Chain Question About Angles

[Woodcutteranon]

Chain Cutter Question About Angles

Ok

My 346XP runs an Oregon VP chain. The VP's top plate angle is 25 degrees. I just bought an Oregon BPX chain whose top plate angle is 30 degrees.

Can anyone explain to me the cutting characteristics of a chain in relation to this top plate angle? How does a higher degreed top plate...say 35 degrees perform different from say a 25 degree chain.

I am experimenting with the new Oregon BPX micro chisel. I will give you an after action report once it stops raining!

Thanks for your help.

 

[Wood Doctor]

30 Degrees for Me

The smaller the cutting angle (25 degrees or less) the slower it will cut, but it will stay sharp longer.

The larger the cutting angle (25 degrees or more), the faster the chain will cut, but it gets dull faster.

I settled in on 30 degrees for all my chains. Some say 25 degrees is better. Take your pick.

 

[J.W Younger]

a sharper top plate angle will give you a sharper side plate angle, but like wood doctor said it will also dull faster.I dont have any proof to back this up but I think more top plate angle widens the kerf some.You can get a sharper top plate and side plate without changeing the recommended angle by useing a goofy file.

 

[Nosmo]

More Power

One other thing about increasing the angle -- say for example from 30 degrees to 35 degrees I been told it takes more power to pull the chain through a cut.

If this is not true please let me know.

Nosmo

 

[Bruce 46]

Great question, thanks for the info !

 

[CWME]

One other thing about increasing the angle -- say for example from 30 degrees to 35 degrees I been told it takes more power to pull the chain through a cut.

If this is not true please let me know.

Nosmo

Makes sense to me... If it cuts faster with a 35 degree angle vs a 25 then it should be taking a bigger "bite". Therefore with the bigger bite more yank should be needed to pull the chain... Works for me Nosmo

 

[J.W Younger]

a sharper top plate angle will give you a sharper side plate angle, but like wood doctor said it will also dull faster.I dont have any proof to back this up but I think more top plate angle widens the kerf some.You can get a sharper top plate and side plate without changeing the recommended angle by useing a goofy file.

well I was wrong about the kerf width, I ground one of my 72lp chains 35 deg then hand filed it and compared the width to a 25 deg hand filed and they were the same.
My 72cl has a slightly narrower kerf tho and the chips have much straighter edges.

 

[avalancher]

One other thing about increasing the angle -- say for example from 30 degrees to 35 degrees I been told it takes more power to pull the chain through a cut.

If this is not true please let me know.

Nosmo

Actually,its just the opposite.With an increased angle, you are attaining more of a point to the tooth, and less blunt chisel effect.Less effort for the saw to pull the tooth through the wood.But the difference is not hardly noticeable, and the trade off is as wooddoctor pointed out the point of the tooth will dull faster the sharper the angle.
No matter what the angle of the tooth is, it is not taking any more of a bite out of the wood, that is established by your raker height,not the angle of the cutting surface.If you have a freshly ground chain with a 35 degree top plate angle,it will cut faster,but only because of the higher chain speed.At least until the sharper point dulls away.Then chain speed will actually be less than the 30 or 25 degree.

Regardless of what the chain manufacturer,I grind em all to 25 degrees once they are in need of a grinding.When hand filing I follow the orginal profile of the tooth,be it 25 or 30 degrees.

 

[danrclem]

You have to take in consideration the tilt too. I think most of the Oregon 25 degree chain sharpening is to be used with a 10 degree tilt also. That's the way that I've been sharpening mine but I might just switch to a 30 degree angle and no tilt and try a comparison.

 

[Nosmo]

I must have been misinformed a few years back when I bought my MS 250 from a Stihl dealership. I asked what angle to file the chain " 30 or 35 degrees. He replied 30 degrees -- I don't think the MS 250 will pull a chain with 35 degrees.

I've just assumed from what I was told that it would take more power to pull a greater angle. Guess we all learn something new almost everyday.

Nosmo

 

[flatbroke]

30 Degrees for Me

The smaller the cutting angle (25 degrees or less) the slower it will cut, but it will stay sharp longer.

The larger the cutting angle (25 degrees or more), the faster the chain will cut, but it gets dull faster.

I settled in on 30 degrees for all my chains. Some say 25 degrees is better. Take your pick.

We have been sharpening the .325 chain at 30 degree with a 10 degree tilt and the 3/8 chain at 25 with 10 degree tilt. Makes it a hassle (although slight) to change the grinder after 4 chains. Only doing 8 at a time. 4 of each size. Is there any reason or benefit to sticking with the 25 degree on the 3/8 chain or would 30 degree be fine? Don’t mind swapping out chains at fill up if needed. Sharpening with a grinder is pretty fast

 

[turnkey4099]

You have to take in consideration the tilt too. I think most of the Oregon 25 degree chain sharpening is to be used with a 10 degree tilt also. That's the way that I've been sharpening mine but I might just switch to a 30 degree angle and no tilt and try a comparison.

I hand file with a clampone guide that sets all the angles, .030 depth guage. File all my chains 35 and 10. Most of the chains are Stihl. I use the same setting for all chains from the micros to 3/8 Works well on all.

 

[Slick50]

iFile all mine 30 degree angle 60 degree and 0. On the back of steals chain box it's 30 degrees

 

[JeffHK454]

I'm a 35°/10° guy...and don't even know why! I would think the steeper the ang. the easier it would be to pull through the wood , more of a shear effect.

 

[turnkey4099]

I'm a 35°/10° guy...and don't even know why! I would think the steeper the ang. the easier it would be to pull through the wood , more of a shear effect.

I started the 35/10 bit way back in 1967 as that was what the chain box said. I have no idea what make of chain it was. Works well on every brand I have used. I suspect there isn't enough difference between 30 and 35 to even detect in use.

 

[Tree Feller]

Has anybody seen any difference from going 10 degrees to 0 degrees? I have been running 25 and 10 and was thing of going to 0?

 

[Wow]

well I was wrong about the kerf width, I ground one of my 72lp chains 35 deg then hand filed it and compared the width to a 25 deg hand filed and they were the same.
My 72cl has a slightly narrower kerf tho and the chips have much straighter edges.

Any man who can say I was wrong and correct himself is a man of honor, is honest, and trustworthy. Thanks for the good information. I'd appreciate a neighbor like you.

 

[Oldmaple]

Information from way back in my brain so heard it a long time ago. Isn't the full chisel chains supposed to have the additional 10 degree angle, the semi chisel is at 0? Lots more knowledgeable people on here than me.

 

[Cody]

Information from way back in my brain so heard it a long time ago. Isn't the full chisel chains supposed to have the additional 10 degree angle, the semi chisel is at 0? Lots more knowledgeable people on here than me.

That's how I've sharpened my chains, but as I've mentioned before, I really couldn't tell if that 10 degree tilt makes a difference or not.

 

[J.W Younger]

That's how I've sharpened my chains, but as I've mentioned before, I really couldn't tell if that 10 degree tilt makes a difference or not.

I think when you're sharping with a file holding the handle down gives you less hook than staying level.
Some people like more hook than others, I like to stay as close to what you get out of the box or off the roll as possible.