chainsaw milll

[RALFF]

I am helping a friend mill some large live edge slabs for table tops with a chainsaw mill. The mill is an Alaskan mk III with a husqvarna 3120 and a 72 inch bar and chain.
My friend also has limited experience with a chain saw mill. While cutting today the saw was cutting extremely slowly and making very fine sawdust. My friend had
sharpened the chain just before we started at a 25 degree angle on the teeth and I do not think this is the proper angle for cutting with grain. Will someone tell me at what angle
the teeth should be sharpened.

[boscojmb]

I always sharpened ripping chain at about 10°.  Close to straight across, but just enough of an angle that you can see it.

I hope this helps.

[Ox]

x2

[Brad_bb]

I'm on my first ripping chain on my chainsaw mill and I bought a 10 degree ripping chain. You can chainsaw mill with a 30 degree crosscut chain if you want to.  The only thing it's going to affect is the smoothness of your cut.  If the chain he started with had 25 degrees on it, you can continue to sharpen at that.  I'd stick with what the chain started at. 

[mad murdock]

Make sure depth gauges are not too high, (rakers). Should be around .030" to maybe 3/32" shorter than cutters.

[richhiway]

ten degree angle for ripping.

[Jesper Jepsen]

As others had said 10 degrees some ripping chains are 5 degrees even zero but 10 gives it the ability to cut knots with out tearing. The depth gauges I set to .030- .035" you can get away with a deeper cut in soft wood than in hard wood.
The fine dust you got is probably because of the depth gauges are too high

On big logs I use a winch on my Alaskan makes it easier on my back and give me a more even speed and a cleaner surface.   

Jesper

[Warped]

Some seem to like skip chain also, never tried it myself.

[Ox]

From what I remember chainsaw milling it was always sawdust and never saw chips.  Ever.  And that it was very slow.  It's simply cause we're using a chain for running with the grain instead of against it.  At least that's what I got out of it at the time.  And immediately started making plans to own a bandmill someday.  It took me near 10 years to get around to building it but it happened.

[RALFF]

Thanks for all the replies. We will try sharpening at 10 degrees.

Joe