Windsor chain

[Keener]

Perhaps Walt can comment , is it true that at one time Windsor was forced to go to Nickle plate on the cutters because of a patent fight with Gillette Razor Co. due to their patent on the chrome edge.
And if it is true how did it affect the chain performance ie Nickle being tougher but not as hard.

 

[Walt Galer]

Howdy Keener,

You don't have it quite straight! When I started with Windsor as Tech. Serv. Mgr. in 1976, they were using a "Nickle Alloy" for the sawchain raw material. These were known as 'Timberking" chains.

The reason for the use of this raw material, was due to tarrif rates that made it more expensive to export products into the United States, that had over a certain percent chrome in the alloy. One of my earlier projects, was to get rid of this situation, and get the company to return to the old NS 801 standard. The plating on the outside of the cutters always was Chromeplate to my knowledge, in fact, a bit too thick! (That was another thing I had to get corrected). The cutters at this time were essentially a Pioneer "Dura-cut" design, basically a small radius chipper).

This whole thing finally came together with the addition of a much better semichisel design cutter, which was inherited from the Sabre bankruptcy in Canada. A very good chisel chain was then added to the line. From around 1980 to the time the plant moved from Victoria to the USA,
Windsor produced some of the finest chain in the industry. After that, things went sadly downhill with the Sandvik take-over.

Regards,
Walt Galer

 

[Keener]

Thanks Walt, I also had a question regarding Atlas chain which I believe was also a Canuck company but went under before Windsor started.
Again I probably have my facts somewhat askew, any insight here ?

 

[Keener]

I forgot to mention that I picked up a Sthil 084 electronic ( thats whats on the tag on top) anyway it has had light use but has been on a shelf for the last 5 or so years. Anything I should do besides just putting fresh gas in and pulling it over?
I'm guessing it has about 10 hours use max. on it.

 

[Walt Galer]

Howdy Keener,

Atlas was located in Victoria, B.C. A certain principal in the company, is rather infamous in Victoria. When it went under, I understand he was the one who made off with the cash, and everyone else, about 90 investors in Victoria, lost everything.

The Atlas chain included a model called "V"-pac, that was unigue in that it had a pair of slitting elements formed by a most unusal die technique, whereby the drive link top was extended upward, and then Split into halves! This went up in a general V shape to serve as left and right hand slitter, side by side.

The Atlas plant became the Windsor sawchain plant when Windsor was located in Vancouver.

This Atlas principal fellow again showed up, this time at Oregon, trying to sell a chain idea, where the drivelink/slitter was made by laminating the drivelink. It seems he had made friends with a VP at Omark, and obtained access to the Engineering dept. to submitt his idea as an invention. I was assigned the project to run the chain and make any evaluation. I rapidly found that this chain was the most dangerous chain I have ever run. I was doing a demonstration with it and descided I was going to demonstrate the kickback for the big-wigs. An 18 inch Fir log was strapped in a double saw-buck, and after I finished the normal cuts, I went around and tried to bore into the end of the log. Big mistake! I knew it was going to come back, so I had braced my leg against the back of the Super 797 McCulloch. The kickback picked me clear off the ground and tossed me back about 3 feet! I had a hicky on my thigh you would never believe. Darn near broke my leg!

Engineering Dept. was pressured into doing a much more thourgh test, so field tests were run. Comments from loggers were "you got to be kidding!"

A large report was prepared, and Engineering rejected the idea. Our friend sued, and I understand recieved a settlement! I was told he then went and submitted the idea to Sabre Canada.

Anyway, that's my story on Atlas chain, and It's principal.

Regards,
Walt Galer

 

[Keener]

Thanks again Walt for the info, ther are still people here who lost money on that deal you don't have to mention any names I can easily find that out.
How did the chain perform in the crosscut ( the Atlas chain I mean) versus the chains on the market today.

 

[Walt Galer]

Howdy,

The chain was about competitive with chains of the day in general, except Chisel, for cutting speed correctly filed. It had quality problems. (Heattreat still used a shaker hearth furnace, and a very small one at that).

The idea of the slitters was a disadvantage when cutting at angles to the wood, such as undercutting to fall a tree, and the slitters would break off easily if you set a tree back on the bar.

Regards,
Walt Galer