Chainsaw blade sharpened?

[gfretwell]

Actually a Dremel does it pretty fast and gets the teeth set better than a file.. They make special stones for sharpening chainsaws. Just be sure to get the stone for the size chain you have.

[SteveB]

Chainsaw sharpening IS somewhat exacting, but it ain't rocket surgery. Those fellas who work day in and day out logging carry a file, and can get one back into shape in a real hurry. They also carry spare chains that they have sharpened professionally, or do on a home bench mounted sharpener.

One of the biggest thing you can do is avoid dulling. Blades dull with the wear of cutting wood, but hitting a rock or the dirt will dull it in about three seconds. Knowing how to avoid those places is key.

As for sharpening, it all depends on how much you cut. We went and got two cords last weekend. I took my saw and three extra chains, and didn't have to switch to the second one. On a bad day, I could have been into the third one. If you're a weekend tree trimmer, or occasional user to cut firewood, and are always close to the hardware store, it is wise to just have a couple of extras. About $20 or less each, and about $4 to have professionally sharpened. If you go out in the woods, and dulling all your chains will put you in a bind, then you have to learn how to do it, or buy some kind of accurate sharpener. Sharpening a chain too much because you don't know what you're doing is just going to wear all the metal away, and ruin the chain. One does not need to take a lot of metal off to sharpen a chain, but the angles are critical.

HTH

Steve

[SteveB]

"JIMMIE" wrote

I know since I bought my Sawzall I hardly ever use mine.

Jimmie

They make 36" Sawzall blades now?

Steve

[Doug Miller]

Or hornbeam (aka "ironwood"). The sapwood cuts like butter, the heartwood cuts like, well, like iron.

[Stormin Mormon]

I don't know how close your pro is, but most of the time when I'm running saw, I'm at least half hour from a saw shop. At bare minimum. I can have the chain sharpened in much less than half hour, and I don't have to stand and wait while someone else sharpens.

To the original poster who's smoking a chain. Check your bar oil, might not be lubricating under the chain. The little oiler ports sometimes get clogged with sawdust.

[Stormin Mormon]

I've been using a hand file for sharpening. Much less time than driving to the store. Someday I'll get a 12 volt dremel sharpener, but it hasn't been that much of an issue.

[Stormin Mormon]

Either dull, or out of bar oil. Either one will smoke the chain.

I bought a sawzall, and I use my sawzall occasionally. Shame that you bought a sawzall, but hardly use your sawzall.

[Stormin Mormon]

My last saw, the chains were 59 or 60 links, but the general concept is there. Much faster to do your own touchup, compared to drive to the store.

[Stormin Mormon]

I have seen forward chain smoke -- if the bar oil is empty or not oiling for some reason.

[Stormin Mormon]

How about nails in the wood?

[salty]

Hey! Look whats' on special right now!

[dpb]

What about 'em?

[Worn Out Retread]

Take your chain down to a good hardware store and get a round file to fit your chain, a sharpening guide that clamps on to the file and you are in business.

I had never sharpened a chain saw chain but within 10 minutes, I had sharpened the chain. There really isn't much to it especially if you have a vice to hold the chain saw bar steady when the chain is mounted on the saw. After you have done it a few times, you can carry the file with you and sharpen as necessary right on the job site.

[Harry K]

Favorite things to find in a tree. What is it about a brand new chain that makes them find one? Happened again two days ago. New chain, hours cutting, NAIL! :).

Dead locust will also throw sparks.

Harry K

[Harry K]

I got one the year they put them up for $39.99. Not worth the money IMO but maybe I got a bad one. It is a bit flimsy and mine does not sharpen the teeth on both sides to the same lenght. I have to play around with the 'tooth stop' and a micrometer to get it right after changing sides. Others who have bought them are satisfied however.

If anyone does buy one, order up a couple extra wheels at the same time. Also visit a good hardware site or store for a "wheel dressing" 'stone'. Then before using a new wheel, hold a piece of thick carstock against it to get the right profile and file that card away so you can refer to it when dressing the wheel.

Harry K

[retired53]

try reading my post again...i said the same thing. takes me about 5 min to sharpen a chain saw. i don't even know where to take one.

[Phisherman]

It doesn't have to be ash. My dull chain smoked at cutting fresh pine, maybe it was the pine tar burning I don't know. But after sharpening, cuts were easy with no smoking. A dull cutting edge creates more friction, more heat.

[dpb]

I'm actually, really dry ash doesn't so much smoke, it shoots sparks... :)

...even w/ a sharp chain.

--

[Jeff Wisnia]

Two points:

Sharpening the chain while it's on the saw avoids whatever time it takes to remove and replace the chain. Keeping a spare chain on hand is a great idea to let you complete your work in case you really f-up the one on the saw.

Don't forget about the depth guides between the cutting teeth. As you sharpen the teeth they get a little shorter and you need to occassionally reduce the height of the depth guides so the teeth can do their job.

*******

I use a Dremel with a chain sharpening stone on the little 16" electric chain saw I've had for about 20 years now and which only gets used maybe twice a summer nowadays. The spare chain I bought along with the saw is still in its unopened package. :)

Jeff

[JIMMIE]

No, I have already cut everything down that big that I will ever need to cut. I doubt if I use mine more than once a year now. If I didnt already own it I wouldnt buy one, instead I would rent. If you just got to have one get a professional grade saw, not one of these pieces of junk they sell in the "big box" stores. You will be glad you did.

Jimmie