Here’s another telltale sign that your chainsaw needs sharpening: Examine the wood being expelled by the saw. The rotary tool and the dedicated chainsaw sharpener both do an excellent job of sharpening saw chain. If you use a chainsaw year-round, or if you own more than one chainsaw, then you can save a significant amount of time and energy by sharpening the saw chains with a bench-mounted sharpener.
File Sharpening Using a file to hand sharpen a dull saw chain might seem like a very slow way to go. Bench-Top Sharpeners If you use a chainsaw all year-round or if you own more than one chainsaw, then you can save a significant amount of time and energy by sharpening the saw chains with a bench-mounted sharpener. A bench-top sharpener is certainly the quickest, most accurate way to sharpen a saw chain, but just as importantly it makes it nearly impossible to ruin a saw chain by grinding away too much material.
After years of using files and electric grinders, I finally found the best way to sharpen a chainsaw, and it is so simple! The key to a sharp saw is getting the angles correct, not only on each individual tooth, but across all the teeth. The following is a method and device that I stumbled upon by accident that has revolutionized by chain sharpening! Now, when I sharpen a chain, it cuts like brand new again, even better than when you pay for someone to sharpen the chain at a shop! Notice how the depth gauge is in contact with the flat file, which is grinding it down.
This article will cover the right techniques and schedule for sharpening to ensure safe and efficient cutting. If the saw is cutting to the left rather than straight down, then you need to apply more force or increase the number of strokes when filing the right facing cutters to get them all evenly filed. Sharpening on a regular basis can vary depending on how often you are cutting, for how long, and what kinds of trees you are cutting.
best chainsaw sharpening method Related Question:
What is the best angle to sharpen a chainsaw chain?
Always file at right angles to the guide rail. The right sharpening angle depends on the saw chain and the wood that you want to cut. The sharpening angle will generally be between 25° and 35° – the harder the wood, the greater the angle.
Is it worth sharpening a chainsaw chain?
Sharpening your chainsaw chain is definitely worth it as a sharp chainsaw chain is easier to work with. It takes less effort to cut through wood and your chain will make cleaner cuts with sharp blades. A chainsaw chain can be sharpened multiple times without much of a cost.
Why does my chainsaw blade get dull so fast?
Is the wood that you’re cutting with the chainsaw particularly dirty? Many chainsaw enthusiasts have noted that their blades dull faster when they’re cutting muddy wood. If the logs that you’re cutting up are muddy, then perhaps that is the sole reason why your blade is dulling too fast.
What degree do you sharpen a 3/8 chainsaw chain?
What degree do you sharpen a 3/8 chainsaw chain? If you don’t know, or cannot figure out which chain you have, you can use the ‘default’ angles that most shops will use when sharpening chains that customers bring in: 30° / 60° / 0°, with a 0.025″ depth gauge offset.
How many times can a chainsaw chain be sharpened?
Cutters can be sharpened up to 10 times or more before the chain needs replacing. If your cutters are worn unevenly after a few sharpenings, a professional can regrind them to uniform shape. If you use the same chain for a few years, then buy a new one, the new one won’t mesh smoothly with the sprocket and bar.
Is it better to sharpen chainsaw chain or buy new?
Sharpen before replacing If your chainsaw chain becomes dull after a long lifespan, it will struggle to cut through the wood at the efficiency it once had. This is why, where possible, you should be looking to keep the will be chain sharp, as sharpening a better course of action than sourcing a replacement.
How long should a chainsaw blade stay sharp?
A chainsaw may only need to be sharpened once a year if it is rarely used, but a tool that is frequently used will need to be sharpened regularly to ensure that the blade doesn’t get too dull. On average, a chainsaw blade will retain its sharpness for about 3 hours of actively cutting through wood.
Why does my chainsaw cut sideways?
Uneven top plates can cause a chain to cut crooked. It’s important to keep all top plates equal length. Dull cutters damaged by rocks can cause a chain to cut crooked. It’s important to remove all damage from cutters prior to cutting.
How often should you flip the bar on a chainsaw?
Some professional loggers would advocate that you should flip your chainsaw bar at the end of every use, particularly when you are cleaning up. Others suggest a more relaxed approach advising that you flip the chainsaw bar only when you are changing your chainsaw blade.
How often should you change the bar on a chainsaw?
If you are looking for a general idea for how often you should replace a chainsaw bar, a rule of thumb is to replace the bar of your chainsaw once after you have gone through three chains on the same bar.
How often should I change my chainsaw chain?
The chain sprocket must be replaced if the depth of the wear marks reaches about 0.5mm, i.e. the wear limit. A seriously worn chain sprocket can cause the chainsaw chain and guide bar to wear at an increased rate, as well as reducing cutting performance too, so it’s important to keep an eye on.
What is full chisel chain?
A full chisel chain is designed for the fast cutting action. In comparison to the semi-chisel chain, this chain has square-cornered teeth which makes it more aggressive when cutting.
How do I make my chainsaw chain more aggressive?
In general, if you want to have an aggressive cut, you are going to need a chainsaw chain that operates as quickly as possible. A chainsaw chain with full chisel teeth means that you are cutting with a very high speed. Speed being one of the main ingredients behind an aggressive chain, this is clearly vital.
How much does it cost to sharpen chainsaw chain?
A typical chainsaw can be sharpened up to 10 times before it’s time for a replacement. The cost to have a chainsaw sharpened ranges from $13 to $16. The average cost per chainsaw sharpening is $14.50 for people who choose to have their chainsaws professionally sharpened.
How do you clean a chainsaw chain before sharpening it?
We soak them for an hour, or overnight in Lye (drain cleaner), purchased in a can, dry powder form at a hardware store. Next, we scrub the chain on a flat surface with hot water, dish soap and a coarse brush. Rinse, pat dry, and sharpen the cutters. The rakers are checked for height and ground down, if necessary.