Saw Grinding and Crooked cutting

[Lakeside53]

The first time I experienced this with Stihl chain,I was runnin' a brand new bar.

Must have been on one of those saws with the bad oiler:hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[BIGBORE577]

I've only had this happen once and it was with a 42" bar on an 088. We were bucking some 40+ oak and the cuts were so crooked it was embarassing, no matter how hard we tried. It looked like the work of a passel of drunken monkeys!
I talked to the guys at Chain Bar Repairing and they explained the reason, I sent it to them and after spending $16.00 on labor and $10.00 on shipping it cuts straight as an arrow with far less effort. I believe it was money well spent and can't believe the amount of work they do for the money.

 

[mountainlake]

Hokie That funny angle on your side plate is from hitting something (rock or nail maybe) and is causing it to cut crooked. The only way to get it to cut straight is to grind it out. Just got done doing the same on one of my chains. Make sure that your chain isn't rubbing on anything on your saw also. As far as skip chains go if your cutting through the wood at the same speed each tooth WILL have to carry more chips. Steve

 

[tawilson]

I've only had this happen once and it was with a 42" bar on an 088. We were bucking some 40+ oak and the cuts were so crooked it was embarassing, no matter how hard we tried. It looked like the work of a passel of drunken monkeys!
I talked to the guys at Chain Bar Repairing and they explained the reason, I sent it to them and after spending $16.00 on labor and $10.00 on shipping it cuts straight as an arrow with far less effort. I believe it was money well spent and can't believe the amount of work they do for the money.

Yeah but, you never said what was the reason.

 

[hokiebob1]

Mountain, I don't think the funny angle is from hitting anything. Teeth on both sides show it--its very small but after a light grind, you can see it (as its not shiny like the rest).

Also, I haven't changed bars, but a different, used chain that is actually much older, cuts very well on the saw. Oiler doesn't seem to be a problem, as it gets a nice sling if you run it WOT and sling on a log.

I'm confused!

 

[mountainlake]

Hokie Are you using a grinder simular to a Oregon? If so maybe your not letting the wheel go down far enough and missing the sides of the teeth if they aren't shiny. I dress my wheel at a angle once in a while to make sure it can get low enough to sharpen the sides, especially on low profile chains as there's not much room from the top of the tooth to the top of the chain. I run a 30-60 angle but don't think a little different angle matters much. Steve

 

[Timberhauler]

Must have been on one of those saws with the bad oiler:hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange:

Nope...Brand new saw at that...I don't know what it is about Stihl chain,but once it's about 50% gone,I don't know about anything shorter that 28 inches,it goes to cutting crooked

 

[Tree Sling'r]

Nope...Brand new saw at that...I don't know what it is about Stihl chain,but once it's about 50% gone,I don't know about anything shorter that 28 inches,it goes to cutting crooked

I've run Stihl chain for 15 years with long bars and have never had the problem unless my bar rails were un-even or spread or I had a screw back out (inside lower dawg screw) and scuff the side cutters on the left hand side. All on 32" and 36" bars as well.
Thats weird.

 

[hokiebob1]

Yes, I'm using an Oregon-like grinder. I feel like my depth is ok as occassionally its down and touches the straps. I try to follow the premise that the wheel not go below parallel with the radius of the wheel--ie. it doesn't necessarily cut into the gullet but seems to hit the top and side plate pretty well.

I redressed the chain twice last night, each time testing it in the oak (heck, I've used both 1/8" and 3/16" stones as well). It gets a little way down in the cut and basically stops cutting and just spins. If I don't move the saw and just look at the chain where it exits the wood, it looks like its rolled out of the bar almost and leaning heavily to the left. The chain is definitely tight and I can put a different chain on the same bar in the same orientation, and get back into the same screwed up cut and it straightens it out and makes quick work of it.

Wonder if somehow the bottom of the chain could be uneven (the lower side of the tie straps)?

I must be a moron!

 

[West Texas]

The guys in the Northwest, cutting large green trees use full skip chain to clear the chips. If I were you, I'd try a loop or semi skip or full skip and make a comparison cut. I believe it will solve your problem on cuts where the bar is buried in the wood. And what the heck, its a good bar chain combination for large green cuts anyway, so no money will be lost in trying a loop.

 

[Tree Sling'r]

The guys in the Northwest, cutting large green trees use full skip chain to clear the chips. If I were you, I'd try a loop or semi skip or full skip and make a comparison cut. I believe it will solve your problem on cuts where the bar is buried in the wood. And what the heck, its a good bar chain combination for large green cuts anyway, so no money will be lost in trying a loop.

Myself and all my buddies run semi - just smoother.

 

[tawilson]

Wonder if somehow the bottom of the chain could be uneven (the lower side of the tie straps)?

That's what I was talking about in my first post when I said chuck it.

 

[BIGBORE577]

Yeah but, you never said what was the reason.

Sorry,
The groove in the bar had opened up such that it always cut to the left. On others it could be to the right it depends on the individual set of circumstances. They closed and re-cut the groove, straightened and de-burred it. I truly believe it is better than when it was new,
Jay

 

[hokiebob1]

would it matter that the Stihl RS isn't narrow kerf but I believe the bar that comes on the 353 is a NK bar--could that affect it somehow? I wouldn't think so but.................

 

[hokiebob1]

I'm going to keep fiddling with the RS chain, but also just got off the phone with Baileys and will add one of their full chisel chains--hopefully it behaves better!

Hopefully I'll make progress w/it this weekend!

 

[hokiebob1]

Cuts straight now

Well, I don't understand it, but I reground the RS chain, taking a healthy cut (removing ~.080 of the top plate) and it cuts straight as can be. Not sure what was messed up, but I'm not aware of anything done differently (60 deg wheel, 30 deg table and 10 deg tilt). Not sure what to make of it, but its all good now.

Thanks to everyone for their input!