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Is it my technique, or the chain selection

Started by low_48, March 19, 2008, 08:52:28 PM

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low_48

I cut some slabs and big bowl blanks from hardwoods (hard maple, soft maple, ash, oak, cherry.....) with my Husky 3120 with a 36" bar and full skip chain. I am bucking to length, and then cutting from the end. I am not ripping from the end, but since I am bucking to 36" or less, I cut with the bar parallel with the length. (didn't know what to call that type of cut?)
I also keep the rakers filled down to around .035"
Now for the help I need. If I really pull the trigger on the saw, it seems like the chain will dull pretty quickly (I know, a 36" cut is pulling a lot of wood). If I run the saw at something like 3/4 throttle, it cuts just as fast and the chain seems to stay sharp longer.
Should I; Switch to standard or semi-skip?
              Am I overspeeding the chain so that each tooth is not getting a full bite?
              Switch to a different brand of chain? This is Oregon brand. The Stihl chain on my 029 Farm Boss will cut for a much longer time, even if I am cutting the same 20" of material with both saws.
               I am sharpening my own chains with the same angles on both saws and on all the chain. Should I change the angles on the full skip?

Just kinda puzzling to me. I can bury the bucking teeth in the wood with that 3120 in the wood and pull with both hands with a throttled down speed, and still cut wood like crazy. So I'm not real unhappy, but just looking for some suggestions. Maybe I will look at setting a throttle stop or something. I've never had the saw at a dealer since I bought it new, but I'm pretty sure it's not running too fast. Just seems to be my technique, or the chain? Thanks!

Sprucegum

What kind of chips are you getting? Are they the same at full or 3/4 throttle?

I have no answers , only more ponderables  :-\

low_48

I'm going for a huge soft maple tomorrow afternoon. I'll get some chips and measure them to see if at full throttle the chip is smaller. It'll be like Christmas on that log. I cut off the end last Sunday and hoped to get at some figure after the clean cut. Oh DanG, the figure is everywhere. Well, not everywhere, but I'm going to get some great turning blanks.

rebocardo

> I cut with the bar parallel with the length.

I do the same thing, I call it my "firewood" cut for lack of a better term because it is how I split a lot of my firewood, especially sweetgum. You get excellence mulch for almost free  :)

> Should I; Switch to standard or semi-skip?

In the FWIW category, I bought the .058 gauge and ran full comp 30rc from Bailey's on my Husky 3120 with the 36" bar. More then enough power for what you are doing (cutting parallel with the length). Making slabs like a mill, then you really would want the ripping chain.

I use the ripping chain to do "firewood" cuts because it runs much cooler compared to full comp. Full comp is dull after an less than hour of doing firewood cuts. The ripping chain will last at least 2 hours in mixed wood, usually. Or just require a slight touch-up to put a sharp corner back on the teeth.

You just have to be very careful with the 3120 because if it kicks back you pretty much can not control it and you have to resist the urge to use it for even just a single cross cut with the ripping chain on.

> Am I overspeeding the chain so that each tooth is not getting a full bite?
             
No, I think the teeth and bar are heating up. You have to turn the oil up all the way when doing those "firewood" cuts. What I do to make sure I do not run out of oil is only fill the gas about 3/4 of the way. That way the gas runs out while I still have some oil left.

> Switch to a different brand of chain?

If it is the ripping or 30rc from Bailey's no, it is fine. You should get at least an hour from each full comp chain and at least two from the ripping.   

I do think you are taking the rakers down way too low, I think that is part of the problem.

Plus, set the hand brake every once in a while, pull the curls out from the bottom, then before you start a new cut,  run full speed to clear out curls and gunk from the saw bar.


redprospector

It's just my opinion, but I think the full skip would be ok because it dose a better job at chip removal than a full comp or semi skip. That 3120 should have plenty of power to pull a full comp, but the chain can't carry enough chips out of the cut. I'd try raker's at about .020 or .025, and as said earlier turn the oiler all the way up. I think your teeth are taking too big a bite.

Andy
1996 Timber King B-20 with 14' extension, Morgan Mini Scragg Mill, Fastline Band Scragg Mill (project), 1973 JD 440-b skidder, 2008 Bobcat T-320 with buckets, grapple, auger, Tushogg mulching head, etc., 2006 Fecon FTX-90L with Bull Hog 74SS head, 1994 Vermeer 1250 BC Chipper. A bunch of chainsaws.

low_48

I went over 2 hours today on one chain, never done that before. I guess that I am lucky that my hands are working good enough to type. I don't "wrassle" that heavy of a machine much any more.

I hit the oiler pretty often, but what I did differently was let the saw do more of the work. I had been pulling hard (bucking teeth in the wood, both hands on the back of the handle) since the horsepower could handle it, but today I just kept a steady pressure on it. I did keep it throttled back, but I'm really tickled with the performance.

Probably had 400 pounds of high quilted figure maple in the van when I got home. :) Anti-inflamitories and good sleep tonight. Sure hope I can close my hands tomorrow!!!

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