Rob D

Often it is the drive sprocket is at fault for bar wear/chipped bars/snapped chains. Particularly if the sprocket is in board and not easily seen. Always worth checking before you buy a new bar and chain.

First outing of tools today - great fun to use - can turn any bit of wood into something usable. Did a load of vids which I'll post later.

Have updated a few products here https://www.chainsawbars.co.uk/product-category/manpa/ This 4" cutter is actually the best buy at £74+vat and beats the arbotech on price https://www.chainsawbars.co.uk/product/mp21-4-8-circular-cutter/

Yep - I like how they choose 'relatively safe' rather than 'elatively dangerous'... I think these are smoother - for one thing the 4" version has x4 cutter heads rather than x3, the 3" and 2" cutters have x3 cutters instead of x2. The reach they have is better and with the extension you can be a long way away from the cutting teeth.

PS Like most new tools and equipment we'll do a decent pre order offer on all these for the first time round - waiting to here on lead time of first order... keep your eye on here.

I suppose at the other end of the scale on ebay you have this - which on the plus side is 'relatively safe'! £11.82 direct from Hong Kong can't be bad!

Our distribution company Always Greener Ltd have the distribution for Manpa power carving tools. I have the test order and they do look excellent. In fact so good I really want to use them myself! Drawback is - they will be expensive... not eye wateringly so... but there will be some wincing and sharp intakes of breath. But everything about them seems good - packaging, info, instructions. Made in Korea - am uploading them here https://www.chainsawbars.co.uk/product-category/manpa/ On the plus side they have tools I have never seen before - you'll be able to do things you never done before! So I guess there is a price to pay for innovation. That said they are not that much more than the Arbortech tools - but I always thought they were expensive! I suppose it comes to scale of production - but it's still hits you the angle grinder that powers it is 20% of the price of the tool on the end of it! The pros are - what a range of exciting tools to carve wood with! Have put together a playlist here:

The great thing about the Granberg is you can sharpen accurately while 'still in the mill'. Hopefully if this Vallorbe is a) not too expensive b) they could maybe convert it to 12v and have it so it will sharpen a bar while still on a chainsaw mill... I expect there are a few issues to over come doing that..

No idea.... it's not out yet. I am pestering the rep for Workwear who import/will be importing these.

You can't hear the noise the file makes on the video! If I can get hold of one I'll make a decent vid - less music and misty early mornings... I reckon this machine will be incredible. Depth gauges as well!! It would be amazing on big chains!

Haha - I think it would be hard to tell how it performed from that video... I expect it is very good - Swiss made, best files... Imagine if it worked? The design and R&D to go into something like this is 10s thousands... we could ask them to make a system for our chainsaw mills and rebrand.

I think this does the depth gauges at the same time... Looks to be compact but no idea of cost. Milling you could set it up on a chain and then it would be worth swapping - hope it sharpens to 10 degrees! 12 volt version would be good.

Well we'll start with 91 vxl and I guess progress from there! Again the big manufacturers could do with a carving ready chain. Stihl as usual leading the market with their 1/4 .050 RMS chain but there is nothing there for the Q tip bars...

Yep A question - why not use .325 .050 on Q tip bars? Most saws used already have a .325 drive sprocket...

I don't know - it's a first! They're designed for a mill with MS880 mount - I'll test them first. The powerhead will take out any bowing.

Thanks Si. I'd love to get some skip link lo pro chain particularly as we have some 64" lo pro milling bars on route (oh did I just say that silly me!) In the pipeline is some .325 .050 skip ripping chain... but we are still not quite the size we need to be to really get the big players to make chain for us. The thinner the chain the less it seems you need to alter the angle - I have used the 91vxl as it is for milling and it gives a lovely self feed cut in the vertical plane. Not used it on longer bars than 25"..

Not too bad to kick things off

How many listings you got now Steve?

Bumping this thread! I should have called it 'Most realistic ever wood carved nude sells for £100,000!' I got a leaflet to design folks - what chain do you use?

Well said - I have always thought there is no shortage of mobile sawmillers producing timber - there is no shortage of buyers for rustic things - there is a shortage of the middle man/wood worker who buys off the sawmillers and sells to the rustic buyers. That there is a big hole and also a big opportunity. The existing folks who do this it is often not as a business. I have found that the general public buy because a) they like the piece they are buying and b) the price is right. After they have bought it THEN they enjoy the story behind the wood ie. sustainable etc etc Rather than be moan this reality [I often did] we need to accept it. We need a couple of thousand of shops/people who can fill this middle area. I'm not sure how that will come about...

Thanks Si - I should have been more specific - which lo pro do you run and why?

They are the black none light type for now. The light type option from Cannon is still very new - we only have them in the small bars for this order.

You want to watch it as you may find other folk may start sending their slabs to him as well ? Great to see a shop/workshop specializing in rustic stuff - we need these out there x1000 and it would then generate the market for waney edged wood from small suppliers.

Well done Steve - it pretty much is always always down to the basics. Often folk will ask 'how often should I sharpen the chain' and the answer is 'when it's dull!' It's an irritating zen type answer - I did a Hornbeam the other day - had a new chain and milled the lot [4 hours] with no cutting issues or slow down. Very clean wood, no grit in the bark [which was smooth and thin] and no issues. A properly sharpened chain shares the wear - each tooth cuts it's weight - if a couple are longer or dull that means the other teeth have to do their job PLUS carry their lazy comrades along. It makes a big difference.

Talking about it IS doing something about it IMO.