Plunge Cuts and Bar Tip Size

[musher]

I hope this wasn't already addressed. I searched and couldn't find it, so . . .

Would a broader tip bar nose perform better in plunge cuts, since it gets the cut to the full bar width sooner than a tapered bar with a more narrow nose? In other words, is it better to use a Stihl bar with a 13-tooth sprocket nose than an 11-tooth sprocket nose?

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

I believ so, yes. I've got a couple of 28" ES bars, some with narrow noses, some with broad. I've not really tried a head to head comparrison, but I've not had any trouble with the narrow. But I think I recall reading where the broader nose was for plunge cutting.

Jeff

 

[musher]

Thanks.

I'm trying to narrow (?!) my choices for 28" bar, if I need one, and just want to make a more informed decision. I have to measure the rest of the bigger trees I need to take down, one of them being a leaner that I'll need to plunge-cut, in order to see if I need the longer bar in the first place, or if my current 20" will do.

I surprised myself a little on Monday when one of the trees I dropped pretty much used every last inch of my 20" bar. I can handle larger diameter trees fine if its not a heavy leaner, but I would just as soon not have to try to match sides of a plunge cut on a 20"+ heavy leaner if I don't have to.

 

[clearance]

Musher, remember what I said about hanging a chain above the cuts, easy insurance against barberchairs. Hang it after you put in the undercut so the chain hangs down and doesn't get in the way of the backcut. Good luck to you.

 

[geofore]

plung cut

It has a lot to do with the type of chain you are using to do the plunge cuts. It's not just the bar that you use. Myself, I like the narrower bar with the extreme kickback chains that are slowly being taken off the market. Most saws are shipped today with safety chain and unless you know enough to ask, you are not going to get an aggressive chain with your saw. This is to protect the homeower that can find himself in trouble at the drop of a hat. A pro knows what to ask for or buys the chain by the roll so he has what works on hand and doesn't have to call around to find a dealer that has what he wants. Safety chain is not very effective in the plunge. As for the bar it a matter of personal preference. The chain does the cutting and if it has safety bumpers on it it's going to be a pita doing plunge cuts with. Did I mention a sharp chain does a better job? If you buy the chain by the roll ask for extra tie straps. If you make your own loops you'll know why you want the extra straps (master links).

 

[Crofter]

Geoforce, getting the right chain is correct. Some will virtually refuse to bore and the smaller the nose radius the worse they are in this respect because the bullet nose of the depth guides projects beyond the tooth as the chain is bent around the nose. Oregon LP is good for boring and I think (?) Stihl RSC is similar. Some of the others need the bullet nose raker profile reduced on the front to make them bore well, but it is not easy to do a consistant job on them freehand.

 

[SawTroll]

.... Oregon LP is good for boring and I think (?) Stihl RSC is similar. Some of the others need the bullet nose raker profile reduced on the front to make them bore well, but it is not easy to do a consistant job on them freehand.

The Stihl chain that is most similar to the LP is the RSC3.
The regular RSC resembles LG and traditional RS, but with the added feature of an anti-vibe chassis.

 

[Marco]

Oregon put out a guide with Fast File Freddy an eon ago and at that time it was recomended to grind a bevel on the back of the tooth if alot of boring was done. Does anybody do this? yet? ever?

 

[Crofter]

Marko, would that be similar on the tail of the cutter but reversed to what is on the front of the raker?

 

[Marco]

yes, it would be similar. Haven't seen it done in real life, but it was braught up in this old Oregon filing guide.