Rotting tree, dulling chain?

[bendjoseph]

I am sawing up a huge Maple tree.  5 five in diameter.  The core is rotten and feels almost like peat moss.  It is killing my chains!  Three cuts and it is dull.  Anyone got any tips on how to saw this wood?

[Tom]

I have to ask:  Is it 5'5" in diameter?  Are you ripping it with a chainsaw mill or crosscutting it?

Usually rotten hearts don't dull a chain too bad.  But, if the tree was hollow and you are cutting a rat's nest, or ant's nest, you might be cutting a lot of dirt. (can you pressure wash the trash from the center of the tree?)

Does your bar reach all of the way through the tree if you are crosscutting?  You might be stretching the chain because of the "vacant" distance from one side to the other.  Perhaps you could try cutting only as deep as the good wood. If you do, be careful of cutting with the tip. The saw will kick back and that can be lethally dangerous.

Check the chain and see if it is just worn dull or if the edges of the chain look chipped.  You might have wire or a sign grown into the tree beneath the surface.

Maybe someone else has a better solution. That is all I know to offer. 

[bendjoseph]

It's 5 feet across.  Basically there is good wood around the outside of the tree.  Maybe 10" thick.  Since I have a 20" bar I have been sawing one side then rolling the log over.  The stuff in the inside is very brown and fiberous.It looks like a root system.

[quietrangr]

Sometimes the rotted wood, or at least what appears to be rotted wood, inside a tree dulls the chain. This is especially true in the winter. I've dulled my chain after a single cut hitting that rotten stuff in the winter. Then I would knock down three or four trees while it was dull, sharpen, then work up the trees.

[Al_Smith]

A little trick on that is just rip part way through the good wood then drive wedges .If you use enough of them the log will split apart .

[shelbycharger400]

i too know what your up against.  i use my craftsman 917 with a 20 in bar with the low pro .325.  oregon bar/chain.  this dulls rather quickly in that heart rotted areas.  Now with the deere 50v,  oregon bar/chain, with a chain pitch measuring 3/8-inch and a 72 chain type,     now this saw i use for the core rotted logs.  the bigger tooth set lasts a bit longer in the "rough environment"   as for me...cutting in compost sites where logs were coated with dirt, sand ect.  i notice a large drop in speed, associated with a visual inspection showing the top of the chizzel tooth not clean/ micro chips ect.

not shure what chain your using,  i know the low pros dont last as long,   and their is other "grinds" for rough environments prior to going full carbide. 

[Al_Smith]

There's a couple ways around this problem .Just recently I sawed up a hollow tree with rot inside,around 36" .You can "walk " the bar over instead of cutting straight through .This elimates cutting through the rot .

Also semi chisel or old style chipper chain is much more tolerant than chisel when it comes to abrasive conditions .Of course you could always just file the chain when it gets dull .