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Ripping chain for 59 inch bar

Started by burdman_22, March 13, 2021, 02:36:58 PM

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burdman_22

Looking for opinions on ripping chains other than Granberg. I'm trying to find a good quality ripping chain I can order and have shipped in under 1.5 months (Granberg has been CRAZY slow during pandemic).

Anyone have any ripping chains they like? I've got a 5 ft diameter log to mill 5 hours away and would like to bring a supply of ripping chains with me.

Firewoodjoe

I'm no chain saw Miller at all. But I thought they quit making ripping chains. And you can file a regular chain to rip. Maybe someone else will have a better answer. 

Old Greenhorn

Pitch? Gauge? How many drive links? full skip? Bailey's has a good supply but without details, couldn't check availability.
Tom Lindtveit, Woodsman Forest Products
Oscar 328 Band Mill, Husky 350, 450, 562, & 372 (Clone), Mule 3010, and too many hand tools. :) Retired and trying to make a living to stay that way. NYLT Certified.
OK, maybe I'm the woodcutter now.
I work with wood, There is a rumor I might be a woodworker.

lxskllr

I use full comp Stihl rm2. Bought a couple reels of it fairly cheap. It works fine, but may or may not give a finish you like. I don't mill a lot, and the stuff I make is construction grade material, so finish isn't really a concern of mine. I start with the standard profile, then slowly bring it to 10° as I sharpen it.

burdman_22

So I have an ms880 with a 59 inch bar...roughly 121 hours i think. 404 pitch, .063 gauge (or close to that), 173 drive links. Just looking for anything close to as good as granberg ripping chain and easier/quicker to get.

Old Greenhorn

Well Baileys seems to have rolls, but I don't see anything with your drive link count. Perhaps they could make them up for you, or there is Stahl's and several others you might look at.
Tom Lindtveit, Woodsman Forest Products
Oscar 328 Band Mill, Husky 350, 450, 562, & 372 (Clone), Mule 3010, and too many hand tools. :) Retired and trying to make a living to stay that way. NYLT Certified.
OK, maybe I'm the woodcutter now.
I work with wood, There is a rumor I might be a woodworker.

puriri

My local shop made me a 122dl loop of 404 oregon super skip for the 42"er on my 395xp. One pair of cutters every 14 drive links.

Feels like a lot of chain for not many cutters, but it seems to do the business just fine without killing my saw. 

Best not to think about dollars per cutter!

burdman_22

Any of you have any experience with making your own loops? Is it worth it to buy 100 ft spools and make my own loops of chain?

lxskllr

That's all I do. I'm sitting here looking at ~300' of chain right now. I use a pocket anvil, punch, file, and hammer to make the chain. That's cheap, but it takes me ~20 minutes to make a loop, including counting out drive links. A breaker/spinner is a good bit more money, but a good bit faster.

burdman_22

I guess I'm going to have to buy a roll of chain and make my own :/ I'm looking at the woodlandpro 43rp (.404" pitch) ripping chain (part wpp 43rp). Which tie straps do I have to buy for joining this chain? (I'm so frustrated I can't find loops of my chain).

lxskllr

Reels come with a bunch of tiestraps. You shouldn't need to buy them separately.

offrink

My local stihl dealer makes all mine from stihl milling chain for my 880. 59", 72", and 96" bars.  

sawguy21

You are not going to find premade loops, nobody is going to stock an uncommon style and length.
old age and treachery will always overcome youth and enthusiasm

burdman_22

Baileys has stuff even longer than mine...but for some reason they don't have my drive link count...just above and just below :(

burdman_22

So I talked to a Baileys rep. They also sell ripping chain that fits my saw by the link. So I ordered 173 links of it and they send me the loop, problem solved.

esteadle

I've used Granberg, Oregon, Archer, and Stihl chains for CSM and Granberg leaves the best finish by far. But as you say they are slow to work with and that's frustrating when you need to get work done. 

As for Baileys, I'd say nearly the same story. Slow, and not very communicative. 

You could try Madsen's; take 20 minutes to discuss your plans with the person on the other end. They sell Oregon chains that can be filed to 10° for ripping purposes. They really understand what you are doing and will offer good advice. They can supply the tie straps for the chains you purchase as well. Also note that a lot of rolls of chain come with a set of tie straps, so you may or may not need them. But talk it all over with them and have your saw / bar specs handy so they send you the right gage and drive link count. 

burdman_22

Gonna continue posting on this thread....how many cuts can you guys make with a resharpened ripping chain? When I cut with a brand new chain I can usually mill and entire log with it, like 10-12 cuts. But when I get my chains resharpened I can only get like 2 cuts. Its a stihl guy sharpening them with some fancy $25k machine that does it automatically. 10 degree angle is what he's sharpening at.

lxskllr

Last year I was milling 22'x30" oak, and I got one pass out of a chain before resharpening. It really could have used it sooner, but I didn't want to pull the saw out of the cut to do it.

woodworker9

Speaking for myself only, I would never rely on a service for sharpening my chains, and I also haven't met the machine that can file as sharp as I can with a file.

If you're worried about consistency, you can easily make up a wooden jig with a dado(groove) in it to saddle the chain/bar while you file, that is cut at 10°.  Run your file parallel to the miter on your jig, and take your time in the beginning.  

I've never timed myself, but it takes me somewhere between 5 to 10 minutes to hand file my chains on my largest bars, and I'm back to work.  

Just a thought..........
03' LT40HD25 Kohler hydraulic w/ accuset
MS 441, MS 290, New Holland L185

Don P

If bark on usually a couple of passes, if its been drug rather than carried one pass. If we slab opposite sides and stand up a clean cant it'll usually go through the rest of the log on one or two chains, all on machine resharps. I agree that hand filing is better but the machine is quicker, that's a Ford/Chevy debate. If you are going to do more than a very little bit get rolls of chain, tools... make and sharpen your own.

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