Trying a rip chain

[Josh Bowman]

After a discussion with Bill Bulloch about his cool Christmas gift of a chain saw mill. I started looking for a rip chain. Really couldn't easily find one, but after talking with the local chain saw store guy, I decided to reshape the chain on my electric saw to 5 degree bevel and 10 degree slope, not certain how good I did.
Has anyone else ever tried this? The reason I bring it up is because it's a real pain to rip cut chunks of logs in half to prep them for bowl blanks. With a cross cut chain, the saw really bounces a lot and makes a very rough cut. I took the electric saw with the reshaped rip chain and cut a dry willow into a blank and found it did a very smooth job. This should help with larger blanks that are awkward to handle on the band saw. If anyone has any suggestions or improvements, I'd like to hear them.

[Michael Menzli]

Ive got the chainsaw mill and use ripping chain. Ive got a husky 372 and 24" bar. The ripping chain is specifically designed to cut and throw as fast as possible..so for every few cutters theres an actual cleaning type tooth. These are made to cut long boards...8 - 10 ft as well and clean out all of the dust..I will say this is hard work ...Not sure how sharpening down a standard chain will work ..just keep on eye on overheating. I buy all my chain off of ebay..typically in sets of 3. They do tend to last longer.

[Cody Colston]

You can find all things chainsaw related here... http://www.baileysonline.com/

Also, when cutting short logs into blanks, if you saw the log lengthwise instead of across the end grain, you will have a much easier time of it...easier on you and the saw.

For a great tutorial on chain-sawing blanks, go to Wood Central forum, Articles, The Badger Pond Article Archive. On the L\H column of aritcles open the one titled "From Log To Lathe" by Bill Grumbine.

I would post a link to it but the mods would only remove it since it is against the SMC TOS.

Hope this helps.

[Joe Bradshaw]

Josh, I took an older chain that I had and ground the teeth straight across. It works really well. Try it out.

[Joe Watson]

Can not comment about what you did, but while looking for a rip chain myself a couple months ago, i came across the site Cody posted and this one - http://www.toolcenter.com/RIPPING_CHAIN.html have not order anything yet, just thought i would post the link incase it helps.

_

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I have watched a friend use two chainsaws. One has a regular chain and one has a rip chain. The rip chain works well and as stated earlier is easier on you and the saw as a result.

[Ken Hill]

I use Baileys and recommend them as well. I use standard chain for bowl blank size pieces, ripping chain for slab work. For bowl blank size blanks I have not noticed a difference between the chains and save my ripping chains for when they are needed. If you learn to sharpen your chains properly, you can use regular chain and get results as good without the expense. I use a thinner kerf chain and bar on my Stihl 660 when slabbing, not sure you have that option with an E-saw

Good reading if you want to grab a file...

http://www.sawmillchainsaws.com/sawchains.htm

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Private-Gallery-2/DSC00026/817852428_vwqWT-XL.jpg

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Private-Gallery-2/DSC00039/825968664_XzzYk-O.jpg

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Private-Gallery-2/DSC00295/896771540_E9DZn-O.jpg

[Michelle Rich]

being a wilderness person, i cut mine to length and then use an axe to slit them. Much faster & cheaper

[Josh Bowman]

Thanks folks. This was exactly what I was looking for. Also good reading Ken. I think I'm on the right track. Cody, I do often cut the round in half long ways, but with my Stihl MS250, I find it clogs very easy with the long strings of wood. I seem to spend considerable time trying to avoid the clogs, also cutting down into the round allows for a more stable cut for me.

[Ken Hill]

Even with a ripping chain you will find clogs in green wood cutting in the manner we do. Cutting end grain is hard on the whole process, and dulls a chain very fast. I have a 250, havent noticed clogs more so then any other of my saws. I do take the time to fully block up the round so once I start the cut I can run the saw hard enough to keep it cleared out. Did you also check your raker depth? I drop mine even on a new chain.

I have also found stacking and stickering (sealing ends ofcourse) to be great for bowl blanks when left in 4 to 6 foot lengths. Most of my slabs go to guys wanting table tops or mantles but if I need blanks they are ready to go when I need them. Alot easier for me to store a 8 foot high stack of slabs then 80 smaller blanks as well LOL.

[Josh Bowman]

So I think what I hear is that a rip chain is not the solution to cutting short rounds into blanks, but to cut the short rounds from the side with a cross cut chain, keeping the saw clear of the stringy wood as you cut. However, if you want to store bulk blanks, using a mill with a rip chain and cutting 4 feet or great lengths is effective. I also think I hear that even though the rip chain cuts smoother on end grain, it's "high maintenance" due to dulling quicker makes it impractical for anything but slabbing with a mill?

[Ken Hill]

Cutting end grain will dull any chain quickly.

It is faster and easier to cut the log length wise but you will have to clear clogs here and there

Rip chain and milling is more for slab work or cutting dimensional lumber, however you can use those slabs as bowl /turning blanks if you so desire, just cut them to length equaly to the width of the slab. Running a chain saw mill takes alot of saw, the 250 wont do it very well but is perfect for regular bowl blank sized pieces.

Im heading out to cut a few now, I will take a few pics.

[Bob Bergstrom]

I help a friend of mine slab wood and have found a easier way than pushing the mill by the operator. Try tying a length of rope to the handle of the mill so the partner can wrap it around his waist and stand about 10' ahead of the saw when the mill begins to cut just lean back on the rope and you will pull the mill through the log. The operator just guides the saw with a lot less effort.

[Ken Hill]

Bob, setting the log on a decline alows the saw to flow with little effort to none from the operator. Once i get the cut started, i could easily lock the throttle and stand aside LOL

[Ken Hill]

Josh, all I had ready to cut was some limb crotches so the feathering will be more towards one side, but does include some end grain cutting through the limb. I also use a ton of wedged shape cut off's to block the wood. Just keep them from the tip or front portion of your cut as that will cause the saw to grab. The more solid you can block a piece as well as level it for each cut helps a ton.

Instead of a ton of pics, I just put them in a gallery

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Crotch-Cuts/20810281_GHB5wf#1651906218_gTXHvMT

[Hayes Rutherford]

Josh, before rip chain was commonly available (70's) it was common to make them by grinding like what you did, and turn every third tooth into a raker by grinding away the cutting part. These days I run what is called "skip tooth" on all my saws and tend to file it with slightly less bevel than factory specs for cutting log chunks length wise for wood turning. Skip tooth has only slightly less teeth than the more common "full comp" chain so it still cross cuts almost as smooth as full comp and there are less teeth to sharpen.

[Ken Hill]

Added a roughout from that cut to the gallery.

Hayes is correct, those of you who want to do alot easier cutting should spend sometime reading about sharpening and different loop configurations. Dull blades are no fun!

[Bob Bergstrom]

Well I live in Chicago area and I'm nog sure we "flatlanders know what a hill is? Yes that is always a good option when available. We also don't have any equipment to lift one end to prop it up. Most are urban wood with an occasional nail or two. OUCH.

[Ken Hill]

Haha yeah lifting one can be problematic, sure saves the back though! I have a metal detector and so far **knocks on wood** I havent had to cuss and complain. I did catch a piece of fence but that was my stupidity LOL