Anybody good at sharpening a saw?

[hillbilly beef man]

I was wondering if any of you have any tips for sharpening a chainsaw. It will cut good when I file it, but it dulls after half a pickup load of wood. If I take it to a saw shop to have it sharpened I can cut two loads before it needs sharpening. I am using one of those guides that clamp onto the file and keeps the correct amount of the file above the tooth. I am also using the size file that Sthil recommends. Any ideas. Thanks

 

[dun]

Husky has a deal that slips over the chain thathas 2 rollers on it. The rollers keeps the round file level as it cuts the tooth then ther is a little metal plate that swings out snd you use it as a gauge for the flat file to get the depth gauge tooth to the correct height for the cutting tooth.
They're availbel to order from your husky dealer
http://www.abbeypro.co.uk/accessories-l ... 05698.aspx

 

[novatech]

I was wondering if any of you have any tips for sharpening a chainsaw. It will cut good when I file it, but it dulls after half a pickup load of wood. If I take it to a saw shop to have it sharpened I can cut two loads before it needs sharpening. I am using one of those guides that clamp onto the file and keeps the correct amount of the file above the tooth. I am also using the size file that Sthil recommends. Any ideas. Thanks

Dirt is usually the culprit that causes the chain to dull. I have been using the Sthil set up for years to touch up the chain. Hardly ever have to get one sharpened if I keep up with it. I like the one dun recomended. Might have to try it.

 

[shaz]

Sounds like you've got the right saw and sharpening setup.

Get yourself a set of digital micrometers. That's the best way to get your saw teeth consistent. If it pulls to one side then you really have to even out your teeth.

Also, you have to file down your depth gauges fairly often.

 

[dun]

Sounds like you've got the right saw and sharpening setup.

Get yourself a set of digital micrometers. That's the best way to get your saw teeth consistent. If it pulls to one side then you really have to even out your teeth.

Also, you have to file down your depth gauges fairly often.

As long as the delpth gauge is the correct height for it's corresponding tooth the teeth can be any heights.
In the commercail logging safety class I took the took every other tooth off of one side of the chain and gut the depth gauges correctly and it cut perfectly straight, not fast, but straight

 

[novatech]

I found that if the saw cut crooked most of time it was because the blade was worn. It needs to be flipped over once in a while. I do it every time I touch up the saw.

 

[dun]

Besides a dull chain there are a cioupleo fother thing that can cause a crooked cut or at a minimum the saw not to perform up to snuff. Burs on the edge of the bar and too wide of a groove in the bar for the chain to ride correctly come to mind first. With the bar off the saw use your finger nail to scrape the bar towards the edge. You'll frequently mind a little bur (lip) at the edge where the chain rides. That ones is easy to correct with a flat file. The too wide of a groove in the bar takes a bit more doing. I tried to fix it with home made devices and finally broke down and bought one of the deals that squeezes the groove closed.

 

[1982vett]

I bought one of these. http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/d ... mber=93213

 

[dun]

I bought one of these. http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/d ... mber=93213

I've got one too but hardly ever use it. It's handier with the manual sharpener. To me it's just a pain in the butt to level off the depth adjustment teeth after using the grinder

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

Them depth adjustments are called drags by the old timers around here. What they are is rock gaurds,to keep you from totally ruining a chain if you hit a rock. Use a 6 inch flat file to cut them down only takes 2 licks with the file on each drag. As for keeping the right amount of the chain saw file above the tooth never heard of such a thing. But then i don't and never have used any kind of a gauge to file a saw.

 

[dun]

But then i don't and never have used any kind of a gauge to file a saw.

I didn;t used to either. Now I've found that I have to buy a lot fewer chains each year then I used to.

 

[ga. prime]

Yeah, I'm good at saw sharpening. Put it in the vice and hit each tooth five licks with the file. Saw'll sling chips as big as dollar bills. Can saw up a half a cord of firewood with one tank of gas after a saw sharpening. Once in a while I'll use a dremel instead of the file on it, but the file's better. If the file doesn't work for you, the dremel does a decent job. The sharpening stone bit has a file guide that fits on the dremel with the bit. Careful with the dremel or you'll file off too much tooth. Be sure and wear glasses if you use the dremel.

 

[Cowdirt]

Them depth adjustments are called drags by the old timers around here.What they are is rock gaurds,to keep you from totally ruining a chain if you hit a rock. Use a 6 inch flat file to cut them down only takes 2 licks with the file on each drag. As for keeping the right amount of the chain saw file above the tooth never heard of such a thing. But then i don't and never have used any kind of a gauge to file a saw.

Red, they are called drags here also. Never thought of them as rock guards. Height of the drags controls the depth of the tooth bite. Take too much off the drags and most engines will bog down with a grunt. BTW I file mine freehand. I think the secret is to not wait too long before touching-up the chain. Course occasionally I still can saw out a pretty nice bowl. ;-)

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

They may and do control the depth the tooth bites into the wood. But they also keep you from ripping the whole top off of the chain when you hit a rock. Also depends on how big of a saw you got and what kind of wood you are cutting as to how much of the drags you can take off. I have cut a lot of logs.

 

[Calman]

I'm by no means a pro of filing a chain saw,but have worked in the log woods for about 4yrs,and have filed and worn out many of chain's. I always carried a chainsaw file and a flat file for the drags.When you run a saw 10 and 12 hrs a day you will need to file even if you don't get it in the dirt.If your chain is pulling out dust and cutting slower it needs sharpened.The angle of the tooth needs to be uniform on both sides or you'll cut a circle.If you are cutting logs for a living you will soon discover the best way to file a chain.
The drags also are very important.They controll the depth,protect the teeth and also keep the cut clean by dragging the shavings out.One Important thing is to use the right size file.

My 2cents Cal

 

[Cowdirt]

I'm by no means a pro of filing a chain saw,but have worked in the log woods for about 4yrs,and have filed and worn out many of chain's. I always carried a chainsaw file and a flat file for the drags.When you run a saw 10 and 12 hrs a day you will need to file even if you don't get it in the dirt.If your chain is pulling out dust and cutting slower it needs sharpened.The angle of the tooth needs to be uniform on both sides or you'll cut a circle.If you are cutting logs for a living you will soon discover the best way to file a chain.
The drags also are very important.They controll the depth,protect the teeth and also keep the cut clean by dragging the shavings out.One Important thing is to use the right size file.

My 2cents Cal

All very good points Calman.

 

[hayray]

The professional tree trimmers I know all file by hand, it takes a long time to do and they do a really good job, me, I never had the patience or time to do it like that and I never end up getting very sharp that way. I know when they do it, it takes about 20 minutes and alot of elbow grease to do it. I use a bench grinder to do mine because it is real fast but not as good of a job as the guys who are good at using a file. the key is to get all the cutters close to the same length, that would be the most common reason your saw would be pulling sideways and then of course the other reasons posted also.

 

[Calman]

A quick touch up with a file before it gets real dull is the trick i've found.If you wait until it's hardly cutting at all it makes it a lot harder.Nothing harder on a chain,bar, and the motor than trying to cut with a dull saw.All three will overheat.

Cal