Ripple marks in bucking cuts

[Chris Cringle]

Welcome any comments on these ripple-marks in the bucking cuts of this northern red oak. They are not very pronounced. I only noticed them when the setting sun was shining right across the ends of the pieces of wood in this stack.

 

[Del_]

Variances in the chain teeth.

 

[Chris Cringle]

Variances that come with manufacture? Or must have come from a ding? Chain is fairly new, was cutting great.

 

[Patrick62]

a little bit of "play" in the bar, chain can move to the left/right enough to create this.

 

[buzz sawyer]

Also - possible wear in the bar groove and/or edge. Wrong chain gauge - .050 chain in a .058 or .063 bar.

 

[svk]

Could be a number of things. Wobble in the bar groove or cutters that are not the same size. Performance wise not a huge deal unless you are cant racing.

 

[Marine5068]

WView attachment 831896elcome any comments on these ripple-marks in the bucking cuts of this northern red oak. They are not very pronounced. I only noticed them when the setting sun was shining right across the ends of the pieces of wood in this stack.

That's VERY fresh cut Norther Red Oak, isn't it?
I burn lots of it here.
Love it.
I've had this from time to time.
All of the points mentioned can create this effect.
But let's also remember that the wood itself has soft and hard spots in it's growth rings and will produce this as the chain cuts through them.
The texture looks cool actually.

 

[alleyyooper]

Does the wood burn OK? If so what is the problem?
Worrying about little things will kill you.

Al

 

[Chris Cringle]

Yes, fresh cut. Tree blew down 18 months ago, but was connected to the root ball, and off the ground. So like cutting green. Not worried about the ripples, but always like to understand what I’m seeing.

 

[svk]

Yes, fresh cut. Tree blew down 18 months ago, but was connected to the root ball, and off the ground. So like cutting green. Not worried about the ripples, but always like to understand what I’m seeing.

They will usually get more pronounced as the rounds dry.

I find this happens most often with hand filed work chains as you sharpen each cutter only till it’s sharp so eventually you get cutters of different lengths. It still cuts good but the longer cutters take a little bit wider of a bite.

 

[alleyyooper]

Don't you count the stroke when hand fileing and do every tooth the same number?

Al

 

[svk]

Don't you count the stroke when hand fileing and do every tooth the same number?

Al

Yep but when you rock a few cutters they are going to take more strokes.

 

[alleyyooper]

Those rocked cutters are the ones your supposed to start with and file the rest accordingly. Or that is the way I do it.

Al

 

[svk]

Those rocked cutters are the ones your supposed to start with and file the rest accordingly. Or that is the way I do it.

Al

On a work chain it’s a waste of time and resources to hand file good cutters back to the same level as ones that were rocked. As long as the depth gauges are all adjusted right, the chain will cut just fine.

 

[Del_]

A bar out of tolerance in spots leaves a potato chip like face to a bucking cut. It would not leave what we are seeing. What I see looks like the chain teeth vary in their bite.

 

[Cowboy254]

I have had that happen, but only with a very sharp chain. I think it could be wiggle in the groove or inconsistent cutter height. But if your chain is cutting slowly, you're not going to see those grooves because the bar won't move fast enough through the wood - in other words, it'll even out the cut. Really, I think you need to cut more wood, and post more pics .

 

[Big_Eddy]

Left tooth - right tooth - left tooth - right tooth.
Shear - tear - shear - tear
Kinda like striping the lawn when mowing the grass.