Saw chains operate by being propelled around a guide bar, removing material from the kerf by cutting chips from the side and bottom. In order to operate properly, the depth to which each tooth cuts must be limited to avoid it binding in the wood.
Saw chain is not designed to cut, it is designed to remove material, one chip at a time. Depending on the length of the chain for a certain size bar, there will either be an equal number of alternating left hand and right hand cutters, or the chain will end with 2 back to back same-side cutters. Following up from what I said at the beginning, it wasn’t until I took the time to really learn about chain and how and why it works, that I was really able to service, maintain, and sharpen chains.
Chainsaw chains are one of the most important parts of the whole chainsaw. Without them you certainly wouldn’t be able to cut through wood. Confusingly they come in almost limitless combinations of type, size and features, all geared to different applications.
Every chain is made of links; your saw’s chain has three types: cutting teeth, drive links, and tie straps. At the end of the day, it’s important to remember the pitch and gauge of your original chain and to consider what types of cutting you plan on doing with your saw when choosing your replacement chain. Deciding what types of cutting tasks you’ll be performing with your chainsaw will help you decide which saw tooth profile and cutting tooth spacing is best for your saw and its intended work load. Now that you’re educated and know what you’re looking for, check out our selection of chainsaw chain and guide bars!
how do chainsaw chains work Related Question:
Is there a difference in chainsaw chains?
There are many chainsaw chain differences across the board, and there are no universal chainsaw chains. The ‘pitch’ and ‘gauge’, and also to some degree the length of the bar, are determined by your chainsaw. You can’t choose these aspects of a chain saw chain.
How do I choose a chainsaw chain?
To determine the pitch (chain size), you’ll need to measure the distance between any three consecutive rivets, then divide the result by 2. The rivets are the small, round pegs/studs that hold the chain segments together. Measure from the first to the third, then divide that number in half to get your chain pitch.
Does skip tooth chain cut faster?
A skip chain has fewer cutting teeth than a conventional chain which means it won’t be dragging as many teeth through the wood you’re cutting. Less drag on the chain means less power is needed to cut through the log. That means the motor on your saw runs faster which keeps it in a more efficient power curve.
How does a chain saw tooth cut?
IF: the chain is properly tensioned, the teeth are sharp, and the rakers are properly adjusted, THEN: as the chain spins round and round the bar, with each pass, each tooth will remove one wood chip. This is happening so fast that indeed it does appear to “slice” through the wood.
Why does my chainsaw chain dull so quickly?
Dirt Causes A Chainsaw To Dull If you’re cutting through logs and your angle of approach is too steep, a simple cut through could nick dirt or even worse, rocks on the floor causing your chainsaw to jerk, thus dulling.
What chainsaw chain cuts the fastest?
A full chisel chain is a chain with square cornered teeth, and they’re known for being the fastest cutting blade shape available. A full chisel chain also has a higher number of teeth than other chain options(full chisel is also known as a standard chisel chain).
Why do Loggers Run chainsaw bars upside down?
Every chainsaw bar has been designed to be mounted right-side up or upside down. The reason for this is that it allows the user to extend the life of his chainsaw bar by 50%. Flipping the bar will give the heavily-used areas some relief from wear and tear.
Why have a skipped tooth chain?
Skip tooth chains are used for cutting large pieces of wood and cross-cutting sections of wood. The gaps between the cutting teeth reduce drag on the chain, minimizing the amount of debris produced. Skip tooth chains can be used with lower-powered saws and longer guide bars, reducing kickback risk.
How long does a chainsaw chain 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.
Is more teeth on a chainsaw chain better?
The rule of thumb is that a saw blade with more teeth means a smoother cut and fewer teeth means a faster cut. There are other things that affect the cut quality and the feed speed, like how fast you feed the material into the saw blade and how fast the saw blade is turning.
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.
Why does my chainsaw bar smoke?
This most commonly is a result of a dull chain and exerting to much pressure on the bar and chain trying to make the chain saw cut. This could also be either a lack of bar and chain oil ( tank empty, restricted oiler hole ) or an inferior type of oil that is being slung off the chain and not lubricating.
What is a ripping chain?
Ripping chain is chainsaw chain designed specifically for cutting with the grain. Ripping chain is always micro chisel or semi chisel chain which features a re configured cutting angle of 10 degrees.
Is semi chisel a ripping chain?
A ripping chain is a semi chisel option that’s used on shallow-angle cutters with around 10° cutting angle. It cuts along the wood grain rather than cutting across the pores or veins, which is different from other options available in the market.
What is a chipper chainsaw chain?
The chipper saw chain is similar to the semi-chisel saw chain, but with an even rounder working corner. To find a saw chain that exactly matches your chainsaw, please use the Husqvarna saw chain guide for reference.