Detuning the 361 for light milling

[Haywire Haywood]

I might be doing some light milling with my ported 361 in the coming days. I'm building a retaining wall from telephone poles I have scavenged and my plan is to mill a slab off of opposite sides to make them stack easier and to eliminate the taper in the pole. I expect the the cut to be no more than 6-8" in width and my poles are cut into 9' lengths.

My saw runs at about 14K when "in tune". How far should I detune it for this project?

thanks,
Ian

 

[aggiewoodbutchr]

I tune my saws about 1-1.5k less than where their sweet spot is. But... I've only milled with and 084 and 066 so I can't say for sure on that particular saw.

Are these pressure treated (wolmanized) poles or creosote? Both can be irritating but creosote is especially nasty stuff. Watch out for yourself and expect to sharpen your chain a lot!

 

[Haywire Haywood]

Yep, these are old creosote treated poles. I'll be using a dust mask for this operation.

thanks,
Ian

 

[aggiewoodbutchr]

Yep, these are old creosote treated poles. I'll be using a dust mask for this operation.

thanks,
Ian

Got a chain grinder? Creosote is abrasive in addition to just plain nasty. I'm not saying it can't or hasn't been done. Just be prepared. A metal detector may be handy, too.

Good luck and lets see some pics!

 

[Husky137]

"light milling"?:biggrinbounce2: Now that's an oxymoron.

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

Would this be a good place for a carbide chain? Or Bailey's Inject-a-sharp?

Would it be cost effective for this small job? I can see it saving time, but would it be worthwhile?

 

[00juice]

I have bought some of the bailey's injecta stuff, but have not used it yet. It's not too expensive. Might be worth a shot for the cost of a 20" loop.

 

[aggiewoodbutchr]

I didn't think about the carbide chain but this is exactly the situation it is designed for. I called them some time back and they do offer a ripping chain.

 

[Haywire Haywood]

Got a chain grinder? Creosote is abrasive in addition to just plain nasty. I'm not saying it can't or hasn't been done. Just be prepared. A metal detector may be handy, too.

Good luck and lets see some pics!

I've got one of the Northern Tool 511A copies that's been on sale for the past few months. I was surprised at how long my chain lasted cutting them to length. I managed to get 20 cross-cuts before the chain was well ready for a sharpening. This was round chisel too, I don't have any semi- for the saw I used.

This is will be my first whack at milling and I have to figure out how to get a "slanted" slab to take the taper out of the poles. It'll be about 2-3" thick at the fat end of the pole and tapering off to nothing at the narrow end. I figure I'll have to put my guide board up on spacers or something at the narrow end to accomplish it. It would be easier to do with one of those Beam Machines but I think I'm going to end up doing it with an Alaskan Small Log Mill if the used one I'm looking at comes through. If not, I'll probably buy the beam machine.

Ian

 

[Haywire Haywood]

Wadda ya know. I found a friend of a friend that going to loan me his Beam Machine. That made my project a little cheaper. All I have to do is buy a loop of ripping chain. I checked out the carbide chains at Bailey's but they don't list a ripping chain, just the regular stuff. A 66DL loop of Inject-a-Sharp 3/8 .050 runs $23.10 plus shipping. Just a few dollars more than a loop of regular Stihl chain if you figure in the shipping cost.

Ian

 

[dustytools]

I've got one of the Northern Tool 511A copies that's been on sale for the past few months. I was surprised at how long my chain lasted cutting them to length. I managed to get 20 cross-cuts before the chain was well ready for a sharpening. This was round chisel too, I don't have any semi- for the saw I used.

This is will be my first whack at milling and I have to figure out how to get a "slanted" slab to take the taper out of the poles. It'll be about 2-3" thick at the fat end of the pole and tapering off to nothing at the narrow end. I figure I'll have to put my guide board up on spacers or something at the narrow end to accomplish it. It would be easier to do with one of those Beam Machines but I think I'm going to end up doing it with an Alaskan Small Log Mill if the used one I'm looking at comes through. If not, I'll probably buy the beam machine.

Ian

Ill have my rails at the GTG for you to look at and use HH. They are adjustable in width so that they will take the taper out on the first pass. They were simple to make.

 

[Haywire Haywood]

Here are the results. I just used what chain I had on hand which was Bailey's 30RC. One slab was all it had in it before a trip to the grinder. I underestimated the width of the slab tho, it ended up being 11" at the wide end. I detuned the saw to about 12.3k. It didn't lack for power, but the cutting was S...L...O...W. I gave it a break every foot or so and let it idle for about 30 seconds before getting after it again. ---Ian

 

[Matildasmate]

humor

"light milling"?:biggrinbounce2: Now that's an oxymoron.

You both got a graet sense of humor

 

[Matildasmate]

tungsten tip chain

I got a couple of 20 inch tungsten tip crosscut chains off ebay for $100au about $80us each.But they were 20 degree chains,stay charp about five times as long or more,these chains a bit slow,because of the angle,im sure the thirty degree chains,would be quite a bit faster.A mate of mine had some of that inject a sharp chain,he wont use it any more,he reckons it used to chew his bars out too much.

 

[1953greg]

hey hey

if you dont need a flat finished wall why not just surface the top and bottom of the poles and leave the sides rounded. half as much milling that way. also just alternate big end and little end to keep wall level. just make an even cut down opposite sides. you wont loose as much pole that way.

if i am hearing you correctly you just want the poles flat sidded to stack. right?

 

[Haywire Haywood]

Yep, that's what I had in mind. Slab off 2 sides just to even it up and so they will stack better. I haven't gotten to doing the other poles yet, but the taper is mild enough on most of them to do what you are talking about and just alternate the fat end as I stack them. I had a couple tho who's taper was fairly pronounced and those I will slab off.

Ian