Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

[woodchip rookie]

@chipper1 Nice videos! I need to learn more about filing down the rakes/safety humps on my chains. I've been hand filing for years, but I just file the cutters. I use to have the one local shop dress mine, but the chains seemed to dull super quick (You could see a discoloration in the cutting teeth where they used a grinder on them and they got hot, which may have changed the temper or something). Anyhow, since I've been hand filing, my chains seem to stay sharper longer. But, I have never adjusted the rakes, etc. I just buy new chains LOL!

I'll have to try and watch that video when I get some better signal.

I have the 2in1 file guide. It files the depth guages down as the tooth gets shorter. However, I learned that when sharpening a chain that somebody else sharpened without filing the depth guages down, to file those down FIRST with a depth guage file set before using the 2in1.

 

[panolo]

The husky chain i have is 3 years old


Sent while firmly grasping my redline lubed RAM [emoji231]

OK. Thats probably oregon chain made for husky then. The new xcut husky chain is fantastic.

 

[Logger nate]

I still don't understand what you mean flat cutting.
Do you think I'm dropping trees without cutting a notch/hinge/backcut, You need to look closer at the pictures, you're looking at the back cut and a cut made below the back cut referred to as a step cut, everything else is conventional. I don't think if you saw it in action you would have a problem with it, its quite safe. It's very similar to trigger release on a leaner, but also similar to a snap cut.

Flat cut
Step back cut

 

[woodchip rookie]

View attachment 820551
The only parts of the cutter that really cut are: the top plate edge, the corner (or 'point'), and the upper part of the side plate edge. The gullet does not cut, but helps to carry away the chips.
Sometimes, sharpening guides only position the file to hit those important areas, and the gullets get neglected. This can result in a negative slope to the cutter, instead of the familiar 'C' profile, and the tooth will not cut well, even with sharp edges. Below, is a an extreme example:
View attachment 820554

Periodically cleaning out the gullet, to restore the original profile will improve performance. I do this with a file (any diameter) after sharpening the edges, or with the grinder wheel, again, after grinding the edges.

View attachment 820556

'Buckin' Billy Ray' has really emphasizes 'get the gullet!" in some of his YouTube videos. If you keep up with them as you sharpen, just like keeping up with the depth gauges, it's not a big deal.

Exact answer I was looking for. Thank you. And thanks to all that responded. I will take a close look at my chains in that aspect from now on.

2 cool things....I found one of those grease tips for a regular grease gun so I could grease bars and clutch needle bearings so I can quit fighting those lame little grease guns that come with the saws. AND I sharpened a saw for a guy at work. Poulan wood shark. (3314) Had garbage lowes chain on it. He came back and said the trees cut like butter so I must have done something right.

 

[old CB]

Regarding the discussion about "flat cutting" above. I agree that the ledge created by the backcut being above the face cut helps to prevent a felled tree from coming back over the stump. We're taught, and I most often practice, to bring the back cut in above the face. This is particularly important when dropping a tree uphill. Or when the top might hang up in neighboring tops. (Probably more such I can't bring to mind.)

However, the higher backcut also gives a little resistance to the tree going over. (Which is sometimes an advantage. Sometimes it's best to see it go over slowly.) But quite often there's nothing that would bring the tree back over the stump.

Yesterday, for instance, I was removing a dead Ponderosa Pine in open-grown conditions--in other words, a short tree with a wide canopy rather than the tall, narrow trees found deep in the forest. Dead wood also has less flexibility, more "I'm standing right where I've been for the last 50-60 years, thank you."

Had four wedges buried in this thing yesterday, and IT WOULD NOT GO OVER. I had the holding wood down to as narrow as I dared. With power lines quite close, that thing needed to go where I faced it. I finally had to get my 6' pry bar from the pickup to persuade that thing over.

I had the backcut even-steven with the facecut, and was glad not to have any more resistance.

There's a time and place for everything.

 

[svk]

Kind of had a ****** day but got the truck fixed tonight. New shifting cable and rear shocks. Amazingly all 4 shock bolts came out quite easy.

 

[KiwiBro]

Just a few days ago was trying to explain to someone when it's useful to have a backcut below the face.

 

[Oz Lumberjack]

View attachment 818617
Fruit wood racks are about full. Have hickory to split and find a home for. Think I need to look into a smoker.View attachment 818618This big guy was hanging out on one of the rounds. Pretty sure it's a wolf spider. Not aussie worthy but they can put the hurt to you.

I came across this monster and her family on a recent scrounge. Sure gets the heart pumping when you turn a round over and find this. They're actually pretty harmless.

 

[muad]

I found one of those grease tips for a regular grease gun so I could grease bars and clutch needle bearings so I can quit fighting those lame little grease guns that come with the saws.

When I bought the "pro series" 16" bar for my 254, the dealer gave me a tip for my grease gun. That is the first bar I've owned that had a grease hole.

 

[svk]

When I bought the "pro series" 16" bar for my 254, the dealer gave me a tip for my grease gun. That is the first bar I've owned that had a grease hole.

You may have already mentioned, but are you running .325 or 3/8 on that saw?

 

[Deleted member 150358]

Had 4 furloughed relatives working today! Nice Suprise even the 2 who despise each other worked pretty well! We finished the living room! My daughter brought her shampooer and cleaned the upholstery! Nice to have it done! Dining rooms on deck for next go!

 

[woodchip rookie]

When I bought the "pro series" 16" bar for my 254, the dealer gave me a tip for my grease gun. That is the first bar I've owned that had a grease hole.

All of mine do and my xp saws have the greasable needle bearing

 

[muad]

You may have already mentioned, but are you running .325 or 3/8 on that saw?

.325, IIRC

 

[muad]

All of mine do and my xp saws have the greasable needle bearing

This is my first Husky. All my other saws are Stihl, running Rollamatic ES bars. Never saw a place to grease those.

 

[svk]

I’ve got a ton of used 16”/.325 bars and a few 18’s if you need.

 

[MustangMike]

And the old skyhook just might be the only crane he's ever operated . I ran one just like it and the skyhook on the truck I drove was a 100'er, big ole noodle, like a fishing pole.
Is that maple as dense as it looks, looks very hard. Was that tree struck by lightening?

The crane operator told me he owns 20 cranes, and this is the smallest. He is out of CT and said they don't give him any trouble bringing this one to NY (needs permits for the larger ones with hydraulic feet).

The tree looked like it might split down the middle, and had several rot spots. They did not want it falling on one of the cars. Those rounds were pretty darn heavy for Red Maple. The one trailer fender was rubbing the tire when I loaded it up like I usually do with other wood (including Oak).

 

[chipper1]

The crane operator told me he owns 20 cranes, and this is the smallest. He is out of CT and said they don't give him any trouble bringing this one to NY (needs permits for the larger ones with hydraulic feet).

The tree looked like it might split down the middle, and had several rot spots. They did not want it falling on one of the cars. Those rounds were pretty darn heavy for Red Maple. The one trailer fender was rubbing the tire when I loaded it up like I usually do with other wood (including Oak).

That's a huge insurance bill and safety inspections . They are fun little cranes, they really teach you how to handle a load that is giving feedback that's uncontrollable like those trees. When I started runny a hydraulic setup it was like wow this is easy . I had a good time delivering drywall, well at least running the crane lol.

It looked oddly cracked. I know how that is, I've had to remove a few that looked like they could do a number on a house, what's funny is how many will park right under a tree they know is very damaged thinking if they hear it they will get out of the way . Oh well it seems many beat the odds on it so...

 

[chipper1]

Flat cut View attachment 820807
Step back cutView attachment 820808

Don't recall many of mine looking like that lol.
So are we talking about the backcut and the gunning cut being level(flat).
I don't do that often, at least not on purpose lol.
Last two bigger trees I dropped, looks like a nice bit of stump shot to me?

 

[KiwiBro]

Got a good one to do this arvo after this cuppa T. Leaner, brittle fibers, need to get about 45 degrees off its lay to miss most hazards and am just gonna send it...onto the wire fence...and hope for the best. Stump is gonna look real interesting...hahahahaha. I'll get some shots for y'all to laugh at....

 

[chipper1]

Got a good one to do this arvo after this cuppa T. Leaner, brittle fibers, need to get about 45 degrees off its lay to miss most hazards and am just gonna send it...onto the wire fence...and hope for the best. Stump is gonna look real interesting...hahahahaha. I'll get some shots for y'all to laugh at....

Gotta do what you gotta do.
Whoops, forgot my wedges lol.