chainsaw file?

farmerjj

With all the trees down after the storms, I,m starting the clean up now but I normally us a normal round file to sharpen the chain but I have a habit of sharping one side better than the other so it ends up cutting unevenly, is there any thing better out there to file with???

reilig

Have you got a guide for the round file?

We used an electric file for a short while but found that it just took too much out of the chain. Went back to the hand file and bought a guide. 2 mins will sharpen the chain. We now buy cheaper chains off ebay - file them regularly with the hand file and throw them away when used. We used to bring the chains to get them sharpened at €10 each - can buy a carlton chain off ebay for 20" saw for €10 so it makes no sense to bring them to get them sharpened.

ABlur

Recent thread from the Forestry forum below:
http://touch.boards.ie/thread/2057130037/1/#post88816570

farmerjj

reilig wrote: »

Have you got a guide for the round file?

We used an electric file for a short while but found that it just took too much out of the chain. Went back to the hand file and bought a guide. 2 mins will sharpen the chain. We now buy cheaper chains off ebay - file them regularly with the hand file and throw them away when used. We used to bring the chains to get them sharpened at €10 each - can buy a carlton chain off ebay for 20" saw for €10 so it makes no sense to bring them to get them sharpened.

That's real good value are those chains as good as normal chains. No I,ve no guide,are they worth getting

Greengrass1

This is what you need. Anyone can sharpen a saw with this even me, even though I never use it because the father's does all that stuff

https://imageshack.us/a/img36/891/8cjc.jpg

Greengrass1

https://imageshack.us/a/img36/891/8cjc.jpg
https://imageshack.us/a/img850/8084/3jnr.jpg

Greengrass1

https://imageshack.us/a/img401/821/nu7j.jpg
25e at the stihl stand at the ploughing 2yrs ago

onyerbikepat

I find if you have the vice, with saw bar held in it, at waist height then you can get down over the chain and file away on both sides no bother. If you look at the chain there is a groove on the cutting links. File in parallel to this and keep it level too with the top of the link, not the bar. A loose chain will move off to one side as you file, so you need to tilt up the file a little to keep it right. I file mine right down to the last bit of metal and get a good few years out of them. Edge is everthing when using a saw.

CJhaughey

I have multiple chains for every saw I have.
I find it a lot easier to just swap chains in the field and then sharpen the lot at home in a nice warm shed with good lighting.
Keep them in a heavy cardboard envelope so they don't get dirty at the bottom of a bag or bucket.

reilig

farmerjj wrote: »

That's real good value are those chains as good as normal chains. No I,ve no guide,are they worth getting

Carlton chains for €10 are no way as good as a €30 stihl chain. But they aren't too far off it. At least if you hit a nail, and pull off a few teeth off it, you won't feel as bad throwing it away.

The guide I use is one of these



Your round file just pops into it and it gives you the angles to file at. Clamp the saw bar into a vise to start. When you get more experience at it, you won't need the vise - you will be able to just file it down as the saw stands.

Plenty of videos on youtube to show you how to do it.

mikefoxo

Greengrass1 wrote: »

https://imageshack.us/a/img401/821/nu7j.jpg
25e at the stihl stand at the ploughing 2yrs ago

We have the same type here. I never get it as sharp as when it's new but I'm trying:rolleyes:
This is a very informative video and I recommend you to watch it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvcCh2XqEPc

Conmaicne Mara

I've an Oregon file guide much the same as the one in Reiligs photo, does an excellent job on the chains, like CJ I have multiple chains, if I could only find the buggers now I'd make some noise

CJhaughey

I find Oregon chains to be much easier to hand sharpen then Stihl chains, that said when Felling clean wood nothing beats a new full chisel Stihl chain.
I have bought a lot of chains from the US, their prices are very low compared to the prices here.
I dealt with one company that could sell me 5x 3/8 Oregon 18" chains for 50euro including delivery.
Thats great value compared to the same chain here @28 per loop.

blue5000

OP I used to have the same problem as you, onyerbikepat's post above is bang on the money, I'd just add that you need to turn the chainsaw around after doing every second link, and count the strokes of the file so everything gets the same amount of filing. Usually 3 strokes to each link is what I do. Maybe there is someone that can show you how to do it locally?

Cj have you an email address for them chains, that's great value?

CJhaughey

blue5000 wrote: »

Cj have you an email address for them chains, that's great value?

I'll find out if the guy is still selling them.

Zr105

http://bit.ly/1fFWFuB

Hopefully this link will work, got one of these a while back, its handy to keep file straight and consistent. But at the same time can be a little fiddly.

One thing i haven't seen mentioned yet is with any of the guides make sure you turn the file around a quarter turn each time you use it so that it gets worn down evenly and makes it cut consistently on the chain to.

Genghis Cant

blue5000 wrote: »

OP I used to have the same problem as you, onyerbikepat's post above is bang on the money, I'd just add that you need to turn the chainsaw around after doing every second link, and count the strokes of the file so everything gets the same amount of filing. Usually 3 strokes to each link is what I do. Maybe there is someone that can show you how to do it locally?

Cj have you an email address for them chains, that's great value?

I use to have the same affliction. Now I count the strokes, 4 one side, 5 the other. That keeps her right for me.

mayota

I use one of these now. Flat file on it to keep the rakers right. You want the saw in a vice for comfort. I find it good.

Sir Arthur Daley

mayota wrote: »

I use one of these now. Flat file on it to keep the rakers right. You want the saw in a vice for comfort. I find it good.

These are good but i find they take down the depth gauges too much.

colrow

I use the vice to keep the saw steady, and give each tooth 3 strokes, pulling the file back back at the same time.

Muckit

Hardwood v softwood

You'll get better rights out of a saw cutting hardwood rather than softwood oddly enough. Sap from softwood leaves residue on blade.

Very obvious when using bandsaw she'll start cutting crooked after short while if cutting softwood all the time.

Rarely cut softwood with chainsaw. Perhaps some of ye do. I'd say it has to have the same effect. Did any of ye notice this?? Confirm or deny?

O.A.P

Muckit wrote: »

Hardwood v softwood

You'll get better rights out of a saw cutting hardwood rather than softwood oddly enough. Sap from softwood leaves residue on blade.

Very obvious when using bandsaw she'll start cutting crooked after short while if cutting softwood all the time.

Rarely cut softwood with chainsaw. Perhaps some of ye do. I'd say it has to have the same effect. Did any of ye notice this?? Confirm or deny?

I noticed that when cutting cypress a few years ago, I spent an hour or more per day sharpening or changing chains. I had no issue with spruce or other soft woods though.
Cypress trees have thick sap and it gums up your chain, it smells nice though.

CJhaughey

It depends on how good your oiler output is when cutting softwood.
If the output is marginal then I find the chain can get a bit dry and sappy, if the oiler is good then the chain stays a lot cleaner.
I use Alco bar oil very sticky mineral oil based lube, but the last time I went to look for some its all very thin vege based lube which to me looks too thin to properly cling to the bar and chain.
Anyone find the new stuff any good? XP-line bio oil and the like?
I'd rather find out if its rubbish before burning up a bar and chain.

mayota

CJhaughey wrote: »

It depends on how good your oiler output is when cutting softwood.
If the output is marginal then I find the chain can get a bit dry and sappy, if the oiler is good then the chain stays a lot cleaner.
I use Alco bar oil very sticky mineral oil based lube, but the last time I went to look for some its all very thin vege based lube which to me looks too thin to properly cling to the bar and chain.
Anyone find the new stuff any good? XP-line bio oil and the like?
I'd rather find out if its rubbish before burning up a bar and chain.

Ya find the Alco oil very good it really waits on the bar and doesn't fly off. Get it locally €14 for 4 litres.

49801

Got one of these.
Very handy... Just hook up to tractor battery and away you go.

CJhaughey

49801 wrote: »

Got one of these.
Very handy... Just hook up to tractor battery and away you go.

Might as well buy a few more chains while your at it.
They grind away a lot of metal and if not carefully used they heat the teeth resulting in annealing of the teeth.
Handy for fast jobs I guess.

Sir Arthur Daley

CJhaughey wrote: »

Anyone find the new stuff any good? XP-line bio oil and the like?
I'd rather find out if its rubbish before burning up a bar and chain.

I uses Stihl oil, tried various brands and the Stihl is hard to beat.

CJhaughey

WikiHow wrote: »

I uses Stihl oil, tried various brands and the Stihl is hard to beat.

Which oil? Bioplus or the semisynthetic?

Sir Arthur Daley

I use the semi synthetic never looked back since.

viztopia

CJhaughey wrote: »

I find Oregon chains to be much easier to hand sharpen then Stihl chains, that said when Felling clean wood nothing beats a new full chisel Stihl chain.
I have bought a lot of chains from the US, their prices are very low compared to the prices here.
I dealt with one company that could sell me 5x 3/8 Oregon 18" chains for 50euro including delivery.
Thats great value compared to the same chain here @28 per loop.

do you find that the American chains have less teeth on them than any you would buy here? I bought a saw in the US and brought it in to get sharpened and the man took one look at the chain and first thing he said was did you get that chain in America? I asked how he knew and he said that US chains have less teeth as a lot of the trees over there are pine and are easier to cut