by Skywatcher » Fri Dec 29, 2017 3:07 pm
Hi Hanz
In the woodworking community, like furniture and cabinet makers, when they're setting up routers, circular saws and other such power tools, there's a sweet spot in the cutting speed known as the correct chip loading. For example, when using a router with a new sharp cutter and the correct RPM, if the cutter is pushed through the wood too slowly, the wood will burn and the cutter overheat. On the other hand, if the cutter is pushed too fast, the wood will start to tear, the router will likely overload and burn out the motor. With the correct chip loading, the cutter makes smooth even cuts and most of the heat is carried away from the cutter by the wood chips. If you've ever caught the chips as they're flying from a router, you'll have noticed they are actually quite warm.
The same applies to the cutters on a chainsaw chain. Even if the cutters are nice and sharp, if the depth gauges are set too shallow, it has the same effect as pushing the cutters through the wood too slowly and will end up burning the wood and overheating the cutters. If the depth gauges are set too deep, it's the same as pushing the cutters through the wood too fast. Although tearing of the wood is not an issue when cutting firewood or the like, overloading the powerhead will usually result in burning out the clutch and clutch drum. I have seen where a chain has actually broken due to the depth gauges being set far too low. The saw kept stalling out every time the operator put the saw into the wood, so he brought the saw up to full RPM then dropped it into the wood at which the chain broke and wrapped around the log. Could have ended much worse.
When setting the depth gauges, you have to take into account; 1—type of chain*, 2—size of engine, 3—length of guide bar, 4—type of wood being cut, 5—moisture of wood being cut. All these should be taken into account in order to best match the equipment settings to the task at hand.
* Type of chain refers to cutter sequence—full house, standard sequence, skip sequence. Type of cutter— full chisel, semi chisel, chipper or ripping. Hope this helps point you in the right direction,
Sky
A person who sees Quality and feels it as he works is a person who cares.
A person who cares about what he sees and does is a person who's bound to have some characteristics of Quality.
Robert M. Pirsig. (Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance)