Saw Chain care and sharpening tips?

[goeduck]

Just remember the chain, bar and sprocket are a matched set.

 

[RyeThomas]

I would suggest as noted earlier to go to Outdoor Power Equipment forum, they have an entire forum on chain. They are friendly to newcomers as well.
When it comes to chain there are many types, gauges, cutter profiles etc. It is a ton of info. Honestly once you really get into sharpening you will quickly learn it’s an art. I sharpen my chains all the time, it is the most critical part of the saw. Heck a 90cc saw can get beat by a 40cc saw if the chain isn’t sharp. I carry a bunch spare sharpened loops (sections of chain) to the field when I cut. I swap them as I go then when I’m done cutting I bring them back to my chain vise at home and I spend a few minutes filing each one.
No sense having a great saw and a dull chain.

 

[eddie48]

Hey Guys,
Regarding chainsaw care and sharpening tips, what opinions do you guys have regarding changing the drive sprocket (on the saw) or a new bar when installing a new chain? I've been told it's recommended and then someone else will tell me it's not necessary..... What say you?

I luv my MS250 and it does 85% of my cutting - but the ol' Farm Boss 041 (with a 20" bar) is my brute saw!

BarnieTrk

Unless you are doing something wrong (cutting rocks or dirt) you don't need to change the bar and sprocket when you put on a new chain. My primary saw is abut 20 years old and has gone through probably a hundred chains with the same sprocket and 2 bars.

 

[LD1]

I like filing and use a granberg.

Never liked taking the chain off and using a machine.

Can sharpen a chain almost as fast as taking one off.

And the machines IMO, shorten a chains life because they remove more material than is needed.

 

[ArlyA]

We are hard on our chains because we are work in the dirt. Why that is, is another whole subject. So we bring many chains out with us, plus we lightly sharpen chains in the field via file with no file holder whatsoever. But hand filing can only be done so much, and the angles get to much off, or rake heights need to be reduced etc, etc. Properly sharpening your chain or any cutting tool for that matter, does take material off, weather its done by hand or machine.

 

[LD1]

Properly sharpening your chain or any cutting tool for that matter, does take material off, weather its done by hand or machine.

But machine takes more material off.

Too much emphasis on making each cutter exactly the same, rather than just making each cutter sharp.

SOP for a machine sharpener and most shops is to find the WORST tooth. Setup to sharpen that one fully.....and take all the rest to that level. Which is removing alot of unnecessary material from other teeth.

I sharpen teeth on an individual basis. Each and every tooth gets sharpened. No more, no less.

 

[BarnieTrk]

Thanks to everyone that provided comments.

I think I will order up a Grandberg devices. I like the thought of being a bit more precise than my current 'free hand' method of sharpening, yet I also agree that when I take chain in to be sharpened, they sure do take a LOT off of each tooth. I'm not convinced that each tooth needs to be the same length, but I can see where the tooth angle is important. I do have a gauge and flat fill the raker heights probably once every 8-10 tanks of fuel. Once I get one and try it out, I'll report back here with my opinion on using it.

I am familiar with the ArboristSite and like it, but I haven't looked at the OPE site, so I will have to see what they have to say.....

I try not to cut on dirty wood, try not to cut into the dirt and try not to hit any rocks or metal. I always slip on the bar cover when transporting the saw...in an attempt to protect the chain teeth and to protect stuff from being damaged by the teeth! However, just cutting on dead Ash will take the sharpness out of my chain. Dead Elm or Oak isn't nearly as hard on the chain teeth. Although I try to minimize the damage to other trees when I fall a 100ft, 20+" diameter, dead Ash, sometimes doing so will bring down another green tree, such as a young Cherry or Maple. When I start cutting up a live/green tree, WOW, the saw cuts it like hot butter!

Probably every 4-5 tanks of fuel I remove the chain and clean the bar groove by pushing/pullng a finish nail all the way around and ensuring the oiling hole is clear. The nail is just the correct diameter to also detect if the bar might be bent in anywhere. I'll also inspect the drive sprocket to ensure it is still in good shape. I did change out the drive sprocket once since I've owned the saw, because it was developing quite a groove in it and the chain was becoming caught in the groove. My 041 saw has a 'wheel' at the end of the (aftermarket) bar with a hole in the side of the bar to allow adding some grease. I have a small hand plunger-style grease gun to provide a pump or two to work into the wheel.

I used to buy cheap bar oil and cheap 2-cycle mix, because I thought it was all the same...but I now believe there is a quality difference and any extended life I can give my saws by using Stihl or Husky-brand bar oil or 2-cycle mix, I will pay the extra cost. Yes, I also didn't like the mess on my saw and in my saw case when I used cheap bar oil. Back in the day, cheaper 2-cycle mix would smoke, but the newer mix doesn't smoke...and the sparkplug seems to last longer....which is kinda nice too.

Happy Sawing, Fellas! :dance1:
- BarnieTrk

 

[BarnieTrk]

But machine takes more material off.

Too much emphasis on making each cutter exactly the same, rather than just making each cutter sharp.

SOP for a machine sharpener and most shops is to find the WORST tooth. Setup to sharpen that one fully.....and take all the rest to that level. Which is removing alot of unnecessary material from other teeth.

I sharpen teeth on an individual basis. Each and every tooth gets sharpened. No more, no less.

^^^ Agree 100%. - BarnieTrk

 

[buickanddeere]

But machine takes more material off.

Too much emphasis on making each cutter exactly the same, rather than just making each cutter sharp.

SOP for a machine sharpener and most shops is to find the WORST tooth. Setup to sharpen that one fully.....and take all the rest to that level. Which is removing alot of unnecessary material from other teeth.

I sharpen teeth on an individual basis. Each and every tooth gets sharpened. No more, no less.

It is the other way around . The mechanical sharpener makes the cutters last the longest. The precision held angles allow for the very minimum of grinding to restore the edge .
I will challenge any hand sharpener to a machine sharpened chain for the best cutting and longest lasting chain.
As previously stated, the factory safety chains do not dig in a cut. An aftermarket pro chain is required.

 

[motownbrowne]

It is the other way around . The mechanical sharpener makes the cutters last the longest. The precision held angles allow for the very minimum of grinding to restore the edge .
I will challenge any hand sharpener to a machine sharpened chain for the best cutting and longest lasting chain.
As previously stated, the factory safety chains do not dig in a cut. An aftermarket pro chain is required.

You're on. Send a chain you sharpened on a grinder over here and I'll run it against one I filed. Got any 72dl 3/8 .050 loops?

 

[motownbrowne]

PS, the guys who make racing chains for competition cutting generally use files...

 

[Egon]

Most people do not carry a mechanical chain sharpener out into the woods.

 

[4570Man]

You're on. Send a chain you sharpened on a grinder over here and I'll run it against one I filed. Got any 72dl 3/8 .050 loops?

You might be one of the very few that can hand file a chain. Most people can’t. I’m not going to mail chains, but in person I’d take the bet. I’ll beat more hand filed chains than I loose to.

 

[motownbrowne]

You might be one of the very few that can hand file a chain. Most people can’t. I’m not going to mail chains, but in person I’d take the bet. I’ll beat more hand filed chains than I loose to.

I still have a lot to learn about filing chain. I thought I was pretty good 4 years ago when I started getting into saws. Looking back, I was full of crap. Adding a chain vise (or clamping a saw in a vise), using a bright light, and occasionally busting out a loupe has really upped my game. I know I'll look back at this time period as only the beginning, but I can certainly get good results.

Grinders absolutely have their place too. You can make nice sharp consistent cursed with one. But, there's lots of people who can fail at them as well. I've seen a lot of blued cutters, cutters with no hook or too much hook, chains ground and rakers left untouched, etc.

Either way you go, you have to understand what you're trying to achieve, as well as the multitude of ways you can mess up. Filing and grinding are both great methods for the conscious user.

 

[ArlyA]

This is why we do sharpen chains in the field, but only so much. After filing them a few times, or they are damaged, its a waste of our time, so we take them to a professional sharpener.. With a minor dulled chain, we can get it back into service in just a few minutes using a good file. We also take about 1/2 a dozen files with us.....

I should add we take with us 3 to 5 chains into the woods, per machine. We have different saws that of course, use different chains.

It is the other way around . The mechanical sharpener makes the cutters last the longest. The precision held angles allow for the very minimum of grinding to restore the edge .
I will challenge any hand sharpener to a machine sharpened chain for the best cutting and longest lasting chain.
As previously stated, the factory safety chains do not dig in a cut. An aftermarket pro chain is required.

 

[tomplum]

The muffler mod as previously discussed upped the snot factor nicely. It could crack 15,000 after mod and ended dialed in 14,500 ish. Spark arrester in place. Did only one test cut and it worked quite well. Total of 6 chains sharp. Dressed the rakers on one and marked it do do some later experimentation . The Outdoor Power Equipment forum looks serious in saws. Will check them out.

 

[LD1]

Anybody can hand file with a granberg.

Its still filing, but the device holds the file at the correct angle. All you do is stroke it.

And leave it to the TBN masses. This is the first time I have EVER heard anyone say that sharpening via machine will make a chain last longer. That simply contradicts 99.99% of all the information on the web, 99.99% of the information I have heard first hand, and based on real life experience.

So I guess the hundreds of other people are all wrong and the ONE and ONLY person that says machines make chains last longer must be right.

And lets not get confused about topics. Seems there are two themes going around.
1. What is better/sharper chain.....filed or machine ground
2. What gets the most service life out of a chain.

The answer to #2 about service life is 100% filing. Because each tooth is addressed individually. Some may take two strokes, some may take 7. But you dont remove any more material than is necessary. Where as a machine is typically set up on the worst tooth and all the rest are made to match......IE: wasting material and shortening chain life.

The answer to #1 has way too many variables. Not all hand filing is equal. Jig like a granberg or no jig? amature file job? Angles? Round ground or square? etc etc.

But I can attest that I will put my granberg-filed chains up against any machine that does a round-grind and it will cut equally as well if not better.

 

[4570Man]

Unless you suck at sharpening and remove 1/8 inch of metal each time chain life isn’t a valid argument. Chains are by far the cheapest part of my operation. I’ve cut close to 200 rick this year sharing the use between 3 chains. One is in good shape. I hit the concrete with one and retired it. I rocked one and had to remove quite a bit of metal, but it’s still on my saw. My truck fuel, splitter gas, saw gas, 2 stroke oil, bar oils, and labor are all significantly higher than chain cost.

 

[Deere Dude]

If a new chain is machine ground from new, all the teeth should be the same and all teeth should be ground the same at subsequent grindings.

Hand filing, although I never hand file, will change teeth lengths depending on how much is filed on each tooth. Machine grinding all will be the same if done correctly, supposedly.

I generally just grind a smidgen off a tooth and that is where the rest get ground. If one ends up shorter a little bit my Timberline has enough sideways play where I can just push the motor a little bit and that tooth will be addressed.

I had some chains that I am sure get ground 20 times or so, just a guess but they last a long time machining just a hair off each tooth.

I have seen U-tube videos just grind the teeth red hot and that doesn't seem right to me because it destroys the temper in the chain.

To everyone that can file by hand, congratulations. For me, I like to sit back in the garage with the wood-burner going and grind down half a dozen chains while listening to Hank Sr.

 

[4570Man]

I don’t grind every tooth the same height. I almost always have teeth that are duller than the rest. Grinding them to the same height waste time and I haven’t noticed any negative effects leaving them not the same height. I sharpen with a Timberline. The two biggest downside are the carbides are fragile and if you cheat and turn it with a drill the aluminum guides wear out. The plus side is it’s pretty much impossible to overheat the tooth.