Disston DA211 2-man video

[McC]

This was at our display at the Badger Steam and Gas engine show at Baraboo, WI 8/20/2006. James had just got this saw running this year. New coils, carb work, and it runs great. I don't think the chain was sharped yet. Almost 10mb mpg4 video, 1:21min. Nice sound from the twin cylinder Merc engine.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGQlhDastvY
Scott

 

[Mike G]

Very Cool! (although i do see what u mean by an unsharpened chain, )

 

[Rotax Robert]

Seen 2 of those at Whidbey Island County Fair and neither ran as good as that one. infact, neither could make a complete cut thru a 30" dia log.

Good video and thanks for sharing some history.

Rotax

 

[l2edneck]

Holy crap

Good vid but wouldnt want to be the 2nd guy way too dangerous fer me.

Very interesting ive never seen one of those saws used b4.Thanx

 

[Butch(OH)]

Funny you should post that tonight

Just tonight I dug out (literally) a complete bar, chain and tranny from a Disston that I took apart for a go cart motor when I was a young'en. I have plans for that bar and hopefully the chain on a wood processor project and wonder how does a person sharpen the chain? Mine has three cutters, right left and center cutting, and no rakers. Looks like a person would file the front edge and not the tops like he would sharpen a circular saw blade, is that right? Luckily Disston choose the 3/4 pitch which just so happens to be the current mechanical harvester pitch so I can toss the Disston chain if need be. Thought it would be neat to get it cutting good.

 

[Bill G]

Just tonight I dug out (literally) a complete bar, chain and tranny from a Disston that I took apart for a go cart motor when I was a young'en. I have plans for that bar and hopefully the chain on a wood processor project and wonder how does a person sharpen the chain? Mine has three cutters, right left and center cutting, and no rakers. Looks like a person would file the front edge and not the tops like he would sharpen a circular saw blade, is that right? Luckily Disston choose the 3/4 pitch which just so happens to be the current mechanical harvester pitch so I can toss the Disston chain if need be. Thought it would be neat to get it cutting good.

As always I may be wrong but I believe you will find the driver style of the old 3/4" is not the same as the newer harvester chain.

 

[McC]

My Mall model 7 has the "scratcher" chain. I sharpened it a couple years ago. Yes, you sharpen the front edge with a flat file. You want a little leading front tip, and the left and right cutter face will be angled in, toward the center, so the cutter gets pulled a little out into the kerf. The center tooth is not angled in either direction. It will act as a raker, but you do sharpen the front too. It does cut pretty fast, probably slower than chipper, but not much. You will probably run into problems with the gauge if trying to convert to harvester chain, but a shop that can recondition bars could resize the rail of your bar to fit the harvestor chain. The rakers are set pretty low on the harvestor chain, I'm not sure if the saw could pull it. If the sprocket doesn't fit the new chain, I think a machine shop could fit a new sprocket on the old shaft. I've been thinking of swapping the chain when I rebuild my KB7y Disston 12hp.
Scott

 

[Butch(OH)]

Thanks Scott for the sharpening info. Power wont be a problem as the entire processor is going to be tractor PTO powered including the chain saw. Got a 20x60 engine lathe and Bridgeport in the shop and will be building the drive anyway. Am thinking more about purchasing a harvester chain, bar and drive rim and just starting out with what will be on it anyway when the Disston chain wears out.