Frozen Logs DULL a chain?

D&D Farm

D&D Farm

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The other day had my "wood cutting" buddy over to get rid of a fallen tree. Spent a moment of time to show off my new chain sharpening rig that Santy brought me from Northern Tool. Yes, less than 10 minutes had his 18" Sthil ready to rock and roll.</p>


Working on perhaps a 20" oak tree that had been down for perhaps a month. The root ball was completly rotten and eaten up as was most of the tree. Not the fall apart type of rot but the early stages. Temps over the last couple of weeks has been down in the teens with highs in the low 20's. Stock water is frozen solid if not on a heater device. So am assuming that the moisture of the log was frozen solid also. </p>


The question: The freshly sharpened chain zipped through the first 20" cut like butter; but on the second cut started throwing off powder and it was obvious that it had gone dull. Will a frozen log do this? OR is it a problem with the sharpening technique?........thanks Guys.............Dennis</p>
 
Try to stay awayfrom frozen logs, but if one has to, blades should only be run about half as long when cutting frozen logs.But if you have to cut the logs. Try to have a second blade. The set in the teeth should be little more pitched than normal......</p>


When blades are set & sharpened properly, you should produce straight cuts and see 85% of the sawdust ejected from the cut........</p>


Remember this, a blade that does not have the sharpest edge will still cut straight if the teeth are set accurately, whereas a blade that is super sharp but has inaccurate set will not cut at all. Blade cuts down and juststops and stays there,this could be caused by a dull blade but usually means you have too little hook angle....... </p>


Essesive saw dust on logs ....... This is caused by too much set, and if you look closely, you will probably see some tooth marks....... </p>


Your blades cut in a wavy motion..... The blade is EXTREMELY under-set. For a small wave, up-set the blade.For a bigger wave, go up just a very little more...Running a blade that is under-set is the MOST damaging thing you can do to the steel.......<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></p>


<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Special Note: All it takes isthe blade to touch the ground fora second. Just a simple bump in the dirt will dull a saw blade FASTER than anything. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>></span></p>


<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">>>>>>>>>></span></p>


<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">........... two guns </span></p>
 
Just about all chainsaw work is done in the winter up here. Its the best and easiest time to get the logs skidded out of the forest. A neighbour and I just finished up cutting 8 bush cords into 16" lengths (mostly oak 10-20 inches across) and the temperature hasn't gone above freezing since November in these parts. Sounds like the tip of your blade may have made accidental contact with the ground.</p>


We saw up frozen logs here all the time. (maybe you got HARD WATER down there...JOKE)</p>
 
Jamie and Kanook.......thanks guys........my partner, an MD, was running the saw on the first cut and I wasnt watching him after he got 1/2 way through.......Knowing him he could have easily gone into the soil. In addition, Jamie, you are probably right when saying we didnt have much hook left to create"set" as we were down to the very bottom of the hook when grinding. Actuallybarely went into the part of the grinder that holds the chain stationary.........PROBABLY a combination of hitting the dirt and totally used up chain...........It DID cut straight so not worried about that part.........THANKS guys..........God bless.......Dennis</p>
 
YUP! I learned long ago to never let a "buddy" use my saw unless I know he has one of his own and knows how to use it...and better still how to NOT use it. BTW .... we use a chain saw to cut holes in the ice on the lakes for Ice Fishing.</p>
 
i bought me one of them packs of ound chainsaw files when i bought my chainsaw for "katrina" i run that little file through the blades before everyuse and while i'm useing the sawif i see it don't bite like she should i stop and run the file through her again but it just takes about 10 minutes and she's backand ready to cut again. beileive it or not i'm still useing the same blade that came with the saw and it's now about what 5 or 6 years old now. it's getting close to needing a new one though because of the play it has in the teeth but as for as the teeth having bite left to them they are like new. but like most ejucated sawsmen of the worldi don't think i ever ran my blade into the groundor had it binded in a treei always have my mall and wedge handy and if possible i pull the tree up with my winch to get it off the ground . nuthing will end the life of a blade faster than hitting the ground or havin it binded up in a tree.</p>
 
oh anotherthing i use is when i drain the oil out my car and rhino i keep it in jugs because it makes very good chain lube why buy something that is just gonna run down the chain anyway right ? on a good day i could go through a quart ofoil easy.</p>
 
Mr. Kanook...........as said in my first post......it was HIS saw......like YOU, NOBODY uses my saw nor rides my motorcyle except ME.......When asked if they can ride the bike, I always advise them......."after I ride your wife".......they get the point real quick.......Dennis</p>
 
Tommy........thanks for the kind words and advice..........This ol sawyer has just been doing this a couple of days and needs all the help he can get............God bless........Dennis</p>


PS......I taught Industrial Arts for 30 years..mainly wood shop...what I learned very early on is to go ahead and ask a dumb question if you dont know the answer and just nod and accept the answer you get..............In this case, I got the answer about frozen stuff not hurting a chain.......thanks again...........Dennis</p>
 
Lots to learn and share on this Forum.</p>


Never thought of hard water dulling a chain saw. lol...and I cut alot of woodin froozen temps. lol My grandpa used to tell me that using your ownfirewood warms you up several times. Even with lots of experience, everyone will eventuallybind up a saw up trees or downed timber. I imagine most here have had the interesting chore of getting your saw out of a tree without damaging it, or yourself. Just gotta be careful and "think out" the solution to the problem. Wood is alot heavier than most think. A peavy or cant hook and a heavy maul with good wedges are some of my standard pieces of equipment when in the woods. A trick I've learned is to spray paint all my toolsflourescent orange and keep them in a plastic bucket...also painted orange. Helps when I hunt for them in the leaves or snow. I also use oil designed for the chain and bar.I've been told, it stays on the bar/chain longer than other types of oil. </p>


Letting others use your chain saw.... not a good idea. Same as with your motorcyle or...</p>


Keifer, a RTV wannabe</p>


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[quote user="D&D Farm"]......it was HIS saw[/quote]</p>


Sorry...Missed the "his"...My brotherlaw has several letters that he likes to tack onto the end of his name...Doesn't make him any smarter either. </p>
 
what kinda bike you got?? i wanna ride duh bike first doe cuz after you rideduh wife you might not let me ride duh bike. lmao.</p>
 
[quote user="Keifer"]A peavy or cant hook and a heavy maul with good wedges are some of my standard pieces of equipment when in the woods.</p>


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Don't forget plastic wedges. When you have a tree/log that may pinch your chain/bar, drive a plastic wedge in the cut behind you. It'll stop the log from pinching behind you as you cut.</p>


I've tried all kinds of sharpening equipment. What works best for me is to get a new chain... I buy 10 or 20 chains at a time. If you keep it out of the dirt, they'll last a looonnnnnngggggg time. Once they dull, I sharpen then put in the "stump" pile. Those are the chains I use when I know I'm going to hit dirt (ie. cutting a stump below grade).</p>


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I have found 3 things that dull a chain. Dirt, rocks and cutting the butt portion of iron wood and locust. The first eight feet above the ground can be loaded with minerals and sparks will fly as you cut it. I usually start off filing with 3/16 files and as the teeth wear back I go to 7/32. I also work the kicker dogs down when I go to the bigger file size. I buy 3 chains at a time so there is always a fresh one around. As for frozen wood, it cuts easier than wet wood. I am big on running plenty of oil and use a mix of bar oil and 10w motor oil. I got about 7 cases of 10w that was in the old cardboard cans and transferred it to a buch of jugs that I can put flex spouts on. I keep a parts cleaner brush in my tote bin and brush all the dirt off before fueling and filling the oiler.</p>
 
[quote user="muleman"]I am big on running plenty of oil and use a mix of bar oil and 10w motor oil. I got about 7 cases of 10w that was in the old cardboard cans and transferred it to a buch of jugs that I can put flex spouts on.[/quote]</p>


Unless it's winter, why would you want to thin the oil? Bar/chain oil isn't really thick but it's "sticky" so it stays longer.</p>


I buy my bar/chain oil by the gallon but transfer it to either ketchup or chocolate syrup bottles for ease in putting it in the saw. Just squeeze and you're all set.</p>


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Hi guys. Haven't been able to keep up with the forum the last few days, but cannot resist joining this thread about chainsaws. Around here they say there are three things you never loan--your chainsaw, your pickup, and your wife--in that order. </p>


With regard to frozen wood, I didn't know there was any other kind! :-) Almost all my wood cutting is done in the winter and I consider 0F to be just about ideal for working hard in the woods. As for bar oil, I only use bar oil which (I have always believed) is designed to stick more effectively on the chain. I have winter and summer weight oil. I also tend to follow BCZooms practice of having several chains on the go. In the field, when I start feeling sluggish, I simply exchange the chain. When I have three or four dull chains accumulated, I take them to a local sharpening guy who turns them around in a day or two for about $5 each. Try as I might, I have never been able to get my chains anywhere near as sharp as he does. Every now and again I try my hand at it and typically end up cutting in circles...</p>
 
finally had to pop in a new chain today i ddn't check to see if my files fits it or not i have two ad they are difernt sizes but i think sears had a 5 pack or diferent sizes. they are great for sharpening them blades.</p>
 
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