088 sprocket cover nuts keep vibrating loose

[NuggyBuggy]

I tried to do some milling today with my brand-new-to-me 088, but the sprocket cover nuts kept vibrating off. Fortunately I had a magnetic dish to help find them.

I didn't use a torque wrench to put them on - wasn't sure what the recommended torque was - just put them on as tight as I could using a scrench.

Anyone else have this problem ? If so, how do you handle it ?

 

[hamish]

How is your chain? In most cases if your bar nuts are tight only vibration is going to loosen them, did you have a chattering while cutting?

How long where you milling before you lost one?

 

[NuggyBuggy]

How is your chain? In most cases if your bar nuts are tight only vibration is going to loosen them, did you have a chattering while cutting?

How long where you milling before you lost one?

hamish - they fell off twice during my first slab... about 10' x 28" of some type of oak.

I'm not sure about chattering... but there was a whole lot of vibration... holding on to one of the posts on my Granberg could pretty quickly make you go numb !

 

[mikeb1079]

blue loc tite?

 

[BobL]

It sounds like you are just not tightening the nuts up hard enough.

In terms of vibe what is your chain set up? Extra low rakers will make lots of vibe. Close up photos of a cutter might be diagnostic.

 

[WidowMaker1]

id be looking at your chain set up & 'possibly' the mill upright might be bent causing the cut/bar to be off-square with the mill rails causing excess vibes ....I've never had a problem with bar bolts coming loose, and i don't tighten them excessively or torque them, tightening them over tight can damage/crack the clutch cover. I usually just tighten as normal with no excessive pressure or weight directed on the wrench.

 

[NuggyBuggy]

Thanks for the responses guys !

. I just have some /woodland pro 33RP ripping chain. The chains are pretty much brand new and haven't been sharpened or modified in any way. They are sharp to the touch.

Here's a pic from the Bailey's website:

According to Baileys:

33RP is used on chain saw mills with bars anywhere from 36" to 84" long. It is commonly used on double ended bars on complete Alaskan Sawmills (46787 375). The top plate of the semi-chisel cutter is ground at a 10 degree angle, while the side plate is ground at a 75 degree angle. 33RP is .375 pitch x .063 gauge (1.6mm). 33RP fits saws using Oregon 75 series and Stihl 36 series chain. 33RP chain sharpens with a 7/32" round file or 3/16" grinding wheel. This chain is recommended for milling purposes only. It is not designed for standard hand held use.

 

[indiansprings]

Sounds like a chain issue, even though they may feel sharp, if they have made very many passes it's quite possible they need touched up, Woodland Pro isn't know for being all that sharp even when it is right out of the box, although it is decent chain when hand filed.

 

[NuggyBuggy]

Well, as I was looking at the chain I realized I made a big boo boo. 4 drive links ( out of 118) were backwards. this undoubtedly happened when i had to lengthen the chain... I hadnt done it before and was flustered. Could this small percentage of links cause that sort of problem ?

Here's a picture of the actual chain, not necessarily the part that was backwards.
View attachment 262865

 

[BobL]

Well, as I was looking at the chain I realized I made a big boo boo. 4 drive links ( out of 118) were backwards. this undoubtedly happened when i had to lengthen the chain... I hadnt done it before and was flustered. Could this small percentage of links cause that sort of problem ?

Yep - that will do it - this will also make a mess of the sprocket and bar if they are left there too long. I would look carefully at the sprocket and probably replace it even if it does no look too bacg

The other time I have heard of a chain causing excess vibe was on a chain where two consecutive cutters broke off

BTW those cutters look like they may not have enough hook. Do a search for "mtngun" and "hook" and there are some good photos of the amount of hook needed for efficient milling.

 

[NuggyBuggy]

blue loc tite?

years later, finally got back to trying to mill. somewhere along the line i replaced my sprocket and used a new chain.

I started seriously consifering the idea of using loctite. What does everyone think about the idea ? My logs have been waiting for years .... Seems like every milling run something goes wrong. I feel like I'm trying to mill some sacred tree where the fates are conspiring against me.

 

[betterbuilt]

I know exactly how you feel. double check yourself. We've all been there. It'll get better.

 

[BobL]

There should be no meed to use Loctite and it's not going to work too well after re-tensioning the chain a few times
Now you have fixed the chain try it again and see what happens.

 

[NuggyBuggy]

There should be no meed to use Loctite and it's not going to work too well after re-tensioning the chain a few times
Now you have fixed the chain try it again and see what happens.

I gave it another go on the weekend, I decided to take BobL's advice and skip the Loctite and just tighten the bolts harder than I had before. For some reason the stars seemed to have aligned for me. The chainsaw I had (088) which kicked back so fiercely when trying to start it that I got scared of it, now starts like a baby - well, a big strong baby. The bolts didn't come off once.

I ended up milling about 6 slabs of what I think is white oak, about 24" wide by 8'. This is probably 4 times more milling in a day than I have been able to successfully do in 3 years. Thanks everyone !