Carbide chains anyone?

[avalancher]

I have been cutting the past couple of weeks behind a logging crew right down the road, and before they will allow me to run around in the woods and cut up the oak tops they knocked down, they want me to clean out all the end pieces on the side of the knuckleboom. Many of these pieces are huge, and sad to say have been dragged through the mud several times. Cutting gets to be a chain sharpening nightmare, I have to sharpen with every tankful even if I brush the wood off as best as possible. I have considered buying a loop or two of the carbide chains to give them a try, but considering the extra cost I was wondering if they are worth the extra expense. Anyone try them? My only other option is to drag the lengths into my trailer with a winch, and wash the logs down at home with a pressure washer before cutting them up, which doesnt seem to big of a deal. The only bummer part is getting the logs back out when they are 30 inches+ in diameter and sometimes 4-6 ft in length.
Anyone?

 

[olyman]

maybe someone from the fire dept would go out and pressure wash them for ya??????

 

[avalancher]

maybe someone from the fire dept would go out and pressure wash them for ya??????

What I wouldnt give for a big ole firetruck to show up there.....
Maybe I oughta just start a small fire, call 911, and when they show up say, "Hey fellas, while you are here....., and I will personally deliver a case of the beverage of your choice to the firehall later today....."

 

[STLfirewood]

I have a broom I carry for that kind of stuff. I cut the handle off really short. I just bruck the spot where the chain is going through. It doeswn;t get everything but it helps a lot.


Scott

 

[Bowtie]

Are you using full chisel or semi chisel chain? You probably know this but semi chisel will stay sharp longer in dirty cutting conditions.

 

[avalancher]

That was my first mistake that first day, I was wearing full chisel on the 372, and semi on my 455. After the first couple of hours, I noticed that the 372 was getting sharpened twice as often as 455. After a break for lunch, I realized my mistake and went for the rest of the day with the 455. Sadly I didnt have any semi-chisel loops for the 372, but bought a loop on the way home. It defintly helps matters, but nothing can survive plowing through a 2 inch thick layer of mud that is hidden by a neighboring log. All this stuff is in a very tall and long pile, and most is impossible to move until cut into lengths.

 

[buckwheat]

Actually, fire departments use carbide chain on their venting saws to cut through built up roofs. The current leading models are variants of a Husky 372 and a Stihl 460. I'm not sure of the cost and what's involved with sharpening them.

You might have some luck with a carbide chain, but I think going with a semi chisel or "chipper" tooth chain is your best bet. Just clean off the wood as best you can, and if the pressure washer is your best option, have at it!

 

[Mike Van]

You'll need a silicon carbide or diamond wheel to sharpen a carbide chain. I think you'll find them slow cutting too, as the edge is made to stand up to nails, asphalt shingles, whatever the FD has to cut through. I'd think they'd have a stronger, blunter tooth than your typical sawchain. Just a guess though, as I don't own any. The old style chipper chain [if you can find any] is the best bet for dirt.

 

[aandabooks]

Why not cut down to where your going to enter the dirt area. Keep making cuts in the clean wood then come back with semi-chisel at the end of the day and finish off all the cuts. Or are the logs rolled in dirt?

Matt

 

[Rowan]

Carbide is brittle isn't it?

I'm no expert, but the carbide blades that we use at work are brittle.... I would imagine that a good edge on a carbide cutter would lead to broken tips in a hurry if it encountered gravel/stones....

But if the fire department uses them...... perhaps I'm wrong. Does anyone know if they're one time use for the FD?

 

[buckwheat]

http://www.stihlusa.com/chainsaws/MS460Rescue.html

http://www.thefirestore.com/store/p...575xt_fire_rescue_chain_saw_with_depth_gauge/

 

[GeeVee]

Or get selective about not cutting mud.

I regularly carry 55 gal drums of water in my truck, and with my Honda 1hp waterpump, can wash down a ton of things, for sure.

For a ten dollar plastic drum and a water pump, the cost benefit ratio can easily be figured.

Now, I must say I think I got this pump VERY cheap, at 259 bux, because I see them in retail for 425 and up, but regardless, I think its one hell of a tool to own.

I will look around and see what it costs and relay to you if you desire. I can only say, toting water is not that tough, and a gas powered four stroke Honda 1hp pump can move more water than anyone would need, and not break stride. Water is not as heavy or as hard to come by as some would lead you to believe.

 

[blackdoggy]

There is a company up in P.A. that sells hard faced chains and I can't find there web address which I had :censored: they are listed as laser sharp chains.

 

[aandabooks]

Baileys sells a line of them. They are more than $2.00 per drive link.

 

[blackdoggy]

The company I am talking about sells factory direct and every chain link is hard faced with carbide and a loop for my 021 cost's around $22 per.

 

[aandabooks]

The company I am talking about sells factory direct and every chain link is hard faced with carbide and a loop for my 021 cost's around $22 per.

per drive link or per loop? Per loop, that is not a bad price. Can you sharpen with a file or does it require a special wheel?

 

[blackdoggy]

Thats for an entire loop the thing with them is they take a regular chain and I am assuming mig or arc weld on hard facing to each link so they are able to be sharpened with a normal file or wheel. It's pretty ingenious how they did it and how cost effective it is. I really wish I had the link to there site because it's getting time for me to order a new chain and I want to try them out since I cut "trash" wood that the city brings in. The guy on the phone said it is supposed to last quite a bit longer than standard chains before you need to sharpen them even in filthy wood.

 

[uglydukwling]

Partner advertise a chainsaw for cutting openings in concrete walls. The grind of that chain probably wouldn't be suitable for wood (I'm not even sure if it has teeth or just a chain with carbide grit bonded to it) but maybe they could supply something useful.

 

[avalancher]

I guess I was talking about a different type of cutter, Baileys calls it a "inject a sharp" carbide cutter. Here is the link.
http://www.baileysonline.com/search.asp?SKW=injecta&catID=73

Cost varies, but generally runs between .50 to .35 a drive link.
i was just wondering if anyone here has tried them.

Someone also mentioned carting wood along in drums and washing the logs down. That in my opinion wouldnt pay, like I said before if I have to go to that extent I would rather pull them into the trailer with the winch full length, and wash them down with a pressure washer at home. the mud is mostly clay, and I doubt that a simply wash down would have any effect.
I was looking for some options, the semi chisel defintely has been working better than the full chisel, but I was hoping that this Inject a sharp carbide might be the answer.

 

[avalancher]

Thats for an entire loop the thing with them is they take a regular chain and I am assuming mig or arc weld on hard facing to each link so they are able to be sharpened with a normal file or wheel. It's pretty ingenious how they did it and how cost effective it is. I really wish I had the link to there site because it's getting time for me to order a new chain and I want to try them out since I cut "trash" wood that the city brings in. The guy on the phone said it is supposed to last quite a bit longer than standard chains before you need to sharpen them even in filthy wood.

If you come up with that link, I know I wouldnt mind giving them a try. Its always nice to have some options.