iDRY Vacuum Kilns

Sponsors:

Can anyone help me decipher the marking on the bar of my MS261cm?

Started by Crusarius, June 22, 2018, 05:41:11 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

teakwood

Quote from: John Mc on July 05, 2018, 08:24:12 AMIt's not hard to learn, it just takes some practice. The key is to practice it right. Practicing poor technique can form habits that are hard to break. It does not take much to sharpen a chain so it works better than after it hit a rock. The goal is to get it cutting better than it did when it was new.


Absolutely right!! don't learn it the wrong way!
National Stihl Timbersports Champion Costa Rica 2018

btulloh

Quote from: Crusarius on July 05, 2018, 07:44:02 AMI had round 3/16 file without a guide or handle and just kinda used the teeth as a guide. I managed to get it sharpened and it cut just like before I hit the rock. Maybe I have a chance at hand sharpening after all?


With your background it's not surprising that you can pick up sharpening pretty quick.  Main thing is to keep the pressure on the file to toward the head and not down otherwise you'll end up with too much hook.  You're right - the profile shows you where to hold the file.  Keep the depth gauges at the right height or you'll have a sharp chain that won't cut.  Nothing like fixing a chain to get you to watch out for rocks.  And dirt, and everything else.  

That 261 is a good little saw with a big heart.  
HM126

kalevan


Ouch... cutting stones is the pits. 

It seems to me a .063 gauge chain in 325 pitch is an odd combination. 
The world seems standardized on .050 gauge 3/8" pitch for medium powered saws. 

If cutting stumps and really dirty wood, consider a buying a Carbide chain (like the emergency rescue people use and stump removers) for just the dirty jobs.  
You can get them on Ebay for $30 to $300 each. 
If you don't abuse it it'll last a lifetime.  It may not hold up that well to sawing a bolder...
If you need to sharpen a carbide chain, it'll take a specialist with the right kind of grinder,
or you may be able to touch it up with a diamond round-file. 

Consider identifying one of the less expensive carbide chains... then purchase the (0.050 gauge) bar, and drive component (3/8" spur clutch, or rim-sprocket) to match it.  The package may be less costly than a carbide chain in your 81x0.325x0.063 size. 

John Mc

Quote from: kalevan on July 08, 2018, 12:37:42 AMIt seems to me a .063 gauge chain in 325 pitch is an odd combination. The world seems standardized on .050 gauge 3/8" pitch for medium powered saws.


.063" is a common Stihl guage.

Other common gauges are .050" and .058" (Stihl also uses .050 on some saws. To my knowledge, they do not use .058.) Smaller saws or some narrow kerf offerings sometimes show up with .043".

"Standardization" on either .050" or .058" for non-Stihl saws seems to be a regional thing. Here in New England most of the saws I see (other than Stihl) are wearing an .058" chain. The only time I see .050 is on some big-box store saws, or on a saw owned by someone from out of the area.

Out west, .050" seems to be more popular. I'm not sure about other areas of the country.

I've never understood how it is that different areas came to favor different gauges.
If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.   - Abraham Maslow

Crusarius

Thanks for all the comments everyone. This has been a huge help for me understanding what I got myself into. 

New baby just arrived so I am not sure how much time I am going to have to play with it but I will try to make time. Still have some good trees that came down that need to get drug out before they start to rot.

I been playing a bunch with the sawmill really look forward to cutting some nice logs and not the junk I been practicing on.

kalevan

As for sharpening with a file... ALWAYS use the right diameter file. 
When hand-sharpening, match the "hook" profile of the cutter to that of a new chain.
The flat (Stihl or Oregon) filing guides help a lot. They have angle markings, and help get the depth right.

Notice the "witness-marks" on the back-end of most chain cutters. 
Match your filing angle to the angle of the witness-mark (the leading edge of the cutter should
be parallel to the witness mark). 

If you don't use enough downward pressure on the file, the cutters get flatter across the front (square) and won't have enough "bite."  When cutters are too flat,  you compensate by applying too much downward pressure, and the excess pressure prematurely wears out and overheats the bar. 

Discard the chain when you file down to the witness mark for any of the cutters, 
or discard the chain when you run out of adjustment range in the bar (i.e. too much stretch or wear in the pins). 
 Don't run the chain too loose!  
Don't over-tighten the chain; it's hard on the drive sprocket, the bar, and the drive side motor bearing.  
Follow the chain tension guidelines of the owner's manual!!! 

HolmenTree

Quote from: Crusarius on July 03, 2018, 08:44:02 AM
Well. I received 6 chains and 2 files yesterday. Thanks left coast!

Now I just need to find some time to use them :) Hopefully tomorrow I can spend some time Milling the spalted maple I prepped over the weekend.

I really need to get some paint on the sawmill. I am paranoid of getting rained on and having everything rust.
Crusarius, you should have bought a box of a dozen files with those 6 loops of chains.
Biggest mistake amatuer hand filers make is cheapening out trying to use a worn out file. Nothing kills the motivation and technique of hand filing more then trying to file with a dull file.
Best way to learn is lay a file without a guide of any sort in the cutter gullet of a new chain and give it a light touch up.
With the saw sitting level in a bench vise or stump vise on a waist high stump, hold the file level and push straight forward with out too much pressure. Better to have the file handle lower then higher into the stroke of the cutter. Too high and you'll get a uneven not straight cutting edge. No pressure on the file in the return stroke is very important, dulls the file quickly and puts a wobble into your stroke.
Just do a light touchup on this new chain and through normal use of the chain without  cutting into a stone periodically touch it up.
When you do hit a stone and see there is lots of damaged cutter material to file off it is much easier to file the cutter at a square 0 degree angle eliminating the rounded off corner and then proceed to file in the correct 25 to 35 degree angle.
After filing if you see no light reflecting off the top plate cutting edge your chain is sharp. Also all cutters don't need to be perfectly the same length. Put a caliper on a new chains cutters and you will see different lengths right from the factory and it will cut just fine. Just make sure the different cutter lengths average out on both left hand and right side of the chain
Making a living with a saw since age 16.

HolmenTree

Another thing to add as you progressivily file the cutters over time you may be not putting enough downwards pressure on the file. In this case you're putting more backward pressure then down. I call this lazy filing or trying to file with a dull file.

You need to put a even pressure in both downwards and backwards direction in your stroke. (In a diagonal angle into the gullet.) If you don't the side plate angle will turn into a back slope which makes a very poor cutting chain.
Now you can concentrate on lowering the depth gauges after you have filed some of the cutter length off.
Making a living with a saw since age 16.

Crusarius

Holmentree thanx for the info. Next time I get a chance to do some playing I will try those techniques.

Thankyou everyone for your help you are all amazing.

Since I have a new ummmm toy? at home it may take a while to get back to doing things. He was born July 6 and has already turned my world upside down. This is #2.

thecfarm

I know you will spend time with that new one more than the one that requires gas to play with. The one that don't need gas will remember it too.  :)
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

realzed

Quote from: Crusarius on July 11, 2018, 12:08:58 PMSince I have a new ummmm toy? at home it may take a while to get back to doing things. He was born July 6 and has already turned my world upside down. This is #2.
Congratulations - Hope everyone is Happy and Healthy!

Skeans1

Congratulations I'm in the same boat mine showed up May 29th the first couple weeks are the worst.

HolmenTree

My twins were born 11 years ago, challenging but I did ok for a 50 year old dad :D 
Making a living with a saw since age 16.

Thank You Sponsors!