Novice chainsaw questions.

SR wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@bt.com:

Chainsaws need sharpening almost as frequently as lathe tools, or so it seems. The better the quality of the tool, the longer the sharp stays around. Simple sharpening systems are described all over the Usenet archives - many relying on simple guides, files and/or RotoZip type tools.

An electric saw is a perfectly fine place to start, and works for a lot of trimming where some of the larger saws would be awkward and noisy.

Patriarch

Hello Peter,

If the saw ran true to start with, it likely just needs sharpening. I generally buy a couple of extra blades when I purchase a chain saw so that I can simply change one out quickly when it starts to cut poorly. Then you can sharpen later or send it out to have it sharpened.

Normally, I use a workmate that is pretty saw scared after many years. It allows me to adjust the opening where the wood sits and allows uneven pieces to extend before the table surface. If I'm having to cut on the top, I cut part way through and turn the log over to finish the cut. This reduces the amount of scars in the workmate.

Fred Holder

SR wrote:

Hi Peter

Your saw is probably dull, and needs to be sharpened, get the right size chainsaw file, and read up on it how to use it, and you will have a saw that cuts well and will last longer.

As for a sawbuck, Darrell Feltmate has a very good site with all kinds of turning related ideas, and one on a good sawbuck is in there also, you should do yourself a favor and get all there is to learn on that site, it's one of the best, and this is not a "want to sell you something" site

SR wrote:

Just be careful not to load it down too much. If you load a gas powered chainsaw too much, it will stall. Loading an electric chainsaw causes the motor to overheat. Overheating will burn the motor out very quickly. (Don't ask how I know this!)

And I'll echo what everyone else said about sharpening. I took David Ellsworth's course a year ago. There were a pile of logs outside the shop. Every time one of us would complete a project he would cut us another piece from the pile. Then he would touch-up the blade.

Hope this helps.

I use an electric one as well, and it seems like it takes a sharpening fairly often, but is otherwise well suited to the task, especially if I want to saw blanks in the garage because it's raining, hot, winter, etc. Give it a good sharpening, and it should be fine.

As far as the awkward and short stuff goes, I've found that an F-style clamp goes a long way. I usually set up a pair of horses (metal ones with folding legs are about $20, and well worth the investment) and then lay a scrap 2x10 or 2x12 a couple of feet long between them. Then I clamp the blank to that, saw what I can, then turn the blank and reclamp to finish it up. Sounds like a lot of work, but it seems to work well, and be a great deal easier than trying to hold a little chunk and saw at the same time.

Peter Likely the saw needs sharpening. Your manual should have all the information on that you need, especially the size of the file. Use a chain saw file not another round file. Ocassionally flip the bar over. One side can wear more than the other and cause the cut to drift. Check out my site for directions on making a saw buck.

hi Peter I am a has been timber feller of 35 plus years,had to slow down do to back probs. the first thing i would like to say is there is no Blade on a chainsaw. it consists of a bar and chain. yes i'm sure your chain is dull, sometimes they will become duller on one side than the other causing curved cuts. also the bar can ware more on one edge more than the other, most of the time on the bias side of the weight of the saw. as someone else metioned you can flip the bar over, also you can put the bar on a grinder to true up the rails. after time it may have to be regrooved for depth. if the groove starts getting to wide and sloppy you can go to a heavier gauge chain depending on the drive sprocket. just a few hints hope this helps. keep her sharp and you'll have alot less ware. ross

I use both electric and gas chainsaws. Around the house I use an electric because of less noise and easy setup. I use the gas away from the house or when I need more power.

Read the manual.

If you have never used a chainsaw before get some pointers from someone that knows. I have several friends that first thought that they did not need bar oil or they did not know how to tighten the chain or did not ever bother with sharpening the chain.

Electric chainsaws are really bad for loosening chains. They don't put out enough oil on the bar and the plastic parts are difficult to tighten so the chain does not loosen.

I've watched too many people try to cut something with a dull chain. You know the motion of trying to move the saw back and forth by hand to help it cut.

A couple years ago I picked up a Harbor Freight cheap chicago electric chain saw chain sharpener. It is not the greatest tool but it works and well worth the $40 I paid. It takes me longer to remove the chain and put it back on than to sharpen. It also does it evenly keeping your cut straight.

Support the logs away from the ground. The biggest problem is the log starts to roll > (Re-post, apologies for any duplication).

I'm certainly not an expert, but after a couple years of cutting trees and bowl blanks with both gas and electric saws, I can say that for me the biggest thing was practice and being aware of what/where you're cutting..

I haven't had either sharpened in quite a while but they both seem to cut straight and cleanly... might be because most of my logs have been local pine or fir, no hardwood? Also, both saws are "auto oilers" and I use good quality chain oil in them... might make a difference..

Very often, you tend to change the way you're holding the saw... a slight difference in grip or relationship to your body could change your accuracy, but I doubt it...

Is the wood your cutting now pretty much the same type/water content/grain as when you were cutting straighter?

Mac

Never being one to ignore the bandwagon as it passes...

With your chain saw, be sure the chain tension doesn't get sloppy as the chain heats up and expands after cutting for a short while. If the tension is too loose, the chain will "roll" over on the bar so that it will hardly cut and you have to angle the saw to get it cutting again - very bad for a good cut as well as prematurely wearing the bar.

Do you know how to look at a cutting edge to see dullness? If you see any white reflected line along the edge, it has rounded over and is not cutting efficiently. I use this technique on all my edge tools and my saw chain is no exception. BTW, I sharpen my chains (I have 3 that I rotate) fairly frequently - they can get dull very quickly when cutting through bark - especially around the root area of a tree with all the embedded dirt and grit.

I used to use a pair of low saw horses for support, but a round log often doesn't stay stable enough, plus you have to keep moving the horses closer or further or angled to keep the blank supported. I've changed to The Large Stump System - when cutting turning wood one day I was offered some chestnut but found it had pretty scary looking ring shake - cracks running circumferencially (sp?) around the tree - but took two 18"x 18" logs anyway to use for cutting blocks. I made a V-cut in one end and now place my turning logs in that to split along the pith. Haven't come up with a great way to secure the half-logs for clipping the corners - but often use my band saw to round them.

warning you to remove any and all rings from your fingers. Called degloving, extended hardware can grab your ring and rip it off your finger. A pic for the strong of stomach:

finished smoothness.

Just a quick thank you to all for all the useful comments. I finally got hold of the right size file and after 10 minutes sharpening all is well. Not hard really is it, though I expect get better next time.

I also found lots of interesting chainsaw links here: