Ripping chain pic

[Hunt4lumber]

I've been wanting to get a pic of my ripping chain on here for some time. [photo="medium"]3795[/photo] Sorry BobL, it took so long.
Wanted to get some opinions for this chain for ripping up my sugar maple I've been working on( posted pics of last saw on it in other threads a couple weeks ago...)any thoughts guys?

 

[Hunt4lumber]

Sorry, first pic is a mistake.
Lower pic is my ripping chain I've filed already, 3 times...

 

[BobL]

Three problems

1) Even though I have a loop of it on my 441 I don't recommend safety chain for milling as it doesn't clear the sawdust as well as regular chain.
2) There is almost no raker angle - I'll bet the chain makes a lot of dust.
The raker angle is the angle the red line makes with the bar - its almost zero.

Compare yours to this.
And this is with a bear new cutter - with a worn cutter like yours the gap should be MUCH bigger.
The technique that describes this is in the Milling 101 sticky - have a another read of that thread,


Last thing is your cutter profile is poor and needs a much greater hook.
Look a the above compared to yours or look at this.
Top one is Will Malloffs chain bottom one is mine

 

[Hunt4lumber]

Look at lower pic, safety chain pic was a mistake...I would love to see someone try to use that safety chain for ripping 36" maple

 

[BobL]

OK that ones a lot better.

The rise over run for this one is just under 6º which is fine

This one is a touch over 6º


Can say any more without knowing what say its being used on and how wide the wood is.

 

[Hunt4lumber]

460 mag do stihl, 36" bar, 30" maple
You think I need to lower my rakers at all?
Or anything else?
As always, thanks for the knowledgeable insite...
It will extend my saws life as I still have a dozen or more rips of this dimension to work up...

 

[Hunt4lumber]

460 mag DP

 

[Hunt4lumber]

.050/ 3/8 also

 

[BobL]

460 mag do stihl, 36" bar, 30" maple

I would look at reducing the hook angle a bit more.
In that case, in terms of raker depth/angle you are probably close to max for the biggest cuts.
For sub 20" logs you might want to set up a couple of loops with higher raker angle (lower rakers) and more hook, which your 460 should easily cope with.
.

You think I need to lower my rakers at all?

It doesn't hurt to try but do it slowly.
Take of 3 swipes and try it out, if OK take off 3 more etc until the chain becomes "grabby" then you have probably gone too far but then take a few swipes off the cutter and you should be good.

 

[wombler]

.050/ 3/8 also

Are you sure about that chain gauge? I thought all stihls ran .063?

 

[BobL]

Are you sure about that chain gauge? I thought all stihls ran .063?

Gauge depends on the bar not the saw.
I'm running a GB 0.050" bar on my 441. Chain is nominal 3/8 Carlton Lopr0.

 

[wombler]

Gauge depends on the bar not the saw.
I'm running a GB 0.050" bar on my 441. Chain is nominal 3/8 Carlton Lopr0.

So there's no problems with the slots in the sprocket (rim sprocket, obviously) being too wide and causing problems? I guess not, since spur sprockets essentially have an "infinite width" slot... Learn something new every day, thanks BobL.

 

[BobL]

So there's no problems with the slots in the sprocket (rim sprocket, obviously) being too wide and causing problems? I guess not, since spur sprockets essentially have an "infinite width" slot... Learn something new every day, thanks BobL.

There is no problem with slot width using regular 0.050" chain is use.

There are other problems using Lopro on a standard 3/8 sprocket setup because Lopro is not standard 3/8" (neither is 3/8" actually 3/8")
I haven't had a problem with Lopro on the GB bar nose nose but to hold the Lopro on a standard 3/8 rim sprocket requires added tension on the chain.
Prolonged use of a standard 3/8" rim sprocket and higher tension will stretch the chain so much it will eventually jump off the drive sprocket and bar - i.e. not nice.
To avoid this I use a 0.404 sprocket turned down to suit the Lopro drive link spacing and it works really well - not jumping after this was done.