Oregon 72LP Chain - File Help

[Demonical]

Another dumb question moment...

I've got a Husky 372XP with an Oregon 72LP chain on a 30" bar that I run a little Alaskan mill on.

I'm trying to figure out the correct file size? I was gonna start filing it with a 7/32" and that file looks huge on the chain?

92 drive links, 25degree rakers also

 

[Demonical]

Umm... searched and found it is the 7/32" file.

Later

 

[radio]

That chain has semi-chisel cutters and no ramped drive links. I'm guessing it's 72DG which is no longer available. I don't have any specs on it but pretty much all Oregon 3/8 Oregon uses 7/32" files.

 

[Demonical]

^Thnx, but wait, what is 72DG?

 

[radio]

^Thnx, but wait, what is 72DG?

The chain that you have LOL.

It was replaced by 72DP/DPX which is the current 70 series semi-chisel chain Oregon sells.

 

[radio]

I dug through my old manuals and found the specs on the chain. I've included a PDF and a JPG.

 

[radio]

So the answer to your original question is this chain uses 3/16" files, not 7/32".

 

[Demonical]

^ Thanks for that info Radio.

So I was using the correct file all along!? Damn.

I read a thing on these 72 chains which said ALL Oregon 72 chains use a 7/32" file.

You can already figure out that I filed it with the 7/32" file, and that it took a bit of work reshaping the tooth to fit that bigger file... well this just confirms that I need to pick up a couple new ripping chains.

Oh yeah, and the PDF file Radio posted says that chain is intended for falling and limbing and it's NOT really intended for milling?

Damn. I was sold this chain as a ripping chain. I didn't know any different. So I have it filed at 10 degrees, and like I said, filed out all the teeth with the huge 7/32" file.

 

[jetsam]

^ Thanks for that info Radio.

So I was using the correct file all along!? Damn.

I read a thing on these 72 chains which said ALL Oregon 72 chains use a 7/32" file.

You can already figure out that I filed it with the 7/32" file, and that it took a bit of work reshaping the tooth to fit that bigger file... well this just confirms that I need to pick up a couple new ripping chains.

Oh yeah, and the PDF file Radio posted says that chain is intended for falling and limbing and it's NOT really intended for milling?

Damn. I was sold this chain as a ripping chain. I didn't know any different. So I have it filed at 10 degrees, and like I said, filed out all the teeth with the huge 7/32" file.

The current Oregon filing chart doesn't mention 72LP, but all their current LP takes either 5/32" or 4.5mm (which is in between 5/32 and 3/16 but much closer to 3/16, it is just .010 smaller).

 

[Demonical]

^ You can also guess I'm no expert on chain, but I think the info Radio posted is dead right, and I'm just wrong.

Going to the Husky dealer tomorrow and hope they square me away, and this time I'm going to pay attention to my chain specs.

 

[jetsam]

^ You can also guess I'm no expert on chain, but I think the info Radio posted is dead right, and I'm just wrong.

Going to the Husky dealer tomorrow and hope they square me away, and this time I'm going to pay attention to my chain specs.

Lots of people switch file sizes partway through a chain anyway.

If you're using a file that is big enough to ride up over the top and give you a good edge and corner, and small enough not to cut the tie strap, I feel like you have the right size. Keep using that same size consistently on that chain.... switching sizes more than you have to wastes tooth length.

(You also won't go wrong using the size specified by the manufacturer.)

Since I got into grinding chains, I have reduced my file requirements down to two sizes (Big and Little) to match the grinder wheels, and that seems to be just fine with every chain I have.

 

[radio]

Did you buy that chain new from a dealer? Clearly it's not LP chain but if the dealer sold you ripping chain that's probably what you got. I can see in your photo the top plate of the cutters look like they're around 10 degress. I thought you had an old chain that was sharpened before and you wanted to re-sharpen it (a lot of people convert their standard chain to ripping). So the dealer likely sold you 72RD chain. Look at your chart, RD uses 7/32 files.

 

[radio]

The current Oregon filing chart doesn't mention 72LP, but all their current LP takes either 5/32" or 4.5mm (which is in between 5/32 and 3/16 but much closer to 3/16, it is just .010 smaller).

You're confusing LP/LPX chain with Low Profile. 3/8LP chain (90PX/PXL, 91VX/VXL) is for small saws. The 70 series chain is standard size 3/8 pitch. The 70 series has 72/73/75 sizes for .060/.058/.063 gauges. Most of each of those sizes has different geometries/chassis like LP/LPX, LG/LGX, CL, etc... The 70 series ripping chain is RD which looks like old DG chain with 10% angles on the top plate. All the current new 70 series chain uses 7/32 files.

 

[jetsam]

Oh, so the LP is a poorly chosen name for a tooth geometry, not Low Profile.

Yeah, I would not have guessed that!

So what does the other LP stand for?