Cutting Oak

[maggies dad]

I have been cutting oak for the last 2 days for firewood. I have cut oak as long as I can remember, cause it is the tree we have the most of down here. I have been using my normal stihl round tooth chain( dont remember the number) but it is not the sissy low kick back chain. For some reason this wood has been eating my chains. I sharpened them and went to cutting and I get sawdust that looks like I was usein a circular saw. I thought maybe I was having a bad brian fart and used the wrong file or did something wrong, so I went back and sharpened them again. Same thing happened. So all I can figure is these are really hard trees, or I have lost my mind(entirely possible according to my wife). What chains do yall use in really hard wood? Would a chisel chain work better? I have heard that chisel chains ae tough to sharpen, true/false? Thanks guys.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Did you dress the rakers recent?

 

[maggies dad]

I dressed them the same time I sharpened the chain. I even went back and double checked them the second go, but they look fine.

 

[top_notch]

Just a guess, but it could be a windy sandy area or something and there's dirt in the bark. Seems if it were live oak you were cutting, especially the old ones the bark gets thick with ridges and could hold sand or dirt.

 

[MasterBlaster]

This is weird.

 

[woodworkingboy]

I really find that with Oak, grit in the bark crevices.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Yup... Gritty oak can ruin your day...
You running Oregon or Stihl chain?

 

[maggies dad]

I didnt even think about that, It was all sand where I was cutting, I think you may have solved my mystery. I am going to sharpen the chains again and cut some wood I have here at the house(that hasnt been around sand) and see if thats it. I sure hope thats it cause it's got me baffled.

 

[maggies dad]

Stihl chains CursedVoyce.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Try some Stihl or Woodsman Pro (re-badged Carlton I think) round chisel and it will hold up a tad better as well in dirty wood than the Oregon we get here in the states. IME

 

[NeTree]

Cut with the other end of the saw.

 

[maggies dad]

I am going to look at the woodsman Pro, I have been useing the Stihls for awhile, and really like them but they are alittle steep here locally. I cant believe I didnt think about the sand, I was about 40 miles north of the house and it was all sand. We just have Black dirt and rock where I live and work. Good to know I aint going daft. Thanks guys.

 

[maggies dad]

NeTree My buddy told me that my bar was upside down and that is why it wouldn't cut good. After the second round of sharpening I was ready to beat the logs apart with the handle though, but I figured Santa would put me on the naughty list and then I wouldnt get any new socks or undies for Christmas.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Your buddy was pulling your leg.

You should flip and dress your bar with every chain change.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

HAHAHA.
FWIW, if nothing else, the Woodsman Pro chain will save you some cash on the dirty wood. Why I use it in the bush. We cut shat like this full of dirt all day long and sharpen as we go....

 

[maggies dad]

Yep I do flip them over when I change the chain, My buddy is a goober.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Oh my bad.. they call it Woodland Pro now

 

[maggies dad]

CurSedVoyce that is some crappy looking wood, I am going to try and find out who sells Woodsman pro around here while Im sitting at the station tomorrow. It looks like I get a day at the retirement station so I will be bored for sure !

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Baileys...

 

[Al Smith]

If you're cutting dirty stuff semi chisel will hold an edge better than chisel .Fact older style chipper will do even better except you can't hardy find the stuff any more .

 

[Magnus]

That fact you sharpened it does not always mean it is sharp.
Each tooth must be razor sharp.

To check the depth guage you put a flat file across the chain so it cover two cutters or more, then you see distance between raker and file.
I have 1,5mm on oak or less as the fiber have trouble curling when thick and you get lots of vibration and slow cutting as result..

 

[dastevoe]

That fact you sharpened it does not always mean it is sharp.
Each tooth must be razor sharp.

To check the depth guage you put a flat file across the chain so it cover two cutters or more, then you see distance between raker and file.
I have 1,5mm on oak or less as the fiber have trouble curling when thick and you get lots of vibration and slow cutting as result..

1,5mm = .059" ????? That's quite a bite is it not ?

Steve

 

[sawinredneck]

A couple of others nailed this! I have the same problem, my source for chains sends me full chisel, I can run it fine here, clay soil. But when I hunt Oak for firewood, I have to file it semi, as others have said. The wind picks up the light sand and settles it on the lower part of the stump and flat tears full chisel up! You wouldn't think it would matter that much, but I assure you it does!

 

[woodworkingboy]

For a pure firewood cutter, semi chisel might be the better choice. So much cuttin' and less precision required.

 

[Al Smith]

Depends on what it is .Standing dead or down you're usually fine unless you keep kissing the ground .Stuff shoved around with a skid loader and pushed in a heap you're better off with semi .

I usually just file a lot rather than try and hunt up a semi chisel loop which I don't have than many of to begin with .