Chain for a 395xp 62" bar? Skip vs ripping?

[edrrt]

I need to make a few larger slabs and was looking at a Forrester 62" bar for my 395.

3/8, .063, 185DL

They don't seem to make 3/8 skip milling chain?

Is it worth swapping to a .404 to access the skip milling chains available? Wouldn't it increase drag?

Should I swap to a 7 tooth sprocket?

Am I thinking to hard and a standard ripping chain is fine just go easy?

Thanks everyone.

 

[Grandedog]

Howdy,
If you're just interested in speed and the surface of the wood doesn't matter, use the standard tooth chain. If you're wanting a nice surface, use ripping chain. Standard 3/8, or larger pitch will require more hp than ripping because they take a wider bite. Go with the 7 tooth.
G

 

[REJ2]

Howdy,
If you're just interested in speed and the surface of the wood doesn't matter, use the standard tooth chain. If you're wanting a nice surface, use ripping chain. Standard 3/8, or larger pitch will require more hp than ripping because they take a wider bite. Go with the 7 tooth.
G

He really does exist!

 

[Maintenance supervisor]

https://loggerchain.net/collections...kip-ripping-chainsaw-chain-reel-404-pitch-063They make it in .404
The one major difference between semi chisel and ripping chain is that ripping chain is filed at a 10° angle to the side plate as apposed to 25-30° , you can file semi chisel to 10 and achieve the same results and it comes in skip.
Graneberg also sells a modified skip that has half the cutter top plate cut in half. It works very well.

 

[edrrt]

Yes Granberg looks like the best plug and play option but they are sold out. They believe they will get more by mid March but who knows.

I ended up with a 52" bar and suspect I will only get 48" in wood.

Should I try regular milling chain and see if it will pull it or skip and gradually bring the angle back?

 

[J D]

https://www.arboristsite.com/threads/setup-to-make-granberg-style-chain.349371/

 

[Grandedog]

He really does exist!

Was off working another industry for a few years. It was all smoke and mirrors. Well, maybe not so much mirrors. I'm going to be helping get a retail shop rolling in Laytonville again.

 

[Grandedog]

Yes Granberg looks like the best plug and play option but they are sold out. They believe they will get more by mid March but who knows.

I ended up with a 52" bar and suspect I will only get 48" in wood.

Should I try regular milling chain and see if it will pull it or skip and gradually bring the angle back?

Granberg grind is probably the most universal that will work decently with any species around the wolrd. Certainly tweaks can be made to optimize efficiency on different species and different degrees of dryness. No matter which chain you choose that'll be a good pull on a 395 if you have the mill maximized. No matter how you slice it, there's a trade off between speed of operation, and smoothness of surface. If you're doing dimensions that are going to be hard to resurface, go with a chain ground for ripping. Even if you decide to buy a standard chain and you want the surface smooth, grind it to ripping before you start. The money in time saved on resurfacing will far out weigh the cost of grinding off a little tooth.
If you do buy a standard chain I would suggest running the way it came just to get a baseline surface to judge for your application.

 

[Mad Professor]

Was off working another industry for a few years. It was all smoke and mirrors. Well, maybe not so much mirrors. I'm going to be helping get a retail shop rolling in Laytonville again.

Glad to see you back!

Let me know if you're doing saw stuff again.

 

[REJ2]

Was off working another industry for a few years. It was all smoke and mirrors. Well, maybe not so much mirrors. I'm going to be helping get a retail shop rolling in Laytonville again.

Absolutely glad to see you back in the game!

 

[BobL]

The following are presented in chronological order using my bigger CSMs.

One of the first logs I cut with my big mill in 2007
Sheoak (hard), square ground, skip chain
.
Also in 2007, Queensland Box (hard) ,skip chain square ground


Around the same time
Western Australian red gum (very hard) skip chain, square ground

Later in mid 2008 I switched to full comp chain.
Lebanese Cedar

Mov 2008. 42" wide Spotted gum (hard) full comp


Mid 2009 Marri (about as hard as oak) , full comp


Mod 2014 Spotted gum (hard) full comp.


Looking at the above its tempting to say that "full comp is possibly better skip chain", but what I think it shows is as I gained experience with the big CSM the following contributed to improving the finish.
- better firmer/steadier log rail setups.
- maintaining sharpness
- no horizontal seesawing
- no "fanging" a running saw on restart into a cut.
- maintaining steady pressure on the mill by using slopes etc

In other words finish is highly operator ,rather than chain, dependent.

 

[edrrt]

What is "Fanging?"

I have noticed significant improvement in the finish over the last few days as my technique has gotten better.

 

[BobL]

What is "Fanging?"

going WOT and the slamming it into the cut.

I have noticed significant improvement in the finish over the last few days as my technique has gotten better.

It sounds like you're learning fast.

 

[HumBurner]

Was off working another industry for a few years. It was all smoke and mirrors. Well, maybe not so much mirrors. I'm going to be helping get a retail shop rolling in Laytonville again.

What kinda shop? I'm up outside of Garberville.




Bob, excellent visual examples of improvement of finish.


Rail accuracy, sharpness/depths, and angle of attack (edit: which includes FANGING) with the mill seem to make the biggest difference on finish and lack of surface marks.


I've had a few flawless slabs. You can see and feel the difference in the cut, when milling.

 

[HumBurner]

Can a 395 even pull a 62" bar milling? Even in softwood?

That seems like asking a lot of it for any length of time.

 

[Grandedog]

Howdy,
It's a retail shop mostly doing arborist supplies. I'm working on getting some dealerships in here but, I'm mostly working on getting a more robust point of sale software going. We're in the front of the old Bailey's building.
D's Woodsman Supply.
G