Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

[Jeffkrib]

I've been thinking a lot about my next steps in chain sharpening. I find Oregon chain easy to sharpen Stihl chain okay but Carlton is bloody hard on files and I feel I need to put way more effort into getting the file to bite and cut.
The thing is Carlton chain is the best in our hard woods.
Does the clamp on file guide allow you to push into the gullet or up into the hook. Alternatively I could get a timberline.
Decisions decisions I guess I really would like something that helps me true up my angles, take off metal when I have a rocked chain and something that doesn't struggle with Carlton chain.
The other thing to point out is I don't cut that much wood and I have plenty of time for sharpening (even though I'm always complaining I don't have enough time ).
I'm also happy to invest some money as I plan on living a long time and hope to always cut and burn wood.
I'm sure philbert will be in shortly to help me through the decision process.

 

[MuskokaSplitter]

I use a tsc laser grinder. Not the best but for 90$ cdn on sale i like it. I touch up chains once or twice with a file before throwing the loop on the grinder, and then only have to take very little off the chain. This way it keeps the chain fairly square and even throughout its life.

 

[DFK]

MustangMike:
This Carbide that you speak of.... Will it really cut through in-bedded steel??

Thanks
David

 

[MustangMike]

I have not used it much, but I imagine it will handle a few nail w/o any problems.

 

[MustangMike]

Still Chain is supposed to be the hardest, followed by Carlton and Oregon the softest.

The teeth on Stihl RS will have a hash mark reflecting the correct file angle. Just follow that and you should be fine. Work on keeping your stroke straight.

Also, I have mentioned before, those hand held 12 V sharpeners work very well if you buy the EZLap Diamond stones for them. The stone that comes with them is crap and will not sharpen a single chain.

 

[Philbert]

Does the clamp on file guide allow you to push into the gullet or up into the hook. Alternatively I could get a timberline.

The clamp on guides (Granberg, et. al.) will let you set any combination of angles that you (reasonably choose), including deep hook and gullet profiles, if you want. The Timberline, on the other hand, excels at milling the same, pre-set, profile each time (no user variation allowed).

Matter of preference.

http://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/granberg-file-n-joint-revisited.193630/

Philbert

 

[Philbert]

. . those hand held 12 V sharpeners work very well if you buy the EZLap Diamond stones for them.

Check out the ABN stones sold by @Grande Dog at Left Coast Supplies:
http://leftcoastsupplies.com/product/dinasaw-abn-sharpening-stones/


Philbert

 

[woodchip rookie]

Dudes,

HUGE shout out to Wright Bros Power Equipment in Newark, OH. They are running stupid sales right now. If you are in the area (Central Ohio) and are in the market for Husky, Jons, or Echo saws you need to check them out. They will also be at the Paul Bunyan show. I just got the money order from the guy that I sold my 576 to and got it shipped out then went strait there to get a 395xp. Their sales were so good I got a 395xp w/32" b/c, extra 32" chain, AND a t540xp with 6qts of Husky fuel to get the 4yr warranty on both saws, and got $100 worth of rebates from Husqvarna since both saws are xp's AFTER their sales. $1,785 tax, title OTD, and after the $100 rebates thats $1,685 for a 395xp 32", extra 32" chain, t540xp and 6qts of fuel. I pulled in my driveway and the trees just started falling in fear. I have pics on my fone. I'll post in a min.....

 

[woodchip rookie]

That's not a small stove either. Thats an Englander NC30

 

[turnkey4099]

I've been thinking a lot about my next steps in chain sharpening. I find Oregon chain easy to sharpen Stihl chain okay but Carlton is bloody hard on files and I feel I need to put way more effort into getting the file to bite and cut.
The thing is Carlton chain is the best in our hard woods.
Does the clamp on file guide allow you to push into the gullet or up into the hook. Alternatively I could get a timberline.
Decisions decisions I guess I really would like something that helps me true up my angles, take off metal when I have a rocked chain and something that doesn't struggle with Carlton chain.
The other thing to point out is I don't cut that much wood and I have plenty of time for sharpening (even though I'm always complaining I don't have enough time ).
I'm also happy to invest some money as I plan on living a long time and hope to always cut and burn wood.
I'm sure philbert will be in shortly to help me through the decision process.

YEs, the Oregon allows filing with the pressure where you want...I think all those guides do. In general, if I need to put more than normal pressure on the file, it goes in the scrap bin. I don't know if I have ever had Carlton chain but I've been at this since 1976 and gone through a lot of chain.

 

[Jeffkrib]

Just looking at ebay, can only find Oregon brand file guides. Question does one size fit all in terms of doing all sizes of file size and chain size. Mike I have read somewhere that Stihl base metal is harder but the chrome on Carlton is way thicker. Anyway try a loop of semi chisel next time and you'll see what I mean, it's not a ver pleasant experience to file.

I am getting better at hand filing but over the life of chain, it's nice to true it up once in a while.

 

[JustJeff]

That's not a small stove either. Thats an Englander NC30

Congrats on the new iron!

 

[woodchip rookie]

Congrats on the new iron!

This stove is serious. The firebox is great compared to my old Fisher Mama Bear. It doesnt seem to put out any more heat but the burn times are longer and it cruises way more steady without the big fluctuations in temp, but its 55F outside so I'm sure its a whole different machine when the draft goes crazy when its 10F outside. I put a 80% load of ash in at 7:50PM. Its been almost 3hrs and I have about 10% left. By those numbers I dont know how people are getting 8hr burns.

 

[MustangMike]

Ash has a lot of BTUs and can last a good while, but it will not if your stove does not regulate the burn. Other wood, like Black Cherry (which has a lower BTU rating) seem to hold coals better in those stoves.

My old stove in the old cabin loved Ash, and it lasted a good while, but the flue on that did not draft real well. In the new cabin, the flue is much improved, and the Ash does not last nearly as long.

In the old stove I used Ash all the time. In the new stove I use Ash during the day, and Cherry or Hard Maple at night.

 

[Jeffkrib]

Just sharpened two Stihl chains and one Carlton chain, the Carlton chain is way harder even with a brand new file it's not nice to file. I also discovered why my chain didn't cut the other day, I had hit a steel wedge on the previous outing and hadn't filled back enough.
I'm not sold on the clamp on file guide purely due to the hardness of Carlton chain. If I were using the other brands of chain I'd go with it but the other brands of chain cost double as much.

 

[turnkey4099]

Just looking at ebay, can only find Oregon brand file guides. Question does one size fit all in terms of doing all sizes of file size and chain size. Mike I have read somewhere that Stihl base metal is harder but the chrome on Carlton is way thicker. Anyway try a loop of semi chisel next time and you'll see what I mean, it's not a ver pleasant experience to file.

I am getting better at hand filing but over the life of chain, it's nice to true it up once in a while.

Yes, the Oregon allows all sizes files and chains. Square filed chains are a different animal however. I've never tried to file one of those.

 

[Cowboy254]

Well, I've stacked the right hand bay half full. It was originally intended for kindling, open fire redgum, tools and uglies but I've decided that half a bay is enough for that stuff and I want to get as much of Mt Cowboy under cover as possible.



The bay is 2m across and 3.5m deep and stacked 2.4m high - as high as I can get it - so there's 1.75 x 2 x 2.4m in there = 8.4 cubes = 2.27 cord. It's all green so it will end up being somewhat less than that once dry.

Mostly peppermint and candlebark with some red gum. All de-barked which is time consuming and boring but I'll be appreciating it when burning time comes. I'll be able to burn much of that without needing to clean out the heater.

 

[Cowboy254]

I am getting better at hand filing but over the life of chain, it's nice to true it up once in a while.

I hear you. I think my hand filing is ok but where was no comparison compared to when I put a new chain on. This was when I realised that my filing was ok, but not awesome.

 

[Jeffkrib]

What brand of chain are you running cowboy?

 

[MustangMike]

Almost everyone I know who has tried square file chain wants to keep running it. I just try to duplicate factory angles and performance, and my tests reflect that I pretty much do that. Mostly I start with Stihl RSL or RS (and convert it), but I also have a loop of Oregon that seems to work just fine.

When you get used to square file (really a 6 sided file) you can do it just as fast as round file.

But I prefer to be "set up for it" rather than doing it in the field, so if I were to be in the field w/o extra saws, I would bring extra chain.

The box I file on (with a stump vice on the bar) has 45 degree lines in each direction that I use as a guide when filing. Helps me keep things consistent. Also, with square file, I move each tooth to the same place to file it (with round I just move right down the bar).