Thread: Full skip vs. full comp times

About a month ago my dad and I did timed cuts with full skip and full comp chains. All cuts were made with my Walkerized 372xp with 22" bar and chains. Cuts were all made with saw warm and chains sharp. Some in poplar, some in red oak. Didn't measure the log diameter, since it doesn't matter for this test. I would guess it to be in the 14" range. Also made some cuts with my cousins new 460mag and my walkerized 346xp. Here are the numbers. Enjoy.

W372xp 22" bar
poplar full skip 3.06/3.00/3.02 full comp 2.28/2.44/2.5
red oak full skip 7.8/8.0 full comp 6.52/6.7

MS460mag
white pine 3.6/3.7 bigger white pine 9.6/9.1/9.4
W372xp
white pine 3.0/3.1 bigger white pine 6.2/6.1/6.3
W346xp
bigger white pine 11.8/10.8/12.2

Interesting to see the numbers out of the 346 compared to the 460, considering the displacement difference.

We also ran comparisons between a stock 346 and my walkerized 346, and between a 16" bar with semi chisel and a 20" bar with full chisel, both safety chains, different cutters.
Here are those times.

Stock 346 16" semi
poplar 10/10.1 20" full 6.7/7.25

Walkerized 346 16" semi
poplar 7.25/7.28 20" full 5.3/5.9

Sorry about the length, but here are the numbers.

Sorry fellas, I screwed up with my terminology. The numbers for the 346xp are with semi-chisel and full chisel. Too much homemade wine.

thats interesting info. confirms what i found while experimenting with full skip
versus full compiment.i quit even foolin w the skip.
later on ,when i get my ducks in a row here. ill do the some times.

Excellent Earache:

Good set of figures, looks like you took a lot of trouble to make sure the comparisons were fair. In the comparison of square filed and round filed chisel chain the difference in bar length would make even more difference in cut times. I am amazed. Will have to keep working on my square filing. Square filing sure ain't quicker than round though, at least for me.

Frank

I t makes sense with a short bar to go with full comp.

Has anyone done a test with a 36 or 42 inch bar?

When you get out beyond 28 inches the skip will reduce the load on the saw and allow rpms to stay up better, and will, of course, have more room for chips on the longer travel through the log.

One would not generall expect skip chain to win any timed test. It exists for chip carrying, and required power reduction.

There is very little skip used around here by loggers. They usually can get what is out there with 24 inch bars.

I have to agree with Tony running full skip on a bar smaller than 28" is a waste of time you will not find it any faster,full skip chain is recomenneded for bars 28"+ in fiborous types of wood such as pine,redwoods etc..etc..I run full skip on my 32" bars and I have found it better for chip clearence in the bigger Pines I fell..Just from my expierence any way..


Later Rob...