Frozen logs

[logmason]

I'm getting around 10 or less crosscuts and then dull. Frozen 100+ year old oak cabin logs. Not hitting nails or dirt. I have not seemed to have this trouble in the past, but it has been colder than you know what.
Is the frozen logs dulling me out, or may I have other issues like a worn out bar?
I could prep another saw and compare, just thought I would ask for your experiences.
Thanks.

[Furby]

It may just be the hardness of the oak.

[jokers]

Are you positive that you are not hitting dirt? If those logs are 100 years old they would have had alot of time to have windblown grit embedded in them, also the thinnest layer of ice can and will capture a small, imperceptible amount of dirt to use against your chain.

Frozen wood does cut harder, no doubt about it. Try lowering your rakers to about -.035 inches and blunt your other angles, for example; if you are running Oregon 7x LG(chisel) chain and the topplate angle is normally 25° and the sideplate or hook producing angle is normally 60° try 20°-25° on the topplate and 80° on the sideplate. You will get this sideplate angle by holding the file higher on the tooth. The blunted angles will give a working corner that is not as sharp but that is stronger and will retain it`s sharpness longer.

Don`t forget to crank up your oiler and use winter weight B&C oil.

[logmason]

I chip the "into" cut and any trash with an axe. Was not having this trouble weeks back with same lot of logs. I will try suggestions of deeper rakers and less angle. Will file again tonight and cut tomorrow. If no help I will try another saw and bar. I think the bar on this one is whipped and the saw change may confirm that for me. And yes, this wood is hard.
Thanks a lot.

[Kevin]

If the chains were sharpened on a grider the hardness may have been removed from the cutters in which case they will never get as sharp as when they were new.
Cutting frozen logs can be painful at times.
I wouldn't reduce the depth gauges more than manufactured specs for your own safety.

[sawguy21]

You running round top or flat top chain? The locals have gone to flat top for frozen wood, hardly see the round top anymore.

[MDP]

I have been cutting frozen timber too, mostly douglass fir and ponderosa pine, and the fir seems to just eat my chains up mostly the big ol nasty ones that are quiet old and rather large. The snow builds up around the base and then freezes to the bark, my guess is that the ice locks the fine abrasive particles into the bark which when not frozen fly away and don't hang around to dull the chain. I don't seem to have near the problem with the second growth trees which haven't been around as long to collect all that grit. Most of the trees I cut are frozen about half way too the core, the ice definetly slows cutting times down. And my grinder's working overtime trying to keep up.


Mark

[logmason]

I did not get time to file that chain. I used another saw and it cut fine, so it's not the wood.
Something I picked up on in another thread is oregon chains being soft. Most of my chains have been those EXCEPT for the one in question. Probably it takes more filing than I am used to. I'll sit down and tune the chain and bar and it should be fine. Kinda stumped me is all, making me question it.

No bark on these logs. Watch out for metal though, and frozen dirt.

I don't know round top from square top. I been using saws a long time, but don't know half the terminology used on this website. I will look for that definition.

Only ever had a grinder to one chain long ago. After seeing how much I was charged to cut half the cutters away, I never did that again. I learned to file free hand, with proper angles magic markered on my vice. I touch them up in the field too. I prefer the softer steel, just like a knife, and touch up often.

I will look up and measure raker depth. I pretty much know how much is too much, but will check before going over everything.

That oregon link from another thread is helpful. Couple things I do not understand but will read it some more. I know, (well, thought I did haha) how to get my saws to cut, but I only stand to get better from reading here.

Thanks a lot, I like this web site. I'm sure to be back.

[MDP]

Oregon chain is softer and easier to file. I run my rakers atleast .025" sometimes a little more that's about what the manufacturers recommend. Works good for me.



Mark