Chips plugging up my bar

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sam-tip

sam-tip

Firewood Helper
AS Supporting Member.
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When cutting soft wood with 404 full skip chain 68 Jx my bar plugs up with wood chips and my chain stops. Would it help to run my chain super tight. All new equipment. 44 inch and 32 inch bar on ported 3120 xp saw. Soft maple cottonwood and rotten oak. Works great on hard wood.

Sent from my SCH-R950 using Tapatalk 2
 
I have had the same problem in the past. It was less of a problem when everything was worn in but I think I was the biggest problem trying to crowd the saw too much in the soft wood. If I just let the saw self feed and don't get in a hurry no more problem. I rarely cut anything that big so I am no expert just passing on my experience.
 
sam-tip said:
When cutting soft wood with 404 full skip chain 68 Jx my bar plugs up with wood chips and my chain stops. Would it help to run my chain super tight. All new equipment. 44 inch and 32 inch bar on ported 3120 xp saw. Soft maple cottonwood and rotten oak. Works great on hard wood.

Sent from my SCH-R950 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...

Is this mostly when stumping Doug??

Running the chain real tight is not a good idea for many reasons.
 
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I've had this happen to me before, I just keep my eye on my chain and if I see the bar load up with chips I'll hit the throttle a few times (out of the wood) until it clears it self out.
 
It's when the chips/shavings get clogged up inside the clutch cover that they get carried into the bar groove. Wet chips are more likely to stick and plug up than dry ones. My bars will load up when I'm ripping (noodling). As has been said, cutting with the saw right next to the ground will do it because the chips can't clear out of the clutch area. I just put up with it. I have an old piece of reciprocating saw blade that fits in the groove nicely. Only takes a couple minutes to take off the bar, scrape out the groove, and put it back on. Also gotta blow out the oiling holes.
 
Hedgerow said:
Is this mostly when stumping Doug??

Running the chain real tight is not a good idea for many reasons.
Click to expand...

Saw does it cutting and stumping. Sounds like the saw is not getting rid of the large quantity of very wet chips. Chips will clog up the bar rail and tip. Almost could not get the chain out of bar slot.

Does full skip make more chips than non skip chain in soft wood?

Doug
 
sam-tip said:
Saw does it cutting and stumping. Sounds like the saw is not getting rid of the large quantity of very wet chips. Chips will clog up the bar rail and tip. Almost could not get the chain out of bar slot.

Does full skip make more chips than non skip chain in soft wood?

Doug
Click to expand...

It should actually clear them better... The sap is full on in the trees right now... What height are you running your rakers? Sounds like the saw and chain are more agressive than the chains ability to move the material...
"Biting off more than it can chew" so to say...
And the material is sticky...

Also, does the material removed look like clean chips? Or shredded beef???
 
Looks like old shredded beef. Stringy chips or mush. Cutting on large old dead wood. Rakers are still new I assume 0.025 or .03

Since when did this forum get spell checking. It now underlines words in red it does not know.
 
sam-tip said:
Looks like old shredded beef. Stringy chips or mush. Cutting on large old dead wood. Rakers are still new I assume 0.025 or .03

Since when did this forum get spell checking. It now underlines words in red it does not know.
Click to expand...

Last question:

Cutter type?
Semi? or Regular chisel cutters.
 
I got this one... full chisel, full skip, 404, oregon chains!

He also forgot to mention that 90% of the time the chips are in the bottom of the bar like they are getting pulled in the tip and stuck in the middle of the chain.

Hard to get a 60in bar real tight on new chains too. My guess is that initial chain stretch loosened up the chains and allow the chips to be pulled in at the tip of the bar and jamming everything up in the bottom middle of the bar. I'm thinking once the chains get their "stretch" out and you pull the chain a little tighter the problem will disappear.

I don't think we ever got a pic of the problem but maybe tomorrow??? :wink2:
 
This was on the 36" bar and 44" bar. Have not used the 60" in a month. But got one coming up soon for the 60" It might be another rock chucker. Old time church house tree with four main trunks at the base. Good place for kids to put stuff in the middle of trunks.
 
sam-tip said:
This was on the 36" bar and 44" bar. Have not used the 60" in a month. But got one coming up soon for the 60" It might be another rock chucker. Old time church house tree with four main trunks at the base. Good place for kids to put stuff in the middle of trunks.
Click to expand...

across road from you?
 
sam-tip said:
This was on the 36" bar and 44" bar. Have not used the 60" in a month. But got one coming up soon for the 60" It might be another rock chucker. Old time church house tree with four main trunks at the base. Good place for kids to put stuff in the middle of trunks.
Click to expand...

I wish I could have got that "ditch witch" moment on video... :msp_thumbup:
You could bury cable with that 3120...

As far as the debris in the bar goes... Take a good look at the cutters on your chain. See if there's a reason they would be pulling fibers as opposed to severing them... I think if you get the cutters cutting right, the shredded beef problem will fix it's self. Maybe a pic of a couple cutters?
 
Yes nstueve the Maple Grove Church. I already have the trunks stored out back and just want to cut the stump down. I already ground down the other large stumps.

I am thinking it is a problem with getting the soggy chips out of the bottom/back of the saw.

I will have nstueve try it out tomorrow.
 
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Been having this problem the last few days here (PNW) but like what Hedgerow said about sap is running explains it all

We took down a number of Fir's and Alders trees

Alder has been plugging the bar grooves alot today
 

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