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best ripping chain

Started by nfp, July 19, 2001, 08:29:36 PM

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nfp

this forum seems to be a good place to ask that ripping question. what is the best chain? best angles? best depth on drags?  thanks nfp

Jeff

Welcome to our forum nfp. I don't have an answer, but I know the others will. Again, Welcome!
Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

Tom

Hey Kevin..................

you've got company out here. :D

CharlieJ

Welcome fellow chainsaw fan,

I have the best luck with Oregan 91 v Low Profile ( there are 2 91v's , I can't remember which but its the one that is not safety) . File it 10 degrees cross angle and 45 degrees down angle. If you don't
have a grinder shim up the regular Oregon file guide with a matchbook. This will lower the file to
give you your 45 degrees. You can do the 10 degree a little at a time to save chain. The sawing will
get easer and smoother with a smaller kerf as you file it down. I use a regular .050 Sthil bar. Lower the drags to .035 , or .040 if you have plenty of power (066  or larger).

Charlie  

nfp

thanks charlie, the 10 deg. i understand in a rip cutter.  the 45 deg. could you explain why so much? im going to use up the chain i have .058 & .063 on my worn bars. i use a 066 stihl & 394 husky for milling. looks like 91vs is only .050 in oregon. does stihl have .058 or.063 in 91vs type? have you used their stihl ripping chain? thanks again nfp

Kevin

I missed this post being in the outback on the weekend.
My favorite chain is the Oregon RA.
The top plate is ground to 10 degrees with a raker height of .040" below the cutters.
It cuts fast, stays sharp longer and leaves a nice finish, not as smooth as the Granberg chain but pretty respectable.
Good luck trying to find it, Husqvarna dealers are the only people that can get their mitts on it and it`s heavily guarded by Oregon special agents because the U.S government is using this chain to mill logs on other planets.
I finally got my Husky dealer to order some for my Stihl and that was no easy task!

CharlieJ

Agree with Kevin that Oregon RA is good rip chain. Just not as fast as 91vs filed to rip spec.
The 91 is only availabe in .050. as far as Granberg chain is concerned, its an outdated design,
I can't get any decent performance  out of it. the 45 Down angle really makes 91 cut. I have'nt tried the Sthil chain yet.

Kevin

Charlie;
Are you removing most of the top plate on the low pro or using it as is?

nfp

charlie can i use chisel chain and file [down 45deg.] the 10 deg. is no problem. the 45 deg. i don't understand? if i file with the handle of file down 45 deg. i hit the links could you send pic or a drawing for a dumby like me?  thanks nfp

Kevin


nfp

what do you think of using a flat file? looks like a grinder would be best. thanks nfp

Kevin

NFP;
I use a grinder and just set the desired angle.
A flat file isn`t the answer and tilting a round file won`t give it to you either.
Regulating the depth of the round file might but I don`t know for sure.
I`m not sure what the file guys do to get a specific inside top plate angle but we`ll find out.
I`ve asked some  file pro`s and I`m just waiting on an answer.

CharlieJ

As I said earlier a 45 degree angle can be achived with a file by shimming between the file and holder with a matchbook. This is fully explained in Will Malloffs book " Chainsaw Lunbermaking"
I do it this way because I don't own a grinder. I don't think full chisel chain would be a good choice
for sawmilling. Try and get a copy of Maloff's book. Its out of print but you can find it online.

Thanks Kevin for the picture.Thats worth many words.

Charlie


Kevin

Here`s a reply from a guy that`s been in the business for awhile.

Howdy,

Yep, the angle inside and under the topplate (Top plate cutting angle) is
obtained by how high or low you hold the file.  
If you file straight across (file held level) this angle is related and directly so, to the hook or
sideplate filing angle.  
If you hold your handle down (down angle filing) such as for chisel, the angle inside the topplate is more or less indirectly porportionate to the sideplate filing angle.  
This means you can cheat a fair amount, and even come around underneith independent of the topplate filing angle (The angle across the top).  

These filing tricks are known as "race-horse filing".  You can really thin out the top plate and sideplate with a file, but you are limited in how much you can do with a grinder.

The tilt and dress, together with having the vise offset from center, give you
the effect, but you can not get the degree of effect!  Yet another reason
filing is always better than grinding.

When I sharpen (commercial grinding) for everyday use, I tilt the head on
over to 45 and dress slightly small, dubbing off the backside to miss the
parts on the opposite side and the drivelink.  I avoid excessive hook in
order to get the best staysharp, and to have less chance of scorching the
hardness out of the chrome on the cutting edge.  (You must be able to leave
your finger on the cutter immediately after sharpening.  If you can't you
got it too hot and destroyed the staysharp ability).

Regards,
Walt Galer

Kevin

Earth to Charlie ...

Charlie are you removing the top plate on your low pro?

CharlieJ

Whoa..Kevin ..easy boy, mmm  must be the snow..


I file to 10 degrees a little at a time. I get the entire 30 angle off in about 3 fileings. The first cuts are a little rough but it saves a lot of chain. After obtaining a full 10 degree across the top it cuts really
smooth and fast. Low pro leaves a 1/4 kerf which saves a lot of log.   :D

Kevin

Ok, you`re leaving the top plate on, that might be the reason Granbergs ripping chain and the one  low pro I tried wouldn`t keep an edge .
I think they took the hardness out of the teeth when they ground off the top plate.

CharlieJ

 :D Calm down Kevin...mmm It will be fall soon and we can go back to milling... ez old feller.. :D

I file to 10 degrees a little at a time to get max use from the chain. It takes about 3 fileings to get the top plate to 10 degrees all the way across. The first cuts are a little rougher but its a trade off.
after obtaining 10 all the way its very smooth and fast.

 :)

CharlieJ

Ignore the last post. For some reason the post I did yesterday didn't show up until I posted this one.
I know what you mean now. No I don't take the top plate off like the  Granberg. :)

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