cleaning saw chain

[Frans]

certain trees (oak for example) gunk up my saw chain something fierce.
The buildup does'nt seem to effect the operation of the saw other than smoking in the cut, but the links of the chain can get tottally gunked up. When I go to grind the chain each cutter tooth gets much hotter than it normally would.
Any advice on easily getting the buildup off without going through alot of hassle?
I dont want to get out the angle grinder with a brush wheel , too much hassle.
Thanks
Frans

 

[DISTEL HITCH-IT]

have you tried turning up your oiler?

 

[Frans]

the oiler is not the problem, plenty of oil sloshing around. In fact the pivoting part of the chain does'nt get gunked and you can see that oil is getting into where it needs to go, just the sides of the links get gunked
Frans

 

[Stumper]

Frans, If it is oiling okay then all you need is to make a few cuts in some green wood other than ash (My area) and I quess oak (I don't remember oak being very bad ) I doubt that it is making a lot of difference in the heat level when you grind chain but it sure will darken and smoke if you have build up on the top of the cutter.:angel:

 

[tshanefreeman]

Do you find that the resin build up is better or worse when you have a fresh edge on the chain?

I find that when cutting hardwoods, oaks for example, I too will get smoke emitting from the cut and burnt resin build up on the chain. However, it didn't take long to realize that my chain's edge was going when this was taking place. So now I touch it up with a hand file on a regular basis. Two to three times per removal ... or whatever is required!

Yes I know ... time is money, but trust me when I say that the time saved will pay for the down time required to sharpen the chain.

It sounds like you prefer to sharpen you chains with your electric grinder? I've found that I actually prefer hand files because you can't take out the temper of the chain as can easily be done with an electric grinder. Plus, sharpening by hand is a real art and anyone can take price in mastering it!

 

[Frans]

Originally posted by tshanefreeman
Do you find that the resin build up is better or worse when you have a fresh edge on the chain?
Seems about the same





It sounds like you prefer to sharpen you chains with your electric grinder? I've found that I actually prefer hand files because you can't take out the temper of the chain as can easily be done with an electric grinder. Plus, sharpening by hand is a real art and anyone can take price in mastering it!

Yes I grind chains. But not just with any electric grinder but my Silvey 510 round ground. This grinder has a 8" cutting wheel and I use a borazon metal cutting wheel which does not rub the tooth but cuts the tooth so no 'case hardening' goes on at all.
The bigger the wheel the less heat build up. Also this high tech wheel does not get build-up so that reduces the heat build up too.
I also touch up my chains by hand when needed. Nothing beats a hand filed chain just very slow.
I'll try running a saw through green wood and see how that works- thanks
Frans

 

[xander9727]

I have a Dinasaw ABN Borazon wheel for my round grinder. This wheel is awesome. It doesn't make the cutter hot. It sounds wicked when you sharpen the cutters too. It makes my chains razor sharp. I would venture to say it is hard to get a chain sharper with a file (this is round filing not square). With a really sharp chain I don't get buildup. I only use full chisel chain, results may vary with a semi-chisel (in reference to build up). I do however notice build up on my chains after one of my astrophyisicist has run a rocked out chain for a day
I bring 3-6 saws on every job (depending on size) and I have at least on spare chain for every saw on the site so there is no excuse for running a dull one.

 

[Nickrosis]

And? Xander, you and I shared a moment in Pittsburg, you said you'd post pics and everything when you debuted this machine on AS.

 

[xander9727]

Nick,
You are right. Thanks for keeping me accountable. I'll try and post the pics later tonight.

 

[TheTreeSpyder]

Lye

 

[buckduck]

funny you should ask....

Frans:
I was about to post something that I recently found just for your resin problem. With the longer bars on my 066 and/or 038 I get just what you're talking about. The problem probably is related to lack of oil, mostly, but I find that the larger oaks can really mess up a chain with solid resin between the rivets of the chain as well as on the cutters.

Last week while I was cleaning up my equipment after just such an oak tree that really buggered up the chain, I decided to try and soak it in the Resin Remover I have for my table saw blades.

Wonderful! Some chains you might have to allow to soak longer, but in the time that it took me to clean the saw up, the chain was right back to it's beautiful blue self! I didn't have to scrub anything. It worked great!

This stuff comes as a concentrate and you just mix with hot water and soak. Afterward, I just blew the chain dry with compressed air and sprayed it with WD40. I was amazed at how well it worked.

I get it from
http://www.woodcraft.com
and it's their "Premium Resin Remover"
Product Number: 01R60

Granted, at $500.00 a bottle, it's a little pricey, but hey, I'll never have to wire brush another chain!!
... actually, it might not have been quite that much... but well worth it!

 

[Frans]

Hmmmm, thanks for the tip, I'll check out this product
Frans

 

[xander9727]

Originally posted by TheTreeSpyder
Lye

I tried........and was unsuccessful. I didn't get so far as to try and take pictures.......I'm still having trouble trying to find the time. I've spent the last two evenings on quickbooks......and AS. It seems our data entry lady doesn't understand Quickbooks as well as she said she does.

I don't mind teaching someone but if you don't know speak up. I dispise rework!