Double ender hard on chain?

[dannyrscott]

I have a 72” cannon SawMiller powered by 2 660s and it seems to be hard on chains (Oregon 59 skip .404). I just started running this setup and was running the chain “snap” tight and you could still pull the chain off the bar a half inch or so with a normal pull. Seems to me that’s where it should be, a little tighter than a shouter bar. When the chain got hot and expanded it would jump around a little bit etc. I don’t think I was driving the saws into the wood too hard. I ended up breaking the chain twice in a 48”- 60” wide by 12’ long piece of Douglas fir. I also broke a drive sprocket. I’m going to try a new chain and new sprockets and see how that goes next week. Just want too see if anyone with experience running these double ended long bar setups had any advice on the abuse of chain and bar. Also, the chain did not break near spun on master link in both breaks.

 

[andy]

Maybe it's ok for a new chain for the first couple runs as it loosens up but, 1/2" of pull away on a 72" bar..? That seems tight (to me).
I can pull the chain an inch away from the groove on a 62" bar when it's tight.(really maybe too tight).
Longer bars will always seem looser than they are so careful not to overtightened.
I've found It's not easy to get them just right.

Are you finding it's cutting fast enough with sharp aggressive chain ?
If not, that's a good tell for an over-tight chain.

 

[dannyrscott]

Seems to cut about the same speed when the chain is tighter compared to looser. It definitely seems to cut way smoother when the chain is tight, however the broken chain thing makes me think to run it a little on the loose side. I also had the chain jump out of the bar once when starting a cut which made me think to keep it nice and tight.

 

[SeMoTony]

I have a 72” cannon SawMiller powered by 2 660s and it seems to be hard on chains (Oregon 59 skip .404). I just started running this setup and was running the chain “snap” tight and you could still pull the chain off the bar a half inch or so with a normal pull. Seems to me that’s where it should be, a little tighter than a shouter bar. When the chain got hot and expanded it would jump around a little bit etc. I don’t think I was driving the saws into the wood too hard. I ended up breaking the chain twice in a 48”- 60” wide by 12’ long piece of Douglas fir. I also broke a drive sprocket. I’m going to try a new chain and new sprockets and see how that goes next week. Just want too see if anyone with experience running these double ended long bar setups had any advice on the abuse of chain and bar. Also, the chain did not break near spun on master link in both breaks.

Oregon that's been used off the reel stretches bad, compared w/Stihl. Off the reel filing gullets makes for better speed in a cut. Arbor from Australia is all that has broke in my milling w/60" b&c 3/8 x 063 thru maple ported muf modded & max flo 661 Stihl semi-skipsquare chisel pulled by 8 sprocket

 

[Skeans]

Seems to cut about the same speed when the chain is tighter compared to looser. It definitely seems to cut way smoother when the chain is tight, however the broken chain thing makes me think to run it a little on the loose side. I also had the chain jump out of the bar once when starting a cut which made me think to keep it nice and tight.

This is just from running a 60” single power head bar, but you never start a cut with a bar that long it will derail a chain in a heart beat it’s always started with a short bar or an axe. Just curious when milling are both power heads on the same level plane with each other?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[kimosawboy]

I have never, never started my cut with anything else than my mill(84"bar). As to breaking a chain with a double ender, never had that happen either. I can pull a good two inches of slack in the chain and it will get back in the bar without a snap. For me I will go for a tad slack rather than too tight as that will f&*%k up both bar and chain. Just my two cents though.
G Vavra

 

[dannyrscott]

I am going try again soon when I have some free time with a little more slack in the chain, more oil and new chain/drive sprockets. Talked to an old timer who figured I was breaking chains from cutting very sappy wood gumming up the drive links and causing more friction when it wrapped around the drive sprockets. Maybe that’s why I broke a drive sprocket as well? He suggested I run as much oil as possible and to mix chain oil with diesel to thin it down, what do you all think of that? I figure it won’t hurt if i put it in the auxiliary Oiler.

 

[siouxindian]

Oregon that's been used off the reel stretches bad, compared w/Stihl. Off the reel filing gullets makes for better speed in a cut. Arbor from Australia is all that has broke in my milling w/60" b&c 3/8 x 063 thru maple ported muf modded & max flo 661 Stihl semi-skipsquare chisel pulled by 8 sprocket View attachment 777430

that is cool set up in your picture there.

 

[SeMoTony]

that is cool set up in your picture there.

Thanks, response to a ladder being narrow support. 2 ,1"x3" rectangular tube is wider guide.
@Skeans the 60" bar in my avatar (ms-460 ph) and in the pic above w/661 ph started and finished the cuts. Had a poorly cast drive sprocket break while in 37" ash off the avatar stump w/42" bar. The Australian loops bust twice in the maple above. Then a loop was made off Stihl reel 1 dl long. Put a 8 drive sprocket on for the cut in the pic in this thread.
A 36" x ten foot white oak proceeded the ash. HO had no saw large enough. Saw me playing on the oak and invited me to cut his

 

[Skeans]

Thanks, response to a ladder being narrow support. 2 ,1"x3" rectangular tube is wider guide.
@Skeans the 60" bar in my avatar (ms-460 ph) and in the pic above w/661 ph started and finished the cuts. Had a poorly cast drive sprocket break while in 37" ash off the avatar stump w/42" bar. The Australian loops bust twice in the maple above. Then a loop was made off Stihl reel 1 dl long. Put a 8 drive sprocket on for the cut in the pic in this thread.
A 36" x ten foot white oak proceeded the ash. HO had no saw large enough. Saw me playing on the oak and invited me to cut his

Sorry I forgot to put well falling timber we will start the cut with a shorter bar like a 42 or a 36 otherwise you’re fighting the chain to stay on the bar.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[dannyrscott]

Ran it today with new chain and sprockets. Worked excellent. Getting it dialed in for sure. Looser chain and plenty of oil.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

Oregon that's been used off the reel stretches bad, compared w/Stihl. Off the reel filing gullets makes for better speed in a cut. Archer from Australia is all that has broke in my milling w/60" b&c 3/8 x 063 thru maple ported muf modded & max flo 661 Stihl semi-skipsquare chisel pulled by 8 sprocket View attachment 777430

That chain is from China, not Australia. Yes has a Kangaroo on it, not sure why!

 

[SeMoTony]

Ran it today with new chain and sprockets. Worked excellent. Getting it dialed in for sure. Looser chain and plenty of oil.
View attachment 778377 View attachment 778378

Nice work may learn that, if the log has a split or crack, turning the log to cut parallel with that will make for better slices. Hope yours hang together. Bow tie slots to bring the sides together or stop the splitting is done. Looks decorative while being functional using contrasting wood