Firewood on a Hakki Pilkie 1x37

[jimbarry]

Still sounds like a bar chain issue. It could be a relief valve...  My machine will do the same thing if the bar rails need to be trued, the bar groove is worn too wide, the chain drivers are worn thin, the chain cutters aren't ground equally or one side has hit something or a combination of these things. If it were my machine I'd start with these issues first. A new bar, chain and sprocket and I'd seriously look into converting to wider kerf stuff. At least .375. Are you running semi chisel chain? It's much more forgiving.

Bar is new. Chain I had on yesterday was new out of the box. I've have to look and see what chain style was on it yesterday.
Just my own preference but I don't like semi-chisel. At least not on a chainsaw. 
Chain is full chisel on the processor this morning, seems to be performing better.

[Corley5]

Harvester chain is semi. It's much more forgiving of dirt and is easier to keep cutting straight. Full chisel is for hand held saws. I'd never run semi chain falling timber just as I'd never run full on a firewood machine.  I've had new chain mis-ground out of the box.

[Hilltop366]

Still sounds like a bar chain issue

Agree although thinking the log/conveyer creeping ahead even i tiny bit could have the same effect which is why I suggested using pointers on them to confirm one way or the other.

Bar is new. Chain I had on yesterday was new out of the box.

Which still makes me think that if the log is not moving or at least putting side pressure on the bar then the bar could be a bit out of coplanar with the path of travel which would work ok when everything else is perfect  .......at least until I'm proven wrong. :D


If you were closer I would take a ride and see it in person but it's over 5 hours drive. We could not get much farther apart and still be on mainland NS.

[jimbarry]

If you were closer I would take a ride and see it in person but it's over 5 hours drive. We could not get much farther apart and still be on mainland NS.

Digby/Yarmouth area? We could meet half way in Windsor at Hants Equipment (dealer).  :D

[Hilltop366]

Yarmouth Co. but just a few kms. out of town.

[jimbarry]

In my experience with this issue, when I realized there was some belt creep, it was happening when the joystick was being pulled down and to the right. So we are conscious of pulling down straight. Or pulling down and to the left. Which you might think would cause the belt to creep back but that is not what I am observing. 
The other thing I've noticed is that when the blade is stuck, bumping it through to finish the cut almost always show those 'bump steps' (as someone previously mentioned) as if the log was being pulled back. Meaning the steps are slightly protruding from the plane of the face cut. Each bump causing the step to go out a bit further. My first thought seeing that was belt creep but I'm not seeing that occur. 

[barbender]

 That is a classic symptom of your chain cutting off to the side, whether it is the chain itself or something causing the chain not to cut true.

 I was going to ask if you are running full chisel as well. Go get some semi-chisel chain asap, it may solve your problem straight away. Also, do you measure your teeth when you've sharpened them? Many bench grinders will give you unequal length teeth if you just swivel the vise without readjusting the pawl for the chain stop. I have to readjust my Tecomec, which I think is the same machine as an Oregon 511.

[Hilltop366]

So if the bar has a tiny bit of slant / with the lower part towards the log it could do the same thing. The bar is travelling in one plane and the chain is trying to go to the left but once it gets fully buried in the log it starts to bind in the kerf and bending the bar a bit to the left then when the bar stops the chain keeps turning and widening out the kerf you let the feed control off and reapply, watching this in the slowest playback speed shows that the bar only advances at the very beginning of the leaver stroke which is that split second between valve opening and pressure relief opening.

Something in the bar mount (sawdust or a bump) holding the bar at a slight angle or the outboard side too low.

We could meet half way in Windsor at Hants Equipment (dealer).  :D

I was in Halifax last Saturday with 5 hours to kill before I could return home.....missed opportunity.

[doc henderson]

I am on the outside looking in without knowledge of this machine (other than what you have given me) but it seems the binding would at least impair or stop the chain.  maybe much more power to the chain as was suggested.  can you shut down in the mid cut when it is acting up.  meaning leave the bar in the cut so you can look at what is happening to the chain and bar.  I had an issue with my 880 and 5 foot bar, and indeed found as I was trying to bibby off a side branch, and the rubbing along the log, it was knocking the chain out of the groove.  was violent to hold onto and that is how I figured that out.  it was traying make a curved cut along the length of the bar.

[jimbarry]

... do you measure your teeth when you've sharpened them? ...

Never have measured teeth.

[Corley5]

Both my MAXX and Tecomec require resetting when switching sides.

[Big_eddy]

I'm pretty sure the problem is that the bar/chain wants to cut curved and the saw pivot won't allow it. 

I think I would take the same chain and bar and put it on a chainsaw and cut through the largest log I had. I'm guessing you will make a right hand banana cut. 
If you do, then it's not the machine, but the bar or chain. If it cuts straight through, then look at the bar pivot. Maybe it is worn and wants to twist the bar as it lowers. Might try setting a log a bit back from the blade and measuring the gap to the top and bottom of the bar as it lowers. Think tire alignment.  There should be no toe-in or out.

If the bar is brand new, then most likely the chain grind. I have two chains here my son left me that always cut left. Old bar, new bar, 2 saws, resharpened several times. Still cut left. He hand filed by eye and was not consistent side to side. I've given up on them. They just hang on a nail until I have some really dirty wood that needs cutting that I don't want a good chain near.  

[barbender]

The thing with testing it on a handheld saw is that it would only have to be cutting out of "alignment" by probably less than 1/2" for it to bind the bar on the processor, but that is less than the accuracy than I can hit with a hand held saw anyways. It would be telling if it actually cut a banana curve though.

[GRANITEstateMP]

Jim, any updates on your machine?  

My Hakki is the "Armstrong" style.  I have to pull the saw down through the wood, I think most everything else is the same.  At times, I'd really like that joystick control, but when it goes south, oh boy!  I did have to make an adjustment to my infeed belt today.  It was noticeably slower than normal on feed in.  There is a rod with two springs that set tension on a hydraulic valve.  I put a couple turns on one side of that spring and was back up to speed!  The other spring is adjusts the belts reverse speed.

No pics, but it is raining pretty good today, got 1 cord done and in the trailer, I was soaked to the core, calling that a day!  I got 1 done Friday, and 2 done Saturday, so it was still a productive weekend. Extra productive since the Saturday cord were almost all short/awkward logs not off the brow, so lots of trips from the tractor to the processor and back.  Good wood, just not high production.  I try and use up these logs when I work alone, that way when I have help, we can let the machine EAT!

[GRANITEstateMP]

The weather guessers are calling for 3+ inches of rain starting tonight (sat) thru Mon morning. bWe usually try and do family stuff on Sat and I do wood stuff Sundays...not this week! We scored Bruins playoff tickets for Wed and that was a LATE family night. I get out of work early on Fridays, so I gotna cordndone and loaded into a dump trailer right off.  Had to make a few precision adjustments with my 3lb hammer them started on the next cord.  Went to dinner with my brother and dad, so I didn't finish cord 2 but thats ok.  Got the second cord finished right off this am, then delivered it and did up 1 more.  Long story short, we got our normal 3 cord done, but it wasn't on the normal schedule so.I was lone ranger (except for the boy emptying the sawdust bucket during the first cord, til he wondered off).  I'm tired, but at least I didn't fall further behind, and I've only got 1 cord to deliver in the rain tomorrow.  Rest of the day is doing house chores, leveling the new wood shed, and setting up and test running the new generator

[jimbarry]

Jim, any updates on your machine?  
...

We've been blocking with the chainsaw and using the vertical splitter the last couple of weeks. This past Friday we sorted a new batch of logs and put a cord up on the processor. Sizes 3 to 10 inches, most somewhere in the mid range. Small stuff really. Maple, lots of ash, some birch. The machine performed well all day. Same bar and chain as before.

I'm pretty sure the problem is that the bar/chain wants to cut curved and the saw pivot won't allow it.
...

I had the entire pivot mechanism rebuilt at the dealer this year as a solution to the problem. It didn't resolve it. I've check for blade travelling offset on the downward stroke. Didn't use a micrometer but a measurement using in 1/32" of an inch showed equal distances.
Doesn't matter now. We've decided to put the machine up for sale. Had a fellow stop by today for a test run.

[jimbarry]

Our Easy37 was sold today. It served us well. Been working great lately. Time for a new owner. 

[GRANITEstateMP]

Sometimes its out with the old and in with the new!  As long as everyone is happy, that's a win.  Ingot 1 cord.sone after work today, may try for another tomorrow, or go with the family to the farm & forest expo...probably BOTH

[jimbarry]

We blocked, cracked and stacked 1.25 cord after lunch withe the 372xp and the vertical splitter while waiting for the buyer to show up. Winds averaging 30-35 mph and my back was to the wind while blocking. Even with safety glasses on the dust was everywhere. Lesson today was to choose the correct end of the log pile in windy conditions.

[GRANITEstateMP]

Did a temporary setup for the new conveyor. The built in 16ft conveyor on the hakki won't easily fill my buddys 14ft dump trailer w 2cord. Today we set the new-ish 20ft up and really eased the process.


 

sorry about the crummy pics

We got 4 cord done this am, 1 in each of my trailers, and 2 in my buddys.  The landing is getting bare and we haven't had good weather so no logs have been rolling in
 for a while.  My buddy did bring his own wood for his cords, that helps


 
Gonna deliver, then maybe take a nap!

[GRANITEstateMP]

Had a novel just about done...then hit the wrong button, so

Had the saw drive gear on the processor wear out.  It went fron wearing to JUNK real quick

Had to get creative, since last time I did this repair (2017) I had to get the arbor and drive assembly from Finland

cut the 4 tach welds and press off.

press the Oregon gear I was smart enough to put into stock on the cleaned up arbor, tach it on. Press that unit into the housing.


 

Press the pulley on and set the bolt and washer. Sorry about the crummy pics. I got it set back into the machine and made a few adjustments and 2 cuts before we had to go head out to Mothers Day.  Glad it's together, but will still order spare parts on Monday.

[Hilltop366]

Would it be possible to convert it to a rim sprocket?

[Old Greenhorn]

As they say in hockey "KICK save, and a BEAUTY!" Nicely done. Something like that could be a real bear to get done quick, you made it look easy. Nicely done.

[GRANITEstateMP]

Hilltop, I like to say anything made out of metal can be fix or adjusted. But, most of the time it needs to be by someone smarter than me! ;D. Now that I've done it the factory way and the Matt aka Hillbilly way, I may try and tap the hole in the pre 2017 arbo and put another spur sprocket on there, I have spare bearings, so then I'd have a back up all set to go.  It may be a better combo with the rim style but this one went on in mid 2017, its done at least 360 cord in that time, I'm cool with that.  One of the parts of this machine that is less than ideal, Jim Barry pointed out before, is when the machine is on the chain is spinning.  I don't know how many hours that had on it, but it earned its keep.

OGH,

If only my Bruins could have had a couple more kick saves in the first round :(

We got the arbor out up at the farm, then I had a family gathering for a few hours.  Later, a buddy helped me out at his shop, which is nice and clean, and two minds are normally better than one.  We had the thing done up quick enough and weren't too crude either!  I got it on this am, and after a great mothers day get together made a few tweaks and did up a few logs tonight while the wife milked cows

guards up for saftey! It was off, this was after the eveing test run.


Back to making big wood into little wood again!

[GRANITEstateMP]

That time of year again, got my first cord of pine/spruce/hemlock camp wood done last night.  It's nice to have this other market for a different firewoid, but sometimes I kick myself, there aren't enough hours in a day!  

Half day of real work so now its time to get a bushog job done before tomorrows rain