Chain Saw Sharpening

[srjones]

I've tried a couple plunge cuts and the thing wants to bounce hard and that seems dangerous to me, so I don't try it and am very careful to not let the tip hit anything. But, I know it can be done as I've seen it done. I just don't feel comfortable doing it.

I really need a new saw, just for safety sake. Mine is an old Sears saw. 18". Cuts great. Light yet powerful enough for me. However, it has no chain brake and a tiny hand guard. And just last week the on/off switch won't turn it off unless you really press it down. Time to look for a newer model with chain brake.

What fun toy can you make with a chainsaw engine?

Plunge cuts are pretty dangerous and there's a real skill and art when attempting with a normal bar. The trick is to do the cutting with the nose bottom, not the nose top. A carving bar will work very for notching fence posts since the 'danger area' is much smaller.

You could convert your unsafe saw to a winch, or have it power a small scooter or a big model boat.

I have the HF sharpener, and it's well worth it. It does have a depth gauge but you'll need file the rakers by hand with a flat file and a raker gauge.

 

[czechsonofagun]

I'm not retired either. But I have a teenage daughter and I don't mind if the young men see me sharpening a chainsaw or cleaning a shotgun.

Sounds like a good plan, with two daughters I am picking
up wisdom anywhere

 

[MossRoad]

Plunge cuts are pretty dangerous and there's a real skill and art when attempting with a normal bar. The trick is to do the cutting with the nose bottom, not the nose top.

Now that makes sense. I've always hit the top of the nose instead of the bottom.

 

[jimmyj]

Hey Moss Road, you gotta get a saw with a chain brake man. You can, at certain times or with certain types of cuts actually hold your upper hand in such a way that you press against the back of it so ANY tiny bit of nasty business makes it lock on. I don't think I will ever use my antique Skill no-brake saw again.

When I make plunge cuts I use the bottom of the tip as noted and when it's finally deep enough "push" the tip straight through the log. Always at very high RPM's and I don't think I'd ever do it with a chain that was immediately just sharpened because sometimes they bit a bit harder. I wonder what an expert like Treemonkey would have for advice.

 

[Bedlam]

Ridge ,
Thanks I understand now. No troubles..

 

[wedge40]

What fun toy can you make with a chainsaw engine?

I've heard they make great blenders. A little noisy, but powerfull. Anybody need a margarita or a banana monkey.

Wedge

 

[Redbug]

I never could get all the teeth equal. This is what I use all the time, now. Best chainsaw sharpener I have ever used. And you don't need electricity!

Oregon Professional Chainsaw Bar-Mount Filing Guide

Lowe's has them for about $10 cheaper.

 

[czechsonofagun]

I never could get all the teeth equal. This is what I use all the time, now. Best chainsaw sharpener I have ever used. And you don't need electricity!

Oregon Professional Chainsaw Bar-Mount Filing Guide

Lowe's has them for about $10 cheaper.

I used it till my friend let me use his HF grinder. Than I got my own and never touched this jig again. But it works ok.

 

[Colorado Michael]

I have been using the harbor freight sharpener for a couple of years and love it for sharpening the teeth. Unfortunately it is not so handy for setting the depth. I started tinkering and found that the depth is every bit as important. That got me thinking.

I live in a pine forest and pine or aspen is all that I ever cut. Could I get away with dropping the depth deeper then the manufacture recommends since I am only cutting soft wood? I am tempted to just try it on my old mcculloch, but I figured I would put the question out there first.

 

[arrow]

I have been using the harbor freight sharpener for a couple of years and love it for sharpening the teeth. Unfortunately it is not so handy for setting the depth. I started tinkering and found that the depth is every bit as important. That got me thinking.

I live in a pine forest and pine or aspen is all that I ever cut. Could I get away with dropping the depth deeper then the manufacture recommends since I am only cutting soft wood? I am tempted to just try it on my old mcculloch, but I figured I would put the question out there first.

Most of my cutting experience is/was with hardwoods. Occasionally we'd get a pine lot to clear. Depending on the species of pine, sometimes a deeper depth gauge actually makes things worse and slows cutting down. The wood is too soft to break cleanly and grabs hard akin to getting a saw stuck in a protective leg chap. Try it for your pine and see how it works.