What file to sharpen the chainsaw chain

Tooth configuration and sharpening angle of the chainsaw chain

Chainsaw teeth have a complex configuration, which depends on the direction of movement of the chain. The tooth has two working edges: the lateral one, located perpendicular to the axis of movement of the links, and the upper one, which is at a certain angle to the direction of movement of the chain. Each tooth has a cutting depth stop. It determines the height of the chips to be removed. The main cutting force falls on the cutting edge. The sharpening angle of the tooth determines the quality of the tool.

file, sharpen, chainsaw, chain

Important! The configuration of the tooth should be checked regularly, especially before starting long-term work.

Each saw model has its own cutting edge pitch, the value of which for household and semi-professional models is associated with the power of the unit and the drive torque. For rip sawing, the pitch is taken less (eg 0.325 inch). This will reduce the work performance, but the required effort will also decrease. When felling trees with a large trunk diameter, the engine power does not exceed 2500 W. The thickness of the cutting edge for most chainsaws is set to 1.3 mm.

The height of the chain profile is either 0.625 mm or 0.762 mm, and a low profile is used for household saws. At the same time, the vibration of the saw increases slightly.

The edge of the tooth for longitudinal cutting should be very sharp and have an angle in the range of 6º… 12º, for transverse. up to 25º… 30º.

In the first case, sharpening should be done more often, since an unacceptably small angle of inclination of the tooth contributes to its rapid chipping. This is especially noticeable in links that are made of structural alloy steels containing silicon and manganese, for example, 40KhGS or 35KhGSA.

Chainsaw chain sharpening frequency

The decision to sharpen saw chains is not made according to the calendar, but according to the assessment of its performance. First of all, you should inspect the sawdust. If they look like fine dust, then the chain needs to be sharpened. Otherwise, the engine may overheat, which will lead to the formation of scoring on the cylinder. A dull saw has increased vibration and a difficult entry of the headset into each new cut, which significantly reduces the productivity of sawing work.

A file for sharpening chainsaws: types and tips for choosing

The diameter of the round file is selected according to the pitch of the saw chain. The pitch values ​​of 1.3 and 1.6 mm correspond to files with a diameter of 4 and 5.2 mm. A flat tool will be required to reduce the height of the cutting link stops.

Chainsaw chain sharpening templates and accessories

It is much easier to work with greater confidence to get the right result, if the master has provided himself with a set of accessories, which includes a template. It maintains the correct values ​​for all sharpening angles of the tooth. The angle of the leading edge is recorded in the instructions, usually its value is 65º. 80º. The value of the clearance angle of the upper blade can only be estimated from the template. Its value should be in the range from 50º to 60º.

The clearance angle of the saw decreases with increasing wood hardness. The optimal value for longitudinal cutting is considered to be the value of the angle 10º… 12º, and 25º… 30º. for cross cutting.

Saw tooth configuration template

Hand-operated machines

There are devices designed for sharpening, but without an electric drive. These are manual saw chain straighteners. A regular file is used as a sharpening tool. The machine is attached directly to the rail. Special stop that holds the sharpened tooth. The sharpening angle can be adjusted.

The photo shows a stationary machine, in which the grinding disk rotates with a handle through a gearbox. The saw chain itself is clamped in a machine vice. The machine has a base that can be screwed to the table.

Manual Chain Saw Sharpening Machine

A machine for sharpening chainsaw chains: selection criteria, design features, technical and operational characteristics of equipment, the principle of operation of manual and automatic devices, an overview of popular models of sharpening installations.

Do-it-yourself chainsaw sharpening using an angle grinder

Experts strongly recommend not to use this method for inexperienced craftsmen. He’s pretty dangerous.

But if there is no other way out, then you must follow the safety rules. The angle grinder must be installed in a vice and clamped securely. After switching on the tool, bring the edge to be sharpened to the rotating surface of the disc. Since it is impossible to maintain a constant sharpening angle using an angle grinder, a tooth sharpened in this way will differ significantly from a filed one. In addition, there is a risk of notching with the disc of the angle grinder of the tooth attachment ear.

Chain sharpening angle grinder

Features of sharpening saw chains

The saw chain is a set of cutting teeth of complex configuration interconnected by means of hinges. When processing the chain, it is necessary to ensure uniformity and uniformity of sharpening of all teeth, maintain the correct angle of the cutting edge, and maintain the desired tooth configuration. To solve these problems, there are several ways of sharpening, as well as many different tools and devices.

The saw must be sharpened on time, otherwise you can get a lot of trouble. a decrease in productivity, a deterioration in the quality of a cut, accelerated wear of the mechanism, even injury.

Sets of necessary tools, templates and accessories for sharpening the chain

Most popular chain sharpening tools:

  • round file;
  • flat file;
  • holder;
  • depth gauge template;
  • sawdust removal hook.

The sizes of files for sharpening chainsaw chains are different, but in everyday life for household needs and home use for sharpening chains with a pitch of ¼, 0.325 ″, 3/8 ″ and 0.404 ″, files with a diameter of 4.0 are recommended; 4.8; 5.2 and 5.5 mm. For some chains, cylindrical files with a diameter of 3.2 mm are used. For manual sharpening with your own hands, an ideal option would be a file 200 mm long with a diameter of up to 5 mm.

Some manufacturers sell these tools with sharpening kits, you can also purchase them separately. The round file is one of the most popular tools that many owners use to sharpen their chains as well as on machine tools. Each set is designed for a specific chain pitch and chain size. To find a set for sharpening chains, you need to know these two parameters.

There are markings on the holder. they help the owner of the chainsaw to determine the correct angle position for sharpening the chain. The holder is installed simultaneously on the upper part of the stop and the tooth, and the round file is placed under it immediately near the blade. The holder holds the file at the desired height, according to the standards, it should rise by 1/5 above the blade.

To sharpen the chainsaw chain at home, the tire is secured with a vise or clamp. It is important to keep the tool still while sharpening. The holder is placed on the marking, and then the file is moved along the chain from itself 2-3 times. Each tooth is treated the same way. From time to time, the file is unfurled with the other side so that it does not grind unevenly.

For convenience, the teeth are sharpened evenly on one side, after which the saw is turned over and aligned on the other side.

Start sharpening with the smallest tooth, since the length of the remaining teeth must match it. When the blades are sharpened, the stops are processed. A template from the set is placed on the chain so that the stopper falls into the hole, all protruding edges are grinded with a flat file from the sharpening set.

The following video from the owner of a chainsaw on how to sharpen a chainsaw chain with your own hands

Rake angles for different types of chains can range from 60 ° to 85 °. The greater the degree of the back angle of the upper chain blade, the more it will be tilted back, on average, this angle is from 50 ° to 60 °. To carry out the sawing process, the indicator (degree) of the clearance angle of the upper blade is most important, and the upper blade itself is very important for high-quality sawing.

The main condition when sharpening a chainsaw or saw chain: the cutting performance is directly proportional to the sharpening angle, that is, the higher it is, the better the chainsaw will cut the material. The smaller the sharpening angle, the smoother the tool will be, and the less vibration will be during operation.

Sharpening the chain and depth gauge with the STIHL 2-in-1 file holder

Avoid sharpening angles greater than 35 ° and less than 25 °. In rip saw chains, an exception for the sharpening angle is allowed, in these chains the sharpening angle can be 10 °.

Than manual sharpening is inferior to machine

You can get used to and carry out manual sharpening of the chainsaw chain without much difficulty. But there are some nuances here, because in the first place it is not as effective as sharpening with a machine. The biggest disadvantages of manual chain cutting teeth sharpening are:

  • Difficulty keeping the required angle. You don’t need to think that you can sharpen the chainsaw chain with just one round file; for this operation you will need at least a special guide and a second flat file.
  • Low speed of the operation. It is necessary to fix the guide on the tooth, manipulate with a round file, check the gap of the limiter, if it is necessary to correct it with a flat file, and only then proceed to the next tooth.
  • The need for experience. Despite the various helpers for sharpening a chainsaw by hand, first of all you need to feel the process, and this requires some experience.

Sharpening kits

One of the most common methods is with a set of round and flat files, a holder, a stop template and a hook used to remove sawdust. For the correct positioning of the holder, special markings are applied to it, allowing you to determine the correct angle for sharpening. It is installed on the upper part of the tooth and the stop, while the round file remains under it and is located just next to the blade. Thanks to the holder, the file is at the correct height, or more precisely, protrudes 1/5 above the blade. For sharpening the cutting tooth, only round files are used, since the contour of the tooth has a rounded shape.

Kits must be purchased based on the chain pitch. You cannot use the same sharpening kit for different chains.

Before you start sharpening the chainsaw chain at home, the tire must be secured in a vice or with a clamp, the main thing is that the saw does not move during processing. Having installed the holder according to the markings, begin smoothly and without too much pressure, move the file strictly away from you 2-3 times. Similar actions are repeated with all other teeth. The file must be turned over from time to time so that there is no one-sided wear. The force of pressure and the number of movements for all should be the same, this is necessary for uniform sharpening of all teeth. If they are different, then cracks may form in the chain, which will lead to its breakage.

To make it easier to work, the teeth are first sharpened on one side, and after them the saw is turned over and the teeth are aligned on the other.

They start sharpening from the smallest tooth so that the length of all the others is the same with it. After the work on the processing of the blades is finished, proceed to the limiters. A template from the kit is installed on top of the chain in such a position that the stopper is in the hole. The protruding part is grinded with a flat file.

The video shows an example of how to sharpen a chainsaw chain with a file:

There is another set, which, instead of a holder, has one template, both for sharpening the blade and for grinding the stop. Install it so that the chain falls into the holes. Then the round file is placed on top of the rollers and fed under the blade. During sharpening, you need to ensure that it is always parallel to the lateral edges of the template.

There are 2 separate holes for the stopper, labeled Soft for soft wood and Hard for hard wood. The protruding part from the slot, grind with a flat file.

Sharpening is carried out only from oneself and with smooth movements, the number of the latter should be the same for all teeth.

How and how to sharpen the chain teeth

The saw chain teeth are irregularly shaped. They consist of a base, a blade and a depth gauge. At the same time, the blade has a vertical blade and a horizontal blade that falls at an angle. It is thanks to these blades that the chainsaw cuts wood. They work on the principle of a plane, cutting off pieces, and the limiter adjusts their thickness (the difference in height between it and the horizontal blade will be the thickness of the chips). You can sharpen the chainsaw chain manually or using a machine.

Professional sharpening on the machine

Sharpening on the machine can be done with a manual machine or a professional machine.

Professional machines are powered by a network. The sharpening principle is almost the same as for manual sharpening:

  • the chainsaw chain is fixed in the guides;
  • then adjust the width of the groove and choose the angle;
  • lowering the sharpening disc;
  • the chain is moved along the holder, clamped, each tooth is processed.

The grinding element in professional machines is an emery stone. A good automatic machine is not cheap, because professional sharpening equipment is mainly located in services and workshops. Buying this for home use is not rational.

Video on how to sharpen a chainsaw chain on a machine

Stages of work for manual sharpening at home

You can sharpen chains at home using a special round file with a holder. To do this, observe the following stages of the operation:

  • The bar with the chain is fixed with a vise so that its upper line is in a horizontal position.
  • Take the shortest tooth as a reference point and mark it with a marker or nitro enamel.
  • The body of the round file is brought under the main cutting edge, pressing it to the corner along the entire mowing line and at the same time pressing the holder against the surface of the tooth. Thanks to the holder, the round file will automatically take the desired position, protruding in relation to the upper plane of the chainsaw tooth.
  • With confident even movements from oneself, without changing the feed angle, two or three times are filed along the beveled surface of the upper cutting edge.
  • Rotate the file along its axis so that the development of an abrasive surface does not occur, and repeat the operation until the tooth sharpens.
  • After that, using a chain sharpening template, check the height of the limiter and, if necessary, grind it with a flat file.
  • Then, through one tooth, the entire cycle of operations is repeated until they reach the originally marked tooth.
  • Turn the tire over with the opposite side and sharpen all the other teeth of the chainsaw through one.

How to sharpen a chainsaw chain correctly. we will tell 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 expert. 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.

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!

To correct the inconvenience that has arisen, it is advisable to stock up on round and flat files, as well as a template and a vice. The latter device will greatly facilitate your work, freeing both hands.

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 should be about 0.7 mm lower than the cutting tooth in terms of its characteristics).

The chain sharpening process is more difficult than sawing!

Don’t think that everything will turn out so easy the first time. But if you get the hang of it, you will achieve success. The cutting teeth must be sharpened first. For this, a special template is superimposed. When sharpening along it, the arrows will indicate the direction of movement. Do not use physical force in such cases, but try to carry out uniform pressing at an angle directly to the saw bar with smooth and precise movements.

Experts remind that the angle of the slope itself in practice can be different and depends on the pitch of the chain. The main thing in such a jewelry and laborious work is not to rush and, as an option, remember how many movements you made. This practice of counting will allow you not to overdo it in one place and remember to perform the same amount of load in another.

Sharpened cutting teeth, it’s too early to rejoice. grinding of the stop tooth is ahead. A template is also used here (it is better to use a flat file in this place). As practice shows, if you sharpen without a template, then you can accidentally go beyond the mark, and then your chainsaw will “bite” into the tree and increase vibration when working with the material, which means you can simply forget about such an important characteristic as accuracy.

Things to consider:

If you are already ready to start sharpening, then it is better to do it right away, without delaying until later. And remember: the frequency of sharpening can vary significantly depending on the bark of the trees. If the bark from the logs is ripped off, then you can not sharpen the chain so often and, accordingly, cut longer. And don’t be afraid to use a chainsaw. If your trees and branches are small, then you can always use different types of tools for pruning trees. So good luck!