutters with the
top plates reduced to just the upright.

Chain #2 Grind all cutters at 0 degrees.

Chain #2 cut smoother, but almost as fast as Chain #1

Once I get the 9-tooth .325 rim sprocket to match my new GB bar, I will give a report on that. I will be grinding my own chain on this, also. The grid will be all cutters at 0 degrees. The chain is semi-chisel type, so true rakers would not function properly.
Phil L.

woodbeard · « **Reply #44 on:** December 23, 2003, 07:16:35 pm »

Why semi-chisel, Phil?
Just curious.

fencerowphil (Phil L.) · « **Reply #45 on:** December 23, 2003, 07:27:46 pm »

Semi-chisel

'Cause I got it cheap.

And, like I said before,

I AM SOOOO CHEEP !

I have run semi-chisel before, but it was Stihl .404.

Phil L.

fencerowphil (Phil L.) · « **Reply #46 on:** January 03, 2004, 03:01:57 pm »

Hope you had a fine Christmas, guys! May your new year be a good 'un.

The only damper on my holiday period was having to wait so long to get my .325 chain gizmos in and prepared for business. Of course all the eating, partying, family gatherings, and a little making-a-living thrown in, also slowed things down a bit. Let me tell ya' ; it was worth the wait.

Jeff Sikemma provided the 36" .325/.063 GB bar, by having GB prepare and direct ship one to me. (Great service on both counts.) The friendly folks at Baileys set me up with the .325 9-tooth sprockets to go with the Oregon rim system which I had already bought from Madsens. (Both Baileys and Madsens keep the .325 9-tooth rims on the shelf.) The experimental chain came from Baileys - Carlton full complement .325 semi-chisel, which I ground all-cutters-zero degrees. Once the bar was drilled and fitted for the aux. oiler, my Christmas was ready to cook!

Yesterday, I played with a quarter of a Cherry Bark Red Oak. Today, without resharpening, I cut 175 bd. ft. of Northern Red oak from a 20" by 18' log which had been lying in waiting for 9-10 months. That was a good test: partly dry and hard! The chain cut well, cut fast, did not break, and barely needed sharpening, after a total of about 205 ft. of these oaks. The chain stretch was a little more that the .404, but that would be expected. If a Stihl 090 won't break it, then it is okay by me. ( In case you are curious, I did knock the bark off most of my cuts. Probably 90% of the entry area for the chain was bark-free and dirt-free. I should say my fine 16-year-old son knocked the bark off!)

Thanks to Ralph Foster and Woodbeard & Kevin for convincing me of the practicality of .325 chain!

I will be matching 3 chains per rim on the .325 and matching two .404 chains per rim. Needless to say, unless the cut is over 30" or the cut is likely to contain metal, the .325 will see the most use from here on out.
Phil L.

Oregon_Rob · « **Reply #47 on:** January 03, 2004, 05:35:24 pm »

Phil,

That sound like a winner. I love it.
Thanks for the details, it really adds to what little information is available. :PWould you mind posting it on Yahoo, or i would be happy to do it for ya if it is easier.

Gus · « **Reply #48 on:** January 04, 2004, 09:47:59 am »

Thanks phil,
I was all set to go with .325. I got to my local dealer and he talked me out of it. He said he didn't think it would hold up to the punishment the 2100 would hand out and it would break. Oh well, will saw with this set up for awhile and maybe later convert over. Exellent blow by blow details.

fencerowphil (Phil L.) · « **Reply #49 on:** January 06, 2004, 04:30:32 pm »

(As if I could ever make a last comment.)

As I was finishing up my cutting last night (yes, Jan. 5) in my short sleeves, a single drop of sweat ran down my nose and dripped on the 1x9 Swamp White Oak board I was cutting. Don't envy me too much up North, now, we're having a sudden change and the wind chill will be about 5 deg. F. tonight. 77 degrees yesterday and 22 tonight. That's Georgia "winter" for you!

The .325 ripping chain did surprise me in two ways:

I cut through fence wire four times and one really
rusted 16d nail with very little tooth damage.
Also, the Carlton chain held its edge just as well
as the big Stihl chain I had been using - maybe
even better.

Special note to Woodbeard: The smoothness of cut is better with my homemade Carlton .325 ripping chain than with the .404 square chisel, no matter how I grind the .404. That seems counter-intuitive, but maybe it has to do with the sheer number of cutters I have spinning now - nine tooth sprocket with more closely spaced cutters. I am really watching the chain tension like a hawk. That helps. I borrowed a tiny 90deg. offset ratcheting screw driver out of my piano tool box, so that I could get in between the Alaskan thrust skid and the tensioning screw. Beats the old scrench hands down.
Phil L.

woodbeard · « **Reply #50 on:** January 09, 2004, 11:09:55 am »

Glad to hear it, Phil!
Someday I will have another go at chainsaw milling. I think many of the problems I was having were clutch related. It will be interesting to see how it cuts when I get it put back right.
But that is a project for another day.

News:

Author Topic: ripping chain (Read 4298 times)