Thread: Backyard slabbing and File-o-plate sharpening

What is a" file-o-plate," could you post a close up pic?And how much do they cost and are they complicated to use ?

thanks mat

Mat, I meant to post this yesterday, but must have got carried away with something else???

Anyway here is a pic of one, there are different types for different chains, you'd be able to get one from forum member 'Sawchain' and as for instructions or further info just do a google of Carlton file-o-plate you'll get heaps of info

Yes they are a great idea for sharpening . Especially those depth gauges .found the lucas work shops most helpfull . Cheers bob

I was a bit amazed that even though the chain had been cutting like a dogs breakfast, I sharpened it and then used the file-o-plate on the rakers and it brought it back to cutting straight. I have to think it was using the file-o-plate as I don't think I did anything different in sharpening...

Originally Posted by bobsreturn2003

found the lucas work shops most helpfull . Cheers bob

Good to hear, I am going to do my best to get to the August 30 one over here, to many distractions at the wood show to go then

Originally Posted by Sigidi

I was a bit amazed that even though the chain had been cutting like a dogs breakfast, I sharpened it and then used the file-o-plate on the rakers and it brought it back to cutting straight. I have to think it was using the file-o-plate as I don't think I did anything different in sharpening...

Sigidi it might be worth having a quick look at the condition of your bar.
We encountered this same thing on the weekend. Got a phone call from a mate last week in NSW that he had a few good logs to mill, so up we went to give the Lucas a test out on some redgum and grey/blackbox.
After me a my mate travelled a bit over 5 hours to get there we were straight into it.
Everything was going fine for a while when we started to notice that at the end of the log the bar was dropping down about 5mm when it came out of the log at the end of the cut, the bar and chain were actually trying to climb up and out. This got worse untill it was trying to climb up about 15mm. Of all the places for something to go wrong it had to be 5 hours from home when your slabbing premo redgum when all your used to is Vic ash and messmate.
I always sharpen and use a filt o plate so i knew it wasnt that. After trying 5 different chains thinking that was the problem we decidded to turn the bar aronund and low and behold perfect straight cuts again.
The front side of my bar was quite worn, now i always run oil through on the bar but for some reason my chain doesnt seem to be lubicated enough, the tap on the oil bottle is on flat out and im using oil but i dont think im using enough.
Do the other Lucas owners have a wet chain all the way round, mine seems dry.

Cheers Stef.

Stef, maintenance isn't an issue with me, I make sure everything concerning the mill is maintained very well. As an example, the night before slabbing jobs, the bar is cleaned/inspected, flipped when the chain is worn out, dressed if needed (I do 2 dressings and send it off for the 3rd), oil tube is inspected/cleaned if required, tip and rollers cleaned and lubed, welds and bolts inspected. After every slabbing job, the chain is soaked in petrol overnight, sharpened, lightly oiled, then coiled ready to use on the next job. So I knew the dodgy cutting I was getting from the chain I mentioned wasn't from needing to dress the bar, just off sharpening on my part. I'm sharpen by hand and am no expert and that's why I send the bar off periodically in case I have started to dress it badly. I don't send my chains off as the times I have, the cutters came back blue from too much heat, again I'm not expert, but I figure that isn't good for the life of the chain or the length of time it can hold it's edge.

As for your oil issue, I modified my bar a bit. In the early days I felt I wasn't getting enough oil onto the drive teeth, the cutters seemed to be wet, but that doesn't really help does it? So I took to the tip of the bar which is ground out for the oil to be picked up by the drive teeth. I used one of those mini grinders to grind the groove a bit further in, being careful not to make it wider, but to make it so more of the drive tooth was able to suck up the oil.

Secondly, I also found the plastic tube from the oil bottle always seemed to want to extend away from the groove and put more oil on the teeth, so I made a 3" coil of soft fencing wire, inserted the plastic tube inside it and then was able to get the tube to hold its shape and this kept the tube right over the oil pickup for the chain.

The last thing I have done is I recently added a 'collar' to the end of the oil tube (just a 1" long bit of larger pipe that snugly fits over the end of the oil tube from the tap) when I put the chain on, I slide this 'collar' down snugly onto the chain. I figure this stops excess oil from being able to 'spill' away from the feed groove and also once the chain is running, it could generate a bit of venturi force to 'suck' the oil into the groove.

Some of these things may help get more oil into the bar groove and onto the drive teeth.

Originally Posted by Sigidi

Stef, maintenance isn't an issue with me, I make sure everything concerning the mill is maintained very well. As an example, the night before slabbing jobs, the bar is cleaned/inspected, flipped when the chain is worn out, dressed if needed (I do 2 dressings and send it off for the 3rd), oil tube is inspected/cleaned if required, tip and rollers cleaned and lubed, welds and bolts inspected. After every slabbing job, the chain is soaked in petrol overnight, sharpened, lightly oiled, then coiled ready to use on the next job. So I knew the dodgy cutting I was getting from the chain I mentioned wasn't from needing to dress the bar, just off sharpening on my part. I'm sharpen by hand and am no expert and that's why I send the bar off periodically in case I have started to dress it badly. I don't send my chains off as the times I have, the cutters came back blue from too much heat, again I'm not expert, but I figure that isn't good for the life of the chain or the length of time it can hold it's edge.

As for your oil issue, I modified my bar a bit. In the early days I felt I wasn't getting enough oil onto the drive teeth, the cutters seemed to be wet, but that doesn't really help does it? So I took to the tip of the bar which is ground out for the oil to be picked up by the drive teeth. I used one of those mini grinders to grind the groove a bit further in, being careful not to make it wider, but to make it so more of the drive tooth was able to suck up the oil.

Secondly, I also found the plastic tube from the oil bottle always seemed to want to extend away from the groove and put more oil on the teeth, so I made a 3" coil of soft fencing wire, inserted the plastic tube inside it and then was able to get the tube to hold its shape and this kept the tube right over the oil pickup for the chain.

The last thing I have done is I recently added a 'collar' to the end of the oil tube (just a 1" long bit of larger pipe that snugly fits over the end of the oil tube from the tap) when I put the chain on, I slide this 'collar' down snugly onto the chain. I figure this stops excess oil from being able to 'spill' away from the feed groove and also once the chain is running, it could generate a bit of venturi force to 'suck' the oil into the groove.

Some of these things may help get more oil into the bar groove and onto the drive teeth.

Ok thanks Sigidi im gunna take to my bar this arvo with the trusty dremel get a bit more oil flowing in that sucker..
My oil tube seem to sit right on top of the bar is that normal or should it sit slightly above the bar so more oil can drip out and then onto the bar and into the oil gallery.
As for the maintanence i thought i was doing enough maybe not, prehaps a bit more.
Oh well this is a big learning experience so far just glad most of the answer are on this form for me to find.

Cheers Stef.

Check the chain for sideways movement in the bar groove, put a straightedge (SE) across the bar & if the cutter teeth can lean away & not touch the SE then you will have problems with a wandering cut & no amount of dressing will fix the bar, its either a new bar or close the groove to correct the gap with a roller. The chain doesnt have to be externally wet from oil when working, just the bar groove, rails & the internal pins & bushes. You will know if there is not enough oil as the chain will begin to smoke from overheating & become loose, also the wear on the part of the chain the touches the bar will be accelerated, plus the bar groove, plus the thickness of the chain drive link that goes in the bar groove
regards inter

You could check the oil flows freely , if the chain is smoking its costing you big money , cheers Bob