Best Chain & Sharpening

[shanetrotter]

New to the big stuff. Have always cut firewood just now getting into bigger logs and saws with my heavy equipment. Have Dolmar 6400 and Husky 372xp and just wondering about best chains and sharpening techniques for bigger stuff. Carbide or not? Hand or Machine sharpening?
Thanks, Shane

 

[Turkeyslayer]

I use Oregon lpx on everything but dirty or skidded wood then I use Oregon dp. I hand file my chains at the manufacturers recommended angles (which is on the back of the box the chain comes in)

 

[2dogs]

Try a bunch of different chains and see what you like instead of what we like. I would not touch a grinder for several years, that is untill you can file a chain sharp. Find an old mossback logger and see if he might teach you to file. Stay away from carbide, it is a specialty chain.

Get a current copy of the little Oregon chain guidebook and do what it says.

 

[tramp bushler]

Welcome to the Loggin side Shane

Pretty much what Turkey Slayer and 2 dogs said .... It it easier to learn to file with full skip chain ...... Keep the burrs filed off the side of your bar and tip . They detract greatly from the fun of cutting ... But your files by the dozen and keep them dry and rust free till and while you use them .. Get a Carlton File o plate for the chain you run and use it every 3rd or 4th time you file .... Use it for taking down your riders .

 

[2dogs]

Pretty much what Turkey Slayer and 2 dogs said .... It it easier to learn to file with full skip chain ...... Keep the burrs filed off the side of your bar and tip . They detract greatly from the fun of cutting ... But your files by the dozen and keep them dry and rust free till and while you use them .. Get a Carlton File o plate for the chain you run and use it every 3rd or 4th time you file .... Use it for taking down your riders .

Tramp what do you store your new files in? My are in my saw box in the Stihl cardboard box they came in. Every time I have to get into the saw box it starts to rain. Half the files have a red coating of rust.

 

[Greystoke]

Tramp what do you store your new files in? My are in my saw box in the Stihl cardboard box they came in. Every time I have to get into the saw box it starts to rain. Half the files have a red coating of rust.

I double-jacked with a guy that had an awesome file storage system for his three corner chisel files. It consisted of about a 1" diameter pvc pipe cut to length of files, with a screw on cap on each end. To keep the files seperated inside the tube, he slid a soda-pop style straw over each file...looked like a nifty setup...if you run three corner, or round files. I mostly used double ended obergs, and would keep a spare in my pack-sack (before I went to a grinder) anyhow, the spare in my pack-sack I would spray with wd-40 or equivalent, then wrapped in the wax paper they came in.

 

[2dogs]

I double-jacked with a guy that had an awesome file storage system for his three corner chisel files. It consisted of about a 1" diameter pvc pipe cut to length of files, with a screw on cap on each end. To keep the files seperated inside the tube, he slid a soda-pop style straw over each file...looked like a nifty setup...if you run three corner, or round files. I mostly used double ended obergs, and would keep a spare in my pack-sack (before I went to a grinder) anyhow, the spare in my pack-sack I would spray with wd-40 or equivalent, then wrapped in the wax paper they came in.

I use a plastic pipe container for my hot shot torch, it came with it. I made several contaners like this many years ago for welding rod, just may have to give it a try for files.

 

[tramp bushler]

Corrosion Block tm ............ It is an aresol spray , can be got as a pump also . I have the link somewhere ....... I have triede every kind of spray ect , even regular old grease .... The Corrision Block is without a doubt the #1 product .... Like I have sprayed them with it . let it dry over night and set some on the float (dock ) salt water ... 3 weeks later still not a hint of rust .... Took some of the same batch and put them in a saw tool box and left it out side for a year or so . Still NO RUST ......
I,m a firm believer in CORROSION BLOCK .... I,ve done it with worm drive frameing blades spray 1 side and not the other ... leave them on the float .. 1 side gets no !!! rust .. guess which side .... I really like the straw idea ...

 

[Wishie22]

I use Oregon lpx on everything but dirty or skidded wood then I use Oregon dp. I hand file my chains at the manufacturers recommended angles (which is on the back of the box the chain comes in)

Try a bunch of different chains and see what you like instead of what we like. I would not touch a grinder for several years, that is untill you can file a chain sharp. Find an old mossback logger and see if he might teach you to file. Stay away from carbide, it is a specialty chain.

Get a current copy of the little Oregon chain guidebook and do what it says.

Pretty much what Turkey Slayer and 2 dogs said .... It it easier to learn to file with full skip chain ...... Keep the burrs filed off the side of your bar and tip . They detract greatly from the fun of cutting ... But your files by the dozen and keep them dry and rust free till and while you use them .. Get a Carlton File o plate for the chain you run and use it every 3rd or 4th time you file .... Use it for taking down your riders .

Great advise, guys

ST welcome to the site. I hand file most of the time, rakers a little every third time of normal filing as well. Try and stay away from dirt, sand, rocks, and metal. If my chain gets rocked bad, I bring it in to the shop and get it machined. Keep a couple chains on hand if something happens to the one in use or when the rakers need to be dressed (do that at home usually). Sharp chain saves allot of time, and abuse to the saw. Just had to replace two AV springs on my 7900 , end of the day pushing a chain that should have been sharpened .

Here is the link to Oregon 3/8 chains, selector guide is on the page as well: http://www.oregonchain.com/pro/products/chain/38pro_chain_main.htm

Good PPE and stay safe.

 

[wvlogger]

i run chisel on my saws and use pferd files and an orgon guide

 

[coastalfaller]

I double-jacked with a guy that had an awesome file storage system for his three corner chisel files. It consisted of about a 1" diameter pvc pipe cut to length of files, with a screw on cap on each end. To keep the files seperated inside the tube, he slid a soda-pop style straw over each file...looked like a nifty setup...if you run three corner, or round files. I mostly used double ended obergs, and would keep a spare in my pack-sack (before I went to a grinder) anyhow, the spare in my pack-sack I would spray with wd-40 or equivalent, then wrapped in the wax paper they came in.

A couple of my guys do that too(the pvc pipe), seems to work real well. Keeps everything nice and dry. They have it attached to their wedge pouch for easy access.