Evaluating Sawdust

[toolmaker]

First of all, I want to admit that I most likely have a very unique shape of my cutters when I am done sharpening a chain. Maybe I have over-thought it, but 45 years of Tool & Die Making have made me do it the way I do.

Some of you would likely criticize my chains, but they work extremely well for me.

Size, shape, and thickness of wood chips:
Mine come out Square. The width of the chain, X the width of the chain, X approx 1/16" thick.

I see others that are more of a thin sliver, approx 1 to 2 inches long, and very thin.
................... my chips don't look anywhere close to these.

Do any of you us3e your wood chips to evaluate your chain sharpness?

Sorry for stealing this pic, but it is a good example of the sliver chips I am talking about.

 

[Deleted member 117362]

Wood species, green or seasoned or frozen makes a big difference in looks of shavings also.

 

[full chizel]

It also depends on if the chips are from noodling or cross cutting

 

[mountainlake]

Those look like noodles. Steve

 

[TheDarkLordChinChin]

That is my picture (and it's fine, I dont mind you stealing it )
I was not noodling, this was just very soft wood.

 

[TheDarkLordChinChin]

Some sort of Eucalyptus tree, we call them all leylandii here in Ireland but most of them are something else.

 

[toolmaker]

Crosscutting in oak is how I evaluate my chips

 

[TheDarkLordChinChin]

The harder the wood the smaller the chip. Usually.

 

[farmer steve]

I do look at my chips but usually towards the end of a cutting session to evaluate how dull the chain might have gotten. My dad will look at my chips right after I have sharpened chain and tell me my chain needs touched up. I just hand him the saw and a file. He's prolly been filing chains for 50 years.

 

[svk]

I watch chips. Normally cutting softwood or mid grade hardwood so I should always have nice large, square chips except when cutting the occasional oak.

 

[big hank]

First of all, I want to admit that I most likely have a very unique shape of my cutters when I am done sharpening a chain. Maybe I have over-thought it, but 45 years of Tool & Die Making have made me do it the way I do.

Some of you would likely criticize my chains, but they work extremely well for me.

Size, shape, and thickness of wood chips:
Mine come out Square. The width of the chain, X the width of the chain, X approx 1/16" thick.

I see others that are more of a thin sliver, approx 1 to 2 inches long, and very thin.
................... my chips don't look anywhere close to these.

Do any of you us3e your wood chips to evaluate your chain sharpness?

Sorry for stealing this pic, but it is a good example of the sliver chips I am talking about.

I'd be interested in seeing a picture of your chain

 

[dgr]

 

[Huskybill]

As long as I’m making big square chips I’m ok. If sawdust is what your cutting lower your rakers. I always drop my rakers a tad more then spec’d.