Semi Chisel VS Chisel chain for milling

[mtngun]

The oregon was faster but it bogged the saw and the finish did not compare to Granberg.

Granberg functions similar to a skip chain, with only half as many teeth cutting, so it lets the saw rev a little higher.

 

[BobL]

I find that the Malloff grind will usually washboard on the first pass and maybe the 2nd pass. As the chain dulls, it takes smaller bites and the washboarding goes away.

A more aggressive raker angle contributes to washboarding, too.

I've observed this on 3 different powerheads, so it I don't think it is a frequency issue. I think it is a matter of a sharp cutter and aggressive angles taking bigger bites. Bigger bites cut faster, but will leave a rougher finish.

I can't see how it is just a sharpness matter, look at those cuts above, identical raker angles and if anything the washboard cut was the one with the blunter chain. To generate washboard there has to be a sync between cutting speed and cutting width. A blunt chain will cut slower so it changes the cutting speed so the two parameters will get out of synch on the same width cut. I also only ever see it on narrow (<20") cuts so the cutting speed it pretty near max chain speed for the saws involved.

 

[logbob]

I'd just use it for cutting firewood

Cutting firewood with a skip tooth chain on a 36" bar and a 660 doesn't seem a very good idea to me

BobL and mtngun, thanks for the interesting posts about the finish.
Depending on intended use of the boards/cants the finish is very important. If boards are to be planed one should take into account both the time it takes to plane the boards smooth and the amount of wood that gets wasted in planing...
And if they are not to be planed the finish is possibly even more important...
So your opinion is that the square tooth is not necessarily rougher that the round tooth ?

 

[BobL]

Cutting firewood with a skip tooth chain on a 36" bar and a 660 doesn't seem a very good idea to me

In Australia skip is often standard for blocking up big hardwood trees for firewood.

BobL and mtngun, thanks for the interesting posts about the finish.
Depending on intended use of the boards/cants the finish is very important. If boards are to be planed one should take into account both the time it takes to plane the boards smooth and the amount of wood that gets wasted in planing...

My experience is that; unless the mill is loose and sloppy so the bar moves around a lot and digs the chain unevenly into the cut surface, for most of the wood I cut the cutting finish is less of an issue to plane out than the defects produced by the twisting/bending and uneveness of the surface produced during drying.

So your opinion is that the square tooth is not necessarily rougher that the round tooth ?

Correct - if an operator is careless they can butcher the finish with semichisel while a careful operator can produce a fair surface with chisel.
But on balance a careful operator can produce a better finish with semichisel.
Here's a picture of what a magnified cutting cross section looks like for the two types of cutter.

Which one would you rather have to deal with?

 

[betterbuilt]

Seem kinda silly to worry about the finish of the cut. Except for the guy's building with rough cut. The Guys working with the slabs ends up planning,routering or belt sanding the slab flat again anyway's. We all know they dry perfectly flat and never cup or twist or bow. I'm in the just make slabs and deal with it later category. As long long as I'm milling the finish doesn't really matter.

I'm actually gonna try full chisel tomorrow and see what the fuss is all about.

 

[logbob]

Which one would you rather have to deal with?

Semichisel slow !

Betterbuilt I guess it depends on the intended use of what you're milling. Since at this stage I am milling boards for siding and for my cabin's deck finish does matter because two passes on the thicknesser and I'm done. And same goes for dimensional lumber to be used for carpentry as it is planed with portable planers so a little bow or twist is generally not a problem.
But if I was to cut slabs for resale or to be stored for future projects then I agree finish wouldn't matter....
Looking forward to the results of your test with full chisel. I'm stuck with 3ft of snow in my yard and in the woods...

 

[betterbuilt]

Semichisel slow !

Betterbuilt I guess it depends on the intended use of what you're milling. Since at this stage I am milling boards for siding and for my cabin's deck finish does matter because two passes on the thicknesser and I'm done. And same goes for dimensional lumber to be used for carpentry as it is planed with portable planers so a little bow or twist is generally not a problem.
But if I was to cut slabs for resale or to be stored for future projects then I agree finish wouldn't matter....
Looking forward to the results of your test with full chisel. I'm stuck with 3ft of snow in my yard and in the woods...

If I was cutting siding I'd care also.