Noodling: milling or crosscut chain

[Wolverine]

Isn't square less tolerant of dirt etc than round?

Maybe thinking semi-chisel vs. full?
I agree with others, square has been more durable for me as well. On the mill and regular farwood use.

 

[Lightning Performance]

Maybe thinking semi-chisel vs. full?
I agree with others square has been more durable for me as well. On the mill and regular farwood use.

Semi is generally better in dirt but can not be square. Chisel square is better all around vs chisel round imo. I tried it and it does work better for longer in dirt. Oregon round 325 chisel converted to beveled file square on a box store 435 bone stock. The same Oregon round filed chisel is *s-word off the roll and/or in dirt ask me how I know. That file, a few hurt tie straps, some head scratching and off you go. Takes no longer to touch up in the field than round. Used it to cut dead downed dirty locust. Hench the need for a tough loop.

Later, that chain was impressive in fresh yellow pine. 1/3 toof so... I knocked the top plate trailing edge down some and sharpened all the gullets round with a 5/32 file and it got faster, no doubt. Cut like a 50cc saw. The right chain for the job is everything!

 

[FergusonTO35]

Hey folks. What do you think would be the best chain for noodling with my Dolmar 5105? It has a 20" bar with 3/8 pitch/.050 gauge.

 

[Wilhelm]

Hey folks. What do you think would be the best chain for noodling with my Dolmar 5105? It has a 20" bar with 3/8 pitch/.050 gauge.

I'd think chisel tooth, either round or square filed/ground, regular angles and raker height for crosscutting/bucking.
That's what my big girls like anyways, works great for me in oak, beech, hornbeam, locust, pear!

Although 20" fully utilized might be a bit hard on a 5105, I don't know for sure as I've never ran one.

This is recommended bucking angles, round filed, chisel tooth Carlton A2LM 115DL fully buried in oak (bar 36", wood butt 40+") - it's a custom"sorta-skip" chain.
My PS-7900 pulled the chain like a champ, super long noodles:


I personally like chisel tooth round filed for all my bucking and noodling.
I have tried semi chisel round filed for bucking and noodling and it seems to be slower and less grabby.

Dolmar PS-6400, 20" 3/8" Stihl Rapid Duro3 (carbide tipped) in an knot free oak round:

The chains tooth geometry is semi chisel, round ground with an extremely small diameter gullet - the Stihl Picco Duro3 I have for my small saws has a much larger gullet diameter.

I just realized I have not a single video of my saws noodling with regular chains, this one is the only I have.
Will have to remember to make some, these Dolmar's are excellent noodling monsters!

 

[FergusonTO35]

Thanks a bunch. I'm not planning to have the bar buried when noodling. I cut my noodle logs to 12" or so. Spent a lot of time swinging a maul as a kid so no more of that if I can help it!

 

[Wilhelm]

Thanks a bunch. I'm not planning to have the bar buried when noodling. I cut my noodle logs to 12" or so. Spent a lot of time swinging a maul as a kid so no more of that if I can help it!

That'll work, PS-5105 with 20" bar for noodling 12-14" long rounds.
Just use Your regular bucking/crosscutting chain, it'll work perfectly fine.

I noticed that the chain cuts the fastest when the bar is level to the rounds grain.
This will make the longest noodles, but also put the greatest load on the saw.

When noodling it also helps to have the PH at a distance from the round (large spikes help), that way the noodles can fall off the chain easier and don't get pulled under the clutch cover as much.

I wish I was closer to You, I'd offer to come over and help You noodle Your firewood just for the fun of it!

I haven't cut any firewood in exactly one month, and I have yet to try out my PS-7310.

 

[CoreyB]

I use my normal chain wich is both chisel and semi chisel round filed 30deg unless I am getting it to a lot of shag bark Hickory or dirty then I run semi chisel at 25 deg
Here is a good vid as you can see I do a ton of noodling.

 

[Simondo]

Hey folks. What do you think would be the best chain for noodling with my Dolmar 5105? It has a 20" bar with 3/8 pitch/.050 gauge.

Just in case....Its helpful if you do the mod on the 5105 side cover rubber chip deflector when using 3/8 chain ...whatever you are using the saw for.
Section C out out of a 5105 manual ...

 

[FergusonTO35]

Thanks. Mine came with 3/8' chain from the factory, as I remember that hinweis has already been done but I will look and make sure. Got plenty of short logs ready to go from the elm I just cut up.

 

[CoreyB]

Thanks. Mine came with 3/8' chain from the factory, as I remember that hinweis has already been done but I will look and make sure. Got plenty of short logs ready to go from the elm I just cut up.

I always noodle elm. Don't even try and split it until after it is noodles down some.

 

[Semotony]

Sort of a spin off from the 3rd world milling thread, Hammered states he uses a 15 degree top plate angle to do his freehand milling work, doing noodling cuts with the grain.

Just wondering for those who noodle a lot, since I'm a wimp with a maul and like to make firewood 2-4 feet in length depending and don't want to buy a splitter. Would I be better off setting up or buying a milling chain for my noodling cuts? Probably less than 50% of the cuts I make with the saw by a good bit, but well over 50% of the run time.

Thanks,
Justin

A sharp square chisel takes long noodles IME A ripping chain is designed for cutting across the end grain and granberg recommend not cross cutting with their chain.

 

[Wood Doctor]

I always noodle elm. Don't even try and split it until after it is noodles down some.

I noodle big elm also when green, but usually into halves or quarters as need be. I let it dry a few months after noodling that far and then split it. Getting it into rounds or quarters allows it to dry twice as fast or more and that's usually enough for me.

Noodling rounds with the grain hardly wears out the chain much more than cross cutting. Most of the rounds I noodle cut, especially big elm, are done so to make it possible to load them onto the truck's tailgate:

 

[Homemade]

I was told that the “milling” chain is for a smoother finish. Not not for speed of cut or durability of cutter. I noodle anything I need to look twice at before picking it up.

 

[Wilhelm]

I noodle big elm also when green, but usually into halves or quarters as need be. I let it dry a few months after noodling that far and then split it. Getting it into rounds or quarters allows it to dry twice as fast or more and that's usually enough for me.

Noodling rounds with the grain hardly wears out the chain much more than cross cutting. Most of the rounds I noodle cut, especially big elm, are done so to make it possible to load them onto the truck's tailgate:
View attachment 140427

Nice saw!
Wrong color, but I am irrevocably infatuated by this saw model and wouldn't mind getting my hands on her.

I generally do not noodle rounds no matter what size they are, the little noodling I do is to cut down large knots so that they fit my cast iron fireplace and for video purposes.

That been said, for me the regular crosscut chain works great for noodling.
Many of my videos show both crosscut and noodling performance with the same chain featured in the specific video.

A couple of my clips:

 

[Lightning Performance]

I'm sticking with tri-link for noodles. It cuts them shorter and they discharge better imo. Just did a 066 video. She runs good to. Tri-link noodle.

 

[Wilhelm]

I'm sticking with tri-link for noodles. It cuts them shorter and they discharge better imo. Just did a 066 video. She runs good to. Tri-link noodle.

I decided to no longer utilize TriLink chains as main setups, the ones I have cut crappy from new to snapped no matter what I do to them.
I will use them on dirty skidded firewood logs, but no more than that.
Compared to Oregon LGX/Dolmar 099 the chisel and semi chisel TriLink chains I have cuts slower and eat much more power of the saw.

I admit my TriLink loops from eBay Germany may behave differently than the TriLink chains You get in the US.

 

[Lightning Performance]

I decided to no longer utilize TriLink chains as main setups, the ones I have cut crappy from new to snapped no matter what I do to them.
I will use them on dirty skidded firewood logs, but no more than that.
Compared to Oregon LGX/Dolmar 099 the chisel and semi chisel TriLink chains I have cuts slower and eat much more power of the saw.

I admit my TriLink loops from eBay Germany may behave differently than the TriLink chains You get in the US.

Yup. It's garbage but works good to noodle.

 

[WKEND LUMBERJAK]

I noodle big elm also when green, but usually into halves or quarters as need be. I let it dry a few months after noodling that far and then split it. Getting it into rounds or quarters allows it to dry twice as fast or more and that's usually enough for me.

Noodling rounds with the grain hardly wears out the chain much more than cross cutting. Most of the rounds I noodle cut, especially big elm, are done so to make it possible to load them onto the truck's tailgate:
View attachment 140427

I recognize the Makita on that tailgate.

 

[Wood Doctor]

I recognize the Makita on that tailgate.

Yes, that's the 6401. It's just the right size for noodling big rounds -- that saw and my Stihl 046 Mag. My 361 also does well and a couple of other saws that I drag out now and then. The secret, like anything else, is to have a sharp chain on board and a small wedge in your back pocket in case pinch starts showing up.

 

[Semotony]

I'm getting closer to correct on the Simmington. 18" square chisel 046 pH, and noodles for the sgehtti sauce!
Just a couple inches too short on one end.