Milling with a cross cutting chain

Arborist Forum

Help Support Arborist Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

badhandagain

ArboristSite Lurker
Joined
Oct 19, 2018
Messages
32
Reaction score
8
Location
Louisiana
I haven’t figured out why my ripping chain isn’t doing so hot. So I’ve decided to just use my normal crosscut chain. Has anyone done this and what was your experience? When I was using the ripping chain, I was having to seesaw the entire time. So I’m not worried how smooth it is. I just want to not have to seesaw the whole time.
 
Sharpen and sharpen. And lower your rakers. If you seesaw, you didn't optimize your chain. It should be one smooth (still relatively low) motion.
 
I haven’t figured out why my ripping chain isn’t doing so hot. So I’ve decided to just use my normal crosscut chain. Has anyone done this and what was your experience? When I was using the ripping chain, I was having to seesaw the entire time. So I’m not worried how smooth it is. I just want to not have to seesaw the whole time.
Rakers on a milling chain should be about 10-15% lower to allow it to take a proper bite out of the end grain & make chip rather than dust.
The top plate cutting angle should be squarer, around 5-10° as a greater angle causes the chain to pull sideways more creating a wider kerf, loading the saw more & leaving a rougher finish.
So... a well sharpened cross cutting chain should mill ok but it will work the chainsaw harder, cut a slightly wider kerf, make more dust, & not make as smooth of a finish as a properly sharpened milling chain
 
Back
Top