Chainsaw repair - chain marked

Ranjo

I have a new chainsaw and have been working away with it in the garden. Cut loads of branches and cut up some firewood. I have some extremely overgrown blackthorn hedge and tried to trim it. The chain came off and in doing so has some small dents/marks on it.

The chain has one spot which prevents it from turning smoothly in the groove of the bar.

Can I repair these little marks? Do I need to get them repaired in a shop? Or do I need a new chain?

CJhaughey

Ranjo wrote: »

I have a new chainsaw and have been working away with it in the garden. Cut loads of branches and cut up some firewood. I have some extremely overgrown blackthorn hedge and tried to trim it. The chain came off and in doing so has some small dents/marks on it.

The chain has one spot which prevents it from turning smoothly in the groove of the bar.

Can I repair these little marks? Do I need to get them repaired in a shop? Or do I need a new chain?

You can repair drive links if they are burred, if they are twisted they might be problematic even after you file them flat.
You need to keep a better eye on the chain tension, it shouldn't derail that easily.
When you tighten the bar nuts keep the tip pressed down onto a hard surface to provide the same tension as you would get while cutting.

Ranjo

You can repair drive links if they are burred, if they are twisted they might be problematic even after you file them flat.

It appears to be just burred, so I'll file them down and hope to be back up & running.

You need to keep a better eye on the chain tension, it shouldn't derail that easily.

I had been checking the tension every few mins. But this time I hadn't after spending a few mins taking it off & cleaning. I think adding to the issue was cutting the hedgerow horizontally. Maybe.

When you tighten the bar nuts keep the tip pressed down onto a hard surface to provide the same tension as you would get while cutting.

Not sure what you mean here. The bar can only slide in/out to decrease/increase tension .There's no other movement directions. I attach the bar with the chain pulled a hand-tight tension, then last few millimetres with the screwdriver adjustment.

Furthermore, I am testing the tension by check how much it can drop at the bottom of the bar. It drops down about 3-4mm. Anything less than that and the chain is too tight to turn.

wayoutwest

Ranjo - when you've achieved,what you think is,the correct tension[using screw], push down on the tip of bar [or if bar is clamped -pull chainsaw body up]........you will notice that this action creates a little more slack in the chain........so, only tighten the nuts AFTER after this 'under load' tension has been established.

P.S - Be v. carefull when cutting hedgerows or wood from hedgerows - it can be peppered with old wire and staples that are hidden below the bark. The hedge is [unfortunately] also commonly used as a dumping ground for all types of scrap [I ruined chain on perfectly camoflauged rotting bicycle frame only last year].

PPS - During the process of mastering the file, you WILL slip and receive some nasty cuts to your knuckle ...so, wear leather glove on filing hand when sharpening.

CJhaughey

You should be able to pull the chain out of the bottom bar groove almost the height of the drive link with your fingers.
When you have it tensioned correctly you have to tighten the nuts that clamp the bar to the saw body.
Before you tighten them fully, take the saw and rest the tip of the bar on a hard surface and make sure the bar has tension on it pushing upwards.
Then while its under tension tighten the bar nuts.
If you just tighten the bar without doing this the chain will slacken off.
The chain has to be tight as it will loosen off as it heats up.
Check your oiler is working well, point the bar at a piece of waste material and rev the saw at steady medium revs for a minute or or so, you should see a patch of oil appear where its flung off the chain.
If no oil appears then you need to turn the oiler up.

Ranjo

OK thanks all. I will try that with the tension, although I am not 100% the bar is able to move up/down to change the tension. I can only slide it in & out. But maybe I'm missing something as I haven't looked that closely yet.

Rovi

Ranjo wrote: »

OK thanks all. I will try that with the tension, although I am not 100% the bar is able to move up/down to change the tension. I can only slide it in & out. But maybe I'm missing something as I haven't looked that closely yet.

There's no up-and-down 'adjustment' as such, you're just taking out the slack in the clamping mechanism so that the chain is pre-tensioned as much as possible before it gets loaded up in work.

I normally sharpen chains on the saw by clamping the bar in a bench vice, something like this:


While the bar is clamped in the vise, I'll adjust chain tension with the adjustment screw while lifting the rear handle of the saw.

CJhaughey

Its not an adjustment with a screw its just play in the mounting mechanism.

conamara boy

any body use a Topsun chainsaw?

jonon9

Can I see a photo of the chain?

Ok make sure the groove of the bar are clear from sawdust and oil. Next clean the oil hole on the bar if that gets clogged up and oil cant get onto the bar it will cause lots of friction and will ruin the bar and chain.

Now you may want to dress the bar just check for a burr on the chain rail (the area the chain slides along) if there is one there use a file and lightly file off.

When you attach the bar and chain to the saw and adjusting for tension lift the nose of the bar up taking out the slop than turn the adjusting screw until the chain just touches the bottom of the bar dont over do it, Now before you release the bar lock down the side covers.

Next unlock the chainbreak and see if you can pull the chain around by hand as you should be able to do it and while your at it check for sag in the chain basically you want to be able to move the chain but see no sag, if you cant move the chain by hand then its to tight.

Now if the chain is badly damaged its best to just get a new chain trying to repair them is hit and miss.

CJhaughey