Keeping Your Chain Saw Sharp

(Page 4 of 4)

October/November 2002
By Steve Maxwell  
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Extending Bar and Chain Life

Since most sawing is done using the bottom edge of a chain saw's bar, this is the spot that wears out first from the pressure of the sliding chain. As a bar wears, its edges deteriorate and prevent the chain from sliding freely and tracking straight. Flip the bar over with every new chain you install. It spreads out wear and maximizes bar life.

Bought a new saw chain? Don't just throw it on and start cutting. You'll get longer chain life if you first soak it overnight in clean chain oil. After installing and tensioning the new chain, run it at half throttle for two minutes before cutting anything. Stop the engine, check chain tension, then re-adjust after letting the chain cool. The initial wear can cause it to loosen quickly. And you don't want that to happen under a cutting load.

Buying the the Right Saw

I've used every size and quality of chainsaw over the years, and I've come to believe that it someone needs a chainsaw for tough work. they should choose more than a bargain basement model. There are lots of cheap chainsaws around, but you'd be better off with a sharp bow saw.

So how do you assess a chainsaw? I start with chain size. The photo below shows the difference in cutter size between the first chainsaw I owned, and the one I use now. The larger chain, described as having a 3/8-inch pitch, cuts much more aggressively than the smaller 1/4-inch-pitch chain. If you're cutting more than a few tree limbs a year, consider a saw with either 3/8-inch or a 0.325-inchpitch chain.

To spin this sort of hardware, a saw needs a substantial motor. The saw I own now has a 61.5-cubic centimeter engine; if I were to make a recommendation to a friend with a woodstove to feed, I'd say buy a saw with at least a 45-cc motor.

If you're considering buying a used saw, choose one with both a chain brake and an inertia brake. Both stop the chain quickly during a kickback event, reducing your chances of sustaining serious injury.

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Comments

  • william 1/8/2008 9:17:08 PM

    Just use high-test gas. One year the Town used regular and burned
    out all their saws, so did I. Don't use used motor oil in place of
    the chain lube, although you could thin it down and pour some over
    the blade occasionally. Those cheap saws last for about 10 Maples.
    Always always wear ear protection, my neighbor who's a tree-faller
    now has a phone amplifier, almost deaf. A hard hat is good for when
    a dead branch comes down out of nowhere. Don't forget to replant
    what you cut. Regards.

  • Arian 12/29/2007 5:42:40 PM

    I don't mean to be rude by any means. But it might not hurt to
    proofread this a little. Although your effort to help one another
    is admirable.

  • Jim 11/24/2007 11:03:45 AM

    Thanks--good instructions--easy to understand and complete--kudos

  • Heidi Hunt 11/14/2007 3:17:24 PM

    You can see all of the photos that accompany this article in the
    Image Gallery at the top right of the article, under Related.

  • ndes 5/9/2007 9:46:23 AM

    good info,but where is page 94?

  • o.l.(buddy) 3/1/2007 1:16:12 PM

    good info,but where is page 94?

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