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Thread: Chainsaws and Poona Trees.
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15th Jun 2017, 04:03 PM #61Member: Blue and white apron brigade
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I agree Dean. Unless chainsaw racing, where it's all over in seconds, it pointless to do anything beyond sharpening with a file or grinder. Chainsawing is NOT a fine slicing activity where there are significant benefits of using a honed edge. Instead its violent puncturing/ tearing action. Any superfine edge created on the hard chrome edge or steel is destroyed in first few seconds of a cut. In chainsaw milling where its all end grain cutting so it's really hard on cutters, starting the cut on the end of a semi-dry or dry log that may have some dirt embedded in it can blunt the chain in the first few cm of cut. When face with this I dock 6" off the end and it makes a big difference in the chain lasting the fun distance of a wide cut.
"Little but often" was my old mans motto.
The way he taught me was "forget the feel", instead look for "glints" along the edge of the cutter. If you can see a glint it's the steel underneath the chrome or there's a bit bit of chrome plating busted off and more filing is needed. This is a doubly good method because you can do this without stopping the sharpening process. A good pair of head magnifiers helps.
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15th Jun 2017, 08:31 PM #62
Hmm. I know what you mean by the glint. I touched a bit of weld mesh with the little saw on Monday. Just scratched the surface of it. When I went to sharpen the chain I could see glints. I got out a loupe and I could see the tiny ragged bits where the chrome had chipped off.
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A bit more wood on the ground now. That is all I am going to cut off this log I think. I am now onto the splitting.
The splitter I had to go and try to start this morning was interesting. I will start a new thread about it. I did get it started. Dirty plug.
Dean
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15th Jun 2017, 09:07 PM #63When I said 'root-shooting' I didn't mean that if you cut it, it shoots again from the roots.
Dean
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16th Jun 2017, 05:09 PM #64Senior Member
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This is how I sharpen the saw.
On the bench locked in a vice I do 3 forward strokes with the 4.85mm. (0.375 chain)
I can usually tell by the friction if a tooth needs more than that. If so I examine that tooth and fix it. If this means taking that tooth back too far, then I sharpen it as best I can (without reducing it) and leave it, because I don't want it shorter than the others by more than a few flyshits. This doesn't happen often so it's no big deal.
Then I hone the chain with a 4.5mm file. One solid-soft stroke and backed-off to feather stroke by the fourth stroke.
Every 3-4 times it's in the vice I measure the teeth for length and the height of the lead-in-posts.
When I'm in the forest and I know the saw is going well but falling short of peak revs then I hone the chain. This can happen a few times in the day. This only takes minutes and it's always time for a coffee and a fag. This usually works and I can feel the difference.
I suppose if you're using many saws and interchanging different size saws in your every day then maybe you don't notice the difference. And maybe it's not enough to matter anyway. But this is the only saw I've ever owned. It's seven years old. We're familiar. We started work together on the same day. I can tell when the little bastard's got a hangover and doesn't want to work.
This is where I measure the diameter of the files. I'm not sure if this is correct.
Greg
PS: The only timber I have ever cut is narrow leafed ironbark, long dead. And quite often has spent years laying on the ground. (Termites never touch ironbark around here) Different timbers may behave differently?
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16th Jun 2017, 05:21 PM #65Senior Member
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16th Jun 2017, 08:24 PM #66If that's a Manna Gum then the timber looks (on the cross cuts) a lot like ironbark when it's still a bit green. Does it burn as well as ironbark?
Termites will attack redgum, but it has to be so old first that it is probably not worth using anyway.
I have only filed the lead-in-posts (raker or depth gauge) once. Total disaster. Never touched them again. They wear as the teeth are shortened. Maybe I should have a look at them again tho. Never hurts to check. When you are cutting the best and easiest way to check for sharpness and general cutting action is to look at the chips. You should have good size chips and little dust. This is why I think I should check my rakers as I noticed today the chips were not as good as they could be.
This is where I measure the diameter of the files. I'm not sure if this is correct.
I also have to look at tuning my big saw as it is not running quite right.
I have split most of the wood now. There have been many holdups since I started cutting last week. I only seem to get an hour or 2 of actual work each day. Today I waited until the petrol ran out on the splitter so I could replace the fuel hose as it was leaking at the carby. The hose was split and perished so it probably was that leaking. The hose connector is plastic and has been replaced not long ago. I think I cracked it when I removed the hose as it took a bit to work it off the fitting. Pretty sure it was not cracked before. Leaked worse than before, but still not too serious. I rang the local (55km away) mob who do Briggs and Stratton. They wanted a model number. I can't see one. Stamped into the flywheel cover. I searched really carefully, but no luck. Back on the phone and got passed to the mechanic. OHC? look on the valve cover. Nothing. Kept looking for a stamped tag somewhere and found some numbers on a steel plate covering the top and down the back of the engine. Can't read them for dirt and rust spots. Wire brush and texta showed them up, when I put my glasses on. I had to move the ute and trailer to get in to look. Part of the number looked like a model number, maybe. The booklet had a list of about 30 models on the front. One was. I have to go to town Tuesday. I will take the part in to check for the right one and make sure I have the right model number. It has been like this since Saturday week ago. I wasted about half an hour looking for the tailgate for the trailer today.
Dean
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16th Jun 2017, 10:09 PM #67Senior Member
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I have never liked Briggs and Stratton. You can buy very cheap chinese engines that, in my opinion, are much better engineered. I didn't even know B&S were still in business.
Ironbark burns hot and long ... I prize the root system of a dead tree. If you can cut it, or split it, it probably would outperform coal. Even a branch knot is super-dense. Sometimes I've driven the block splitter into a root ball 30-40 times, puffing like an old steam train, and each blow cursing myself for wasted effort .. but you're forever tempted onwards as you watch the split widen tiny bit by tiny bit. Just one more hit, just one more ....
But when you get a good burl split open it's pure pleasure putting the splits in the fire. They'll glow all night.
Apart from rootballs and knots, dead-dry-ironbark is really easy to split. It's just begging you to tap it so it can fly apart. A mechanical splitter would be overkill.
That was one crazy splitter you posted in the other thread.
Greg
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17th Jun 2017, 12:51 AM #68I have never liked Briggs and Stratton. You can buy very cheap chinese engines that, in my opinion, are much better engineered. I didn't even know B&S were still in business.
This motor has been pretty good, but when I first got it the flywheel sat too low on the crank and damaged the coil along with clunking. I finally got replacement parts and fitted them myself.
The B&S has performed perfectly. This plastic connector is the only thing that has gone wrong with it. 12 months sitting around doing nothing, a couple of pulls and off it goes. If I bought another motor now I would get a cheap import tho.
But when you get a good burl split open it's pure pleasure putting the splits in the fire.
Apart from rootballs and knots, dead-dry-ironbark is really easy to split.
Redgum varies from similar to the manna to "It's just begging you to tap it so it can fly apart." However it is a lot harder than manna. I have hit redgum as hard as I can and had the splitter bounce back up like a tennis ball, leaving barely a mark.
That was one crazy splitter you posted in the other thread.
Dean
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18th Jun 2017, 12:44 AM #69
I mentioned videos of stupid and incredible things done with chainsaws. Here is one to have a look at. It is a bit over 5 mins and is a mix of interesting stuff. Take a look at cutting a tree down from about 4:48. Fascinating growth of a flower just before that too.
Cheers
Dean
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18th Jun 2017, 09:34 AM #70Senior Member
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I think you forgot the link?
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18th Jun 2017, 09:58 AM #71
Everybody is in such a hurry. Whats the rush.
Oops.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iP_zSp0tXBk
Dean
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18th Jun 2017, 12:10 PM #72Member: Blue and white apron brigade
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18th Jun 2017, 03:15 PM #73
Ah, the KISS principal. Also forgetting to add the promised link!
My excuse is that I leave the link til later because I have not been able to work out how to go back to normal text. Everything I type after a link comes up in link formatting. Then there is the problem of memory!
Back to grinding the rakers on my saw chain, after I make the coffee I came in to get.
Dean
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18th Jun 2017, 10:41 PM #74Senior Member
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The icon in the top left of the reply panel (a/A) flips your screen between 'what you see is what you get' and displays the HTML code underneath.
After you paste your link (doesn't matter how you do this) flip to the HTML screen. (Click the icon) Place your cursor after the last closing square bracket, usually looking like this '[/url]' or like thus '[/URL]'
Japanese Kitchen Knife Types And Styles
Now type from there. Your following text won't be connected to the link.
Flip back to your wysiwyg screen ... and there ya go.
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19th Jun 2017, 12:49 AM #75
Thanks. Easy when you know how. Been thinking about asking about this for a couple of years now. No rush tho.
Dean