How To Properly Sharpen A Chainsaw Chain With A File Manually

Sharpener PowerSharp

Oregon’s unique PowerSharp hobby saw and petrol sharpening system includes:

• Plastic box with a push mechanism and a compartment for installing a grinding stone;
• A tire with an additional hole for subsequent fixation of the plastic box of the sharpener;
• Low profile chain;
• Sharpening abrasive stone.

Powersharp kits are available in a variety of sizes. To find the right size, just remove the chainset from your saw, and select the bar that matches the length of the sample.

Install the chain on the new bar and assemble the saw. This headset can be used instead of the "native" headset until the first need for sharpening.

To sharpen with a sharpener, you need to install the sharpening stone in the box and fix it on the tire with a latch, and then turn on the saw at full power and push the pressure mechanism of the device vertically downward on a hard surface (stump, log, stone, earth), press slightly. Thus, the abrasive stone will touch the chain teeth and sharpen them in just 3-5 seconds. After dismantling the sharpener, you can start working again.

Chainsaw chain design

Chainsaw chain consists of three types of links made of high alloy steel:

• Cutters are the main elements of the chain. Distinguish between right-side and left-side, which are located alternately, their cutting edges are located above the plane of the tire. Tooth design includes cutting depth stops.
• Drive (shanks). serve to transfer torque from the gas engine to the chain through the drive sprocket. This feature extends the life of the sprocket and gives the chain a more stable grip on the tire.
• Connecting. connects shanks and cutting teeth of the chain.

Sharpening the chainsaw on the machine

The machine for sharpening chainsaw chains with its own hands copes with the task without any problems. There are various options for using such a tool. automatic sharpening or manually. In addition, you can make a homemade chain sharpener.

How to remove a chain from a chainsaw

The device of all chain saws is the same, so the algorithm for removing the chain will be the same:

• Wear protective cotton gloves first to avoid cuts from cutting teeth.
• Remove the protective cover from the working part of the chainsaw and lay it on its side on a flat surface.
• Using a socket wrench of the required diameter, unscrew the fixing nuts that hold the body and the tire, remove the upper body cover.
• Now you need to move the tire all the way down to the sprocket, thereby relaxing the chain, and remove the working elements from the fastening bolts.
• Disconnect the chain from the bar.

How to understand that the chainsaw chain is dull, and it is time to sharpen it: signs

The long service life of any chainsaw depends on proper care and use, including the chain headset. The good performance of the latter affects the performance of the device and performance parameters. Failure to sharpen in time can cause some problems in the operation of the saw itself. Most often these are:

• Curved cuts;
• Large loads on the saw, as a result of which the wear of the device parts increases, and hence a decrease in the service life of the entire device;
• Increased fuel consumption.

There are other signs of chain bluntness:

• Tool speed has decreased;
• Uneven and sharp sawdust is formed;
• Great efforts must be made to cut wood;
• The chain is stretched or sagged.

Than sharpening on a manual machine is inferior to an electric machine

• Sharpening on a mechanical lathe manually is a very long and painstaking process.
• Manual sharpening requires some skill, perseverance, care and accuracy.
• The manual method is less accurate due to the human factor.

If you are the owner of a professional chainsaw that you use regularly, it makes sense to purchase an electric automatic sharpening machine. It will save you time and extend tool life.

How to understand that the chain is dull

• Increased physical effort;
• Sagging (stretching) of the chain;
• Vibration and "braking" cutting passage;
• Inaccurate sawing and change in the type of sawdust (they become uneven with sharp “needle-like” edges, small and dusty). This is already the answer to the test.

"In the opinion of the experts and in my opinion too: well sharpened teeth are more important than engine power."

Why dull? The reasons are generally known, but I will name the main ones:

• Intense or voluminous work;
• Accidental contact with stone, earth, hard knots, etc.;
• Mishandling (broad term).

How to sharpen a chain on a chainsaw with your own hands

A person who has a chainsaw in his household should know how to sharpen a chainsaw chain with his own hands. There are several ways:

• Sharpening with a file (the most common method of sharpening, because it allows you to sharpen the tool directly at the cutting site.)
• Sharpen using a special machine (this method is used in service centers, but can also be used on a personal farm)
• Sharpen using an angle grinder. To sharpen in this way, certain skills are required. Uncommon method, because K. Difficult enough to sharpen with an angle grinder correctly.

In this, you can familiarize yourself with the sharpening process, the most popular methods and tools used for this.

Electric grinding machines

For straightening a large number of chains, as a rule, in service centers or in manufacturing plants, electric sharpening machines are used. Depending on the manufacturer, the design of the machines may vary, but they have the same principle of operation.

The saw chain is installed in a special guide, which is mounted on the basis of the turntable and has a special retainer for holding the sharpened tooth. The latch can be moved horizontally. An electric emery is installed at an adjustable angle to the sharpened tooth, which is turned on by the operator by pressing the start button. The immersion depth of emery, as well as the angle at which the sharpening is performed, can be adjusted. The dive itself is performed by the operator. The chain is straightened with a special grinding wheel, which can be changed if necessary.

Sharpening with a file

The first thing you need in order to sharpen the chain, or tweak it a little, are special files.

Sharpening angles and configuration of the chainsaw tooth

In order to be able to sharpen the chains correctly, the first step is to figure out what functional elements a single link or cutting element consists of:

• Base. the lower part of the tooth, which has holes for connection with the rest of the chain elements and during operation hides in the guide channel of the bar. It is this part that is lubricated.
• A special stop is a design element of the tooth that allows the cutter to remove only a certain thickness of wood chips in one pass. Thanks to him, the chain does not get stuck in the fibers, and the chainsaw does not wedge.
• The so-called tooth scapula is a cutter consisting of vertical and horizontal working surfaces that form cutting edges.

Tooth blades, or cutting edges, need to be sharpened at a specific angle, otherwise it will be difficult to achieve optimal sawing characteristics of the chain. The upper blade (horizontal) has the function of cutting the tooth into the wood and forming a groove. Side or end blade (vertical) helps to trim fibers from the side.

The productivity of operations when sawing wood in the transverse direction increases if you increase the angle of sharpening of the chainsaw chain to the maximum possible and vice versa. Chains designed for longitudinal cutting of a tree trunk should be sharpened at an angle of approximately 10 degrees.

Under no circumstances should the depth gauge be touched again: improper grinding can lead to vibration during tool operation. Its debugging is done according to a special template.

Description of the sharpening process with files

The first thing to start with straightening the saw chain on the saw is to set the tool on a flat surface or table. In forest conditions, a large diameter chock is well suited for this. Next, you need to inspect the saw chain for any defects, it can be cracks, completely broken off teeth. After inspection, you need to set the brake in working condition, thereby blocking its movement on the tire.

It is advisable to put a stand under the tire, as it you can use a log, a piece of a branch of a suitable diameter, or the manufacturers of sharpening tools have special clamps to hold the bar in the process of sharpening the chain.

The chain is sharpened by moving the file from the inside of the tooth to the outside. In this case, the file must be parallel to the special mark on the chain. This mark is applied by the chain manufacturer to indicate the standard sharpening angle.

The tooth to be sharpened should be located approximately in the middle of the tire, this is necessary for the convenience of work, during the sharpening process, you need to move the chain along the tire, remembering to set the brake to the working position each time.

Ideally, manufacturers advise to make the same number of file movements for each tooth, but in practice this is not always possible, because The teeth have different degrees of damage to the working edge.

To facilitate sharpening the saw chain with a file, special holders can be used, with corner markings applied to them. The markings are made not only for the standard cross cut, but also for the longitudinal.

Tool holders are also handy if you don’t have sufficient sharpening experience. Experienced sharpeners do not use holders for sharpening, but can only use special devices that support the file.

Another sharpening device is a hand-held saw chain straightener. It uses a regular file as a sharpening tool, which can be replaced independently. The machine is mounted directly on the tire, it also has the ability to adjust the angle of sharpening of the tooth and a special stop that holds the sharpened tooth.

Manual sharpening machine, perfect for beginners. Along with electric models of sharpening machines, manual has its undeniable plus in the form of a low price. Depending on the manufacturer of the hand-held machine, their appearance may differ, but the principle of operation is the same for all.

The depth of cut is adjusted with a flat file, so that there is a difference between the upper cutting edge of the tooth and the height stop.

As you can see from the figure, the depth gauge is grinded in such a way as to bring the gap indicator to the factory value. Below is a table showing the main values ​​of the angles, as well as clearances for the most common types of chains.

As a rule, the size of the gap is corrected using a special die. It is installed on the chain during sharpening, after which the depth gauge is grinded.