? on dawgs

[whitearrow]

hello everybody,i have a ? regarding the metal spikes,dawgs,on the front of the saw.what are they the most useful for?i understand that they are good for felling,but why?are they an asset for bucking?also,why do the bigger saws come with one on each side of the bar and smaller ones just come with the one inside one?
thanks,
whitearrow->>>------------>

 

[Lawn Masters]

they are quite useful to create a good pivot for cutting with longer bars. at least that is my understanding of the use for them.

I never could understand why bigger saws come with one on each side of the bar, and the smaller saws only have one spike on them.

 

[skwerl]

The outer dawg is useful when making a stump cut on a tree with a wide root flare. With just the inner dawg, sometimes the root flare is angled so you can't get a bite.

Smaller limbing saws are not typically used for large stump cuts so they don't need outer dawgs.

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

They are for timber. They do provide a fulcrum around which to rotate your saw. It take a monster to pull the bar through the tree perpendicular to your hinge. However, it takes only one hand to sweep the bar through the cut with your saw dogged up against the tree. You'll see two dogs on larger saws because often you'll be in bigger wood, with thicker bark. You can find bark on Doug Firs better than an inch thick, even in moderate sized trees. Alot of times as well, your saw will be pulling the powerhead into the tree, up against the dogs. Two dogs distribute that force between two instead of all on one. If you ever see a saw with a broken off top dog mount that's from the chain grabbing, and pulling the powerhead into the side of the tree, and breaking it off. There's alot of force there. And for the root flare instance like Rocky mentioned above.

Jeff

 

[Rspike]

So with all that said .......the dogs on say a Craftsman saw must be just for looks , ha. I have a few friends that run some of the cheaper saws and tell me there saw just dont run right ........... I'll take the dogs off there saw and WOW ....it dont die in a cut anymore .

 

[sedanman]

On smaller consumer saws the dogs are often used as a "Dull Chain Override"

 

[Rspike]

On smaller consumer saws the dogs are often used as a "Dull Chain Override"

D.C.O. There ya go.

 

[Lakeside53]

D.C.O. There ya go.

I like that

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

On smaller consumer saws the dogs are often used as a "Dull Chain Override"

HA! That's a good way of putting it.

 

[Sprig]

D.C.O., I like that too. I agree with those who have pointed out the usefulness of dogs when felling, I also would like to add that not only do they help keep the saw in place, make a good fulcrum (sp), but also take a bit of the weight off your arms. I use mine on my wee Sthil all the time since the saw is heavier than the bar when I buck as I find it gives me much better control and if I hit a hard knot I can always add a bit of pressure (and no, not to the bog down point, heh, BDP), on bigger stuff that is longer than my (24") bar I can walk it back from my initial front cut. Wasn't there another thread on this? Anyhow, jest my .02$ worth.