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slabber chains

Started by wheelinguy, February 17, 2012, 06:51:19 AM

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wheelinguy

A friend of mine is looking into buying a dedicated slabber, we find big trees that have come down, stumps etc..  Does anyone know if you can buy carbide tipped ripping chains for the slabbers, he says he doesn't want to buy the slabber if all he is going to do is sherpen chains like he does now with his alaskan mill (5' bar alot of teeth to sharpen).

Jemclimber

Carbide chain is available and very expensive. Firefighters use it for cutting buildings. Ripping or crosscutting has to do with the angle of the top plate, and is available in skip or full compliment or a variation with every other set having the "chiseling" part of the tooth removed.  Having used varying degrees of top plate angle to mill I don't feel it's any faster to cut with a low top plate angle it just seems to provide a smoother cut.  Kind of a non issue if the board is getting planed.  Carbide chain is very expensive, requires a diamond wheel to sharpen and because of the crystalline structure doesn't get as sharp as "normal" chain, but it does hold an edge longer.  YMMV
lt15

Meadows Miller

Gday

First off Welcome to The Forum Wheelinguy & Jemclimber  ;) ;D ;D 8) 8) Is your friend looking at the Lucas Slabber as you will be running a 5 Off Oregon Ripping Chain and they only take 5 to 10 min to sharpen I do mine on the slabber between cuts I would also recomend getting the sharpening jig that clips to the mill rail as you can also sharpen afew chains and keep them true on that and swap chains out which takes only afew min ;) and you get a good amount of slabbing done on them depending on how clean the log is and the species  ;) ;D ;D 8)

Regards Chris
4TH Generation Timbergetter

wheelinguy

we mill alot of wood that comes from urban areas and we were trying to find a way to have to sharpen less.  It takes nearr to 45 mins to sharpen one of the chains on his alaskan mill!  Is the rip chain on the slabber different?  Yes he is looking into the lucas slabber.  Last run we did through a 40 inch maple produced about 18 nails and a few pieces of lead shot, the worst are the old square cut nails.  I'm trying to convince him that the slabber would be better than the alaskan mill even if we had to sharpen the chain as often.  Either of you ever run an alaskan mill?  Trying to give him some examples of the improvement a slabber would be!

Silver_Eagle

When we where in Alaska cutting helicopter log's, I at times was picked to be the one who had to go back and quarter some of the larger spruce the helicopter could not fly due to weight. When cutting I always' filed with a long goofy file but when quartering with a 60" bar, filing was a total pain. Took forever, so we would use a grinder my father set up for us. Took all the head ache out of the job for the most part and still cut very well also. Easy to touch up  if need be during the day. I would carry two or three extra chain's with me in my pack in a chain sack just in case also.

The chain grinder's are spendie but sure saved alot of time when I wasn't cutting timber and had to quarter with the long bar. Look's like it would be the way to go slabbing imho.     

Jemclimber

Square nails, eye bolts, and horse shoes are very tough on a chain.  My chainsaw mill is a four post on a tract similar to a procut I guess. Not an alaskan, but still a chainsaw mill. It's very slow compared to my lt15, but it can cut some wide slabs.  I only used a 395 and sometimes an 066 as a powerhead.  I'm sure a slabber with much more power would be quicker but I'm sure metal is still an issue. I'm not sure that there is anyway around the hardware issue???????
lt15

Ga_Boy

I've cut with an Alaskan a 40" plus (width) white oak log that was about 6' long.  Took over an hour.

When I had my Peterson WPF, I put the slabbed on it and was able to cut a 60" wide white oak that was 9 foot long in about 40 minutes. 

A dedicated slabbed is much faster than a clip on slabbed for the WPF.  If you are cutting a lot of slabs, the dedicated slabbed is the way to go.


10 Acers in the Blue Ridge Mountains

terrifictimbersllc

Don't get a slabber if you aren't willing to sharpen chains.  I carry about 12 chains and change them out .   I can't imagine successfully filing chain on the slabber bar, although I've never tried it.  Takes about as much time to change a chain as to change a band.  I sharpen them at home with a cup of coffee at hand.  Getting the log slabbed before the sun goes down is the goal.   I like the idea of acquiring a single loop of different chain styles and would consider trying carbide.  But hitting metal will be very costly in addition to the diamond wheel.
DJ Hoover, Terrific Timbers LLC,  Mystic CT Woodmizer Million Board Foot Club member. 2019 LT70 Super Wide 55 Yanmar,  LogRite fetching arch, WM BMS250 sharpener/BMT250 setter.  2001 F350 7.3L PSD 6 spd manual ZF 4x4 Crew Cab Long Bed

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