carlton file-o-plate

[outdoortype]

MCW, I'm glad I don't have to cut your wood...

I have no experience with semi chisel mainly because it is not as popular as full chisel around here. Most folks around here are cutting dead hardwood-not much timber/logging. I just wore out a loop of LGX and replaced it with RS. I still believe RS holds it's edge longer. I just cut about 2/3 truckload of dead oak that was hard as a rock and lying in the dirt. Then I felled a rotten old oak that was full of dirt and crud. I thought that I would regret that but the edge on the RS is still like new. Oregon LGX is close in stay sharpness and may be the overall winner because it's cheaper and can be mail ordered. Just my .02.

 

[tdi-rick]

A bit of Matt's footage from the 880 filter thread re the dry, dusty timber we cut here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtAHBuJFoMw

 

[MCW]

A bit of Matt's footage from the 880 filter thread re the dry, dusty timber we cut here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtAHBuJFoMw

Awe come on Rick - that video was copyrighted

outdoortype, funnily enough in Tasmania and in most higher rainfall forestry areas in Australia nearly all the guys use full chisel chain. Its just that many of the guys I know on this forum from Australia tend to come from areas where there is lower rainfall and are cutting dead wood. I was cutting trees in Tasmania in April/May this year and it is an absolute joy not having to sharpen/swap chains every 20 minutes. For example just this weekend I spent probably around 4 hours cutting non stop. Mainly just dropping the 7900 and 3120 into logs in the photos below. These are relatively clean compared to the norm but I still bluntened around 10 chains without hitting the ground at all. Not uncommon to see a fair few sparks shooting out just from dust in the bark etc. Most guys cutting dead Redgum in dry creek beds/floodplains would give an internal organ for nice clean logs like these.

Another thing too for kicks, the guy who cut these trees down, and they are up to 36", did it all with a 16" bar, and 3/8"LP on a Stihl 009 Top Handled Pruning saw. He piled the big stuff up with his tractor and said I can take the lot. Great timber, no termites

 

[AUSSIE1]

Wood have to disagree to an extent Matt as coming from an area classified as a possible wet area that full chisel is not the preferred by any stretch.
I'm currently using up some of my full chisel that came with the saws and they have a constant "glint". To remove this glint I would have to file the sh!t out of them. Semi is the only way to go. It's not so much about our differing climate's but more about our Euco's.

 

[MCW]

Wood have to disagree to an extent Matt as coming from an area classified as a possible wet area that full chisel is not the preferred by any stretch.
I'm currently using up some of my full chisel that came with the saws and they have a constant "glint". To remove this glint I would have to file the sh!t out of them. Semi is the only way to go. It's not so much about our differing climate's but more about our Euco's.

I understand where you're coming from mate. When I'm talking forestry I'm talking plantation timber so should have probably explained myself a bit better. I know in Tasmania when I was there I was talking to the local Stihl dealer in Huonville and to the Carlton importers (Jakmax) who said that nearly all the chain going into Tassie is full chisel. After cutting a fair few Stringybarks and Bluegums down when I was there I realised some of their gear is pretty hard too. I had .404" full chisel on my 3120 and about a 32" bar is all she'd handle before bogging down.

 

[angelo c]

MCW,
Any chance of posting some more photos of the FOP in use. I can't for the life of me figure out how to use the depth guage. I got a few chains from Bailey's and they gave a FOP with each one. Man, not a single word of instruction given at all. I guess you get what you pay for...

 

[tramp bushler]

You see the little rectangular hole in the plate ... the cut out rectangle notch in the bottom ( flat end ) as opposed to the somewhat pointed end ...
The notch sits astride the chain with the depth guage sticking up thru the little hole and the plate rests on the cutter .. Of course the chain needs to be on the bar or on a bar of some type hold the fop in one hand and file with the other ..
. It takes a little while to get a good system going , but it is very accurate , Suprisingly so .......
. I found my hands like one side better than the other. But I can get both sides dead the same .. You need a sharp raker file .....

 

[tramp bushler]

On page 2 of this thread MCW posted a very good pic of it in use .........
.
. All the bar rail cleaners sold arn,t worth a hoot compared to a file o plate ..

 

[angelo c]

You see the little rectangular hole in the plate ... the cut out rectangle notch in the bottom ( flat end ) as opposed to the somewhat pointed end ...
The notch sits astride the chain with the depth guage sticking up thru the little hole and the plate rests on the cutter .. Of course the chain needs to be on the bar or on a bar of some type hold the fop in one hand and file with the other ..
. It takes a little while to get a good system going , but it is very accurate , Suprisingly so .......
. I found my hands like one side better than the other. But I can get both sides dead the same .. You need a sharp raker file .....

does it sit perfectly perpendicular to plate or somewhat angled. I can't get it flat to index the cutter or anything w/o being angled somewhat.
I see the picture and don't see if it's angled or not. from a side view it might be clearer.

 

[Philbert]

does it sit perfectly perpendicular to plate or somewhat angled. I can't get it flat to index the cutter or anything w/o being angled somewhat.
I see the picture and don't see if it's angled or not. from a side view it might be clearer.

Angelo,

Are you sure that you have the right F-O-P for your chain?

There are something like 20+ models. I had problems with the Husky guide until I realized it was not the right one for my chain (3/8" model did not work with 3/8" Low Profile chain, or with low-kickback chain due to the bumpers).

Philbert

 

[angelo c]

Angelo,

Are you sure that you have the right F-O-P for your chain?

There are something like 20+ models. I had problems with the Husky guide until I realized it was not the right one for my chain (3/8" model did not work with 3/8" Low Profile chain, or with low-kickback chain due to the bumpers).

Philbert

To be 100% certain no I am not sure,
It is the one(s) they sent and I did check the box to confirm and yup it looks to be the right one but it might not be working because it's a brand new chain and the raker should be at the right height ?
I tried on some older chains(stihl) and just can't get the picture of how it's indexing the plate.

 

[tramp bushler]

, No it isn;t supposed to sit on a sideways angle on the chain ,the square/rectangle cut out in the bottom end will sit on the chain so that the sides of the bottom will protrude down past the top edge of the chain ... But I did forget to say .. one way it sits naturally on one side of the cutters ... for the other side you have to turn the plate over ...

 

[MCW]

I'll take some photos when I get home mate to better explain it. Let me know brand, pitch, and style of chain and I'll make sure you have the right File-O-Plate first.

 

[AUSSIE1]

Matt, next time your in Tassie, have a look at their full chisel after half a doz. cuts to see what it looks like. I'm surprised it's used.
I did half a doz. cuts only today after a complete sharpen in Red Stringy and the point had gone.
Different bark types would hold grit I assume hence the issue with Stringy and Peppermint against the smooth bark like Redgum.

 

[tdi-rick]

Al, the Red Gum I dropped and cut up a few weeks back only needed a lick on the chain at re-fuel time using a full chisel chain, but i stuffed my semi-chisel in the second cut tonight in some 12" Box thanks to a bloody termite chimney.
I burnt through the rest of the 1/4 tonne without stopping as it was after sundown. Guess who's filing chains tonight (if i don't drink too much port )

 

[AUSSIE1]

Ahhh, the port, hmmm....
Termite infested wood.
I know what you mean.
A local winery down here makes a rather lovely white port.

 

[tdi-rick]

Mmmm, port.

This is really bad as I don't drink, pretty much tee total and I've knocked off 1/4 of a bottle tonight...


:monkey:

better not try and sharpen any chain now

 

[AUSSIE1]

Mmmm, port.

This is really bad as I don't drink, pretty much tee total and I've knocked off 1/4 of a bottle tonight...


:monkey:

better not try and sharpen any chain now

Nothing wrong with that mate, nothing wrong with that.

 

[MCW]

Matt, next time your in Tassie, have a look at their full chisel after half a doz. cuts to see what it looks like. I'm surprised it's used.
I did half a doz. cuts only today after a complete sharpen in Red Stringy and the point had gone.
Different bark types would hold grit I assume hence the issue with Stringy and Peppermint against the smooth bark like Redgum.

I know what you mean mate as in bark holding dirt and dust its just that in Tassie there wasn't any dust where I was cutting - nothing but lovely green grass and masses of rain. I used full chisel for a reasonable amount of time and didn't find that it bluntened too quickly with what I was cutting. I used it in both 3/8" (LGX and RSC) and in .404" which was branded Husky chain but as far as I'm aware is just rebranded LGX.
I spent a fair bit of time talking to the Stihl dealer in Huonville who has a few forestry guys on his books (getting fewer due to mechanisation) and he said they all use full chisel. This is one of the wetter parts of Tassie though, may not be the case in the middle which looks a fair bit drier.

 

[angelo c]

I'll take some photos when I get home mate to better explain it. Let me know brand, pitch, and style of chain and I'll make sure you have the right File-O-Plate first.

Thanks MCW,
Looking at the box it is correct. WP 30 RC ( 3/8 .50 1.3mm)
the FOP # is 37509