Husqvarna 450 chainsaw maintenance and chain sharpening.

[jkk04]

I am an amateur firewood guy and have been cutting wood for more than 15 years with Husqvarna 450 & 440 chainsaws without any major problems.
Because of maintenance and sharpening the chain after each cutting.
If you have any good experience on the chain saw sharpening and maintenance, please share with me.
Thanks
John

 

[marhar]

I am an amateur firewood guy and have been cutting wood for more than 15 years with Husqvarna 450 & 440 chainsaws without any major problems.
Because of maintenance and sharpening the chain after each cutting.
If you have any good experience on the chain saw sharpening and maintenance, please share with me.
Thanks
John

I will start by saying I have a couple of Stihl chainsaws not Husqvarnas. My good advice: Use a two cycle engine oil that is synthetic and use gasoline that has no ethanol. Do not ignore the airlifter (I have made the mistake and found it is one of the cheapest items that can keep a saw from cranking easily and running well).

As for chain sharpening: I believe in using a round file by hand. It may be slower but one has better control and get a sharper chain.

 

[RandyT]

As for chain sharpening: I believe in using a round file by hand. It may be slower but one has better control and get a sharper chain.

That is debatable considering most people can't keep the correct angle or even the same angle on both sides of the chain. One side with be 30+/- degrees and the other will be 35+ degrees. File down into the tie straps until they cut the link in two at the rivet and then try to blame me for chain failures.

I am not perfect at hand filing but can keep it close enough to keep using and then straighten them out later. Currently playing with hand filing square ground chain.

 

[marhar]

That is debatable considering most people can't keep the correct angle or even the same angle on both sides of the chain. One side with be 30+/- degrees and the other will be 35+ degrees. File down into the tie straps until they cut the link in two at the rivet and then try to blame me for chain failures.

I am not perfect at hand filing but can keep it close enough to keep using and then straighten them out later. Currently playing with hand filing square ground chain.

You have a good point. When I first started I used a guide to keep my angles.

 

[jkk04]

I will start by saying I have a couple of Stihl chainsaws not Husqvarnas. My good advice: Use a two cycle engine oil that is synthetic and use gasoline that has no ethanol. Do not ignore the airlifter (I have made the mistake and found it is one of the cheapest items that can keep a saw from cranking easily and running well).

As for chain sharpening: I believe in using a round file by hand. It may be slower but one has better control and get a sharper chain.

I cut live oak trees more than 2 cords every year for my own firewood.
It was a nightmare to sharpen the chain with an electric sharpener about 12 years ago.
It was time consuming and inconvenient.
Ever since, I have done hand filing in the field and sharpening with a drill at the end of cutting without any issues.
Thank you for your comment.

 

[yomax4]

I have an outdoor wood boiler type stove and heat 6K sq ft. I used to go through 12-14 cord of hardwood every year. ( I ditch out for a month in winter now ). I could never get the file system down to perfection and switched back and forth from file to electric bench top sharpener that I use all the time now. I know I take out more material than probably needed but the 3/8 chains are sharp and it happens fast. Kudos to those who can file a good chain though.

 

[jkk04]

I have an outdoor wood boiler type stove and heat 6K sq ft. I used to go through 12-14 cord of hardwood every year. ( I ditch out for a month in winter now ). I could never get the file system down to perfection and switched back and forth from file to electric bench top sharpener that I use all the time now. I know I take out more material than probably needed but the 3/8 chains are sharp and it happens fast. Kudos to those who can file a good chain though.

Wow.... cutting and splitting the 12-14 cords of hardwood every year is not easy to do.
I am wondering what brand chainsaw and splitter are you utilizing?

 

[yomax4]

Wow.... cutting and splitting the 12-14 cords of hardwood every year is not easy to do.
I am wondering what brand chainsaw and splitter are you utilizing?

Simple stuff. Stihl, 026 pro for limbing, 036 and 361 general cutting, 044 big stuff all with muff mods. Splitter is simple 28 ton horizontal that I built a shelf out front and built a hydraulic long lift which I highly recommend. 30hp tractor that is my skidder/ log lifter. I live in the north woods so I have unlimited hardwoods and blowdowns alone keep me pretty busy. I'm tired of this after 18 years. I have wood for this year and next winter will be the last. I'll leave the new owner with a winters worth of oak and elm and all of my fires after that will be recreational. Keeping the 026, sell off the rest and maybe try a cordless electric of some sort.