brush saw blades

[newforest]

How much cracking of the blade can be tolerated? I work in Oak quite a bit with brush-saws and the blades develop cracks. I'm not sure how much is safe. The instructions are to 'replace cracked blades'. But I would be doing this before even 2/3 of the life of the teeth. Hard to decide. Any thoughts?

[Scooter]

I've never worked with a cracked blade, but I can only assume that it would be a death wish. At the speed those rotate, if one ever separated, a piece would probably fly about half a kilometer, unimpeded. Chances are low that could happen, but do you watch CSI? I wouldn't want to play the odds.

[newforest]

yeah I hear that but where to draw the line is a tough question. at the first sign of the first 1/2" long hairline crack? at that point I don't think they are about to fracture just yet.

[Almaguin]

Under no circumstances would I use a cracked blade.

I have performed PCT since 99 and having had a serious "fluke" accident while, performing BC Hydro slashing, using a chainsaw, I would not take on greater risk in any areas involving mechanized tools with cutting edges.

This summer my primary PCT "kills" were hard and soft maple, cherry, white birch and ironwood etc. Red Oak was maintained.

Although occasional "bad" blades may be an occurance this should be an extreme rarity.

I would look at altering and developing technique. Approaching your hardwoods as hardwoods and not as conifers.

Use undercuts more, consider blade kerf and of course maintain razor sharpness. Hardwoods are much less forgiving for the PCThinner, requiring greater technique and understanding of weight distributions.

Is it really worth $22 to risk 13000 RPMs of indifferent "revenge"?

Stuff happens faster than you will ever move....

[Chocolatej]

Yep, I don't think any amount of cracking is safe. Depending on the saw you're using, you may want to test different brand blades out. I know this summer, my PCT supervisor bought a dozen cheapo blades (I forget the exact brand) for a fleet of Stihl FS550s and we didn't even bother using the last few because of how quickly they were cracking. The longest use one of them got was about 3 days and it still cracked after hitting its first rock. That compared at 3+ weeks when using a Stihl brand blade.

I can't tell you at all what the difference would have been between blades, but in this case it surely wasn't technique at fault.

[newforest]

thanks for the thoughts. the problem I was having was with Husqvarna blades...I suspect they changed and went a little cheaper in their supply chain on the steel involved, they have been doing that with now two basic lines of equipment, consumer and pro. Not sure how to go more 'premium' on a blade supplier, though I want to try Stihl blades if the arbor size will match.

Though there is a design question too....the blades with an extra U-shaped divot in front of the tooth crack really quick. The older style without this design feature in front of the tooth last a long time. I just retired one due to a tooth almost disappearing from sharpening (every tank for me).....not a single crack yet.

For technique, I have realized it is just quicker to keep a chainsaw with the fuel. Skip any hardwood over a certain size and it will actually be quicker to walk around and nip a few here and there with the chainsaw then to saw all the way through with a brushsaw that can get it done.....but not all that fast.

I'm working in a lot of hardwood right now on a habitat project for an endangered butterfly. Since the prescription includes cutting diameters no brushsaw will ever touch anyway, it is a piece of cake as I have to just keep each saw handy anyway.

Fortunately, no thick Ironwood. Yuck. I like to skip them and rationalize that they are a sub-dominant in the canopy, and they supply a great food source for the Grouse....



Dragging all the brush created though - now that is some hard work. Still working on figuring out production rates. But of course, every single site is completely different...

[Almaguin]

For technique, I have realized it is just quicker to keep a chainsaw with the fuel. Skip any hardwood over a certain size and it will actually be quicker to walk around and nip a few here and there with the chainsaw then to saw all the way through with a brushsaw that can get it done.....but not all that fast.

In your prescriptions, up to what diameter at breast height, DBH, are you responsible for???

AND

Are you still using, or prefering, a Husqvarna 345???

I want you too make more money/day or be more efficient, that is why I ask.... i.e. I am not keen on a two tool approach if one, or a different one can work... because of repetition of coverage of land for starters etc.

345 may just be too small an engine.... being a "HUSKY MAN" you may consider======>> 355

Some stuff in here: http://www.arboristsite.com/chainsaw/126894.htm

I have read differing reviews on 355, but I believe it often comes down to operating skill, the tools capabilities [and how far that can reasonably be stretched] and the operator's mechanical abilities....

Running a Stihl 550 I have to kill hardwoods up to 4" DBH although I think I could if I had to knock down hardwood with a 5" DBH which may mean 7"-8" @ butt on a production level basis.

and about BLADES... yes the market does have "bad" steel.... pay the 4 bucks more to get quality...maybe a quality blade is one bushing away... and [pet peeve] consider getting a STIHL kerf setter not one of those combi file holder blade benders, garbage. I think they cost about $12-15 and start resetting when you have 1/2 your blade gone and also watch that, at 2/3 to 3/4 usage point, metal between teeth is not becoming a "false" rider, this is where that "divot" can aid as a starting point for flat filling to allow for tooth to tooth clearance.

Kerf is key I find, as hardwood squeezes kerf dramatically more than softwood....

SwampDonkey has lots of ideas about this work.... contact him....

Regards to you U.S. FORESTER....

[Almaguin]

SORRY FORGOT

I believe the arbor's vary by about 1/5 of an inch, approx. 5 ml.

Dont have the 2 blades in front of me....

[newforest]

I'll have to start shopping on the internet, cuz obviously my saw shop(s), where I am the only customer that even owns these types of saws usually, can only get blades straight from Husqy. I was really hoping the Stihl might be the same. I am going to hand in a whole pile of blades to my saw dealer and tell him I replaced them all with ones from Stihl, tell him to give them to his company rep, and ask him what brand of saw they think I will be buying next time....

It isn't the blade design, that's for sure, I had a new one purchased last winter but not used yet go on a saw this week. It had the original design of the one blade I have retired lately with teeth too small but zero cracks. On the new one, numerous cracks on just the second day in use....has to be the steel. No rocks, but I am working on previously cut stump sprouts; cut by prisoners supervised by government employees = no standards at all on how the work was done last time, so lots of high stumps that get hit.

The 345 has enough power for anything I need to do in a brush-saw sized stand usually, where my local Federal forester writes prescriptions of 5" 'at ground level', which is a little weird way to do it. Just skipping a half-dozen bigger stems per tank and then getting them with a chainsaw while you walk the gas forward seems simpler. You use the chainsaw so little that you don't need to drag the bar oil around too, a tank will last all day. The chainsaw will be in the pickup already anyway.



My current job is a little unusual. It is 'opening' maintenance to benefit an endangered butterfly. The plant the butterfly (Karner Blue) larva depends on gets shaded out in the absence of fire. So we are simulating fire by cutting, on up to 10" DBH on a few sites. All sites have Rx including girdling some medium diameter stems while dropping a few larger ones, taking off all the branches, and then leaving the log as-is for habitat for other wildlife. So each acre usually requires both saws anyway right now.

[burnout]

Hey Now Newforest.......................Stihl Blades are the best (IMHO) Husky & Windsor are not good. We use the the blades that are 3 tongs (looks like a throwing star but bigger) Husqvarna is going to a new line of saws. Self adjusting carbs and a whole new head system (slanted) Hello Stihl 460
Keep in touch Newforest....Cheers

[newforest]

definitely Kevin

that link to the arborist site was really handy, thanks! anyone running saws could really use that forum.....heavy traffic from heavy saw users, very useful

picking up some Stihl blades in the morning, they offer 20mm and 25.4mm arbors, just as Husqy does. It should be a while before I wear out my 345s though, so no switching saws anytime soon.