gouges in my alaskan upright

[gobbypunk]

Hi guys I was at a fair this weekend demoing my alaskan mill when it came to packing up I had to dismantle the mill to fit nit in my van and i noticed some gouges in the upright to my mill the bit with the numbers on it its the one at the saw end by the spacer block that lifts it off the bar it looks like the chain has been hitting it being new to alaskan milling what do you thing I am doing wrong is the chain to loose it doesnt look like is there something else I could be doing wrong THANKS in advance for your thoughts

Cheers Mark

[Rob D]

Can't see how the chain would have been hitting it - have you got any pics?

[gobbypunk]

Hi Rob I will take some pics a s a p

[gobbypunk]

here are some pics of the gouges

[Big Beech]

Chain too slack lookin at that.

Will give you a ring mark in the near future, may even be this week

[Rob D]

Chain too slack or perhaps a slight bend in the bar that is allowing the chain to de rail but that should not be happening!

[Goaty]

I've never had that on my alaskan. My smaller saws I tend to run chain tighter than most people. A tree surgeon did once tell me to run bigger bars 30inch etc alot slacker. It didn't work for me and I find long chains stretch more when warmed up anyway.

My expirence which is limited milling, tells me slack chain wears the drive links and shoulders of the chain and widens the bottom of the groove in the bar out. whilst making a mess of the timber.

 

Im not preaching, Im curious as to what others do or reckon.

[agg221]

That's the reverse side, rather than the cutting side. Suggests a combination of slackness and pinching - what are you using in the way of wedges, particularly at the end of the cut?

 

Alec

[gobbypunk]

Hi Agg I am using home made wooden wedges but now you mention the end of the cut I have had a few times when the saw has not come clean out of the cut sort of snagging up do you think I should get some new wedges or just tap them in further

Cheers Mark

[agg221]

Hi Agg I am using home made wooden wedges but now you mention the end of the cut I have had a few times when the saw has not come clean out of the cut sort of snagging up do you think I should get some new wedges or just tap them in further

Cheers Mark

 

Nothing wrong with homemade wooden wedges - you can even use snapped up twigs if you want, so long as the angle is shallow enough. They won't grip as well as ridged plastic ones but will work fine. You have to be careful not to drive the wedges in the first half of the log too far or you will wedge the second half downwards. You also need to take into account sagging and tension which can cause it to grip and pull the chain out of the back of the bar. If it's binding particularly at the end of the cut this is more likely to cause the mill to twist as it exits; if the chain is out of the bar groove it will then hit the mill.

 

Alec