325 for milling? anyone break chain?

[vamtjewboy]

I have been reading old posts about the larger chain sizes vs 325. Everyone seems to be worried about breaking 325 chain and not reallly comfortable using it with big saws. How many of you guys have actually broken chain (325 or other sizes)? is the narrow kerf really all that much thinner? thanks. -nick

 

[camojeep]

i broke a 3/8 low pro on a 80cc saw 28inch bar after about 5 passes went back to standard 3/8 and not a problem since

 

[aggiewoodbutchr]

I use .325 on a piston ported 084 with a 44" bar regularly and have yet to break one. I've even tried it on a 66" and 72" bar and it stretched but didn't break. It would have eventually so for those bars I stick with 3/8".

For 44" bars and under, I use 325 with out exception. In my experience it cuts faster, smoother and produces less sawdust than 3/8" and especially .404. I've never used 3/8" low profile but have compared it side by side to .325 and it just seems lighter in the chassis.

In my chain tests, I measured the actual kerf sizes of all three and they are as follows.

(averages)
.404- 3/8"
.375- 5/16"
.325- 9/32"

It's really not a big difference in terms of material waste but it does make a noticeable difference in saw performance.


What size powerhead are you using?

 

[vamtjewboy]

390xp

I am buying a 390xp with a stage 3 T that was done by Washington Hot Saws...

- Decked cylinder - Cut combustion chamber -Squish set to proper tollerences - Retarded exhaust timing - Advanced intake timing - Intake widened - Finger ports added - Boost ports added if needed - Repositioned transfer timing - Transfer ports opened - Exhaust port widened and polished - Piston lightened and - Muffler matched to new exhaust port profile - Muffler dual ported - Ignition timing set to saw dynamics - Remove limiter caps -Rejet carburetor if needed"

what happens when chain breaks? i have never had it happen...does it just come off the sprocket and get stuck in the wood or does it fly and do crazy things? thanks-nick

 

[camojeep]

I was in the middle of a cut chain just stopped and saw reved up nothin dangerous unless you was just coming thru the other end then maybe the chain could possibly fly off ???

 

[BobL]

what happens when chain breaks? i have never had it happen...does it just come off the sprocket and get stuck in the wood or does it fly and do crazy things? thanks-nick

Check out this thread. http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=48977

From reading a bunch of other threads it appears that the majority of chains break when the chain has been used well past when it should have been thrown away.

In terms of milling, After milling some bigger logs I note there is so much sawdust left sitting in the kerf that I cannot move the saw (turned of) back more than a couple of inches without it getting jammed, so the chances of a major chain whip around out of the kerf appear small. Maybe others could comment on this?

 

[aggiewoodbutchr]

Check out this thread. http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=48977

From reading a bunch of other threads it appears that the majority of chains break when the chain has been used well past when it should have been thrown away.

In terms of milling, After milling some bigger logs I note there is so much sawdust left sitting in the kerf that I cannot move the saw (turned of) back more than a couple of inches without it getting jammed, so the chances of a major chain whip around out of the kerf appear small. Maybe others could comment on this?

...or when you hit something.

True statement about sawdust in the kerf.

I believe there were a number of reasons I had a chain whip out. One was we just had started the cut. Two, we had 65" of bar in between the mill supports to make a 30" cut (first cut off the top). Third, it happened suddenly and the saw was near WOT. Had any one of these contributing factors not been present I believe the results would have been different.

 

[BlueRider]

second hand story of a chain break with a whip

Based on some of the coments I have read here about 3/8" chain I asked my friend if he had ever used anything other than .404. We both run 42" bars but he is running an 090compared to my 051. Aparently he did have a chain break while running 3/8" chain and it whiped out. To hear him tell it the chain tore his shirt but didn't draw blood. I don't know because I didn't see it but even it it didn't nearly cut him it scared him enough that he will only use .404 and he is a real time-is-money kind of guy.

I have been milling since 1994 and have never had a chain break. I run .404 on the 051 with a 42" bar and I run .375 on an 038 Magnum with a 32" bar. I have used the 038 for milling but most of what I mill is too big for the 32" bar so it mostly gets used for trimming and bucking logs to mill.

 

[BobL]

...or when you hit something.

True statement about sawdust in the kerf.

I believe there were a number of reasons I had a chain whip out. One was we just had started the cut. Two, we had 65" of bar in between the mill supports to make a 30" cut (first cut off the top). Third, it happened suddenly and the saw was near WOT. Had any one of these contributing factors not been present I believe the results would have been different.

It doesn't take much to see how the risk of a chain related event/incident/accident is greatest at the point when a saw is just getting started in the cut. When the logs are small low and flat, the whip out plane is nominally at the level on legs covered by chaps. When logs are large and sloping it can be at chest level!

As far as CS mills go, has anyone thought about providing so sort of anti-whip-out device/cover on the trailing rail? What about a couple of dangling heavy duty chains, that are long enough to cover the depth of cut but not long enough to touch the chain? The chains could be even unclipped once the blade is in deep inside the kerf. Like any safety device you want something that does not add other risks to the operation.

I'd be interested in anyone elses thoughts on this issue.