Filing a semi-chisel chain

[huskyboy]

Semi takes more power to pull as well. It does better on larger saws. Good hook is the key to getting semi to cut well.

 

[RI Chevy]

Are you pushing down? Or is the weight of the saw doing the cutting?
The semi naturally isn't as aggressive, as there's no point on the cutter digging in.
It's hard to get hook on semi if you're used to filing chisel. You could try lowering the file a tiny bit to make the top plate sharper. Or maybe a swipe more off the rakers

I wasn't really pushing on the saw. I tried to be as consistant as possible with all cuts.
I'll keep at it and get it.
Thanks for all the tips and pointers!

 

[Philbert]

I ran across this in an older book, suggesting why full-chisel chain cuts faster: not just due to the point. Had to chew on it for a while for it to make sense


The reason it s-l-o-w-s way down when the point gets damaged is not just due to the dull corner, but the, point can get bent (not a lot of metal up there) and actually direct the cutting edges away from the wood! This photo shows damage from abrasion, but I have seen the points bent too (can't find a good photo of that).


Philbert

 

[deye223]

Do you hand file or grind the 404?

Hand file ...... tried ground chains but they cut slower file gives a better edge .

 

[RI Chevy]

Very interesting Phil.
Thank you deye

 

[Wilhelm]

Cut the safety bumpers off!

I did on the TriLink I have used, and will do again when I decide that I want to use the remaining three crappy cutting new loops.

I don't like semi chisel, nor round!
I am getting good results with round filed chisel tooth chains.

Semi chisel and round tooth chains are slow cutting chains, feels weird when one is used to the performance and speed of full chisel.

I don't cut wood commercially/for a living, a dull chain is not much of a setback to me.

 

[drf256]

I like semi-chisel better for working. I use 404 Stihl semi on a 36 for big work. It seems to virtually never dull.

The time it would take to swap and/or file chains gets made up for by the slower cut times easily.

 

[RI Chevy]

I agree Al. Do you have a loop of 404 full-chisel to try as well?

 

[drf256]

I agree Al. Do you have a loop of 404 full-chisel to try as well?

Yes.

Cleared an acre of woods yesterday with the guy who toasted his saw. He couldn’t get the new saw to run, this time it actually was the carb that took a dump.

I had a square chain on the saw I used and I’ve decided to never use square for real work again. Touching it up, vs round file, is a total pita.

 

[RI Chevy]

Square filing is definitely more difficult to touch up a chain correctly.

 

[Ryan Browne]

That chain would outcut stock full chisel, but not even close to my dialed in full chisel. Semi is good chain for its intended purpose. For what you do it sounds like full chisel is better imo.

You're saying that you can file semi chisel that'll outcut RS off the roll? I'd love to see a video of that. I remember a couple years ago there was a race chain build off at one of the GTGs. If I recall correctly, only two guys made chains that cut faster than RS.

 

[huskyboy]

You're saying that you can file semi chisel that'll outcut RS off the roll? I'd love to see a video of that. I remember a couple years ago there was a race chain build off at one of the GTGs. If I recall correctly, only two guys made chains that cut faster than RS.

I never said that. I should have been more specific. I can make stihl RM out cut stock LGX when I get it dialed in. It won’t bore cut as good though. The oregon semi chisel isn’t as good as RM because of the safety bumper links.

 

[huskyboy]

Stihl RS handfiled and dialed in by me... 9 second cut. Mic is overloading on phone causing popping sound.

Oregon chain handfiled and dialed in by me... 6.11 seconds. Can’t remember if it was lgx or exl. Smoother and faster than the stihl chain though. Less expensive too. Same saw and same bar. Stihl chain does last a bit longer though, harder cutter. Also harder to file/harder on files.

 

[huskyboy]

Buckin’ appears to have similar results with new out of the box oregon/stihl chain too.

 

[Al Smith]

Semi or old chipper chain has a tendency to "roll" a chip depending on the wood .A deeper gullet means it will rock out of the cut later because it holds more wood fiber .
I remember a guy who now is a champion hot saw runner when he was a 16 year kid at a GTG in Ohio .He had never seen a relatively fast gear drive running 1/2" chipper with a hogged out gullet and an 8 tooth spur gear .That #10 Oregon chain has a 45 thou raker drop .
The saw was a Mac 650 with a 2 to 1 reduction running over 9,000 RPMs and throwing fluffy chips like a wood planer about 10-15 feet in Cotton wood .

 

[Magic_Man]

Bringing this to the top, while we all love our chisel and square, sometimes semi is what’s needed to get the job done. I’ve been cutting a lot of tops left by loggers for firewood and it’s a mess full of red clay and rocks.


I think I remember this guy posting a lot of info back in the day. Might have to venture back over there and see if I can find it.

I wish jasha was over here.
@tree sling’r

Edit:

This guy-

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[huskyboy]

I almost wish I had semi in frozen hardwood this time of year. Especially on the landing. I just file to 20-25 degrees on full chisel and relax my hook to help it last longer since I need a chain that can still bore cut saw logs ok. Which is one of semi’s biggest shortfalls... it bore cuts like crap. It also saps more power than other chains because it is a less efficient cutter. But nothing beats it in dirty firewood. You’ll be still cutting wood while others are filing with full chisel or square. Comes down to using the tool for the job, as usual.

 

[huskihl]

I almost wish I had semi in frozen hardwood this time of year. Especially on the landing. I just file to 20-25 degrees on full chisel and relax my hook to help it last longer since I need a chain that can still bore cut saw logs ok. Which is one of semi’s biggest shortfalls... it bore cuts like crap. It also saps more power than other chains because it is a less efficient cutter. But nothing beats it in dirty firewood. You’ll be still cutting wood while others are filing with full chisel or square. Comes down to using the tool for the job, as usual.

I’ve never run 33RM. By the pics, it looks like it has a smaller radius on the cutter than most semi. That would speed it up if it’s true

 

[huskyboy]

I’ve never run 33RM. By the pics, it looks like it has a smaller radius on the cutter than most semi. That would speed it up if it’s true

Is that the normal standard “yellow” chain stihl semi? I’ve ran it, quite a bit faster than oregon semi. Doesn’t have the extra hump on rakers. Not very smooth, but cuts pretty nice for semi. Doesn’t hold a candle to a round filed full chisel in clean wood still, but probably the best semi chisel I’ve tried.

 

[huskihl]

Is that the normal standard “yellow” chain stihl semi? I’ve ran it, quite a bit faster than oregon semi. Doesn’t have the extra hump on rakers. Not very smooth, but cuts pretty nice for semi. Doesn’t hold a candle to a round filed full chisel in clean wood still, but probably the best semi chisel I’ve tried.

Always figured they called it RapidMicro because of maybe having a smaller radius. Like I said tho, I’ve never seen it in person or run it