cut chain sprocket cover

[Jumpsuit]

Does anyone here modify their sprocket-side cover like in Malloff's book page 17? He writes "when the saw is inverted...causes a sawdust build between the clutch and the guard... leads to internal clutch problems and heavy clutch-shoe wear... An easy modification....simply cut away the sawdust-shielding portion of the unit and use the guide plate and clamping bracket as you normally would." I'm kinda thinking of doing this on my 051av mill but I see the 090 is configured quite differently.

 

[skinnyd]

you can also use washers to space out the nuts and just run no guard.

 

[BobL]

I found running with no guard sends the sawdust all over the place.
Rather than butcher a perfectly good sprocket cover I prefer to make a custom guard.
Here is the one on the 880
Full details are in this thread http://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/modding-the-bil-mill-to-take-the-880.87987/page-2

 

[Jumpsuit]

I did the modification. The sprocket cover was already beat up from thrown chains, so I didn't feel too bad about trimming it down. Cutting magnesium was new to me. In cutting with the angle grinder I was trimming through too much at one point (you can see the repair in the picture), and I got an instant bright flash as the dust ignited. It was blinding, like a torch, but luckily, very, very quick and limited.
I am glad I did this modification. I can see the cover getting very full of sawdust without it. It seems to me the modded cover holds better than just washers would, though that would seem to be a simpler and maybe all in all just as good solution. Someday maybe I'll have enough metals skill to make a custom like Bob.

 

[BobL]

If this is all you wanted to do then rather than chop the guard I would have used a piece of steel or ally plate and drilled some holes in it to suit that bar bolt spacing.
It looks like you have an 075 or 076?
If so you will end up with sawdust around your exhaust which will become a fire hazard. I'd be putting something between the two to stop that

 

[Jumpsuit]

Bob, after thinking that hitting the saw with compressed air after each slab was sufficient, I had a very small ember going on the muffler after only a 44" cut. That and an emergent air leak put the 051 on the sidelines for now. I think the reason I was able to make the first 9 cuts without starting an ember was that I was holding the powerhead further away from the side of the log, not letting the skid drive the cut but holding the powerhead back in plane with the bar. This was allowing the chips to fall rather than exit near the back of the saw, but on that last cut, I just let the skid ride and so hence the results of potential flammable material. So long story short the deflector is needed. I am going to try some aluminum angle bolted to the muffler cover.