Newbie questions

[Learnin 2 Mill]

Hey all,

I'm brand new to the forum and milling, but I'll tell ya what, I def got the bug! Anyway, I am waiting on a 076 to arrive any day now, and had a couple of questions I was hoping to get some help answering. The 076 comes standard with a 404 pitch, and I've seen an older thread on here about converting to a 3/8 for milling. I've also read that if you're using a 3/8 on anything over 30", it won't cut straight. I was thinking of converting so I could interchange all of my bars between my saws, and not have to have doubles of any length bar. I realize that 3/8 has a thinner kerf, but that seems negligible, and I'm under the impression that a 3/8 would need to be sharpened more often, and therefore wouldn't last as long. What do you think are the pros and cons of making this change? Any advice/thoughts/help/opinions are greatly appreciated!

Thanks a ton!

Cheers,
The new guy, aka Paul

 

[BobL]

, , , but I'll tell ya what, I def got the bug!

It doesn't take long.

I've seen an older thread on here about converting to a 3/8 for milling. I've also read that if you're using a 3/8 on anything over 30", it won't cut straight.

That's plain wrong.

I realize that 3/8 has a thinner kerf, but that seems negligible,

Kerf size difference is about 10% - if kerf size is related to cutting speed and 20 boards are cut in a session that means 2 more boards. It's up to an individual if that is negligible or not.
My work pattern is usually based on logs 1-2-3 logs per session so whether its 3/8 or 404 makes little difference.
Rather than putting the smaller kerf into extra cutting speed I see it as taking a bit of load off the power head.

and I'm under the impression that a 3/8 would need to be sharpened more often, and therefore wouldn't last as long. What do you think are the pros and cons of making this change?

It depends on your sharpening pattern. It's probably true if you sharpen only when the chain goes blunt, but that is not when you should sharpen. I touch up the chain more or less after every tank of fuel whether it needs it or not, just 2 file swipes per cutter. I'd do that whether it's 3/8 or 404, that way the load the saw is minimised. Whether 404 chain lasts longer or not depends more on how badly treated it is and if it sharpened inexpertly.

There are benefits in using 404, like it stretches a bit less and less susceptible to breakage but they are a bit like the kerf sizes, marginal.

The reason I mainly use 3/8 is I wanted to settle on just using one chain pitch. If I was milling only mainly bigger logs I would probably settle on 404.[/QUOTE][/QUOTE]

 

[BlueRider]

I run .404 on my 075 and I've never taken the 42" bar off that saw or wished I had a different bar for it so the loops of milling chain I have for it only go on that bar and that saw. I run 3/8 on my 038 magnum II and at one time I had a 32" bar for it but now I only run a 20" bar and wouldn't mind having a 16" bar for it. but I have no interest in trying to run any of the shorter bars on my 075, The power head by itself is nearly 25lbs so if I'm using it I'm milling not bucking fire wood.

Chainsaw milling is fun for the first few logs, after that it is hard sweaty work and to maximize my effort there are only a hand full of species I will bother milling at less than 20-24" diameter and I can comfortable do that with a 42" bar.

I well tuned saw with good compression and a clean air filter vs a dirty filter, poor tuning, or less than full compression will make more difference in cutting speed than the difference between 3/8 and 404 chain.

 

[hseII]

Hey all,

I'm brand new to the forum and milling, but I'll tell ya what, I def got the bug! Anyway, I am waiting on a 076 to arrive any day now, and had a couple of questions I was hoping to get some help answering. The 076 comes standard with a 404 pitch, and I've seen an older thread on here about converting to a 3/8 for milling. I've also read that if you're using a 3/8 on anything over 30", it won't cut straight. I was thinking of converting so I could interchange all of my bars between my saws, and not have to have doubles of any length bar. I realize that 3/8 has a thinner kerf, but that seems negligible, and I'm under the impression that a 3/8 would need to be sharpened more often, and therefore wouldn't last as long. What do you think are the pros and cons of making this change? Any advice/thoughts/help/opinions are greatly appreciated!

Thanks a ton!

Cheers,
The new guy, aka Paul

Don't believe everything Piltz says.

 

[Learnin 2 Mill]

Thanks for all the advice! After reading what you guys had to say, I think that I'll just stick with the 3/8 for the 056 and smaller saws and the 404 for the big boys. I also def need to spend some time in the sharpening forum.