54" and full comp?

[woodworkingboy]

Full comp seems to be preferred for ripping chain, including on long bars. Do they even make it in skip? Clearance is a big issue when ripping, and there is a lot of heat build up. Wonder how skip would work for that? Rougher cut perhaps....?

 

[HolmenTree]

The quicker sharpening with skip is what I particularly like.

I believe we beat this to death before
But like I said before for the arborist or firewood cutter no time is saved with less teeth to sharpen , when you gotta sharpen a skip chain more often because it don't hold a edge near as well as a full comp.

For the fellas in the PNW with your average clean cutting and large clean softwoods... keep running your skip chain.

 

[sotc]

Semi works fine for me

 

[HolmenTree]

Semi works fine for me

Willie, I had good experience with semi skip once. I remember years back when logging the company I cut for had a extended shutdown so I went falling for a contractor in northern Saskatchewan. Now most people may think of Saskatchewan as wheat fields and open prairie, but up north there is blocks of old growth white spruce that rival bigger timber in other parts of the country.
I bought a roll of semi skip from Madsens for this job. All I had to do was fell the trees and what I cut during the day kept a large grapple skidder and roadside de-limber operating for a 2 shift 20 hr day.
The semi skip Oregon worked flawless on the 28" b/c cutting that clean 24-42"dbh timber. Even found a couple of 60" near a dry creekbed..... limbs to eternity.

 

[Cut4fun]

I'm running full comp on my 880 with 42" but that is only because the local dealers don't carry skip chain, and I can't order Stihl .404 chain online. I'm running skip on my 395 with 32" bar and it easily outcuts the 880. I only pull out the 880 for the massive stumps too big for the 32" bar on the 395.

I would recommend skip chain if you can get it.

I know you like stihl chain. But take a look at oregon 59CJ if you get a chance. When dull, ground it round like you do.

Guy using 59CJ on 84" bar on 090 http://www.madsens1.com/pa_white.htm

 

[sotc]

For my operation it doesn't make sense to have two rolls of chain at a time. I run the same chain on all my saws from 260 clear up to one of my 090's. 660 with a 42" bar just doesn't make sense to run comp nor does it make sense to run full skip on the 260's so semi has been working well all around

 

[Al Smith]

Just as a note ,in my pile of stash I have a brand new 7 tooth 1/2" chain Oregon rim .I only assume it must have been for something like a 797 or 125 Mac back in the day .It would not have fit a Homelite or Stihl so that's about all that's left with enough power to pull it in direct drive .

 

[sotc]

I'd like to find hank of that someday

 

[Al Smith]

What,1/2" ? It's tough to find .Chipper maybe but the bike saw racers picked up about all the chisel years ago . It pulls a big old chip though ,I'll have to say that,takes some power now .

 

[Al Smith]

Just a comment on skip verses full .On my larger saws of over 100 cc I've ran both and really can't tell much difference .However they have the power .Recently I've been using a 32" on a souped up 038 Stihl mag which is pushing the limits for 72 cc's .

That saw pulls skip on that sized bar real well but it's doubtfull it would do well running full .

 

[sotc]

Yeah, 1/2"

 

[Al Smith]

About all I can say about that is you'd stand a better chance in the PNW as you would here in the corn belt finding any .GAS had a time just finding enough for a loop for a Mac gear drive .Flea bay I suppose .What little I have I'm going to horde .

 

[Tucker943]

Truth be told, Ive never run a skip chain in my life. Maybe i should try some. I bet my 288 would like some skip chain on its 32" bar. Ive always used a 36" bar on my assorted 660/395/394 saws with full comp and they've always cut just dandy. More often than not, my 288 comes on on the truck for bigger wood. Ya think some skip chain would be nice?

 

[Burnham]

Yup .

 

[flushcut]

I think your 288 would be happy with full skip.

 

[MasterBlaster]

You'll love filing it.

 

[Al Smith]

Well yeah you can file 32 skip in about the same time it takes to dress out a 20 full .It won't hold the edge as long though .On the other hand just how much do we on the right hand coast use a 32 or 36 ?

 

[Tucker943]

Id love to say I only slay big monsters but that just isnt the case. The longer bars tend to be used on stumps cut typically with a fat tree mixed in here and there through the month.

 

[flushcut]

That is about right. I have a few bigins lined up for this fall a fat willow and a big silver both are about eight foot plus at the root swell. I like to cut them low so grinding goes quicker. Sharpening the chain is what it is if it's bad off to the grinder.

 

[woodworkingboy]

First hacking off the bark will help save wear on the chain on long bars. I picked up the habit from some old timers who did it as a matter of course, but about half the time I can't be bothered now. The nata is a good tool for removing bark.

 

[Tucker943]

Jay, are there many talented climbers in Japan?

 

[Dave Shepard]

Full comp 20" has 36 cutters, full skip 32" has 35.

 

[Al Smith]

Speaking of cutters ,that chain on the bar of the saw in my avatar is 143 drivers of .404 .There's like 71 cutters .Talk about an eternity to file ,wears me out .

I can't imagine something like that mile and a half of chain Jerry B had on the 090 .Box of files,12 pack of beer and a whole afternoon .

 

[Ed L]

The 60" on my 084 is 175 drivers, even with full skip its a pita to file, especially if your doing it in the woods.

Even grinding it sucks, one has to cobble up a way to keep it off the floor so it feeds through the grinder.

Ed

 

[flushcut]

Meh, I enjoy the zen of sharpening.