Chain tension

[gobbypunk]

Hi guys I have another one was milling some big oak yesterday and had to keep adjusting my chain tension could this be down to me having a solid nosed bar not a sprocket nosed I think Rob D mentioned something about it when I did a day with him but that was ages ago Thanks in advance for your thaughts

Cheers Mark

[Agent-Arb]

Hi guys I have another one was milling some big oak yesterday and had to keep adjusting my chain tension could this be down to me having a solid nosed bar not a sprocket nosed I think Rob D mentioned something about it when I did a day with him but that was ages ago, Thanks in advance for your thaughts

 

Cheers Mark

 

 

Hi Mark,

 

Yes.

In big oak it's working hard, a sprocket makes it that little bit easier. It could be lack of oil in the bigger timber making your chain hot which expands metal meaning you need to take up the slack.

 

I use an old 076AV for milling which has a thumb pump on the saw for giving extra oil when needed & a sprocket on the longer bars. But the above can still happen. On really broad lumps I'll do a couple of feet at a time then run the saw a bit without cutting for a minute or 2, & do the same after each board. This lubricates the chain & cools the saw.

You could consider an auxiliary oiler that fits in the nose, I've never seen or used one so don't know if any good - but cheaper than a new bar with a sprocket.

 

 

All the best,

Conrad

Edited September 10, 2014 by Agent-Arb

[agg221]

Agree entirely with Conrad. Check that your oiler is on max and is working properly, but assuming so, a 'quick fix' I have used is every time you rest the saw, dribble a bit of chain oil on the exposed bit of the nose (you'll need something a bit more subtle than the 5l oil bottle). If the first time you do it, it smokes, it is definitely too hot! It will keep the tension a lot better this way.

 

Alec

[gobbypunk]

Thanks guys I kind of thaught that was what was going on will have to get a sprocket nosed bar from Rob D only £200 money well spent how much heavier would an aux oiler make the mill set up its heavy enough as it is

Cheers Mark

[Rob D]

I don't think you need the oiler really - but get that winch on as it's a life saver I did another vid on this here - takes 20 mins max!

 

 

 

 

 

[skyhuck]

Hi Mark,

 

Yes.

In big oak it's working hard, a sprocket makes it that little bit easier. It could be lack of oil in the bigger timber making your chain hot which expands metal meaning you need to take up the slack.

 

I use an old 076AV for milling which has a thumb pump on the saw for giving extra oil when needed & a sprocket on the longer bars. But the above can still happen. On really broad lumps I'll do a couple of feet at a time then run the saw a bit without cutting for a minute or 2, & do the same after each board. This lubricates the chain & cools the saw.

You could consider an auxiliary oiler that fits in the nose, I've never seen or used one so don't know if any good - but cheaper than a new bar with a sprocket.

 

 

All the best,

Conrad

 

Take care!!!

 

Tightening a hot chain is pretty risky, the chain will shrink when it cools, this can bend the crankshaft!!!

[gobbypunk]

Thanks Rob Will get winch set up for next time I use the mill I have some ceder of leb to do for myself as soon as I get some time buliding a lean to in my yard at mo , Hi skyhuck what do you think I should do then as I cant mill with a slack chain

Cheers Mark

[skyhuck]

Thanks Rob Will get winch set up for next time I use the mill I have some ceder of leb to do for myself as soon as I get some time buliding a lean to in my yard at mo , Hi skyhuck what do you think I should do then as I cant mill with a slack chain

Cheers Mark

 

My advice would be if you tighten the chain when hot, loosen it before it cools

[gobbypunk]

HI Skyhuck so while milling even with a short break between planks ,coffee etc the chain would not cool over much so as long as I loosen the chain at the end of the day it should not dammage my crank I hope what do you think

Cheers Mark

[Rob D]

Those solid nose bars do behave strangely - I think they were good back in the day when saws did not rev so high and sprocket noses on bars failed more easily....

 

These days they are a pain - the chain goes tight - you slacken it - the chain runs then starts hanging off the bar - you tighten a little - suddenly it goes really tight!

 

You just can't win! You can only look to manage the bar as best you can - ie keep altering chain tensioner to suit.

 

Stihl are behind the times here not producing a 4ft sprocket nose bar - they have the 36" and 59" so why not a 48"? It's odd....