# RIPPING/MILLING CHAIN??



## Tree Feller (Apr 30, 2014)

This is my first time milling with a alaskan mill on a 288xp. I will be milling out some slabs of black walnut. I'll be running a 30" bar (98 driver). My question is do i really need a ripping chain or can i alter my oregon LGX chain to mill with? I would guss i will make about 5 or so cuts about 10' long? The tree is about 20" in diameter. I looked at the ripping chains and they are $.40 per drive link! Is there really that much benifit from a ripping chain? Thanks for the help!


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## Haywire Haywood (Apr 30, 2014)

No, you don't have to buy ripping chain, or even alter your regular chain for that matter. In the little bit of milling I've done, I've just used the regular chain I use normally. You will get a better finish with the angles changed and I read here recently that your kerf will be marginally smaller with dedicated ripping chain.


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## Mad Professor (May 2, 2014)

You will get a smoother surface with the cutters at 5-10 degrees. Less kerf using picco/lo pro


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## BobL (May 3, 2014)

Tree Feller said:


> . . . . I looked at the ripping chains and they are $.40 per drive link!



50c per drive link is a common price for regular chain here!

You can always buy regular chain and file it to milling top plate angles yourself. That's what I did for two rolls of 3/8 chain.
I took a couple of loops of 3/8 chain for my long bar with me when I went camping and did it in the camp ground.


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## mdavlee (May 3, 2014)

This was done with semi skip square filed. Turned out super smooth. I can't find a picture of semi chisel at 10°.


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## CR888 (May 4, 2014)

mdavlee is onto it. Square ground works well when ripping.


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## john taliaferro (May 4, 2014)

mdavlee said:


> This was done with semi skip square filed. Turned out super smooth. I can't find a picture of semi chisel at 10°.


I did to ,one got in with milling chains that weren't sharpened yet and got put back in to go box . When we got to the spot to mill a white oak log we only had a reg chain and one milling [10 degrees ] . The out of the box chain cut like glass . Mike laughed and ask me if i was having a senior minute .


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## Tree Feller (May 5, 2014)

I took one on my lgx chains and changed the angle to 5 degrees and it cut fine. I milled out (6) 1 1/4" thick boards and (1) 3" thick board out of black walnut.
It turned out alot better than i thought it would!


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## Haywire Haywood (May 5, 2014)

I believe I was using Bailey's RC skip at the normal 30ish degrees. Rough, especially if I angled the bar in the cut any. Good enough for rough eastern cedar planter boxes though. I used the bark sided slabs too. Looked "rustic"... I believe that's the fancy term for "cobbled together".


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## jagchaser (May 7, 2014)

Rustic, ya that's the right definition! About like most of the stuff I do too. 
I wonder does it go any faster if you use a semi chisel with a larger angle? That might be just the ticket to speed up some projects that aren't going to be finished anyways.


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## Tree Feller (May 7, 2014)

I ordered a loop of ripping chain this weekend and it came in yesterday. It looks just like my LGX chains but with less top plate angle i'd say around 10 degrees? If this is the case i see no point in paying double the regular chain price for it.


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## Brendon Phillips (May 9, 2014)

Baileysonline.com has ripping chain for .25 a link. Just got some in this week. I'll let you know how it cuts when I try it out this weekend.


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## thenne1713 (Jul 3, 2014)

Brendon Phillips said:


> Baileysonline.com has ripping chain for .25 a link. Just got some in this week. I'll let you know how it cuts when I try it out this weekend.


(Terry responds) (IMHO, I have used the Bailey's (Woodland/ Oregon ripping chain); I like the Woodland price and performance & have measured 1/4" kerf w/ my Logosol M-8. 

 I have previously used Granberg ripping chain, but see Granberg $$ advantage mainly on smaller saws or maybe big bars 24+inch (less power required due to fewer teeth in a cut at any time) and faster/ easier to sharpen (fewer teeth). The trick to any ripping chain (or any chain) is PROPER sharpening and (sharpening at first sign of dulling especially important when ripping). The proof to proper sharpening is seeing a slow cut speed back up. 
 I have not used the Stihl ripping chain, but see Stihl advantage in the pico (LP) AND in their "extra oil carrying capability". (I have used an LP Granberg chain on a smaller saw with Alaskan) (p.s. Taught me to take the advice and GET THE BIGGER SAW)

(E.g. holes in drive links and oil grooves). The Stihl pico ripping chain is indeed in the Granberg price range, even at Bailey's (when I last looked).
 I have only milled 10-12 logs, and feel I am still experimenting on learning to "correctly" sharpen in the field. (versus shop grinder) 

The chain sharpness along with angle seems to more determine QUALITY of cut, AND dullness makes sawyer start turning a hand-held saw in odd directions (e.g. w/ Alaskan), and can really mess up a cut w/ dull teeth. Like I tell the gkids with the handsaw/ sander, just guide the tool, let the tool do the work. 
 I have cut mostly dead/ dry hardwood (Cherry/ oak), which is much tougher to cut than wet softwood pine/ spruce). (I believe I have been pretty good at top plate, but maybe ignoring the side plate sharpness and depth gages, experimenting some). I have also tried to duplicate "book-noted problems", such as wood-tension caused problems, so that I will recognize them in future. I just retired 1+ week ago, (5-days heavy rains) so I am looking forward to this Fall for milling.


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## IanB22 (Sep 5, 2014)

Brendon Phillips said:


> Baileysonline.com has ripping chain for .25 a link. Just got some in this week. I'll let you know how it cuts when I try it out this weekend.


How did the Bailey's chain cut?


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## Trx250r180 (Sep 5, 2014)

My ripping chain has a narrower kerf than my reg chain if that matters to anyone ,kind of in the middle of pico and 3/8 on the tooth width ,it is carlton brand


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## thenne1713 (Sep 5, 2014)

Baileys/ Woodland Ripping chain cut fine; (5-10deg/ 1/4" kerf),AND price better that local purchase if you buy 6+ chains, SO THAT YOU CAN AVERAGE OUT THE FREIGHT COST ACROSS THE CHAINS (about same to ship 6 as to ship ONE) but recently reading Maloff, and he seemed to prefer 0-degree (90 degree), so I will have to experiment with that sometime this fall. Interesting tidbit from him was he weights his Alaskan to keep it down on guide, and also noted that competing styles with rollers cause problems, because the rollers roll over the sawdust/ debris, messing up the cut; he also was big on winching the Alaskan, and perfected his own rigging to winch and control throttle. One other comment was that the pico/ LP chain is not recommended over 24", noted as more prone to breakage in the higher HP and lengths.


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## BobL (Sep 5, 2014)

thenne1713 said:


> but recently reading Maloff, and he seemed to prefer 0-degree (90 degree), so I will have to experiment with that sometime this fall.


You need to be careful that this angle is no less than zero degrees because if it is then the cutters will be pulled away from their tip and not cut as efficiently. It's probably not as important in softwoods but even an angle like -0.5º can cause problems so I always reckon it's best to have at lest a couple of degrees of positivity on the top plate cutting angle.



> Interesting tidbit from him was he weights his Alaskan to keep it down on guide


He also is using an 090 and a winch so the weight of the power head may cause it to tilt in the cut.
If you have the log on a slope extra weight also means less pushing from the operator. 
My CSMs are all a bit heavier than standard mills and I notice the heavier they are, the less I have to push.



> and also noted that competing styles with rollers cause problems, because the rollers roll over the sawdust/ debris, messing up the cut;


Correct, even regular designs have this problem and a much smoother cut can be obtained using smooth log rails for every cut.



> he also was big on winching the Alaskan, and perfected his own rigging to winch and control throttle.


I posted pics of his setup several times unfortunately this was prior to the big image loss of a year ago so here they are again,







> One other comment was that the pico/ LP chain is not recommended over 24", noted as more prone to breakage in the higher HP and lengths.


I'm using LP on the 25" bar on my 441 and that is about as far as I would go with this chain.


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## mad murdock (Sep 11, 2014)

Stihl 63PMX chain is recommended for saws up to 660/395, and bars up to 47". That is the max for that chain. 


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## Haywire Haywood (Sep 11, 2014)

Yikes... 49c per DL. No thanks.


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## mad murdock (Sep 11, 2014)

It is expensive. I do not regret purchasing the chain for my 32 inch bar on my husky one bit. It has allowed me to do a lot more work and a lot less time than using three eights ripping chain. For me it was money well spent. I guess that's a determination that each individual would have to make for themselves


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## Haywire Haywood (Sep 15, 2014)

Is the Stihl chain any stronger than the Oregon 91VXL? LCS has that for .22/dl. I'd just have to regrind to 10deg


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## mad murdock (Sep 15, 2014)

The stihl chain can be used on saws as large as an MS660 or Husky 395. I don't know if the Oregon chain is rated for the same HP. Would have to check their specs out. 


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## Haywire Haywood (Sep 15, 2014)

18" bar and tiny saw according to the specs, but I wondered what the real difference is since it's the same gauge and pitch.


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## mad murdock (Sep 15, 2014)

The 63PMX "picco" chain is able to handle the hp. It is tough chain, and from my first hand experience, it is hardened, as in it does not wear fast. Not like the 91vxl, which I have on an old Homelite XL and. 28" bar. There really is no comparison. The picco chain is far superior. 


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## Haywire Haywood (Sep 15, 2014)

Ok, I'll ditch that idea.


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## Grande Dog (Sep 15, 2014)

Howdy,
When it comes to breaking chains, it comes down to the resistance the wood offers to the powerhead depending on the cutting application. Milling perpendicular to the grain offers the least resistance. Milling more parallel to the grain, and cross-cutting would be next. The cut that offers the most resistance is cross-cutting 45 degrees to the grain. The long bar recommendations for 63 PMX comes from Logosol in a milling application, and not from Stihl for other applications.
Regards
Gregg


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## Haywire Haywood (Sep 15, 2014)

So would it be reasonable to try the Oregon chain?

edit... with my ported 372...


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## Grande Dog (Sep 15, 2014)

Howdy,
Bailey's sold plenty of the Carlton LoPro ripping, and Oregon 91 (had to be ground for ripping) chain. Breaking was not an issue between any of the brands but, the 63PMX out of the box left the best surface.
Regards
Gregg


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## Brendon Phillips (Sep 16, 2014)

IanB22 said:


> How did the Bailey's chain cut?


Chain cut great. Smooth boards and fast cutting.


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