Do-it-yourself chainsaw sharpening
Sharpening the chainsaw chain with your own hands The chain tooth planes the wood like a plane, and the thickness of the shavings is adjusted by the height of the limiter. Intense sawing results in rapid dullness
Do-it-yourself chainsaw sharpening
The chain tooth planes the wood like a plane, and the chip thickness is adjusted by the height of the stop.
Intense sawing will quickly dull the chain. Several sharpenings may be required within one day. The problem is aggravated by the fact that the tooth quickly dulls when it meets the ground. It is enough to hook the soil with the tire once or twice, and the work can be stopped. The shavings become fine and the saw stops going deep into the wood.
The sooner dull teeth are sharpened, the less material needs to be removed during sharpening, as a result. The service life of the saw chain is longer. Determining the moment when sharpening is already required is quite simple. An important feature is the feed force. A properly sharpened chain is pulled into the cut with just a little pressure. If, on the contrary, the chainsaw is forced to cut by increased feed force, then the teeth are dull. A dull chain can also be recognized if only small chips fly out of the cut instead of coarse, thick chips.
In this situation, the chainsaw must be sharpened urgently. Do not cut with a dull or defective saw chain. The consequence is high stress in the body, high cyclic load, poor cutting results. In addition, this means reduced productivity, high fuel consumption and increased wear on all parts of the chainsaw.
Chain sharpeners
The round file holder has a mowing line that can be correctly positioned in relation to the chain. The holder fits onto the sharpened tooth in accordance with the line orientation. In this case, the insert itself rests on the upper edge of the tooth and the depth gauge, and the file is located under the cutting edge.
The use of a holder ensures that the file will fit to the tooth at the correct height. There are different holders for different pitches of the saw chain. The correct choice of holder, combined with the correct file diameter, ensures that the file protrudes over the back of the tooth by 1/5 of its diameter. Use only special saw chain files.
Before sharpening the chainsaw chain, it is advisable to secure the bar. When sharpening, it is necessary, keeping the position of the holder and pressing the file to the sharpened edge, to make several (2-3) turning movements away from you. Do not try to press too hard on the file, the movements should be smooth and measured. Rotate the file regularly to avoid one-sided wear. All other teeth are sharpened in the same way. It is more convenient to first sharpen the teeth in one direction, then change the position and do the same with the teeth in the other direction.
When sharpening all teeth, file the same number of strokes at the same pressure. This will result in the same tooth length. All cutting teeth must be of the same length. Different tooth lengths cause uneven chain running and cracking. If the length of the teeth is not the same, all cutting teeth must be filed to the length of the shortest tooth.
After several sharpening of the cutting teeth, the depth gauge is ground. To do this, a template is superimposed on it so that the limiter falls into the slot, and the tip protruding from the slot is grinded with a flat file.
The principle of using another set for sharpening chainsaws is no different from the first, although its design is different.
A round file is also used for sharpening the cutting tooth, and for sharpening the depth gauge. Flat. A special template provides parameters for sharpening both cutting teeth and stops. In the first case, it is superimposed on the chain in such a way that it falls into its slots. The file, placed on the template and brought under the cutting edge, rests on the guide rollers. The direction of movement of the file must be parallel to the lateral edges of the template.
When sewing the stopper, the template is applied so that the stopper falls into the slot, near which it says SOFT (for soft wood) or HARD (for hard wood). As in the case of the first device, the file is seamed with smooth, even movements of the flat file away from you.
Sharpening of cutting teeth
The question arises: how to sharpen the chain so that all the teeth are evenly even and sharp? The work is facilitated by the use of a metal template, which is applied to the chain. It is installed in a strict position – along the arrows, the ends of which are directed along the movement of the chain. The main pressure is applied to the leading edge, respecting the angle of inclination, which corresponds to the length of the chain pitch.
You need to try to have an equal number of movements for each tooth. The teeth are sharpened one at a time: one on the left side, the next on the right, and so on. For the convenience of performing the actions, the tire is clamped in a vice, and then processed through the prong on one side, then the same on the other.
During sharpening, the fixture must be held at a certain angle
Hand tools
A set of tools required for sharpening saw teeth:
- Flat file, which is taught to use in labor lessons at school. With it, the depth gauge is grinded.
- A round file of a certain diameter, required for cutting a cutting tooth. An additional device is attached to it – a holder with fishing lines, which suggest how to properly hold the tool in relation to the chain. The holder is placed on the saw tooth, taking into account the guiding lines, the position of the file is under the cutting surface.
- A template that serves for editing and observing parameters.
- The hook is needed to remove sawdust from the chain.
Metal sharpening templates help you calculate the sharpening depth
When is it time to sharpen the saw?
The periods between two sharpenings depend on the frequency of use of the tool. Some use it daily, others several times a year.
You can understand that the teeth are dull by some signs that come to light during operation:
- The chain stretches and sags, causing the saw blade to function inaccurately and slow down in the cut. Working with such a chain requires additional effort.
- The sawing process slows down, productivity drops, and you have to spend twice as long on work.
- The type of sawdust changes: they become uneven, sharp, and smaller. Shavings from a sharpened saw looks different: the same pieces of an even rectangular shape.
If the saw loses accuracy and gets stuck in the cut, it’s time to start straightening the chain teeth.
Repair work should not be postponed for a long time. The sooner you sharpen, the less material you have to grind, and accordingly, the longer the service life. And you don’t have to work with a blunt instrument for a long time, increase its wear and tear and waste your own physical strength.
Two samples of shavings: the first is the result of a saw with a sharpened saw, the second is dull
How to sharpen a chainsaw chain – instructions for action
Do you want to use sawing equipment for a long time? Then take care of its timely prevention. It is necessary to sharpen the tool as needed.
File and chainsaw – a successful tandem!
Remember to pay attention to each link in the chain. The rule should also be taken into account that the efficiency of the saw is determined by the difference in heights: we are talking about the distance between the cutting teeth and the limiter itself. Differences in height parameters allow the teeth to cut into the tree (usually a stop tooth in its characteristics should be about 0.7 mm lower than the cutting tooth).
How to sharpen a chainsaw correctly – we will show you the tool yourself!
A chainsaw without a normal chain belt is like a machine without a motor. This proven postulate will be confirmed by any tech-savvy person. The chain must always be well sharpened if you want to always use your chainsaw. Otherwise, she will not forgive you for miscalculations. This means that you will not see accuracy, efficiency and safety of work.
Any professional will confirm that the final result of such a laborious activity as working with a chainsaw will depend on sharpening the teeth of your tool, even more than on the motor itself. Experienced lumberjacks give the following good advice – sharpening is necessary as the sharpening sharpness deteriorates. If you have to put in a lot more effort than before, the saw starts to cut as it pleases and changes the angle, slowing down your work, in which case you have no choice – start sharpening.
Pay attention to the sharpness of the chain and escaping chips. If everything is in order with sharpness and sharpening, then your chips will be almost uniform, and the resulting sawdust will be square in shape. If the need for sharpening is ripe, then this will be seen by the dust in the shavings and sawdust in the form of needles.
We sharpen the chainsaw chain with our own hands. All possible and available ways
“The lumberjack working with a blunt ax was advised: – Sharpen the ax.
He replied: – There is no time. The forest must be cut down. "
Greetings to all readers!
Today I decided to tell you about the tool, without which, it seems to me, today it is simply impossible. A good tool should work well, and this largely depends on its owner.
Cleaning the autumn garden, preparing firewood for winter, building a bathhouse, repairing a wooden fence will require not only time and desire, but also the readiness of the "cutting" tool. If it is a chainsaw, then it must be properly sharpened.
Of course, there are paid specialists, and you, for example, have extra money But we know that such a procedure is performed periodically, and therefore a natural question arises: how to sharpen a chainsaw chain at home? I’ll tell you about that. Go!
In this article, you will learn:
First about horror stories
If you cut with a blunt chainsaw, you will get three negative factors:
- Reduce the efficiency of your process. For example, instead of two cubes, cut one (at the same time);
- Expose the mechanism to intense wear, with the risk of destroying the drive sprocket and tire;
- Get increased fuel consumption;
There is also a fourth, perhaps not so significant factor – "torn" cut of the saw cut.
And of course, you will get tired more, you will (possibly) be angry with yourself, like "why should I be a fool, do not sharpen in advance, now suffer "
Here is a test question for you (photo on the right). Guess what kind of shavings "came out" from under the sharp and dull chain? (the answer will be below).
How to understand that the chain is dull
- Increased physical effort;
- Sagging (stretching) of the chain;
- Vibration and "braking" cutting passage;
- Inaccurate sawing and change in the type of sawdust (they become uneven with sharp "needle" edges, small and dusty). This is already the answer to the test.
"In the opinion of experts, and in my opinion too: well-sharpened teeth are more important than engine power."
Why dull? The reasons are generally known, but I will name the main ones:
- Intense or voluminous work;
- Accidental contact with stone, earth, hard knots, etc.;
- Mishandling (broad term).