winter cutting, chain recomendation

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Logjam

ArboristSite Member
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Getting prepared for winter cutting. I have a factory green chain on my 361. I also have a new 33rsc chain. Should I continue to use the green chain for harder wood, and save rsc for summer use?
 
Referring to the "green" chain doesnt tell us much about what the style of the cutter is. The green chain has added anti-kickback features. Some call it a waste, and an instillment of a false sense of security.

The RSC is a round ground chisel cutter. RM is a semi-chisel style cutter that is better in dirty or abrasive conditions. If it were me, Id run the RSC exclusively, and keep a couple RM as back-up for the occasional dirty log.

http://stihlusa.com/chainsaws/types.html
 
Sorry for the vague info. It is a low kickback chain with the triple hump strap. It seems to do an O.K. job. however, I'd like a more aggressive chain when sawing. Thanks for the adivise. I'll throw on the RSC and try it out.
 
Chains

I run rsc year round dude. Frozen, thawed, doesn't make any difference. Only time I run a different chain is if i'm cutting a lot of dirty wood. Then I'll usually get a rsc3 chain. Seems to stay sharp a lot longer in the dirty wood. If your cutting dirty wood I'd say to get the carbide chains, but they are nuts for what they want for them and it's he(double hockey sticks) to sharpen them... :cheers:
 
If you are in hard frozen wood for a long time it might be better to change the top angle of the cutters. It does not happen that much around here but sometimes I get pissy and run a tighter angle(15-25). Slower cutting but more cuts between sharpenings.
 
CaseyForrest said:
Referring to the "green" chain doesnt tell us much about what the style of the cutter is. The green chain has added anti-kickback features. Some call it a waste, and an instillment of a false sense of security.

The RSC is a round ground chisel cutter. RM is a semi-chisel style cutter that is better in dirty or abrasive conditions. If it were me, Id run the RSC exclusively, and keep a couple RM as back-up for the occasional dirty log.
------
I agree, and have said about the same thing several times myself....:rockn:
 
ciscoguy01 said:
Then I'll usually get a rsc3 chain. Seems to stay sharp a lot longer in the dirty wood. ....
That's pretty odd, RSC3 shouldn't hold its edge any better than RS/RSC - The RM variants are another story.....:rolleyes:
 
safety

SawTroll said:
That's pretty odd, RSC3 shouldn't hold its edge any better than RS/RSC - The RM variants are another story.....:rolleyes:

Only because I don't know what else to use. I usually get a safety chain. I think the rakers are higher than the standard rsc ones and clean away a little bit of the dirt etc.. saving a little life of the cutter. That or RM2, I usually have a harder time finding it. I usually get it from the dealer.
 
ciscoguy01 said:
Only because I don't know what else to use. I usually get a safety chain. I think the rakers are higher than the standard rsc ones and clean away a little bit of the dirt etc.. saving a little life of the cutter. That or RM2, I usually have a harder time finding it. I usually get it from the dealer.
The rakers on the RSC3 should be the same hight as on the RS/RSC and RM/RMC, 25 thousends below the cutters.......
 
hmmm

SawTroll said:
The rakers on the RSC3 should be the same hight as on the RS/RSC and RM/RMC, 25 thousends below the cutters.......

Not sure. Could just be a mental thing then. Ya know, if someone tells you something you kinda look toward it to be so. It seems that way from what I've tried it on, but I guess I've never really put it to the actual test. I could be misled. I shall try it in a few weeks and let you know my results. :cheers:
 
On a different note.

Frozen wood is harder to cut then green wood, or better put. Frozen green wood cuts harder. Just note the chip quality of frozen wood, to me it seems a little more like saw-dust. Saw-mills run a slower mill-rate in frozen wood.

Trending into a smaller depth gauge height may keep the chain speed up and a lower angle (for a say, if you run 35 - 30 deg, you may opt to run a 30 - 25 deg cutter) , but may not noticeably prolong sharpening as the wood dose not yield as well, taking the edge off faster.

Cold weather plays h3ll on bar oil, cutting with a dab of kerosene or diesel fuel (try about 10% shaking / mixing while warm) may pour faster, or just get winter weight bar oil.

On the plus side, there is a special reward to working in cool weather, like milk, it dose a body good. Most saws and all engines have a noticeable power / efficiency increase once there to temp, cold air is more air.
 
ShoerFast said:
On a different note.

Frozen wood is harder to cut then green wood, or better put. Frozen green wood cuts harder. Just note the chip quality of frozen wood, to me it seems a little more like saw-dust. Saw-mills run a slower mill-rate in frozen wood.

Trending into a smaller depth gauge height may keep the chain speed up and a lower angle (for a say, if you run 35 - 30 deg, you may opt to run a 30 - 25 deg cutter) , but may not noticeably prolong sharpening as the wood dose not yield as well, taking the edge off faster.

Cold weather plays h3ll on bar oil, cutting with a dab of kerosene or diesel fuel (try about 10% shaking / mixing while warm) may pour faster, or just get winter weight bar oil.

On the plus side, there is a special reward to working in cool weather, like milk, it dose a body good. Most saws and all engines have a noticeable power / efficiency increase once there to temp, cold air is more air.

I myself always lower the rakers a bit for frozen wood .. never had a problem with bar oil thou, not even in -15c... Sure it was sticky and slow moving but it seemed to oil just fine...
 
ShoerFast said:
.....Cold weather plays h3ll on bar oil, cutting with a dab of kerosene or diesel fuel (try about 10% shaking / mixing while warm) may pour faster, or just get winter weight bar oil.
....
A quality veg oil, like Husky Veg-Oil should fix that issue .....:clap:
 
ShoerFast said:
On a different note.

Frozen wood is harder to cut then green wood, or better put. Frozen green wood cuts harder. Just note the chip quality of frozen wood, to me it seems a little more like saw-dust. Saw-mills run a slower mill-rate in frozen wood.

Trending into a smaller depth gauge height may keep the chain speed up and a lower angle (for a say, if you run 35 - 30 deg, you may opt to run a 30 - 25 deg cutter) , but may not noticeably prolong sharpening as the wood dose not yield as well, taking the edge off faster.

Cold weather plays h3ll on bar oil, cutting with a dab of kerosene or diesel fuel (try about 10% shaking / mixing while warm) may pour faster, or just get winter weight bar oil.

On the plus side, there is a special reward to working in cool weather, like milk, it dose a body good. Most saws and all engines have a noticeable power / efficiency increase once there to temp, cold air is more air.

I agree with the winter cutting deal shoerfast!
Saws run sooooooooo good when it's below zero.
Your comment on the smaller delth gage hieght is interesting. It's similar to metal cutting tools. Less depth of cut for harder materials.
I'm thinking as I sharpen more the rm2 chain it should keep the speed up and not take such an agressive bite.
But based on others comments. I gotta give-er heck with the RSC.
As far as bar oil. It seems to be O.K. in fluidity once the saws is warmed up.
thanks for the adivise
 
I donated my time today for some storm clearing. Lots of fallen trees blocking in residents. The wood was frozen, limbing was incredibly SLOW but bucking up the rounds was normal (yes the chain was sharp :). running RSC chain on a 20" bar, Husky 61, with the winter plug removed. Thinned the bar oil with kerosene (10%). I did notice the cutter were all "chipped" slightly, yet al the trees were off the ground while cutting.
 
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