Rip cutting with a chain saw

[Robert Stelzer]

I partially heat my house with a wood stove.

A friend dropped off about fifteen large pieces of what I think is cotton wood. The pieces are varied shapes, but about 2 ft. long by 18 in. sq. is an approximate description of the size of the pieces.

The pieces are probably from the base of a very large tree, probably with multiple fused trunks as the grain is very gnarly. I tried splitting several large pieces with wedges but found it extremely difficult. I also tried ripping it but it was very slow, producing fine dust cuttings like a dull chain. The chain cut like a sharp chain when I subsequently checked it for cross cutting. I have two Stihl chain saws, one with a 20-inch bar, and one with a 14-inch bar.

The local Stihl chain saw distributor at Ace Hardware was not very helpful when I inquired about ripping chains.

Does anybody have any helpful suggestions?

[Jebediah Eckert]

I use a regular chain but it has to be sharp. When rip cutting the log kind of rock bar Up and down so your cutting almost a corner of the top then the bottom, avoid using the whole length of the bar flat if that makes sense. It should produce long ribbons of chips. If you getting dust I suspect the chain is dull. A dull chain is more forgiving when cross cutting then ripping. Also you want to use a bar well longer then the log is wide. You don't want to buy the tip in the cut, it will kickback for sure.

[Ed Labadie]

You do not "rip" a block of wood from the end, it'll do just as you described.

For firewood blocks cut from the "round".....

pin oak2.JPG

Ed

[Judson Green]

do a Google search for ripping chainsaw blades it'll come up on the first page

[Jason Roehl]

What Ed said. If your chain seems sharp when cross-cutting, it will rip well as Ed pictured. You will, however, have to periodically clean the shavings out from underneath your saw or from around the saw clutch/sprocket area. If you try to rip from the end, you will get dust and it will be very slow-going.

[Wade Lippman]

I'd have to be pretty desperate before I would burn cottonwood. It will produce a lot of ash without much heat.
Don't know anything about ripping on a chainsaw; the one time I tried was discouraging.

While cottonwood is also pretty worthless for turning, if the grain is that interesting I would try for a couple bowl blanks.

[Ole Anderson]

I agree with Wade, cottonwood is a trash wood in almost every sense. But the stump grindings did make nice mulch. And I saved a 6" thick slab from the 42" main trunk. Not sure why or what I will ever use it for. It was just cool.

[Jebediah Eckert]

I can't see buying a specialty chain to knock up some Cottowood. The picture Ed posted Doesnt work for me, although that may be the proper way, I go from the corners and rock it through. Long ribbons, slower then cross cutting for sure, but it works. I don't even use a splitter much anymore, I find ripping faster while the saw is out. I guess if the ripping chain works better you'd either need 2 saws, or buck everything else and change chains, but that sounds like it may get frustrating. I mostly use one saw to fell the tree, limb, buck, and rip.

I probably don't cut like Ed's picture because I cut about 24-26" pieces and I don't have a bar that big. The OP said they are 2' long, I don't think that's going to be fun to do with a 20" bar. But at 18" across taking it from the corners would work, or at least it does for me. I'm cutting tomorrow, I will try and take a pic.

[Ed Labadie]

FWIW, The block I was cutting was Pin Oak, 20" long, I was using my 084 with a 24" bar, 404 pitch chain.

As Jeb said, going from the corners works when your bar is shorter than the block.

As for burning Cottonwood, I won't waste it, good for warm days in the OWB.

36" dbh, approx. 110' tall.....lots of burning, 066 with a 36" bar, full skip 3/8 pitch chain.

Ed

[Jim Matthews]

I agree with Wade, cottonwood is a trash wood in almost every sense.

I have also learned this the hard way.

Difficult to split, slow to season and quick to rot.

[Jebediah Eckert]

Stihl 066, now that a saw!

[Prashun Patel]

Plus one on jason and eds advice. Cutting into the end grain to rip a log will produce dust and works very badly. Lay the log on its side and rip from the bark side.

[Jebediah Eckert]

The OP doesn't have a long enough bar to do it that way.

[Frank Drew]

They make ripping chains, just as they make ripping hand saws and table saw blades, but can be difficult to find locally; some dealers seem to have no idea what you're talking about when you ask for one.

Ripping works best when you cut with the fibers rather than against them, if that makes sense; with the log on its side you start cutting, at an angle, from the near corner.

[Ken Massingale]

A 'ripping chain' is just a regular chain, sharpened to a 10 degree angle.

They make ripping chains, just as they make ripping hand saws and table saw blades, but can be difficult to find locally; some dealers seem to have no idea what you're talking about when you ask for one.

Ripping works best when you cut with the fibers rather than against them, if that makes sense; with the log on its side you start cutting, at an angle, from the near corner.