Rotary Brand Saw Chain?

[jakethesnake]

I got mine a couple years back just two loops they cut right out of the box they both went to the grinder cause they both hit wire in a tree but they hold an edge I've sworn by it since maybe the newer stuff is good I can understand what you're saying there though

 

[Philbert]

Getting off topic but I can't sharpen vanguard either I guess? What's the trick . . .

Filing the cutter is the same as any other chain. The flat depth gauge confuses some guys.
https://www.oregonproducts.com/pdf/chain/72VFB_90.pdf

Philbert

 

[jakethesnake]

Yeah I think that must be what it is I can sharpen any other round ground stuff I don't bother w the square that's just a whole different animal

 

[Modifiedmark]

I got mine a couple years back just two loops they cut right out of the box they both went to the grinder cause they both hit wire in a tree but they hold an edge I've sworn by it since maybe the newer stuff is good I can understand what you're saying there though

Yeah and maybe you got Wednesday chain when someone might have give a crap that day.

Use it if you like it, I won't no more. I did say the semi chisel isn't too bad if you feel like tuning it up before you use it.

There are much better options out there for not much more if you look around.

 

[jakethesnake]

What's your preference mark?

 

[Modifiedmark]

There ain't many other decent options, Stihl or Oregon will be your best bet.

 

[jakethesnake]

Indeed

 

[Chris-PA]

I can't make the .325 pitch chisel cut worth a damn no matter what I do to it.

I've never tried their 0.325" because the cutters are so low it doesn't even look like it will cut - it reminds me of Oregon 33S in that regard.

Calton lo pro is very good though. It doesn't have holes in the drive links or fancy oil passages and such, but it cuts well and the cutters are long.

 

[rd35]

I bought a roll of Woodland Pro (Carlton) .325 .o63 full chisel chain a few months ago. First chain I spun up seemed to cut slow. What was strange is that it seemed to cut faster as I used it. Maybe in my head only. However, after several ricks of firewood I decided to touch it up on the grinder. After sharpening, it cut like a monster...very fast and very aggressive...almost too aggressive and I did not touch the depth gauges. So I took another close look at the cutters. The gullet was so short that my 1/8" grinding wheel almost touched the depth gauge as I sharpened the cutters. I believe this short distance between the leading edge of the cutter and the depth gauge is what caused the aggressive behavior. When I look down on top of the chain as I view the top plates of those cutters they are the longest top plates I have ever seen. I am going to grind that chain one more time and take off enough material to bring it as near as I can to the same length top plate as what a brand new Oregon .325 chisel cutter has and see if this will smooth out the cutting performance.

 

[Modifiedmark]

I've never tried their 0.325" because the cutters are so low it doesn't even look like it will cut - it reminds me of Oregon 33S in that regard.

Calton lo pro is very good though. It doesn't have holes in the drive links or fancy oil passages and such, but it cuts well and the cutters are long.

At least the non safety version 33 Oregon will actually cut pretty good, out of the box and after sharpening, as long as you use the correct 4.5mm file on it. That is key on that.

And your right, the Carlton Low Pro chain isn't too bad.

 

[Modifiedmark]

I bought a roll of Woodland Pro (Carlton) .325 .o63 full chisel chain a few months ago. First chain I spun up seemed to cut slow. What was strange is that it seemed to cut faster as I used it. Maybe in my head only. However, after several ricks of firewood I decided to touch it up on the grinder. After sharpening, it cut like a monster...very fast and very aggressive...almost too aggressive and I did not touch the depth gauges. So I took another close look at the cutters. The gullet was so short that my 1/8" grinding wheel almost touched the depth gauge as I sharpened the cutters. I believe this short distance between the leading edge of the cutter and the depth gauge is what caused the aggressive behavior. When I look down on top of the chain as I view the top plates of those cutters they are the longest top plates I have ever seen. I am going to grind that chain one more time and take off enough material to bring it as near as I can to the same length top plate as what a brand new Oregon .325 chisel cutter has and see if this will smooth out the cutting performance.

A 1/8" wheel is a bit small for that cutter that uses a 3/16" file.

It don't matter though as your pretty much saying what I did about that Carlton .325 chain. Its not worth messing with at any cost when Oregon and Stihl make great .325 pitch chains.

 

[rd35]

A 1/8" wheel is a bit small for that cutter that uses a 3/16" file.

It don't matter though as your pretty much saying what I did about that Carlton .325 chain. Its not worth messing with at any cost when Oregon and Stihl make great .325 pitch chains.

The 1/8" grinding wheel is the recommended wheel for grinding on .325 cutters. I tossed all my files long ago. As I have made quite a large investment in stocking Woodland Pro Chain (Carlton) I am not giving up on it any time soon. I have laid this new Carlton chain down next to a fairly new Oregon chain and, personally, I think it is better chain. The rivets are spun with better precision, the links are plated better, and the cutters appear to be a bit nicer. Only complaint I have is the "out-of-the-box" sharpness on my .325 stock. I do think Carlton should put a better factory grind on the .325 cutters. My latest bulk purchase was full chisel 3/8 full size chain (30RC) and it is razor sharp. Maybe they read the reviews on this site and stepped up their process to a more precise grind. For now, each .325 chain I spin up gets to take a lap on my grinder before it goes out the door.

 

[svk]

Interesting that many of the factory sharpened are too dull.

I have had more problems with the rakers too high (like that chain on my Johnny) or the 91VXL that was way grabby until the first sharpening.

 

[Philbert]

Pretty disappointing when ANY chain comes out of the box with dull or inconsistent cutters.

I have not personally experienced these types of problems, but have read several posts, over the years, about chains with different angles on the R and L cutters, inconsistent depth gauge settings, etc. A big advantage of sharpening your own chain is that you can easily adjust or correct these things. I get that some guys will always want to put a final touch on the cutting edges, or change the angles slightly. But I think that a new chain should still come out of the box ready to cut.

Philbert

 

[Wood Doctor]

Pretty disappointing when ANY chain comes out of the box with dull or inconsistent cutters.

I have not personally experienced these types of problems, but have read several posts, over the years, about chains with different angles on the R and L cutters, inconsistent depth gauge settings, etc. A big advantage of sharpening your own chain is that you can easily adjust or correct these things. I get that some guys will always want to put a final touch on the cutting edges, or change the angles slightly. But I think that a new chain should still come out of the box ready to cut.

Philbert

In fact, I ran into this with a whole reel of chain that I promptly sent back and got replaced three years ago. It pulled right on every saw that I used. I pulled out the micrometer and measured two different depth gauge heights throughout the reel, left vs. right. Bad production run. The replacement chain reel worked fine. It only happened once, but it did happen.

 

[rd35]

This .325 chain roll that I have seems to cut nice and straight. It looks like high quality chain except the top plates on the cutters are long. I think they just didn't grind away enough material when sharpening the cutters during production. I just haven't had time to grind one back until the depth gauge is near .025 below the cutting edge. First chance I get I will take photos of one of the cutters and measure the depth gauge to see where it stands untouched.

 

[rd35]

Oh and getting back on the original topic, I have a short roll of Rotary 3/8 Low Profile I got dirt cheap. It was listed for sale as having a pitch of 0.3655 inches and I think everybody was afraid of it. Turns out the label on the box states, "N1C" and from all indications it is Carlton chain in a Rotary box.

 

[Chris-PA]

It was listed for sale as having a pitch of 0.3655 inches and I think everybody was afraid of it.

Which is funny since that what supposedly 3/8 really measures. And why I never write it as 3/8" or 0.375".

Pretty disappointing when ANY chain comes out of the box with dull or inconsistent cutters.

The TriLink lo pro loops I have bought have been more consistent than the Oregon loops of late. Their angles are sometimes off a bit, but they are the same on each side, whereas some of the Oregon stuff has been all over the map.

 

[Modifiedmark]

I'm not home to show it, but the 1/8" wheel is not correct on all .325 pitch chain, depends on the type, you noticed I said chain that used a 3/16" file.

It's your money and your time buy and use what you want. I was asked why I didn't like it and gave some good examples. I also said I have not bought any for some time and hoped there quality control was better now.

It still don't matter to be though, once burned twice shy and there not getting much more of my money and time. There are better options for me.

I would give that Rotary chain a try before I bought any more Carlton .325 or 3/8 chisel chain.

 

[Philbert]

It looks like high quality chain except the top plates on the cutters are long. I think they just didn't grind away enough material when sharpening the cutters during production.

It's pretty common for the first grind to be 'tight' between the top plate edge and the depth gauge. Manufacturers grind the cutters before they are assembled into chain, and use totally different grinders than we use. That's why it is nearly impossible to duplicate a 'factory edge' (with the understanding that some guys like their edges better than what the factory supplies). Our grinders, files, etc. create their own edges.

Philbert