3/8x.050...reg or lo pro in milling, diffirences?

[wdchuck]

The local hardware store couldn't sell me any milling chain, but found a local source that stocks it, so I called them, and they wanted to know which I wanted; 3/8x.050 reg or lopro? from a milling standpoint I'm not sure which to go with.
The saws pulling this will be my 460 or 075, on a 32" GB Ti bar.

Would like your (expert) opinions please.

 

[Rodney Sinclair]

I run a Logosol M7 and have been using the "low Profile" chain for years. I use the Husky 385 and mostly a 16" bar, although I also have a 20" and 24" bar. When I go to a 36" bar, I go back to the reg 3/8 chain. The difference, about 1/8" in the kurf. The low profile chain does well on the shorter bars as long as you keep it good and sharp.

I also own a 1220 TimberKing, and because of the cost and hassle of getting the blades sharpened, I'd rather saw with the M7. It's a little slower(because of a little larger kerf) and takes a little more gas, but does(I think) a better job. It's for sure a lot cheaper.

Rodney

 

[aquan8tor]

Go with the standard .050 3/8. The lopro stuff stretches too much on big bars; trust me on that. I pulled drive links apart no less than three times before I gave up on my 32" oregon bar. I put it back together for a 20" loop.... Now I just use the regular kerf stuff.

That said, the lopro stuff is MUCH MUCH faster than the regular kerf stuff, so I kept the loop for smaller logs & for edging flitch slabs later with the "minimill" 90deg. thing. I don't like the minimill other than for edging. works fine with pipe clamps so that you don't have to nail into your flitches.

 

[wdchuck]

One thing that strikes me as odd about this place, at least from what this young man was telling me, they have two sizes of milling chain in stock, aside from Baileys or some other large outfit, I would not expect a saw shop to have much in stock, regarding milling specific anyway.

 

[Matildasmate]

what chain

Hi wdchuck Lopro is only meant for bars 24" or less , but is great stuff , anything over 24" , 3/8 standard is recommended .

 

[wdchuck]

Thanks for the feedback guys.
I'm hoping this shop can deliver on a full cutter with 5* top angle, instead of a ground down regular cutter, my .404 started out with full cutters and will last quite a while.

 

[SawTroll]

Hi wdchuck Lopro is only meant for bars 20" or less , but is great stuff , anything over 20" , 3/8 standard is recommended .

That adds up - Stihl sell the MS660 logosol with 18 and 20" bars only here (chain is lo-pro, 63PMX).

 

[wdchuck]

Turns out that this place only had regular, full comp chain, one option being LoPro for smaller saws.

While I was there they gave my 16" bar a nice grind job for $5, and made me a loop of full chisel for the 32" $33. So, now I'm set for chains for the long bar for quite a while.

Seemed like a good place to go for anything needing sharpening beyond my skills.

Thanks for the info guys.

 

[Matildasmate]

Bar dressing

Turns out that this place only had regular, full comp chain, one option being LoPro for smaller saws.

While I was there they gave my 16" bar a nice grind job for $5, and made me a loop of full chisel for the 32" $33. So, now I'm set for chains for the long bar for quite a while.

Seemed like a good place to go for anything needing sharpening beyond my skills.

Thanks for the info guys.

Hi Wdchuck Gee $5.00us to dress a bar up sounds good , in my local area it costs about $17 - $20au , so I bought Valorbe bar dresser , pic attached

 

[wdchuck]

They needed to take at least 1/16" off the rails to get below all the nicks/chips/burs from the previous owner having the chain come off so often, they couldn't do much with the tip because of the sprocket teeth, but they did what they could for it, so I'm happy with that, it will take some time for me to wear the bar down enough to replace it. I suppose a proper dressing would require the sprocket to be removed so the rails are consistent around the tip, not sure if it creates a safety issue or not, haven't had the chain come off while in my possesion yet.

That hand dresser looks like it would do the job nicely for regular maintenance, certainly pays for itself in short order.

 

[woodshop]

Hi Wdchuck Gee $5.00us to dress a bar up sounds good , in my local area it costs about $17 - $20au , so I bought Valorbe bar dresser , pic attached

I've seen those bar dressers, and thought about it. Maybe if I got one and tried it I might change my tune, but I seem to be able to dress my bars really well by putting them in a vice and using a large standard bastard mill flat file. I hold it at about a 30 degree angle to the bar, and run down the bar. I know this sounds a bit silly, but I enjoy that particular job a LOT when I'm doing maintenance on my gear. I seem to be able to hold the file flat and strait enough to put a nice smooth flat edge on my bars that way. I think if I got me one of those dressers, it wouldn't be as much "fun".

 

[BobL]

I made my own (adjustable) dresser.

 

[Matildasmate]

bar dressing

I've seen those bar dressers, and thought about it. Maybe if I got one and tried it I might change my tune, but I seem to be able to dress my bars really well by putting them in a vice and using a large standard bastard mill flat file. I hold it at about a 30 degree angle to the bar, and run down the bar. I know this sounds a bit silly, but I enjoy that particular job a LOT when I'm doing maintenance on my gear. I seem to be able to hold the file flat and strait enough to put a nice smooth flat edge on my bars that way. I think if I got me one of those dressers, it wouldn't be as much "fun".

Hi Woodshop Yeah I used to file mine too , because I used a file , I used to leave it too long , that made it too much work . Then I made a jig out of a couple of lumps of wood for my Makita belt sander , I used to lay it on its side to do the top at 90degs to one of the pieces of wood , worked well , to do the sides of the bar just lay sander on its back and sand away , doing it that way soon became a pain though . Next I got the Valorbe bar dresser , now I do it much more regular , piece a piss , done in no time , bloody marvelous . But doesn't matter which way a person does it as long as their happy eh . I like BobLs design , after studying his design , I think its actually quite a bit better than my bought one , especially when top dressing the bar , looks like it has better support than mine .

 

[Matildasmate]

Bar dresser

I made my own (adjustable) dresser.

Hi Bob Yeah I had a look at yours , I reckon its better than my bought one mate , better support for top dressing .

 

[BobL]

Hi Bob Yeah I had a look at yours , I reckon its better than my bought one mate , better support for top dressing .

I usually dress my bars using a thick metal cutting wheel I put onto an old table saw. I made the manual dresser after rattling through my metal scraps box for another project and the two bits of ally angle and black anodized flat plate were sort of laying that way inside the box. Then when I started putting these 3 bits together my "fiddlin' twitch" took over and it ended up where it did! Anyway, it's really easy and nice to use, esp in the field if I spy a bar getting a bit of a ridge on it.

I nearly put that old table saw on the kerbside pick up but at the last moment I put a metal cutting wheel on it and it is now one of the most used tools in my shed. I since added water cooling and can cut carbon tool steel with that setup without damaging it.

Cheers

 

[Matildasmate]

Table saw

I usually dress my bars using a thick metal cutting wheel I put onto an old table saw. I made the manual dresser after rattling through my metal scraps box for another project and the two bits of ally angle and black anodized flat plate were sort of laying that way inside the box. Then when I started putting these 3 bits together my "fiddlin' twitch" took over and it ended up where it did! Anyway, it's really easy and nice to use, esp in the field if I spy a bar getting a bit of a ridge on it.

I nearly put that old table saw on the kerbside pick up but at the last moment I put a metal cutting wheel on it and it is now one of the most used tools in my shed. I since added water cooling and can cut carbon tool steel with that setup without damaging it.

Cheers

Hi Bob I'm curious any chance you have any pics we can look at of your water cooled tablesaw .

 

[BobL]

Here ya go.

And

The saw is an old (35 year?) 8" table saw with a 1.5 HP motor. I cut all manner of metal on it, steel, brass, ally, copper, tool steel, nuts, bolts and galvanised plate. The stock blade I have fitted is a 5" x 0.04" thick abrasive cutting wheel which generally cuts everything.

For bigger type work and dressing saws I fit a 1/8" x 8" cutting wheel.

For Ally I have some 7 1/4 TC tipped woodworking saw blade - rub some wax on it and it works great (Thats how I cut the ally for the dresser and parts of BIL mill)

Advantages:
It's a lot quieter than an angle grinder so I can use it at night without upsetting the neighbors.
Its only running at 2800 rpm so its a hell of a lot safer than an angle grinder. Fewer sparks, much cooler metal because the water cooling, can hold metal closer to blade with hands, and I'm much more game to get my fingers near the blade.
It has a small standard table saw fence and mitre slide so I can cut small pieces of metal quite precisely.
It's slow rpm combined with water cooling means I can cut things like Carbon TS without blueing the steel.
It cuts sheet metal so well - almost like cutting a sheet of plywood. I cut the galvanized clutch cover for the BIL mill using it.

The only real disadvantage is that for big hard stuff it's relatively slow to very slow and the belt eventually slips.

Oh yeah - it great for cutting cutters off chains as well!

 

[aggiewoodbutchr]

Here ya go.

And

The saw is an old (35 year?) 8" table saw with a 1.5 HP motor. I cut all manner of metal on it, steel, brass, ally, copper, tool steel, nuts, bolts and galvanised plate. The stock blade I have fitted is a 5" x 0.04" thick abrasive cutting wheel which generally cuts everything.

For bigger type work and dressing saws I fit a 1/8" x 8" cutting wheel.

For Ally I have some 7 1/4 TC tipped woodworking saw blade - rub some wax on it and it works great (Thats how I cut the ally for the dresser and parts of BIL mill)

Advantages:
It's a lot quieter than an angle grinder so I can use it at night without upsetting the neighbors.
Its only running at 2800 rpm so its a hell of a lot safer than an angle grinder. Fewer sparks, much cooler metal because the water cooling, can hold metal closer to blade with hands, and I'm much more game to get my fingers near the blade.
It has a small standard table saw fence and mitre slide so I can cut small pieces of metal quite precisely.
It's slow rpm combined with water cooling means I can cut things like Carbon TS without blueing the steel.
It cuts sheet metal so well - almost like cutting a sheet of plywood. I cut the galvanized clutch cover for the BIL mill using it.

The only real disadvantage is that for big hard stuff it's relatively slow to very slow and the belt eventually slips.

Oh yeah - it great for cutting cutters off chains as well!

YOU DA MAN! I have an old TS that would work perfect for this.

 

[wdchuck]

Yep, picked up a freebee table saw, direct-drive, missing the fence, but it will work perfect for this, and leave my wood saw alone.

 

[BobL]

Sorry to hijack this thread. Just a few examples where the metal cutting saw has come in really handy.

Cutting up steel (square tube and channel) for this small CS mill and rail system.

Here is a close up of the little mill. BTW I've just ordered a 20" 0.05 bar to use on this mill. I now would really like a (gutsy( smaller saw than the 076 to go with it!

Cutting tool steel blade for a spokeshave.

Cutting out the blue steel blade and all brass bits for this saw.

Rails for the BIL mill. Each rail is made from 2 x 3/4" square tubes welded together. The bottom tube has been turned into channel by ripping a full length 7/16" slot along the tube. Angle iron cross pieces also have a 14" slot cot into them. Could of course all be done with an angle grinder but saw is a lot easier, safer and quieter.

Cheers