I need a chain to stand up to dirt.

[70t351w]

I am looking at cutting alot of wood. All the logs have been coated in sandy soil. I am going to load them by tractor, take them home and cut them there.
Is there a chain that will hold up to dirty jobs?

 

[coppermouse]

I would suggest cutting the bark/dirt off with an axe where you are going to saw. Dirt is a chains worst enemy.

 

[shawn.m]

I just end up doing a lot of filing and expect to file twice a day. when I am cutting my dirty log piles

 

[habanero]

It's going to sound stupid, but what about powerwashing the logs? Just run through the car wash on your way home.

 

[Canyonbc]

Ya...i would think a 2500 or 3000 pound per what ever...power washer would be enough power and more...

thats a lot of filing...why not get a grinder...

I know the are some really nice ones out there but how bad is the 40.00 one from Harbor Freight...

 

[2FatGuys]

How bad???

thats a lot of filing...why not get a grinder...

I know the are some really nice ones out there but how bad is the 40.00 one from Harbor Freight...

How bad? BAAAADDDDDD.... It is mostly plastic and the guides aren't stable enough for good alignment. You will get horrible consistency results and grind areas on your chains that weren't meant to be ground. It LOOKS like some of the better sharpeners, but sure doesn't operate like one! Thankfully, I only used it on one chain before taking it back.

 

[Canyonbc]

O really...

dang...didnt no they were that bad...i have assumed it, and that has been the reason why i never got one...i have been saving up for the Oregon 511A...

but for now continue by hand...

what about the hand one from stihl...that connects to your battery...ever use it??

 

[computeruser]

Lots of guys who mill logs powerwash them before hitting them with the CSM. It might not be a bad idea. Or at least hit the cut zone with compressed air or something.

 

[shawn.m]

i have the Harbor freight grinder- grinding wheel wobbles on spindle. like the fecrousejr said - did one chain and then stopped using it

have the 12v grinder and just could not get consistent enough with it- hands weren't steady enough

can do hand file in field but sometimes end up rounding out the teeth

best results seem to be for me at least with the granberg file n joint with a new file

I was carrying a 12 inch steel brush with me at one point in my back pocket for the really nasty dirt coated logs. Otherwise I will brush the log that I am going to hit with my glove first.

 

[Canyonbc]

man o man..the battle of the chain

i was lucky in San Diego....a guy who worked with/for me...well a friend of his was some aerospace engineer or something of this nature...and he would sharpen them with i believe a lazer...all i know it was $ 3 bucks a chain any size..and it looked like they were brand new..when i got them back the next morning...

now back at school...hand file gets the love

 

[2FatGuys]

what about the hand one from stihl...that connects to your battery...ever use it??

I wasn't impressed with the power of the 12v one I owned 15+ years ago. I ended up with a 120v Craftsman sharpener (before Dremmel became popular) that I used for 12 years before it quit. I LOVED it! I used it mostly to touch up chains, which I do by hand now. I leave the dull chain recovery to my local saw shop. It's cheap enough that I can't justify spending my time doing it and they do a great job.

 

[Canyonbc]

Ya they do do a great job...i need to find a shop here...

 

[coppermouse]

Those harbor freight ones are J U N K. I gave mine away. There is too much slop in the little tab the sets the side to side spacing on the chain.
I got one I am really very happy with from Northern tool for $89. It also allows you to set the chain guide angle front to back (another axis) as Stihl chains are supposed to be 10 degrees in this axis.

 

[mga]

man o man..the battle of the chain

i was lucky in San Diego....a guy who worked with/for me...well a friend of his was some aerospace engineer or something of this nature...and he would sharpen them with i believe a lazer...all i know it was $ 3 bucks a chain any size..and it looked like they were brand new..when i got them back the next morning...

now back at school...hand file gets the love

damn...hook me up with him!! i have 15 chains that need sharpening. the last time i brought one to a shop it lasted one cut. so, i just keep buying new ones until i find a competent sharpener who doesn't charge the price of a new chain.

 

[logbutcher]

Semi-chisel chains work well with dirty wood. After skidding whole logs out, we went to bucking ( cutting to stove size "butts") on the felled tree, humping the butts onto a trailer, piling them for later splitting and stacking.
All of the grit, sand, dirt is usually in the bark and the cambium layer just under the bark, particularly with heavy barked species like the oaks and elms.
See if you can get a bark "spud" northeastern U.S tool that strips and peels the bark.
Also the Pferd sharpening tool is super: it does the chain and raker in a pass.
I thot there were only tulip trees in Holland LOL

 

[Canyonbc]

Semi Chisel Chain??? What excatly do you mean...what is that???

 

[drmiller100]

chipper chain is supposed to last a lot longer then chisel or semi chisel in dirt.

i have 4 chains adn a northern grinder. for sure it seems to us the skip chain lasts longer then full comp.

 

[Canyonbc]

drmiller100

what grinder do you have from Northern Tool...i have been looking at them and debating on what one to get.

 

[Patrick62]

Thoughts

grinder thoughts: I had a "nick the grinder". It was "okay", the chains would cut. Just not great like they should. I would be queasy about a harbor freight item..... hand file would work fairly well, if you can hold a decent angle.

Now, the point has been made about using a semi chisel chain. Yep, that will help keep things going a little longer. One other trick is to use about 20-25 degrees instead of the 30-35 factory. It isn't as quick, but stays sharper longer.

Unless you peel the bark you are gonna hit dirt. Pick a clean side and upper cut the dirty side of the log. This way the dirt is blown away with chips rather than hauled into the cut where the greatest damage is done.

Good luck!

-Pat

 

[Canyonbc]

Um...i will take the 20-25 into thought...and give it a shot.