eucalyptus question

[Mike Vickery]

Me and a buddy collected some Eucalyptus the other day, if I had to guess an exact species I would say red gum
http://cals-cf.calsnet.arizona.edu/arboretum/plantwalk/plantdata.cfm?walk_number=61
but that is just a guess. The filed cutting was in very dirty conditions and I went through quite a few chains. I attributed this to the dirty conditions.

I was proccessing some of the log section yesterday and could not believe how quickly it was dulling my chain.

My question is, is this normal? I did not find anything online that mentioned it rapidly dulling tools. It seems fairly soft and cut well when the chain was sharp. Kind of worried something might be up with my saw but the oiler seems to be working fine and my bar does not seem to be in to bad a shape. I am kind of a chainsaw newbie though so wanted to double check.

[Bill Wyko]

I've only done 2 pieces with eucalyptus but when it was wet it was like soft butter but when it dried it got pretty solid stuff. You do have the chain on the right way don't cha.:D I've heard many stories of people selling their chain saws because they thought it didn't cut very well. Turned out they had the chain on backwards.:eek:

[Mike Vickery]

You do have the chain on the right way don't cha.:D I've heard many stories of people selling their chain saws because they thought it didn't cut very well. Turned out they had the chain on backwards.:eek:

Yes the chain is on the right way. You dont get very far cutting with them backwards.

Like I said cuts real easy to start but my chain went dull way to fast. Basically after proccessing one 20x20 log section into round bowl blanks a brand new chain was dull.

[Bill Wyko]

sometimes trees have dirt and metal that grew inside the tree. That can be hard to detect. It's possible that thats what causing your problem.

[joe greiner]

Are your shavings thick or thin? The vertical thing in front of the cutter controls the depth of cut. The cutter has a relief angle of about 5 degrees or so. As you sharpen each tooth, the cutting edge progresses downslope along the relief surface. Shavings get thinner and thinner, until the cutting edge is flush with the depth control, and then you get no more cutting; a little like setting a plane blade flush with the sole. Restore the depth of cut by filing down the depth control, maintaining its rounded approach. Some sharpening kits have a gauge for this, but if it's in line with the inside surface of the cutting edge, you've got enough.

That said, it doesn't take much dirt to wipe out a sharp chain in a hurry. Try excavating a stump with a chain saw!

Joe

[Mike Vickery]

Thanks Joe these two were actually brand new Stihl chains right out of the box, It was not the depth gauges. Probably just some of the sand left in the wood.
I roughed out a couple of bowls from it last night and the wood though fairly soft did seem to have a little dulling effect on my tools but not to bad.

[Martin Braun]

I wonder if carbide chains would be more durable out our way?

[Mike Vickery]

I looked into them at one time and they are really pricey. I am going by memory but I think it was $120 a chain (depends on the number of links)

I am sure the carbine would help on some of the tough wood we get like iron wood and some old growth mesquite. In general the regular chains seem to work fine.

[Dick Strauss]

Mike,
I think it was dirt and sand. The slightly loose rough bark on eucalyptus can trap debris, especially in areas that are windy or in sections of the trunk close to the ground.

[Paul Engle]

rakers on new chain should not need trimming so soon, usually about the 2or 3rd sharpening if sharpening was heavy, they will keep the teeth from biting in tho , if you got " dust" in stead of shavings then look at the raker line should be just below ( 1/32 to 1/16 of an inch) more and the saw wll get wayyyyy agressive on you)) ,the leading edge of the tooth. if its even you need to file slightly with #2 flat file take a little and try on tester log, if pullin left or right slightly file rakers oppsite of direction of pull , pulls left , file rakers on right facing teeth. works also if raker ok and still pulling just resharpen the opposite teeth dont take a lot off , one or two strokes and try again. Having worked in the woods logging , people have asked me how I cut logs so straight.... even sharpening and rakers.... flat square bar ...I let my saw man do it. he is faster , and exact. when you get paid by the bf , you do not have time to fiddle with saw.

[Lindsay Nelson]

:D
Mick, if that was indeed "Red Gum" the only tool you need is a 2" auger.....

You need that before you insert the plug of gelignite to work with "Bullet wood".....hehe.......Think it rates on the rockwell scale as somewhere between carbon & diamond when it's seasoned....:p

On a serious note where it's found in Ausralia it is growing alongside riverbanks & does tend to have sand, rocks etc embedded inside the timber itself, notwithstanding under the bark....Not sure whether the one you mention was by a river????.......That may explain the instant dullness of the saw.

In the early days it was used primarily as fence posts or boundary corner post strainers, not forgetting to mention it was also one of the best timbers for railway "sleepers"....damn stuff takes a long time to rot....If at all.

When seasoned it is a very beautiful timber varying from mid reddish to blood red in colour.
Best method is green turning to oversize & finishing when seasoned (usually 30 years lol...j/k).

Yes it does tend to blunt most tools rapidly..... seasoned or unseasoned