Author Topic: Sharpening your chainsaw. (Read 4309 times)

Pat/Rick · « **Reply #30 on:** January 17, 2011, 11:21:30 AM »

The biggest thing I have found with the HF sharpeners is the tension you use when you push/pull the blade into the teeth with. You need to be consistant with the pressure. If you pull a little harder than other times you can easily make one side or the other "hungrier" and that will cause your saw to cut crooked/slanted. Also as mentioned the HF sharpeners use a 1/8" wheel. Most of my chain comes with a 5/32" cut so I file sharpen until a chain is trashed, then I use the HF sharpener and reset the cut to 1/8" . Mostly sharpening chain is just attention to detail until you've done it a few times. Like most everything else, it gets easier. The last time you figure to sharpen a chain is the time you should hang it up and save it for stump roots, brushing and close ground work. Better to change a few old chains than to trash a new(er) one.

bigbird09 · « **Reply #31 on:** January 17, 2011, 02:46:18 PM »

Not sure about around you but they make 3 different sizes disks for the chain sharpeners. We have them at are local "farm store" but I'm not sure how mandrel sizes vary between different sharpeners.

myronman3 · « **Reply #32 on:** January 17, 2011, 04:01:57 PM »

Quote from: Old Syko on January 17, 2011, 10:52:37 AM

Quote from: charles p on January 17, 2011, 10:23:20 AM
Don't you hate it when a neighbor asks to borrow your chainsaw. You can tell them not to let the chain touch the dirt, but you know they will do it.

Funny thing Charles. Maybe I'm just weird, but there are just a few things I refuse to loan out and my saws are one of them. I'd loan them my truck at the drop of a hat but not my saws. Even sounds strange to say so.

agreed. no one but me uses my saw. period.

FourBee · « **Reply #33 on:** January 17, 2011, 04:53:54 PM »

Two of my best friends borrowed my chainsaw for a whole day. They didn't destroy it, but it got ruffed up somewhat. I never said anything, just smiled. For some (guilty) reason they never did ask to borrow it again.

The 1/8" grinder disk covers a variety of chain pitch. The .325" pitch and 3/8" pitch (90 - 91 - 92) take the 1/8" wheel. The 3/8"standard pitch according to my instructions lists both the 1/8" and the 3/16" wheel.
The .404" takes the 3/16" and the 3/4" uses the 1/4" grinding wheel.

Pat/Rick · « **Reply #34 on:** January 17, 2011, 05:52:19 PM »

bigbird, I haven't looked for any other sizes of grinding wheels for mine yet, I suppose I should. I got to get my garage built first before I get the rest of my "goodies" out of storage and back up and running. I'll check Coastel and if they don't have one, I can go to a tool supply shop or maybe Graingers.

turk762 · « **Reply #35 on:** January 20, 2011, 05:27:39 AM »

Quote from: myronman3 on January 17, 2011, 04:01:57 PM

Quote from: Old Syko on January 17, 2011, 10:52:37 AM
Quote from: charles p on January 17, 2011, 10:23:20 AM
Don't you hate it when a neighbor asks to borrow your chainsaw. You can tell them not to let the chain touch the dirt, but you know they will do it.

Funny thing Charles. Maybe I'm just weird, but there are just a few things I refuse to loan out and my saws are one of them. I'd loan them my truck at the drop of a hat but not my saws. Even sounds strange to say so.

agreed. no one but me uses my saw. period.

I also agree 100%

My Dad once had a chainsaw that he mixed regular motor oil (to lazy to run to town) dont know what kind of damage was done, but he brought it to a shop and said his kids did it so he didnt look stupid. He will run a chain thru the dirt, and not think anything of it. And he takes care of his own stuff better then he takes care borrowed things. He will bring it back and say that it broke and leave. never, never, never.

bigbird09 · « **Reply #36 on:** January 20, 2011, 06:19:23 AM »

Quote from: turk762 on January 20, 2011, 05:27:39 AM

I also agree 100%

My Dad once had a chainsaw that he mixed regular motor oil (to lazy to run to town) dont know what kind of damage was done, but he brought it to a shop and said his kids did it so he didnt look stupid. He will run a chain thru the dirt, and not think anything of it. And he takes care of his own stuff better then he takes care borrowed things. He will bring it back and say that it broke and leave. never, never, never.

Motor oil doesn't mix well with gas, so it would have seperated out pretty quickly and not lubricated the top end, if he was lucky it would have just burnt the ring and maybe put a few scratches in the cylinder, at worst would have be a burned up piston a scored cylinder and bit of metal setting in the top end, which could have ate the bearings up in the crank if it ran for very long.

oh also wanted to add that you can as well do this by running cheap 2-stroke oil in your saw, it may not do it as quickly but it can cause premature wear.

scootrd · « **Reply #37 on:** February 14, 2011, 12:37:20 PM »

Quote from: myronman3 on January 17, 2011, 04:01:57 PM

Quote from: Old Syko on January 17, 2011, 10:52:37 AM
Quote from: charles p on January 17, 2011, 10:23:20 AM
Don't you hate it when a neighbor asks to borrow your chainsaw. You can tell them not to let the chain touch the dirt, but you know they will do it.

Funny thing Charles. Maybe I'm just weird, but there are just a few things I refuse to loan out and my saws are one of them. I'd loan them my truck at the drop of a hat but not my saws. Even sounds strange to say so.

agreed. no one but me uses my saw. period.

Not weird , I'm the exact same way as well. If someone calls up asking to borrow my saw (family included) I always say I'll be happy to come down and help Remove , cut , etc... But I never loan out without me there to Run it.

steg · « **Reply #38 on:** February 14, 2011, 03:06:29 PM »

Yeah I learned the hard way not to loan out my saw, It came back with a crossthreaded oil cap, I never could find a replacement for it, even ordered one from Poulan with the saws model and serial number, that one didn't fit either, so I got out my pocket knife and trued up the threads and it worked, Plus the chain came back blue from a "professional" sharpening. BTW I just use my Dremel to sharpen right on the bar, been doing it that way since the 70s and I used to sell firewood on the side for years, til I got too darn old............................steg

gypsyman · « **Reply #39 on:** March 15, 2011, 08:05:03 PM »

Got a guy a couple miles from the house, that sharpens chains for $4. I usually stay on them with a file for a few times, but then I figure I'll get them done right.I have a coffee can with oil in it, and when a chain gets to wear I want him to sharpen it, I just put it in the can. I'll have to check into one of those sharpeners from Menards, and I'm in one of their stores about once a week.
I've run used motor oil in the machine for oiling, but there is a difference. If you get regular bar and chain oil, and put some on your thumb and finger, and pull them apart, you'll notice it's stringy like honey. It doesn't throw off like motor oil. So, what I do, is keep a couple dish soap bottles filled with used motor oil. As I'm cutting, about every other cut, I'll squirt some on the bar. And use the bar/chain oil for in the machine. gypsyman

Pat/Rick · « **Reply #40 on:** March 16, 2011, 12:48:28 PM »

Many years ago a neighbor of my BIL wanted to borrow his chainsaw, my BIL handed him a hacksaw frame with about a foot of chain wired to the ends and said, here ya go.

Rex in OTZ · « **Reply #41 on:** April 06, 2011, 10:38:49 AM »

I found that a old golfball makes a nice file handle.

squirrellluck · « **Reply #42 on:** April 06, 2011, 04:37:01 PM »

In a pinch 80/90 gear oil works for chain lube but stinks to high heaven!

45-70.gov · « **Reply #43 on:** April 06, 2011, 05:30:08 PM »

Quote from: Rex in OTZ on April 06, 2011, 10:38:49 AM

I found that a old golfball makes a nice file handle.

that is my PREFERED HANDLE

we had a little fun on a golf course with a dull file
man was that golfer mad.....our laughing only made it worse

it wasn't his ball...he shouldn't have hit it

Pat/Rick · « **Reply #44 on:** April 10, 2011, 06:54:12 AM »

Haven't tried the golf ball for a handle, seems like it would be comfortable indeed. Always closer to a short piece of vine maple so thats what I end up using. Usually found golf balls go to the range on .22 day, they really bounce.

gr8ful · « **Reply #45 on:** April 10, 2011, 07:15:12 AM »

Quote from: Old Syko on January 17, 2011, 10:52:37 AM

Quote from: charles p on January 17, 2011, 10:23:20 AM
Don't you hate it when a neighbor asks to borrow your chainsaw. You can tell them not to let the chain touch the dirt, but you know they will do it.

Funny thing Charles. Maybe I'm just weird, but there are just a few things I refuse to loan out and my saws are one of them. I'd loan them my truck at the drop of a hat but not my saws. Even sounds strange to say so.

doesn't sound funny at all

I bought a dremel attachment for my saws it has a guide on it and different size stones for different chains takes about 5 minutes to sharpen each saw. Also use a guide and the dremel instead of a file to level the drag links.

+1 on the bar and chain oil it definatly runs cooler and lubricates better than motor oil

Cornbelt · « **Reply #46 on:** April 21, 2011, 04:43:45 PM »

O.K. So somebody tell me just exactly how to file the rakers. After a few filings I usually take my chains in for a "professional" whetting, but the last ones had a different pro. Teeth were almost gone. He didn't adjust the machine from one chain to another.
So if I take half a dozen strokes on each cutter:
How many will I need on the rakers?
What part do I file?
Front, back, top???

FourBee · « **Reply #47 on:** April 21, 2011, 05:14:13 PM »

Quote from: Cornbelt on April 21, 2011, 04:43:45 PM

O.K. So somebody tell me just exactly how to file the rakers. After a few filings I usually take my chains in for a "professional" whetting, but the last ones had a different pro. Teeth were almost gone. He didn't adjust the machine from one chain to another.
So if I take half a dozen strokes on each cutter:
How many will I need on the rakers?
What part do I file?
Front, back, top???

On a new chain the Rakers are approx .025" to .030" below the cutter tooth. As the Tooth wears back it becomes lower in comparison with the Raker in front of it. Thus the hump on the Raker needs to be filed down to maintain its proper relationship to the Tooth. Many people file the Raker with a flat file. That does an okay job, but it puts more drag on the chain doing it that way. By maintaining the original sloping hump as the tooth wears down is ideal, but hard to do.

Cornbelt · « **Reply #48 on:** April 21, 2011, 05:23:32 PM »

Thanks, FourBee. Now I get the picture. I reckon a new chain would tell me how much difference there is supposed to be.

- for file handles, most of mine are corncobs.

Drilling Man · « **Reply #49 on:** April 22, 2011, 07:00:29 AM »

Just buy the proper guage that cost 3 or 4 bucks, lay it on your chain/raker, and file off what ever amount of raker that is above the guage.

DM

loneviking · « **Reply #50 on:** April 25, 2011, 11:35:56 PM »

I don't mind sharpening the chain by hand. Stihl makes a file holder/guide that's simple to use and works well. What I found tough at first was telling by feel when the tooth was sharp and keeping the angle consistent. The rakers are a bit tougher as you should switch over to a flat file and use short stokes, trying to keep the shape of the rakers as you go. I had to learn to slow down and use a file with both a coarse and fine side. Start with the coarse to take down a raker fast, and then switch over to the fine side to shape it.

And one tool that I like that helps to keep the chain out of the dirt is this:

http://chainsawbuddy.com/

I've had good luck with this, although I did have to change out some of the bolts and get ones that are a bit longer.

Rickk · « **Reply #51 on:** June 08, 2011, 07:58:42 AM »

I use an Oregon chain sharpener most of the time. I cut enough firewood that it was worth buying.

Once in a while I still sharpen by hand, like if I am far from home and just need to keep going.

The key to sharpening correctly is to actually know what part of the blade does all the cutting. Focusing on the wrong part won't help much.

It's not the angled part (the top) that does all the work. The part that does all the work is the corner and 25 thousandths or so of the side. Mentally thing about that when you are sharpening with a file and you will do a much better job. You wont need a guide either. I just use a round file and nothing else. I must admit that I take rakers down on the Oregon electric sharpener though. If I needed to do rakers in the woods (which with two saws I doubt I would need to do) I would use a guide for that.

Oregon puts out a nifty little book ($3 bucks last time I bought one) that tells more about saw systems than you could even imagine you needed to know. The book is available free online as well. It is worth reading, as it will enhance your understanding of the cutting process, which in turn will enhance your understanding of the maintenance process.

charles p · « **Reply #52 on:** June 08, 2011, 04:26:08 PM »

I live on a barrier island off the NC coast. Our soil is 100% sand. Following a hurricane I sometimes loan my saw to a neighbor, but I cringe. I tell them NOT to let the bar hit the dirt. Guess how the saw is returned? I have to take it apart and clean all the sand out of the sprockets, then repair the chain. Never fails. I can use the saw for five years and not do the damage they do in two minutes.

They are my neighbors, though they live up north. In the south, we share with our neighbors. They are good friends, just bad stewards of chainsaws. They also over cook all their food.

eye shot · « **Reply #53 on:** June 09, 2011, 04:19:11 AM »

Don't they make self sharpening saws any more? My 1972 Craftsman has a self sharpening stone built in. If I happen to hit something I just run saw half speed turn stone knob for about two seconds and it cutts like new again.