Cleaning saw chains
#7350582
09/08/21 05:01 PM
09/08/21 05:01 PM
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Joined: Jun 2007
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Scuba1
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"color blind Kraut"
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"color blind Kraut"
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I have tried all sorts of things from soaking them for weeks in kerosine and paint thinner and oil to scrubbing them with soap and a stiff brush. Nothing worked to my satisfaction. I don't like the residue that is left on the chains when cutting hardwood as it stops the oil to get to the places it needs to get to. A week or so ago I bought a ultra sonic cleaner mainly for carburetors and sail winch parts etc. Today i thought, screw it, i'll throw a chain in the thing. And TARAHHH it works a treat. Gets rid of nearly all of the nasty stuff that stuck to it. Quick dry with compressed air and a squirt of oil and job jobbed. If ya want to find out how to do something,...... ask a lazy person.
Let's go Brandon
"Shall not comply" with morons who don't understand "shall not infringe."
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Re: Cleaning saw chains
[Re: lumberjack391]
#7350607
09/08/21 05:26 PM
09/08/21 05:26 PM
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Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 18,369 Green County Wisconsin
GREENCOUNTYPETE
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I cut millions of feet of hardwoods and never noticed a residue that would cause any problems. I haven't cut that much , but it didn't bother me either , put new chain on , sharpen on saw , flip the bar once in a while when I have it apart for blowing out all the crud under the clutch cover. I have been thinking about an ultrasonic cleaner for cleaning brass it seems like it would be easier than separating steel pins and better than my current method of a big pickle jar of brass and dish soap and water every time I walk by agitate then let set , after about 2 days rinse and dry then again the pickle jar is paid for now carburetors could be very good , i have one that needs doing what model do you have?
America only has one issue, we have a Responsibility crisis and everything else stems from it.
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Re: Cleaning saw chains
[Re: Scuba1]
#7350629
09/08/21 05:49 PM
09/08/21 05:49 PM
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Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 34,751 Central, SD
Law Dog
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Buy some new chains ya tight wad! LOL
Was born in a Big City Will die in the Country OK with that!
Jerry Herbst
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Re: Cleaning saw chains
[Re: lumberjack391]
#7350654
09/08/21 06:24 PM
09/08/21 06:24 PM
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Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 16,150 Tennessee
Scuba1
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"color blind Kraut"
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"color blind Kraut"
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I cut millions of feet of hardwoods and never noticed a residue that would cause any problems. It is more when I am milling with the alaskan sawmill. And yes I use lots of bar oil when working with a longer bar. Maybe the .050 chains are more finicky than the .063's I do notice that chains that I keep clean last longer and are not as prone to snapping. I'll have to measure the drive link pin size of the different state chains to have data that could correlate with what I am experiencing. But I am not yet bored enough to just split chains to measure the bearing surfaces.
Last edited by Scuba1; 09/08/21 06:28 PM.
Let's go Brandon
"Shall not comply" with morons who don't understand "shall not infringe."
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Re: Cleaning saw chains
[Re: Scuba1]
#7350665
09/08/21 06:35 PM
09/08/21 06:35 PM
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Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 25,692 nm
adam m
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That's a good idea.
Been trying for months to convince my uncle to buy one to clean the parts and products he makes.
How dirty was the cleaner afterwards
Last edited by adam m; 09/08/21 06:35 PM.
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Re: Cleaning saw chains
[Re: lumberjack391]
#7350754
09/08/21 08:11 PM
09/08/21 08:11 PM
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Joined: Jun 2007
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Scuba1
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"color blind Kraut"
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How dirty was the cleaner afterwards
The cleaning solution was dirty but the cleaner is just a stainless tub with a ball valve on one side. I drained it and wiped it out with a paper towel. Ready to go again. Are your chains breaking at the connecting rivet or just anywhere? They break at random places. But before they go south, they get " floppy " in other words worn pins and drive link holes. Milling is tough on chains for sure and maybe I should have gone with a o.063 slot bar and chains instead of the standard Stihl 0.050 as they have less " meat "to them Its not going to be an issue once I have my bandsaw mill finished and I'll just use the saws for felling and bucking then
Let's go Brandon
"Shall not comply" with morons who don't understand "shall not infringe."
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Re: Cleaning saw chains
[Re: Scuba1]
#7350801
09/08/21 09:01 PM
09/08/21 09:01 PM
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Joined: Feb 2014
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adam m
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Re: Cleaning saw chains
[Re: Scuba1]
#7350962
09/08/21 11:31 PM
09/08/21 11:31 PM
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Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 18,369 Green County Wisconsin
GREENCOUNTYPETE
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I have only had .063 and .058 chain , never broken one, I also don't mill , I have ripped 7 cutters off on a nail once that was a 20 inch bar .063 chain
I thought .063 was the standard Stihl chain , that is all the dealer I bought mine from sold unless you asked for something else. he must have just ordered only .063 I suppose if you only ever went to a couple stihl dealers and they all stocked everything in .063 you would never know about .050 on a stihl
America only has one issue, we have a Responsibility crisis and everything else stems from it.
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Re: Cleaning saw chains
[Re: Scuba1]
#7351083
09/09/21 08:00 AM
09/09/21 08:00 AM
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Joined: Dec 2006
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Wright Brothers
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Chicks are buying the USCs for their jewelry, brilliant. My wife needs one lol. You can tell chain wear by flexing it side ways, just like bike chain. Maybe a tension thing Scoob? Or brand/batch, seems odd. 50 gauge is easier over here, everyone carries it.
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Re: Cleaning saw chains
[Re: lumberjack391]
#7351101
09/09/21 08:28 AM
09/09/21 08:28 AM
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Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 2,446 Tug Hill, NY
Squash
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I cut millions of feet of hardwoods and never noticed a residue that would cause any problems. X2 and I can add millions of feet of softwoods.
Last edited by Squash; 09/09/21 08:30 AM.
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Re: Cleaning saw chains
[Re: Wright Brothers]
#7351131
09/09/21 08:58 AM
09/09/21 08:58 AM
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Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 16,150 Tennessee
Scuba1
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Chicks are buying the USCs for their jewelry, brilliant. My wife needs one lol. You can tell chain wear by flexing it side ways, just like bike chain. Maybe a tension thing Scoob? Or brand/batch, seems odd. 50 gauge is easier over here, everyone carries it. Thats what I meant by the chain getting " floppy " To get an accurate result one would have to measure the tolerance of the pins and holes of the drive links. But as I said earlier, I am not bored enough to do that just yet. These chains are all of the same bulk roll from Oregon. So you may be on to something there as well. I'll get a new roll and see what happens or get a couple of ready made chains to have a looksee. Its not a tension thing as I tend to run them on the loose side for the most part. I don't have this problem with the shorter 25" length that I use for felling and bucking. Its just the ones I make up for milling for the 36" bar. As i said earlier, I run plenty of oil using the longer bar and don't have excessive bar wear, Anyway, now that I have found a way for me to keep them clean, this whole thing may just be over with from now on.
Let's go Brandon
"Shall not comply" with morons who don't understand "shall not infringe."
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Re: Cleaning saw chains
[Re: Scuba1]
#7351138
09/09/21 09:06 AM
09/09/21 09:06 AM
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Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 34,751 Central, SD
Law Dog
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I never broke a chain yet but I do all the things a guy should not do to a chain so I ruin them pretty quickly here. LOL I start big projects with a new chain often and finish on the logs on the ground or cutting stumps both are tough on chains. I load up on a few new chains when the local store has a bucket sale 17% off.
For smaller jobs I’ll touch up a old chain if I can but chains are cheap and speed up the big jobs so they are worth the time and hassle saved.
Last edited by Law Dog; 09/09/21 09:08 AM.
Was born in a Big City Will die in the Country OK with that!
Jerry Herbst
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Re: Cleaning saw chains
[Re: Scuba1]
#7351140
09/09/21 09:10 AM
09/09/21 09:10 AM
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Joined: Dec 2006
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Wright Brothers
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I have new to me x-cut and a full skip. Like lures, I just have to try them.
Earlier I worked white pine for two weeks, what a mess they make of everything.
Last edited by Wright Brothers; 09/09/21 09:13 AM.
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Re: Cleaning saw chains
[Re: Wright Brothers]
#7351180
09/09/21 09:48 AM
09/09/21 09:48 AM
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Joined: Jun 2007
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Scuba1
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I Earlier I worked white pine for two weeks, what a mess they make of everything. The easy way to get rid of the pine sap and sticky stuff is Kerosine mixed with a dash of ATF. I don't have pine around here but back in the day used to work with that a lot and had that mix in a spray bottle and just sprayed the saw and bar etc. down with it, legit sit for a new minutes ad wiped it down. Chains I threw in a tub of that stuff, then blow them off with compressed air before running them through the grinder. Those big sap pockets are a bag of fun aint they
Let's go Brandon
"Shall not comply" with morons who don't understand "shall not infringe."
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Re: Cleaning saw chains
[Re: Scuba1]
#7351184
09/09/21 09:55 AM
09/09/21 09:55 AM
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Joined: Jun 2007
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Scuba1
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Quote .....I would think spruce and fir would play more havoc on gumming up a chain that hardwood would but maybe not. Thats what i thought till I started milling red oak and hickory. Cut two slabs and its back to sharpening. When folks say that they have cut millions of board feet, they don't mean this. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-aHOmWyzWgThey mean they have put the raw material for those board feet on the ground. There is a big difference..... trust me on that one.
Last edited by Scuba1; 09/09/21 09:56 AM.
Let's go Brandon
"Shall not comply" with morons who don't understand "shall not infringe."
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Re: Cleaning saw chains
[Re: Scuba1]
#7351188
09/09/21 09:58 AM
09/09/21 09:58 AM
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I dedicated one pair of canvas trousers to that job, They are still water proof. Pinsol cleaner stuff works ok too. 36" ? oh my. Did they call the guide bar a sword where you are from?
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Re: Cleaning saw chains
[Re: Scuba1]
#7351284
09/09/21 12:24 PM
09/09/21 12:24 PM
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Joined: Jul 2016
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Jerry Jr.
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When my chains get build up on them I just take them to the wire wheel and clean them right up.
I believe (for me) it was coming from the ash trees that I was cutting. It would form a hard layer on the top and sides of the teeth and chain.
Time is more precious than gold if you know how to spend it .... but what do I know, I'm just a dumb farmer.~My Dad NRA LIFE MEMBER, Endowment Member
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Re: Cleaning saw chains
[Re: Scuba1]
#7351297
09/09/21 12:47 PM
09/09/21 12:47 PM
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Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 16,150 Tennessee
Scuba1
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"color blind Kraut"
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I run a ported Stihl 661 M tronic . I think it has power enough for what I use it for. By the end of this fall, I'll hopefully have my bandsaw mill finished and then this bump in the road won't be an issue anymore. I am just a happy camper that i found a lazy way to get the crud of the chains that is messing up my oiling. Jerry. I am " happy " to report its not just Ash tree's that will cause that
Last edited by Scuba1; 09/09/21 12:48 PM.
Let's go Brandon
"Shall not comply" with morons who don't understand "shall not infringe."
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Re: Cleaning saw chains
[Re: Scuba1]
#7351592
09/09/21 07:45 PM
09/09/21 07:45 PM
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Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 16,150 Tennessee
Scuba1
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"color blind Kraut"
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Got all of my chains cleaned, sharpened and soaked in oil. Then hung up sorted by size and grind style, ready to rock -. Got some boat work tomorrow but will cut a pile of firewood this weekend.
Let's go Brandon
"Shall not comply" with morons who don't understand "shall not infringe."
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Re: Cleaning saw chains
[Re: Scuba1]
#7363305
09/24/21 01:51 PM
09/24/21 01:51 PM
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Joined: Jun 2007
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Scuba1
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"color blind Kraut"
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I found some simple green brand cleaner and degreaser concentrate at the local auto parts store and have used that on the winches I had to clean and the stuff really works well on those bronze gears that were caked in really old grease and dust mix. Even the needle roller bearings came out looking like new. Once I have these winches back together, I'll have to dirty up an AR and try that cleaner on those parts. So far I am happy with the thing though. I have a couple of carbs from Generators to clean up that are caked in that ethanol fuel deck stain and will give that a go this weekend.
Let's go Brandon
"Shall not comply" with morons who don't understand "shall not infringe."
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Re: Cleaning saw chains
[Re: Scuba1]
#7363313
09/24/21 02:12 PM
09/24/21 02:12 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
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Drifter
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Dollar Tree has an orange cleaner that does a right good job on grease as well. Awesome Orange is what it is called. Can get in a spray bottle as well as a bulk refill.
Some individuals use statistics as a drunk man uses lamp-posts — for support rather than for illumination.
Andrew Lang (1844-1912) Scottish poet, novelist and literary critic
Life member NTA , and GA Trappers assoc .
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Re: Cleaning saw chains
[Re: Scuba1]
#7363462
09/24/21 06:43 PM
09/24/21 06:43 PM
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Joined: Sep 2021
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TomahawkJoe
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Kerosene or Diesel works good. WD-40 is nice for getting sappy stuff off.
Last edited by TomahawkJoe; 09/24/21 06:44 PM.
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Re: Cleaning saw chains
[Re: Scuba1]
#7363513
09/24/21 07:46 PM
09/24/21 07:46 PM
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Law Dog
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Just finished cutting up 6 dump truck loads of wet wood some really big stuff in the mix elm, ash, honey locust mostly all cut with a new chain. I worked hard to keep the chain out of the dirt I only had to sharpen the chain 1 time near the end to finish some bigger stuff that was muddy.
I figure I got my money out of that chain already I picked up another one today for $15 after the 20% off sale going on. I’ll sharpen it a few more times then use it on cutting stumps after that..
Was born in a Big City Will die in the Country OK with that!
Jerry Herbst
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Re: Cleaning saw chains
[Re: Scuba1]
#7363940
09/25/21 12:04 PM
09/25/21 12:04 PM
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Scuba1
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For the ones that missed it. The gummed up chain thing only happens with my milling chains when I cut hardwoods like White and red oak and to some extent hickory. My normal ground chains for cross cutting ( felling , bucking etc ) are not affected like that ...or at least to to the extent that i bother much about it. The geometry of the grind on the milling chains it completely different to the normal chains. And yes I have tried milling with a normal chain and it is a pain in the stern end. They get blunt quick and progress in those hard woods is very very very slow. I can buck firewood ( oak and hickory ) , as long as its clean all day with a semi chisel chain. Then sharpen in in the evening when I am done. Its milling that is hard on the gear.
Last edited by Scuba1; 09/25/21 12:07 PM.
Let's go Brandon
"Shall not comply" with morons who don't understand "shall not infringe."
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Re: Cleaning saw chains
[Re: run]
#7363941
09/25/21 12:07 PM
09/25/21 12:07 PM
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T-Rex
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I just sharpen the chain and cut wood. Same here. The chain gets sharpened down to nothing long before any kind of cleaning becomes an issue. My usage may be a bit different from the norm. I cut firewood from blockwood delivered by tree services. In other words those trees along side homes, after their size becomes a nuisance rather than a benefit. What are the odds they may contain a: - nail?
- spike?
- eyebolt?
- wire cable?
- hook?
- rocks &stones in the crotches?
Yip, chains are filed down to nothing long before cleaning becomes an issue.
Man who mistake shillelagh for fairy wand; see pixie dust, also.
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Re: Cleaning saw chains
[Re: Scuba1]
#7363970
09/25/21 12:58 PM
09/25/21 12:58 PM
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run
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For the ones that missed it. The gummed up chain thing only happens with my milling chains when I cut hardwoods like White and red oak and to some extent hickory. My normal ground chains for cross cutting ( felling , bucking etc ) are not affected like that ...or at least to to the extent that i bother much about it. The geometry of the grind on the milling chains it completely different to the normal chains. And yes I have tried milling with a normal chain and it is a pain in the stern end. They get blunt quick and progress in those hard woods is very very very slow. I can buck firewood ( oak and hickory ) , as long as its clean all day with a semi chisel chain. Then sharpen in in the evening when I am done. Its milling that is hard on the gear. That makes sense.
wanna be goat farmer.
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Re: Cleaning saw chains
[Re: T-Rex]
#7364080
09/25/21 04:31 PM
09/25/21 04:31 PM
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Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 16,150 Tennessee
Scuba1
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"color blind Kraut"
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"color blind Kraut"
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Same here. The chain gets sharpened down to nothing long before any kind of cleaning becomes an issue. My usage may be a bit different from the norm. I cut firewood from blockwood delivered by tree services. In other words those trees along side homes, after their size becomes a nuisance rather than a benefit. What are the odds they may contain a: - nail?
- spike?
- eyebolt?
- wire cable?
- hook?
- rocks &stones in the crotches?
Yip, chains are filed down to nothing long before cleaning becomes an issue. When cutting urban trees service leftovers, it helps to have a metal detector to spot those little bits that can dull a chain quick but are impossible to spot with the naked eye
Let's go Brandon
"Shall not comply" with morons who don't understand "shall not infringe."
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Re: Cleaning saw chains
[Re: Scuba1]
#7364090
09/25/21 04:42 PM
09/25/21 04:42 PM
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T-Rex
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When cutting urban trees service leftovers, it helps to have a metal detector to spot those little bits that can dull a chain quick but are impossible to spot with the naked eye
I do have one I use for boards on the bandsaw mill. I find it a lot more productive to sharpen chain when necessary than spend (waste) time checking for every cut.
Man who mistake shillelagh for fairy wand; see pixie dust, also.
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Re: Cleaning saw chains
[Re: Scuba1]
#7364102
09/25/21 05:08 PM
09/25/21 05:08 PM
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Joined: Dec 2010
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Law Dog
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Yep them city trees have a lot of trash in them nails, laundry hooks, dog zip lines, flag holders, bird house hangers even had a rock that grew into a fork of a tree. That rock shot a piece of wood that rolled in my shin when I split it, that hurts. LOL
Was born in a Big City Will die in the Country OK with that!
Jerry Herbst
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Re: Cleaning saw chains
[Re: Scuba1]
#7364237
09/25/21 09:11 PM
09/25/21 09:11 PM
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Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 16,150 Tennessee
Scuba1
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"color blind Kraut"
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"color blind Kraut"
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Some folks on here are immune to sarcasm. When I write about small bits of metal that are hard to spot with the naked eye and with that post a picture of a whole bike grown into a tree, .......... ahh never mind. the fun is sort of lost when one has to explain it
Let's go Brandon
"Shall not comply" with morons who don't understand "shall not infringe."
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Re: Cleaning saw chains
[Re: Scuba1]
#7364240
09/25/21 09:12 PM
09/25/21 09:12 PM
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T-Rex
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OK, I admit to getting a bit off the subject. When it comes to junk in firewood: - I spot about 10% before cutting
- My chainsaw finds, maybe 5%
- my log splitter finds maybe 5-10%
- The lion's share shows up when I shovel ash out of the boiler
Man who mistake shillelagh for fairy wand; see pixie dust, also.
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