New To Milling

[SJW]

G'day all, I am after some advice regarding chainsaw milling. I have made myself an alaskan style frame which i intend to use for slabbing some ironbark and maybe some other hardwoods if i get the chance. The saw is a Stihl 660, i will use the standard or 25'' bar.
My question is, what sort of chain should i be using, and where can i buy in Aus.? I havn't had a chance to ask my local dealer as yet, but doubt he has any experience in the field so i would prefer to get some advice from people who are doing this type of thing all the time.

Thanks In Advance
Simon

[itsposs]

Mate do a serch there are countless threads on this, One of the best blokes to ask is BobL from wa. Search his treads nd you ll learn a lot cheers

[kcam]

Suggest that you do some research on a "skip tooth chain" we trialled one at my woodcraft club in a slabbing attachment and it works extremely well with less stress on the saw and operator, cut is a bit rougher than a standard chain but does the cut efficiently. Your Stihl retailer should be able to help....cheers Kerry

[Sigidi]

G'day all, I am after some advice regarding chainsaw milling. I have made myself an alaskan style frame which i intend to use for slabbing some ironbark and maybe some other hardwoods if i get the chance. The saw is a Stihl 660, i will use the standard or 25'' bar.
My question is, what sort of chain should i be using, and where can i buy in Aus.? I havn't had a chance to ask my local dealer as yet, but doubt he has any experience in the field so i would prefer to get some advice from people who are doing this type of thing all the time.

Thanks In Advance
Simon

Simon, I'd definitely use a skip chain it helps the powerhead by having less teeth in the cut at the same time, also you'll need a ripping chain as compared to a crosscut chain (the filing angle will be around 10-15 deg versus 30-35 deg for crosscut) Skip tooth chain won't leave the cut any rougher or smoother on its own, it is more to do with raker height and filing angle which will effect the finish.

[SJW]

Thanks fellas, i am slowly working my way through the search results.
Sigidi, i have spoken to my local dealer, they will have some 'ripping' chain in stock again this week (they normally carry it) so i will see what turns up and maybe give it a go.

[Bushmiller]

Simon, I'd definitely use a skip chain it helps the powerhead by having less teeth in the cut at the same time, also you'll need a ripping chain as compared to a crosscut chain (the filing angle will be around 10-15 deg versus 30-35 deg for crosscut) Skip tooth chain won't leave the cut any rougher or smoother on its own, it is more to do with raker height and filing angle which will effect the finish.

Allan

Is there much advantage with skip tooth on a 25" bar? I have heard that skip tooth comes into its own on longer bars and below this length it is a waste of time. I suppose if the bar is too short there are not that many teeth: Not that it seems to be an issue with swing saw blades. There again you have access to a lot more grunt from the motor to keep the blade speed up.

Regards
Paul

[BobL]

I used to use skip chain but found it went blunt quicker on hard wood.

On regular or "Full comp" chain during a given pass of the chain only every second or 3rd cutter actually is taking a full on bite. The next time around chances are that one of the other cutters near the previous one will be doing the "big bite" and taking on the wear.

A full comp chain has more cutters and so goes blunt slower but also take longer to sharpen. On long bars in wide soft wood sawdust clearance can become an issue and skip has an advantage here since there are fewer cutters in the kerf taking up space that could be taken up by sawdust.

Also it is worth remembering that you can use regular chain (I buy mine from WWF member Sawchain) and as it wears gradually sharpen it to ripping or shallower angle top plate profile. I do this with all my chains unless I decide to file it into shape in one hit (I quite like filing).

[eli szoko]

I have used a Stihl 066 and 25inch titaniam bar with regula round sholder chain to cut ironbark witch is hard work but keep your chain perfekt and it woked will.Have herd a riping chain woold be beter.

[Sigidi]

Allan

Is there much advantage with skip tooth on a 25" bar? I have heard that skip tooth comes into its own on longer bars and below this length it is a waste of time. I suppose if the bar is too short there are not that many teeth: Not that it seems to be an issue with swing saw blades. There again you have access to a lot more grunt from the motor to keep the blade speed up.

Regards
Paul

Paul, with the Lucas slabber they advocate using 3 skip chain for slabs something like less than 700mm wide and 5 skip for slabs wider than 700mm bu we're talking a c/s powerhead here not a 16hp or bigger. Personally if ripping using a chainsaw and going to the full width of bar I'd be going for a skip tooth chain, in semi-chisel defs not full chisel - I try to stay away from full chisel altogether

[Bushmiller]

Paul, with the Lucas slabber they advocate using 3 skip chain for slabs something like less than 700mm wide and 5 skip for slabs wider than 700mm bu we're talking a c/s powerhead here not a 16hp or bigger. Personally if ripping using a chainsaw and going to the full width of bar I'd be going for a skip tooth chain, in semi-chisel defs not full chisel - I try to stay away from full chisel altogether

Allan

That was my impression too. The full chisel is too unforgiving as soon as the point becomes damaged. So.............does anybody use full chisel? I never have and I have never met anybody who knows what they are doing who uses it. There must be an application there somewhere. Clean softwood?

Regards
Paul

[Sigidi]

Paul, the way I figure, full Chisel is reported to cut quicker than semi chisel until it gets blunt and is much less forgiving on not so perfect sharpening. So clean timber and someone who knows what they are doing in the sharpening department is where it's used.

For me when you are always docking logs on the ground and prone to hit dirt regardless how much you try not to... A few times I've just gone into the saw shop and bought a loop of chain ready made for Harry, opened the box later and found it to be full chisel but other than that I stay away.

I'd say tree loppers would be a good candidate for its use especially when they are felling, my theory goes the log is clean, timber is green, you want to be next to the tree for a short time as possible.