Stress Testing Saws

[Mastermind]

I occasionally have a saw that has a issue that requires some long cuts for the trouble to show up.

For instance, a MS661 that shuts off after 5 minutes of hard run time. A MS461 that was impossible for the owner to tune.

Saws like this are sorta tough for me to get hot enough to be sure they are really cured.

So.....I decided to try a little milling.

 

[Mastermind]

Now I'm wondering what angles you guys who mill a lot use on your chain. The chain on this saw was ok for a cross the grain cut, but not impressive at all running with the grain.

To be fair, this was a badly rocked chain that Bubba ground the damage out of. The rakers are a little too high after taking so much off the tooth.....

 

[CR888]

Don't forget its not like noodling with the grain where cutters run parallel to the wood fibres, your cutting down the fibres end to end. So much finer saw dust is to be expected, its slow & taxing. Setting rakers as you would is fine, you could detune the top plate some & inner top plate to endure the work better. All depends on what wood your milling. 'Milling chain' is sold with a 10° top plate, but 10-30° can work well. Maybe setting the raker height would be a good start after removing a lot off the cutters from the rocked chain.

 

[Dub11]

Wonder is you had one them saw winches to drag something heavy, could save some wood that way.

 

[srcarr52]

They all cut slow with the grain, all the typical mods to a chain for milling are for better surface finish or to lessen the load on the saw. None are for speed.

 

[qurotro]

I always thinking about a gear reduction and hooking it up to a generator.

 

[Nutball]

Square ground Stihl chain works well, and it looks around 15-17 deg. Granberg sells a chain with every other top plate cut in half. Cutting with the saw at an angle, not perfectly perpendicular, is the only way I know of to gain some speed.

 

[huskihl]

Drop the rakers a little and get it as sharp as you can. Like Shaun said, the shallow top plate angle is for finish, not speed.
Can also put a bigger sprocket on to increase load

 

[Mastermind]

Thanks for all the help guys. I'll let you know how it comes along.

 

[DND 9000]

I`ve seen milling chains from Oregon with 10 deg.

 

[dgb84]

Thanks for all the help guys. I'll let you know how it comes along.

Don’t forget to make pics that show your legs.

 

[Mastermind]

Don’t forget to make pics that show your legs.

Cruel

 

[RedFir Down]

I remember seeing this.
Not sure if it would be practical for you to come up with something like this.

 

[huskihl]

What size bar and chain are you using, Randy?

 

[~WBF]

Do you want to learn how to mill or would you like to learn how to pour the heat to them the quickest? Two totally different things man.

 

[~WBF]

Stop the 'slop' and pop the top,,
Hungry chain and lay hard on the dot dot dogs

 

[huskyhank]

Other than in the very beginning I have just used regular sharpening angles for milling. The first log I chainsaw milled was in 1983. I started with the Maloof book. The info in that book is still largely relevant today.

Having a good set up with steady even feed is lots more important to getting a good finish and getting the job done. Start with the log on a slant so gravity helps you feed. Sharpen every cut on bigger harder logs. Try to keep it pulling chips and not dust. Use a nose oiler for plenty of lubrication.

Until I sold it last year I had a hotted up 3120 running a 7 sprocket and 42” bar with 3/8 LGX. A big oak log would take a full tank of gas for each cut. Gas, oil and one file stroke on each cutter and go again. Now that I tell about it, I miss that saw but I have too much wood - more than I will ever use.

 

[mdavlee]

I prefer square ground chain at 20 degrees or so top plate and about 1 degree forward lean. Touch up every 20 bd feet in hardwood or 30 in poplar or pine.

 

[Lightning Performance]

Get some full comp chisel chain sharpened to 0
Take your drags to 0.045.
Good luck pulling it.
Ten degrees with full comp 404 @117dl is about all you will ever pull with a stock 660 and still seem like your actually moving.
0 is a *b-word but you get smooth boards ready to use.

Using a winch or winch type pull system will get you away from the mill. I use a mill mounted trailer winch most times. Building a yoke to set up for my big bar to get away from the heat and oily chips.

 

[Lightning Performance]

I prefer square ground chain at 20 degrees or so top plate and about 1 degree forward lean. Touch up every 20 bd feet in hardwood or 30 in poplar or pine.

That will be a pretty fast cut
@ 15 on semi chisel is three times slower but unstoppable in crap with harvester commercial chain. This should give you maximum load at the saw but cut faster than chisel @ O. Drags down to 45-50 will make it bite with easy. Use 404 to get more load on the saw.
GL milling!
Oh btw. Use your respirator in dry wood or get a big fan.