Square ground milling chain

[HYPERSAWS]

I'm just starting to mill with an Alaskan sawmill don't know much about angles for milling other than it should more blunt wondering if anyone could help me out
Thanks in advance

 

[huskihl]

I'm just starting to mill with an Alaskan sawmill don't know much about angles for milling other than it should more blunt wondering if anyone could help me out
Thanks in advance

The blunt angles on milling chain are more for smoothness from what I’ve seen. Regular square work chain should do a fine job milling. Might have to lower the depth gauges a little bit more than normal

 

[Wolverine]

15-20 degree top plate angle works well. This is where I file milling chain to.

 

[Skeans1]

I'm just starting to mill with an Alaskan sawmill don't know much about angles for milling other than it should more blunt wondering if anyone could help me out
Thanks in advance

You going to file them or throw them on the grinder?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Lightning Performance]

15-20 degree top plate angle works well. This is where I file milling chain to.
View attachment 279239
View attachment 279238

There it is

 

[HYPERSAWS]

You going to file them or throw them on the grinder?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I'm not sure yet could do either or

 

[HYPERSAWS]

15-20 degree top plate angle works well. This is where I file milling chain to.
View attachment 279239
View attachment 279238

Looks like you keep your rakers higher?

 

[Lightning Performance]

Looks like you keep your rakers higher?

Same old story there. Depends on the wood width and hardness.
You know the drill... start small and work your way to the right chain setup. Even toofs and drags is your friend.

 

[Wolverine]

Looks like you keep your rakers higher?

Depends on wood. I use one of these.


If the hard side isn’t gettin’ it, use the soft side. Very rarely touch them w/out the guide.

 

[huskihl]

Depends on wood. I use one of these.
View attachment 279339

If the hard side isn’t gettin’ it, use the soft side. Very rarely touch them w/out the guide.

Do you file with the guide in place or use it as a check?

 

[Wolverine]

Do you file with the guide in place or use it as a check?

Yes, guide over cutter. (not my pic)

 

[stikine]

This is a modified square grind milling chain I have been using with good results. I don't change the top plate angle but I do make scoring teeth like the granberg chain. The scoring teeth have lower raker setting.

 

[stikine]

I should add that I use a 4.5" angle grinder with a new abrasive wheel to hand grind the scoring teeth after I put the chain in a vice.

 

[Lightning Performance]

This is a modified square grind milling chain I have been using with good results. I don't change the top plate angle but I do make scoring teeth like the granberg chain. The scoring teeth have lower raker setting.View attachment 279564

This is my next try on wood over forty inches wide like oak. Chip clearing is the problem and full skip was not the answer.

Just like that I do believe is the answer.
I run twenty or fifteen degrees round ground sometimes square filed chisel 404.

 

[stikine]

Yeah, that's a full comp chain but I've done this to skip as well. 3/8" pitch & .063 gauge...trying to minimize kerf size

 

[Lightning Performance]

Yeah, that's a full comp chain but I've done this to skip as well. 3/8" pitch & .063 gauge...trying to minimize kerf size

I'm finding out I don't like full skip for milling. Bought my 3/8 in half skip for up to 135 dl. The rest are bigger in 404. The kerf is negligible imo if your not cutting expensive lumber. Slab, post and beam is most of my cutting. One 28" 404 for ripping dirty stuff and large posts or small beams.

 

[BlackCoffin]

I’ve been doing some milling the past few years. Most of the fancy chains people get into is for finish. Up in the PNW I sharpen my normal chains with a 50-55 degree angle but keep the 30 degrees across the cutter. For milling I will go to 60 degrees and keep the 30 degree angle. Sure it may be aggressive sometimes but if you have the horsepower to pull it then it’s not a problem. All slabs need finishing after drying so I don’t get caught up in the “this chain cuts smoother” smoke. There are other benefits to those chains if you’re in hardwood or don’t have the power to run an aggressive setup. Since you’re up north milling wood I’m used to then have at it with what you’ve got already. I’ve run out of the box 3/8 and .404 chain also. Square grind is aggressive but cuts fast. .404 semi chisel is some of the most durable stuff I’ve ran. Oregon 27ax is currently what I’m running and milled a 32” maple into 6 slabs without having to sharpen it or swap it out. Maple is probably the best cutting wood, fir sucks dulls a chain quickly.

 

[Lightning Performance]

I’ve been doing some milling the past few years. Most of the fancy chains people get into is for finish. Up in the PNW I sharpen my normal chains with a 50-55 degree angle but keep the 30 degrees across the cutter. For milling I will go to 60 degrees and keep the 30 degree angle. Sure it may be aggressive sometimes but if you have the horsepower to pull it then it’s not a problem. All slabs need finishing after drying so I don’t get caught up in the “this chain cuts smoother” smoke. There are other benefits to those chains if you’re in hardwood or don’t have the power to run an aggressive setup. Since you’re up north milling wood I’m used to then have at it with what you’ve got already. I’ve run out of the box 3/8 and .404 chain also. Square grind is aggressive but cuts fast. .404 semi chisel is some of the most durable stuff I’ve ran. Oregon 27ax is currently what I’m running and milled a 32” maple into 6 slabs without having to sharpen it or swap it out. Maple is probably the best cutting wood, fir sucks dulls a chain quickly.

Good info
I run 20 55

Sounds like your mostly cutting under 33" stuff on a standard mill, yes?

 

[BlackCoffin]

Mostly that size, I run a 28”-36” bar on my 661 and a 41” on my 880. I have a 72” as well that doesn’t get much use. The logs I’ve used it on were only approaching 40” or just over. I have a fit that’s almost 60” I’ve been putting off...see how the saw likes that...

 

[Lightning Performance]

60" is nice on a four foot mill. It gives a nice flat slab. The problem after that, going bigger, is the chip load. Full comp is faster but don't bog it or I'm just all jammed up right quick.
Hotrod has two power heads on his 60"ish set up. He says full comp runs fine. I'm porting one big saw soon to see how much that helps me out.

41ES in 404 works nice in the small mill for dry white oak and locust on the big saw. Full comp 8pin is real fast on that setup. Throws long noodles on small square chunks
Just ran out of those noodles for fire starter. Made more last week in the firewood pile. Works better than kindling imo.