If you’ve spent any amount of time watching loggers work, you’ve undoubtedly seen a chainsaw equipped with an upside down chainsaw bar. Though your chainsaw applies oil to the bar to reduce the friction between the bar and the chain, over time, the areas of the bar that experience the most pressure will wear out faster as you might expect. Every chainsaw bar has been designed to be mounted right-side up or upside down.
If you’ve ever passed through logging country, you might have seen loggers using a chainsaw with all of the logos and words on the chainsaw bar upside down. A chainsaw bar requires some rather fine tolerances, and when the metal of the bar begins to wear, these tolerances allow movement that can keep the chainsaw blade from making cuts. Many guide bar noses are designed with a small sprocket inside the chainsaw bar to help guide the chainsaw blade as it makes the turn around the nose. Chainsaw bar rails – Chainsaw bar rails are a slot or groove around the perimeter of the chainsaw bar where the saw chain itself rides while the saw is in operation. Heel: Wear can occur at the heel of the chainsaw bar if the operator runs the chainsaw blade too loose on the bar rails. Since a chainsaw accident is potentially deadly, chainsaw operators must scrutinize their chainsaw before every operation to ensure that no part of the chainsaw is worn or damaged and in need of attention. While turning your chainsaw bar occasionally does help to preserve it, your chainsaw needs more than just the occasional new blade and a bar flip.
When pruning we tend to use the end of the bar as we stretch to reach the limbs of the tree and then the third area is on top of the bar when there is the chance of the wood pinching the bar as the branch of the trunk begins to fall. The idea behind flipping the bar is to spread the wearing areas of the bar so that the bar not only lasts twice as long, but it also ensures a safer operation of the saw. Flipping the bar is a fairly simple process and only requires the spanner normally supplied with the saw and a screwdriver. Remove the bar and thoroughly clean out the area around the sprocket paying special attention to the small lubrication hole that allows chain oil to reach the bar track. Although flipping the bar will almost double the life of the bar there will come a time when the chain begins to wonder, and the safety of the saw is reduced. If there is no gap or the straight edge pushes the tooth over when flush against the bar it is time to replace the bar and most likely the chain as well. Items like length, groove width, and bar type are all important characteristics to ensure a compatible bar.
The need to flip your chainsaw bar is better demonstrated when you consider the fact that the majority of the chainsaw’s cutting action takes place at the base of the bar. In all, how often your flip your chainsaw bar is dependent on your schedule and importantly, your chainsaw use. In conclusion, flipping your chainsaw bar could make all the difference in the longevity of your chainsaw bar as well as that of the chainsaw itself.
Flipping the bar gives you twice the life as the top doesn’t wear nearly as fast if at all. You can tell bars that haven’t been flipped, they cut curves in your trees and eventualy only cut half way thru your tree then bogs down. Probably not, my way has just become a habit – and I said I am probably overdoing it – but it doesn’t “Cost” anything, when the bar is off anyway, for cleaning……. ciscoguy01.
why flip a chainsaw bar Related Question:
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.
Does a ripping chain cut faster?
Ripping chains are slower as the finer cut and surface takes more time than regular cutting.
Can you switch bars on a chainsaw?
Replacing your chainsaw bar will require a few measurements. Most chainsaws can operate up to three different bar sizes. Guide bars are measured in length, from the tip of the bar to the heel, and range in size from 14 to over 40 inches.
Why does my chainsaw blade dull so quickly?
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 chainsaw chains do professional loggers use?
Full-chisel teeth chains are usually used by professionals on large saws. Semi-chisel teeth are rounded, so the risk of kickback is less, and they stay sharper longer. Semi-chisel teeth cut slower but are a better choice in dirty wood than full chisel.
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.
What angle is a ripping chain?
The teeth on most crosscut chains are sharpened at 35 degrees, while ripping chain teeth are commonly sharpened at 10 degrees, which makes for much faster and more efficient cutting, especially for milling work.
Is a full chisel chain the same as a ripping chain?
In reality ripping chain is a semi or micro chisel chain filed to 10 degrees rather than 30 degrees. Full chisel filed to 10 degrees tends to cause a lot of vibration when cutting planks with a chainsaw although some people do find a chisel cutter is better in certain woods.
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.
Can I put a 16 inch bar on a 14 inch chainsaw?
Different Bar Sizes This length differs from the overall length, which manufacturers use less than the cutting length. A Poulan 14 chainsaw can operate with a bar that’s 12, 14, 16 and 18 inches length. However, a larger bar may not always give the best cutting performance.
Are chainsaw bars standard?
To preface, the standard bar lengths for chainsaws are 16, 18, and 20 inches. However, longer bars do exist and can exceed 24 inches. When taking a measurement, you should round to the nearest even whole number.
Can I put any length bar on a chainsaw?
Stihl’s electric saws come in three different sizes: the MSE 140 can handle a bar between 12 and 16 inches, the MSE 180 can take a bigger 18-inch bar, and the MSE 220 takes a bar between 16 and 20 inches. The little battery-powered MSA 160 is equipped with a 12-inch bar.
Is it OK to cut wet wood with a chainsaw?
Can you cut wet wood with a chainsaw? Yes, you can cut the wet wood with a chainsaw. Besides, there is a misconception that wet wood can impact the chainsaw bar and chain. But actually, the damp wood will not dull the chainsaw any faster than using it on other types of wood.
How tight is too tight for chainsaw chain?
A properly-tensioned chainsaw chain should still be just a little loose on the chainsaw guide bar, but the chain needs to be tight enough that you can’t pull the drive links out of the bar nose.
Does hard wood dull a chainsaw?
Re: Chainsaw and oak Very hard but really puts out the heat in the fireplace. If you cut it green it is not too bad. After it has dried it will dull a chain about each tank of gas. And that was Stihl chain.