Chainsaw milling angle of attack ?

[toolsntat]

Just watching @Don McDermott getting his Oak milled and I got to wondering if there is an advantage in varying, where possible, the angle of attack whilst working down the stock?
I ask this based upon my experience of hand ripping timbers by hand and finding it easier, every few strokes, to change the angle of the saw especially when thick ripping.

https://www.thewoodhaven2.co.uk/threads/trading-wherry-lady-garnet.10513/post-180916

Cheers Andy
Edited to say thick not wide.

 

[Lurker]

Maybe the kerf that has been cut aids chips clearance for the new angle.
Certainly it’s something that I do when cross cutting logs and the like, but I haven’t given it much thought as to why.

 

[PAC1]

It might be easier but is it quicker?
I do not do much (any) hand ripping these days but as an apprentice I did and was told to get into a rhythm and keep going. Changing angle breaks that rhythm and whilst a few cuts become easier the loss of rhythm might make it slower. Especially as you would need to change angle regularly. The other issue was cutting a straight line is much easier if you have rhythm your saw follows its own line.

 

[Trevanion]

With chains and bandsaw bands in green wood, it’s always best to rip against the grain if possible. This way you’re producing short-grain chippings rather than stringy shavings which can clog the chain/band and slow down the cut rate.

 

[Don McDermott]

This is a very good question, not something I'd given much thought to. Obviously I know that the grain direction of the wood impacts how easy it is to cut, but whether it makes enough difference to warrant changing the angle every few cuts, I don't know. When I had that log milled in Norfolk, I don't remember them changing the angle. In the video you just watched, Ollie definitely didn't change the angle, but that entire piece was pretty much quarter sawn from top to bottom so he would have had no reason to.

 

[NickM]

I've done a bit of chainsaw milling. I did an ash log and that was really hard work. I found changing the angle helped a lot. However, I think you'd get a better surface finish if you keep the angle consistent.

The main issue I had was that the chainsaw I had was rubbish. It was very old and not powerful enough. With a good saw, I suspect it would have been a lot easier and maybe I wouldn't have had to change angle.

 

[RogerS]

I do know that if you are ripping as opposed to cross-cutting (ie the normal cut) that you can get special ripping blades with a different tooth setting

 

[NickM]

I do know that if you are ripping as opposed to cross-cutting (ie the normal cut) that you can get special ripping blades with a different tooth setting

That's right. I've used those for the milling I've done.

 

[Guineafowl21]

Just watching @Don McDermott getting his Oak milled and I got to wondering if there is an advantage in varying, where possible, the angle of attack whilst working down the stock?
I ask this based upon my experience of hand ripping timbers by hand and finding it easier, every few strokes, to change the angle of the saw especially when thick ripping.

https://www.thewoodhaven2.co.uk/threads/trading-wherry-lady-garnet.10513/post-180916

Cheers Andy
Edited to say thick not wide.

It does help a little, judging by the engine note of the saw. You’ll find yourself ‘shuffling’ it slightly - far corner, near corner, middle. It reduces the effective width of cut. If you go too far, as mentioned above, you’ll get ribbons, which are good for poultry nests, bad for clearing out from the cut.

Don’t forget to turn up your oiler, if you can, and occasionally pull back from the cut and let the chain spin up to get oil round it. Remember, the oil rate is determined by the speed of the chain, not the engine.

I do know that if you are ripping as opposed to cross-cutting (ie the normal cut) that you can get special ripping blades with a different tooth setting

I use a 10deg angle, skip tooth, on a 30” bar on the Husky 365.