How many are running square ground?

[imagineero]

I don't have much experience with square ground. I've bought some chain that come from the factory square by chance and it ran pretty good. i don't log any more but run a full time tree service with a dozen saws, about half ported. Usually end up running semi chisel because over the years I've found that properly tuned rakers (thanks BobL) run real close to full chisel in speed but cut 2-3x the wood between sharpenings and get almost twice as many sharpenings per chain. That's a lot more productivity.

The square I've ran is good for sure, but not brilliant. Everyone says square out of the box isn't that great and I'd believe it. I give semi chisel 2 licks per tooth with a round file and 5 strokes with a clean sharp file on rakers to wake it up and the difference is night and day. I hear guys make statements like "it's worth selling a saw to buy a square grinder ". I'm thinking boing of changing at least 3 or 4 saws over to square for use in the tree when climbing since it's clean cutting and time is critical to get ahead of cuts in some situations.

So how many are cutting with square? How's it working out for you?

 

[nk14zp]

What is a half ported saw?

 

[treeslayer2003]

i like square on my falling saws only. if its filed right its smooth and fast. off the reel its no good imo. needs angles changed and frankly is not sharp. be warned, it will not stay sharp as long as semi chisel round. i have found it stays sharp longer in our hardwood if i keep the side plate and top plate about even.

 

[northmanlogging]

only run square now, even on the skidder saw, (only cause I'm to "busy" to file em).

Seems like chain life is fairly good, as long as you keep it out of the dirt, square don't like dirt. Once I got a grinder I think overall chain life has improved, since the grinder can just nip a bit and be done, where filing always seemed to take 3 or more strokes.

Raker height is key with square, and the right angles, I stopped messing with the gullets, just dress the wheel to take a little extra off the bottom so far so good.

Couldn't tell you what angles I'm running, for one I don't care, just adjust em tell they feel good, for two my ole grinder doesn't have much in the way of markings.

 

[bnmc98]

I use it. Wont use it on the landing though. That gets round.

 

[Trx250r180]

.404 rslf is my favorite right now

 

[Skeans]

I use it as well, and I agree with not running it on the landing and grinding the chain I carry 5 to 6 with me in the truck and one or two with me in the brush for the random rock that you'll find.

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[bnmc98]

I have always hand filed it. I'm pretty fast at it, (and a file weighs a lot less for me than carrying extra chains) and it still cuts better than round for me.

 

[Skeans]

I have always hand filed it. I'm pretty fast at it, (and a file weighs a lot less for me than carrying extra chains) and it still cuts better than round for me.

I tie a crown royal bag onto my gas and oil jug rope.

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[treeslayer2003]

yep, skidder/landing saws run full chisel round. every thing is skip. you western guys running a little more angle on the top plate than the side right? i found thats faster in pine but is grabby in hard stuff. also i run rakers at .020 and file out the gullets every other file and it is super smooth. i can get 1" chips in oak, 2" in pine. could get longer chips in pine with more angle but seems like it easier to stick with one angle all the time.

 

[Skeans]

yep, skidder/landing saws run full chisel round. every thing is skip. you western guys running a little more angle on the top plate than the side right? i found thats faster in pine but is grabby in hard stuff. also i run rakers at .020 and file out the gullets every other file and it is super smooth. i can get 1" chips in oak, 2" in pine. could get longer chips in pine with more angle but seems like it easier to stick with one angle all the time.

Mike I can't tell you the angle I'm running, but the 28" bars and down I run full comp chains and my 32 to 42 I run semi skip chains then my 60 runs a full skip.

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[Rudedog]

Tree Sling'r square ground a bunch of my chains for me. They cut great and I go to great lengths to keep them out of the dirt.

 

[OlympicYJ]

Old man taught me to file roun, wouldn't say I'm a master. Taught myself to file square; again definitely wouldn't say I'm a master at that lol. Seem to have gotten better. Logged for my uncle a few weeks ago and was mostly just bumpin limby cedar and no dirt. Stayed sharp all week. Probably a little dull but not bad.

 

[CR888]

I think for it to be an ongoing chain of choice, one MUST buy a Silvey/Simington grinder if to be used commercially. Running a couple of tanks through a saw once a week, you can get away with a file. Running 10+ saws that put food on the table......yal go crazy without a grinder! lt's the smothness of square I like as much as its speed.

 

[bnmc98]

takes me just a tad longer to touch up a chain with a file after 2-3 tanks, than to change one out.

Only thing I don't like about hand filing is the angle and the little files cramp my hands.

 

[treeslayer2003]

lol, wait till you gotta put on glasses

 

[Red Amor]

dontcha hate that !!! always lookin for the friggen things and they are usually found on top me head :O)

 

[treeslayer2003]

ha! red i got a dozen pair scattered about the house shop and trucks.......never have a pair handy lol.

 

[Skeans]

ha! red i got a dozen pair scattered about the house shop and trucks.......never have a pair handy lol.

Just wait till you get a grinder Mike it's lots of fun matching the corner of the wheel with corner of the tooth.

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[Trx250r180]

If you run square it is much easier to bring a couple extra chains to swap out if hit something ,i can actually get a few days out of a .404 chain ,my top plate is about 15-20 degrees instead of 30 though ,so it makes the outer corner stronger from rounding over .The .404 oils better than 3/8 also .