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Aftermarket bumper spikes/dogs


Farm Logger
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Haha 
Wow, thanks. 
 
I’m not looking to ‘pimp’ my chainsaw. I’m logging fallen and mature trees and getting slip due to the heavier bark and scuffing the front of the bodywork. I’m looking for more bite into the timber through the bark, without having to bark strip every log cut. I’m a little disappointed I had to justify my choice to modify my own saw. The ‘experts’ don’t cut you much slack on here. 

You’re not having to “justify” but merely explain why your chosen Avenue of ‘upgrade’ might be seen as unwise from the ‘experts’ who’s advice you seek.
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3 hours ago, peatff said:

If you read my sig I'm a weekend warrior and not a regular but I do cut some decent size wood and if the mature trees you are working on are any age they need something more substantial than a 435. My 135 is only on a 13" bar and any decent size mature trunk gets treated to the 044 or MS460 with 20" bar. The ebay dogs are a bargain, please rush me 2 sets

 

I’m only limbing for own use firewood and to allow me to forward the trunks to an access sight for onward processing by a firewood supplier. Due to a back injury I’ve very little forearm power on either side so I researched ways to aid my work, more pronounced bumper spikes would apparently give me more bite through the bark to let the saw get purchase to work without the necessity for me to have to add much downforce myself. Long winded but that’s the reason I joined, to get an insight into how others approached ‘upgrading’. Safe to say it sounds like I’m up a creek without a paddle on the upgrading front. 

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I’m only limbing for own use firewood and to allow me to forward the trunks to an access sight for onward processing by a firewood supplier. Due to a back injury I’ve very little forearm power on either side so I researched ways to aid my work, more pronounced bumper spikes would apparently give me more bite through the bark to let the saw get purchase to work without the necessity for me to have to add much downforce myself. Long winded but that’s the reason I joined, to get an insight into how others approached ‘upgrading’. Safe to say it sounds like I’m up a creek without a paddle on the upgrading front. 



Have you considered a more powerful saw? Others have mentioned it but 40cc saws are fine for ringing up branches etc. Something like a Stihl 362 and you’d be laughing. Lightweight and powerful. You’d also have the size of spikes you’re after. [emoji16]
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12 minutes ago, trigger_andy said:

 

 


Have you considered a more powerful saw? Others have mentioned it but 40cc saws are fine for ringing up branches etc. Something like a Stihl 362 and you’d be laughing. Lightweight and powerful. You’d also have the size of spikes you’re after. emoji16.png

 

 

It is an option to consider, though my father in-law using my 435 gets on great doing the job. It’s on a 15” with new bar and chain. It’s maybe just something I’ll need to admit to not being able to do anymore. Promote myself to winch remote operator and move on maybe 😂

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It is an option to consider, though my father in-law using my 435 gets on great doing the job. It’s on a 15” with new bar and chain. It’s maybe just something I’ll need to admit to not being able to do anymore. Promote myself to winch remote operator and move on maybe [emoji23]


You should really try a 60cc saw, or even something in the 50cc range before giving up. It’s a night and day difference. I can noodle through oak with a blunt chain with a 362 without it bogging down.
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2 hours ago, Farm Logger said:

I’m only limbing for own use firewood and to allow me to forward the trunks to an access sight for onward processing by a firewood supplier. Due to a back injury I’ve very little forearm power on either side so I researched ways to aid my work, more pronounced bumper spikes would apparently give me more bite through the bark to let the saw get purchase to work without the necessity for me to have to add much downforce myself. Long winded but that’s the reason I joined, to get an insight into how others approached ‘upgrading’. Safe to say it sounds like I’m up a creek without a paddle on the upgrading front. 

 

What type and brand of chain are you using, and is it sharp, with the rakers/depth gauges taken down correctly?

 

If the saw's not being overworked in terms of bar length, and it's taking a lot of force to cut (and as such needing bigger spikes to dig in for leverage) maybe it's just not cutting well?  When the chain's sharp you should be able to dog in the spikes and give little pressure on the handles and it'll work its way through easy.

 

Does it cut well just pushing in the cut and not trying to lever it using the spikes?

 

20201222_152016.thumb.jpg.733ff25702d6b37c02c5f420471556d8.jpg

 

Saw and logs in that pic, i'd just sharpened the chain and it was eating through that log very quickly using almost all the bar length and i could cut using just the back handle and very little upward pull on the handle. So i wonder if the chain is not sharp enough and that's taking more effort to cut? (Granted that's a much bigger saw, but it's also a bigger bar.)

 

If you want bigger spikes you can send me your existing ones and i can cut 'n' shut weld with some spares i've got off bigger saws (will have to check what i have.) but bear in mind that an extra inch of spikes means one less inch of useable bar length.

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I get why you are wanting to upgrade but it sounds like you are having chain sharpening issues more than anything. My 261 cuts under its own weight, if I dig the dogs in to get leverage then it just bogs and gets stuck in the cut. If you're digging in the dogs to the point you're up to the casing and still not getting enough leverage you definitely either have a blunt chain or you don't have the rakers filed down enough. If you're still cutting and you need more leverage to bury the bar then take some more off the rakers because you still haven't taken enough. 

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If chain sharpness / condition is in doubt just get a new chain ... 

Its a small outlay before admitting defeat.

Just coz someone else can push harder on a bar and get it to cut that doesn't mean it's the right way to go about it. Are you getting nice 'chips' of wood or saw 'dust' out the back ?

 

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