Advice on cutting straight on trunks of hardish wood

[lone wolf]

Yeah I'm sure you're right Brad. Thing is we got about 7ish trunks of birch, ash and cherry, from a guy my wife did rodent clearance. He dragged the trunks out with heavy machinery, got rid of the worst of the mud/and the thin roots. Since we wanted to process pretty much all of it (don't have the room to dump, or time to take to the tip), we washed and brushed as best we could. Of course I hit some coarser dirt than I'd planned...

But yeah, thanks for tip, about the cutter length + the depth. As you say - I've got some work to do.

BTW do you know if it's possible to irreparably damage a chain from it overheating? That is, will the tool steel from which the chain is made loose it's temper? Or am I dreaming here?

I just throw them away when they get all rocked like that! You will NEVER get that rocked chain to cut like it did. You are just going to piss your self off! Learn to read the logs and stay away from stuff that will dull the chain . Also have a chain you can use just for that purpose of cutting dirty stuff and save the good chains. Shorter bars are the way to go for ease of sharpening.

 

[Philbert]

I just throw them away when they get all rocked like that! You will NEVER get that rocked chain to cut like it did.

NO! Mail them to Philbert's 'No Kill' Chain Shelter!
http://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/philberts-chain-salvage-challenge.245369/

Tooth length causing these issues is a total myth.

Disagree.

That's contrary to my experience.

Agree.

As the chain wears, the cutters get shorter, BUT, as they get shorter, they also get lower and narrower. Getting all the teeth the same height ('jointing') and width ('setting') are basic tasks in sharpening any saw. If they are not the same, some teeth will participate in the cut more than others. If the LEFT cutters are different than the RIGHT cutters (common in hand-filed chains), the chain may pull to one side. The cutters should all be the same length, and filed/ground to the same angles (e.g. 30°/60°/0°), as close as possible. Uneven depth gauges, as noted, can also affect how the cutters on each side cut.


It's also possible to have a bar with worn or uneven rails, than causes a cut to curve. Or a worn groove that lets the chain move from side-to-side.

We got some pics. . . . I'd like to know if I can restore this chain, . . . Any advice?

OUCH! As noted, you need to file / grind past the damage and start again. Lots of life left in that chain, but you have to get back to clean, undamaged metal. Some guys would take it to a shop, and have it ground, to even things up again. Lots of file guides out there - you might like the Granberg type file guides, which take a little time to learn, but provide consistent, accurate, repeatable angles.
http://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/granberg-file-n-joint-revisited.193630/

Philbert

 

[lone wolf]

NO! Mail them to Philbert's 'No Kill' Chain Shelter!
http://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/philberts-chain-salvage-challenge.245369/


Disagree.

Agree.

As the chain wears, the cutters get shorter, BUT, as they get shorter, they also get lower and narrower. Getting all the teeth the same height ('jointing') and width ('setting') are basic tasks in sharpening any saw. If they are not the same, some teeth will participate in the cut more than others. If the LEFT cutters are different than the RIGHT cutters (common in hand-filed chains), the chain may pull to one side. The cutters should all be the same length, and filed/ground to the same angles (e.g. 30°/60°/0°), as close as possible. Uneven depth gauges, as noted, can also affect how the cutters on each side cut.
View attachment 507090 View attachment 507091

It's also possible to have a bar with worn or uneven rails, than causes a cut to curve. Or a worn groove that lets the chain move from side-to-side.

View attachment 507094



OUCH! As noted, you need to file / grind past the damage and start again. Lots of life left in that chain, but you have to get back to clean, undamaged metal. Some guys would take it to a shop, and have it ground, to even things up again. Lots of file guides out there - you might like the Granberg type file guides, which take a little time to learn, but provide consistent, accurate, repeatable angles.
http://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/granberg-file-n-joint-revisited.193630/

Philbert

Do I get half of them back?

 

[HarleyT]

You should see how the guys make a racing chain, they take off most of the cutters to lighten the chain up.
That chain could be made to cut as good as new, or even better!!

 

[Philbert]

Do I get half of them back?

PM me if you are serious . . .

Philbert

 

[HuskStihl]

If you have no grinder, lots of damaged cutter to remove, and a decently light touch, this makes quick work of chain rehab

 

[MattG]

I just throw them away when they get all rocked like that! You will NEVER get that rocked chain to cut like it did. You are just going to piss your self off!

I'll see how I get on - but yeah, it could end up as a spare sometime in the future!

OUCH! As noted, you need to file / grind past the damage and start again. Lots of life left in that chain, but you have to get back to clean, undamaged metal. Some guys would take it to a shop, and have it ground, to even things up again. Lots of file guides out there - you might like the Granberg type file guides, which take a little time to learn, but provide consistent, accurate, repeatable angles.
http://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/granberg-file-n-joint-revisited.193630/ Philbert

Thanks for all this stuff Philbert - it makes sense - I'll look at it further when I get time.

If you have no grinder, lots of damaged cutter to remove, and a decently light touch, this makes quick work of chain rehab

Thanks HS for putting this clip here - I'll watch it when I get home.

Thanks again for all the help, guys.

I particularly liked LWs remark about "cutting rainbows" !

Matt

 

[HarleyT]

I particularly liked LWs remark about "cutting rainbows" !

Matt

Speaking of cutting rainbows...........

 

[MattG]

Speaking of cutting rainbows...........

Thanks for that HT, I'm gonna go off now and try to refine my technique.

 

[lone wolf]

Speaking of cutting rainbows...........

WTF you saying? Just say it !

 

[pioneerguy600]

You should see how the guys make a racing chain, they take off most of the cutters to lighten the chain up.
That chain could be made to cut as good as new, or even better!!

With a lot of work/grinding/filing and experience!

 

[MattG]

With a lot of work/grinding/filing and experience!

Oh yes! I still might have a play though

 

[HarleyT]

With a lot of work/grinding/filing and experience!

Walt Galer taught me!!!!

 

[Westboastfaller]

This is too hard... too many things. I think I'm just going to be a saw Mechanic

 

[Westboastfaller]

Oh yes! I still might have a play though

settle down Matt. Let's just get this log cut properly lol

 

[Sagetown]

Thanks Lone Wolf,

The 20" chain's only half way worn - so I'm trying just keep going with, re-sharpening it every now and again. I'll check the bar out, but I reckon it's good (pretty new).

My 25" B+C hasn't been used yet - still new. I'm gonna try that in a week or so on the cherry + let u know.

What about cutting advice though people?

Should I just guide the saw with it's own weight and if the B+C are straight and sharp, then will the cut be straight too?

(Might add that I never had any trouble putting this saw through slightly smaller oak and ash, the saw absolutely murdered that stuff.)

(check out this in softer wood
)

But this is the stuff (cherry) that my chain hates

View attachment 506498 View attachment 506498 View attachment 506498

As lone wolf described in Post #2. Improper sharpening.
Since U indicate
1. the chain has been re-sharpened several times.
2. U have to apply pressure to the bar
3. U saw occasionally, and are still learning
4. the saw pulls to one side in the cut

imagine the solution is simple
1.a : Sharp chain doesn't cut well = Rakers are too high
2.a : Hard pressing on the bar = Rakers are too high
3.a : Bar has not been used enough to wallow out the bar grooves = Rakers are too high
4.a : the saw pulls to one side = Rakers on opposite side are too high.....

When everything else is done according to Hoyle, and your saw still won't cut. Work on the rakers LiL by LiL until you begin to get good chips flying out of the cut instead of dust. U do not have to apply forceful pressure to the Saw, just rev it up, and touch the log, and she should pull right into the wood like a Tasmanian Devil.

 

[HarleyT]

Here is a blowup of the left cutter in his first pic.

 

[HarleyT]

He will need to remove "at least" this much material to properly get it sharp.



And adjust the rakers as well......

 

[Philbert]

Here is a blowup of the left cutter in his first pic.

Looks like tooth decay from lack of flossing, or fluoride in the water , . .

Philbert

 

[HarleyT]

He may have to take off more, as the corner edge cannot be viewed in this pic, it may be rounded farther back.