How did this chain get in this condition?

[LarryTheCableGuy]

Doh!!!

Hmmm, I use one of them little things fer that. Hadn't thought it through!

Thanks guys!

As Sprig says: I go now...

.

 

[sperho]

Now I'll tell you a little more info as many of you have guessed. He cuts dirty wood. Hardwood, mostly oak, that are essentially cut-offs from the sawmill yard that is near him, so they've been skidded.

My recommendation to him was:

1. He needs to use semi-chisel (RM or RM2) chain when he's cutting the dirty stuff.
2. He needs to keep his rakers at about 0.025" below the top plate using a gauge (the rakers are in fact, high) so the chain moves through the wood properly.

Before he bought the 036, he used a 30 year old or so Homelite (XL Super?) that he bought new. He said that the Homelite saw/chains could take MUCH more abuse that the Stihl chains are taking now. I'm guessing he has a semi-chisel in his old Homelite, but I'm not sure.

 

[joesawer]

He would prolly be happier with semi chisel or even round. A slow cutting semi chisel would be better than a non cutting chisel.

 

[sperho]

semi chisel or even round

Round? Do you mean round-filed semi-chisel?

 

[rreidnauer]

Round chain:

OILOMATIC® STIHL RAPID™ Duro Rescue (RDR)

STIHL RAPID™ Duro Rescue (RDR) is a new STIHL designed chain using the STIHL OILOMATIC® principle. RDR surpasses the durability of former RDS in Rescue applications and has a higher efficiency when cutting wood. This chain is purpose-built for the demanding needs of fire and rescue specialists and therefore is for use by specially trained emergency services personnel only. RDR is the recommended chain for use on the MS 460 R STIHL Magnum™ Rescue saw.

 

[sperho]

Round chain:

OILOMATIC® STIHL RAPID™ Duro Rescue (RDR)

STIHL RAPID™ Duro Rescue (RDR) is a new STIHL designed chain using the STIHL OILOMATIC® principle. RDR surpasses the durability of former RDS in Rescue applications and has a higher efficiency when cutting wood. This chain is purpose-built for the demanding needs of fire and rescue specialists and therefore is for use by specially trained emergency services personnel only. RDR is the recommended chain for use on the MS 460 R STIHL Magnum™ Rescue saw.

Never seen that stuff around here. I guess it would have to be ordered. Do you know about how much a 20" loop of that stuff goes for?

 

[rreidnauer]

Never seen that stuff around here. I guess it would have to be ordered. Do you know about how much a 20" loop of that stuff goes for?

No idea. Never had the need for it, so I've never asked.

 

[Lakeside53]

Several hundred $.... Carbide..

Just use RM (semichisel) and keep it out of the dirt.

 

[jhellwig]

How did this chain get in this condition?


Stupidity and lots of it for long periods of time.

 

[andrethegiant70]

Dirty wood would certainly dull the chain quickly, but the damage indicates that he's been pretty agressive too close to the ground. The man has clearly hit something (or maybe some things).

On the other hand, I agree that the chan has life left, but he's going to have to take off a fair amount of metal to get the it cutting again. Chain is not so expensive that a guy who's short on time might not just huck this one. I wouldn't (cuz' I'm cheap), but this is the kind of chain damage that I don't bother with in the field... it goes back to the shop and enters rehab (cleaning, oiling, filing).

Fortunately, the tech I have working on my chains (me) will work long into the night and is easily paid for his labor with several rounds of Long Island iced teas. He is otherwise a lazy bastard.

 

[ShoerFast]

There is not a lot of sand / gravel / small-rocks in the dirt that chain have been cutting, best guess from the hip, a clay-loom/rich-blackdirt?

just taking the cutter back to a place there is no dirt-damage <miginta-circle> will give a need for a lot of DG <deapth-gauge> removal, but you will also need to add in a little extra DG removal <just a few thousands> for the ware off the cutter-heel <shown in red>
Depending on the power/bar-length, my guess is that taking the DG's down some were close to the half-way point <blue-line> would be a place to start?

That heel ware and the fine powdered-sawdust show how long that chain has been scratching wood. Dose not look like anyone was having any fun with that club for a while now.

Edit: Could that chain been used for dirty hollow logs? the scuff on the rivits may be a clue to that?

 

[sperho]

Stupidity and lots of it for long periods of time.

Not productive. My friend is far from stupid. Ignorant about somethings and not afraid to admit it, so he asks for help.

 

[andrethegiant70]

ShoerFast, you know your chains. Having read your post, I'm might throw that chain away after all. The chain has been "pushed" though wood for so long the chisel angle is pretty bad. Can't fix that. If sharpened this chain would probably be pretty grabby.

Sperho, your friend really just needs to sharpen more often and stay away from the dirt. Tell him he should accept nothing less than razor sharp chain. I would recommend throwing this one away, and buying two or three chains to take into the woods with him (sharpened) so that he's not tempted to abuse any one of them. Its easy to do if you put all your eggs in one basket.

 

[056kid]

looks like hard wood with not enough oil and nor enough rake.

 

[andrethegiant70]

Holy Crap! 056 Kid. Where you been??

 

[ShoerFast]

ShoerFast, you know your chains. Having read your post, I'm might throw that chain away after all. The chain has been "pushed" though wood for so long the chisel angle is pretty bad. Can't fix that. If sharpened this chain would probably be pretty grabby.

Sperho, your friend really just needs to sharpen more often and stay away from the dirt. Tell him he should accept nothing less than razor sharp chain. I would recommend throwing this one away, and buying two or three chains to take into the woods with him (sharpened) so that he's not tempted to abuse any one of them. Its easy to do if you put all your eggs in one basket.

Filing is cheap, good practice, and having a few "bones" for chains for the dirty work really takes the abuse off of new chains when the cutting is good.

Loosing to much heel will make them cut a little rougher, but that is a salvageable chain.

 

[jhellwig]

Not productive. My friend is far from stupid. Ignorant about somethings and not afraid to admit it, so he asks for help.

Not to offend dude but that chain took a lot of dogged in a pulling hard on the handle and lots of mutterings of "why won't this dumb thing cut?" I used to do the same thing till I found this place.

 

[rreidnauer]

Several hundred $.... Carbide..

Just use RM (semichisel) and keep it out of the dirt.

I didn't realize RDR was carbide. But if his wood is as dirty as this indicates, maybe carbide should be considered, like Inject-A-Sharp or go the full blown Rapco or Stihl RD.
Inject-A-Sharp is reasonable at $0.35 per DL, but the Rapco is $1.69!!!!!!!!!! :jawdrop:

 

[Tree Sling'r]

Not productive. My friend is far from stupid. Ignorant about somethings and not afraid to admit it, so he asks for help.

Good response.

Dirty wood or not the cutters are getting it from just barely sawing something very hard, like a rock, look at the top of the cutters (spooned). The corners are in good shape - everything will file out just fine. The rakers are too high.

An un-even chain (rakers and teeth) and not enough oil is not good, just because the tip is shooting oil does not meaning its getting enough oil. Turn the oiler up - even it out so that when your out of gas, your out of oil.

The gummy build up can also be caused be resin in the wood, don't always assume it's just pure heat, although that is more than likley the cause with this chain.

I hear so many people asking about how to make their saws faster, like many of your already know and practice, a sharp well maintained chain is the best mod around.

 

[tek9tim]

The gummy build up can also be caused be resin in the wood, don't always assume it's just heat

Yeah, if he were from around here, I'd say it looks like he dogged into a larch, then the dirt. Larch is hell for gumming up chains.