Question
I bought a loop of carbide chain last year and used it to help an artist client break down a huge maple stump he wanted to turn into large table tops. That chain cut through some nasty wood, including a few whole rocks deeply embedded in the wood. The second loop was not so lucky, as it busted up pretty bad on a rock with less than four hours on it. The stock we got with the rock faces exposed we had cut through were very unusual and prized. However, I doubt that one could make a living at such a task.
It did get me to thinking about chainsaw milling with carbide. Anyone doing that? We are looking at contract cutting for a client who has a 60" diameter white oak, and wants it cut through and through. I have double ended bars 52", 66", and 84" and expect to use at least the two larger ones on the project. We bring along the Peterson to true up the cuts as we go and the whole process is very labor intensive. The wood is expected to be clean. I am expecting to get off almost twice as many cuts by not having to sharpen after every cut. But that chain is so expensive. The only source I am finding is Bailey's, and I will need a fifty foot roll, 3/8th full skip (about $1000.00), special order with a 10 degree angle on the teeth. I would really appreciate advice from anyone already doing this type of cutting.
Forum Responses
(Sawing and Drying Forum)
From contributor T:
I run a double ended 66" Granberg mill with two Husqvarna 394's. I have had great success with normal ripping chain and don't see the need to spend the money on the carbide chain. I didn't think that carbide could cut through rocks. Even if the wood does look nice with the rock, who's ever going to surface such a slab? Where are you located?
I would also like to hear any info on this chain. I don't understand it. I've heard of guys running it on a 20" bar or so, and hitting a nail imbedded in the wood only to see teeth fly off the chain. But like you said, there are the rescue teams using this stuff going through metal like it's nothing. It's got to be an entirely different grade of carbide and an entirely different grind style.
On a huge Lysiloma crotch, I found a chain in the center of one of the "Y" sides about one foot above the "V". In the middle of the 30" wide plank were the unmistakable sections of the chain. It was only about 1/4" chain, but the carbide coated chain went through it like the proverbial grass through a goose. The chain was not even dulled, much less missing teeth. This is not chain with a carbide insert, merely electrostatically coated with carbide. Worked as advertised, though. Actually, better than advertised.
For the rest of the sections of this crotch, I am going to cut close to the chain and then use a home made steel cutting hacksaw with a metal cutting blade to complete the cut near and through the remaining wood and steel. Finishing with a metal cutting sander belt will solve the finish/level problem. Then, I'll take a moment and thank God for modern polymers.
Yeah, I'm a freak about staying sharp milling big. It seems to take less time to sharpen before the teeth get dull than to wait until they are truly dull and have to bring them back.
Contributor J, I'm very interested in hearing more about using the carbide impregnated chain, as it is cheaper. Hey, if you can leave some chain dangling out of the board, you may have a real show piece.
Yikes - snow blower filled crotch wood sounds like a nightmare. By carbide faced, you mean an insert or electro impregnated? Rapco is the only manufacturer I have found and it is cheaper from Bailey's than directly from the manufacturer. Anyone know other options?
They have a complete line of chain, bars, parts, etc. I have dealt with them and am happy so far.
Comment from contributor R:
I know exactly where you are coming from. After milling a 3 foot yew tree and the chain blunting half way through very second slab (due to grit and soily cavities) I was ready to give carbide a go no matter the cost! I bought 25 foot of Rapco ripping chain with some other loops of different hardness to go on my other saws for normal cross cutting. My summary is that there is no need or reason to purchase such a chain for any use in forestry. I have since used Oregon multi cut chain (which has 3 times the chrome thickness on the top cutter plate) and this is far cheaper and still lasts a lot longer than ordinary steel chain. The baileys chain impregnated with tungsten follows the same principle although I have not tried this myself. The reasons I don’t use full carbide are as follows:
1. Carbide chain can never be sharpened to get as good an edge as steel no matter what you do. It is the nature of the carbide. It never cuts as fast as steel chain.
2. It is really expensive.
3. If you hit something then you break off/damage some of the carbide teeth and this usually results in buying a new chain.
4. You need special grinding wheels to sharpen it - although this is only a minor negative point.
5. The harder the carbide the more brittle and the more likely to snap or shatter when hitting something hard.
Despite all of our technology these days there is no everlasting ever sharp chain available - I really wish there was!
The main advantage is that it simply does not dull. When cross-cutting, I'll cut all day on one well-oiled steel chain without a problem and only have to sharpen once. But try the same chain (ground for ripping, of course) ripping a 24" diameter 16' log of hard white oak and even with a supplemental oiler 3/4 of the way to the end of the log, the steel chain is slowing down and you can just feel the heat coming off the bar when you finish. The carbide chain doesn't seem to care about the heat - it stays just as sharp as it was at the beginning of the cut. Couple that with the supplemental oiler and I'll mill for days and hundreds of boardfeet on a single sharpening. When it takes an average of 30 minutes just to pull the saw out of the mill apparatus so you can start the process of sharpening, you can see where this would be a huge timesaver.
