Opinions on skip tooth

[Chainsaw_Maniac]

Right now my favorite type of chain for my 066 Arctic is Stihl 33 RS (full compliment). I phoned my dealer and asked him to get a semi skip tooth chain in of that type. Now, if I wanted I could just shut up and wait until I get it and try it out for myself. But I wanna know from you guys if you like using it. This is just for general purpose firewood cutting by the way.

Does the saw still handle nicely? How much fatser does it cut? Is stihl chain the way to go or is oregon chain or another brand better?

I cut firewood to sell it. I cut hundreds of cords yearly and I'm even looking to step up my production next year. Naturally the more I cut in a day the more money I make. I should have experimented with differnt types of chain sooner than this, but I kind of got stuck in my ways using 33 RS. Also, before I discovered this forum and the ????????? ToolShed forum idea's like this didn't occur to me as easily.

 

[glens]

A search for the topic in the search box (try the words "skip chain") should provide you with more than enough reading to keep you busy for an evening.&nbsp; The common consensus is that unless you're being slowed down in your cuts because the "chipped" material is clogging the chain, you're going to <i>lose</i> speed by reducing the number of cutters available for action at any given time.&nbsp; Also that one might be better able to use a bar length which is on the marginally-long side for their saw by going to a lesser-complement chain; but you mentioned a pretty gutsy saw and didn't say anything about long bars, or type of wood (which is another factor, if it produces sticky/gummy chips).

Of course experimentation is to be encouraged, and an account of your experiences will be greatly appreciated.

As for myself, I don't use it, but I'm not a professional sawyer so you might not care about that.&nbsp; There are fewer teeth to sharpen so that operation should go faster, but I'd think that the need to do it would, all things being equal, occur more frequently.

Maybe I should have just said something along the lines that your question will likely spark debate as greatly as if you'd asked who makes the best saws, or what the best type of oil is and in what proportions to mix it. :<tt>)</tt>

Glen

 

[Crofter]

Do some searches. There are lots of posts on skip vs full comp chain. There are timed cut comparisons and pros and cons covered . You'll have a few hours reading ahead of you.

Frank

 

[StIhL MaGnUm]

Maniac,

A word of advice I think...I use skip chains but if your only cuttin' cordwood stick to full comp RS or Oregon LG,skip chains are only meant for wood such as Pine and othe softwoods that tend to have a problem with chip clearence,skip chain also tends to make a saw vibrate more than using full comp so if your gonna be doing cordwood stick with full comp you can't beat it..

Later Rob.

 

[Fish]

Try Carlton's full chisel, it is good and you can get it cheaper.

 

[crowe]

full comp

If all I was doing was cutting firewood I would stick with the full comp it will stay sharp longer and cut a little smoother. I love skip chain If I have big enough hardwood to use it. I really dont like using it on the smaller timber third and fourth growth stuff the timber is usallay pretty hard and full of limbs and that is what bothers me the most bumping all those knots and limbs the chain wants to hop out of the rail all the time and spin out in the cut or at least that has been my experience with it. I am sure you will read all you want about it before the evening is over. Later Wade

 

[Chainsaw_Maniac]

I guess I better get reading all those threads. I'm already working my way over a lot of older threads in this forum. I'll wait for the skip tooth and report to all of you about how I like it.

With the 066 I'm making cuts anywhere from 8 inches to 4+ feet. 1-2 feet is actually a more typical diamiter. I don't use overly long bars, actually I tend to use the 24" a lot.

The wood I'm cutting is mostly hard maple, white ash, oak, beach, and a litte bit of swamp maple. All very dry wood. I never had problems with stickyness and I only rarely get chips stuck in the chain (in which case quickly pulling the bar out, revving it, and putting it back in wordks nicely).

 

[Newfie]

chain????

maniac,

"I cut hundreds of cords yearly and I'm even looking to step up my production next year. "

I don't think skip chain is the answer. Down here we call it a firewood processor for those quantities.

 

[Tony Snyder]

You best leave the skip tooth at the store. Unless you are running maximum bar lengths in softer woods you will be trading off your smooth cutting and cutting speed against no advantage.

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

If you are cutting in trees that are full of metal and dirt, for example, like in an urban forest or residential yard, you may find skip tooth serves you well. What takes longer, sharpening 20 cutters or 40?
Another example might be if you run a crew of 4 guys who don't cut very well and you are the only one who can sharpen a saw, still think full comp is the way to go?
How about if you cut stumps off at ground level for stump grinding, you tend to hit dirt and dirty wood doing this, still want full comp?
How about the big saw with 4' and longer bar? Want to race my full skip through some big wood?
I don't drive a freight train, that doesn't mean all freight trains are no good. In other words, skip chain has it's place, and in that place, it's wonderful.

 

[rahtreelimbs]

I started using full skip chain before I hooked up with this site. I'm running a Stihl 066 with a 42" bar and a Shindaiwa 757 with a 32" bar. Both of these saws are running max size bars for their respected sizes. I thought that full skip cut faster than full comp. Maybe it does on these bar sizes. However, the members of this site who are "in the know" have taught me to think otherwise. On the smaller bars my vote is for full comp.

 

[earache]

maniac, you may want to read post Full skip vs. full comp times, which I posted a couple months ago. Good reading. You may also want to read full skip vs. frozen wood.

 

[Chainsaw_Maniac]

Originally posted by earache
maniac, you may want to read post Full skip vs. full comp times, which I posted a couple months ago. Good reading. You may also want to read full skip vs. frozen wood.

OK I will.

By the way, I'm glad that the general concensis is that the chain I have been using all along is the way to go. Brushing Contractor (from ToolShed) was the one that told said skip tooth was the way to go. But he cuts a lot of Douglas Fir, where as I cut no ever-green wood to mention really. It all makes sense to me now that I've heard about "gummyness" of wood and stuff. By the way, I have no problem sharpening a full compliment chain. I rarely hit rocks or nails or anything. I sharpen my saws daily, but it only takes a few minutes.

 

[Sethro]

Hermann
Welcome to ABS, I guess you are a chainsaw maniac, was looking at your profile 11.62 posts per day thats great and also we are the same age.
I use some 3/8 full skip for firewood just because it dosn't sell around here and at the price I bought it at ,I couldn't go wrong.But stick with ful comp for cutting smaller hardwood,it is the best. Seth

 

[Tony Snyder]

Understand the difference between semi skip and full skip; two spaces of side starps only vs three spaces of side strap only.

Skip chains will be less productive for each revolution of the chain, also more vibration.

The arguement of less filing time increases productivity is a fallacy, as the lost cutting productivity more than offsets any saved filing time

I agree that skip chain has its place, and that place is on long bars and in softer species of wood.

I have skip chain in stock; you can't hardly sell the stuff here in Illinois hardwood country. But the loggers here a using predominately 24 inch bars in , oak, hickory, ash, hard maple, cherry, sweet gum, poplar, and walnut.

 

[Chainsaw_Maniac]

Ya, the stihl place doesn't even keep it in stock. They had to order one for me. That should have been a clue.