Husqvarna How To Use A Manual Sharpening Chain

All about chains for saws: how to choose, replace and sharpen correctly

Among the useful things stored in the back room of the economic owners of suburban areas, you can always find fixtures and devices for cutting wood. It can be a jigsaw, a hand saw, a convenient saw or a powerful unit that runs on liquid fuel. Any of the “helpers” requires certain work skills and attentive care. For example, owners of an electric-powered tool need to know what chains are for saws, whether they are difficult to change on their own and whether a file is suitable for correct sharpening.

Logging in large volumes or serious construction work on the street require the purchase of a more powerful tool. chainsaws. However, if you occasionally need to fix a fence, repair a house, or saw a few logs, then a saw is an ideal tool. It is convenient to use in confined spaces. inside the house, in the barn or utility room, as well as on the site if there is a power source nearby.

What other benefits does the power tool have? It does not require time to prepare the fuel mixture and cuts more accurately than gasoline counterparts. Minus one. sparing use. You have to get used to the interval sawing of wood. This means that after 40 seconds of operation, a “respite” of approximately 20 seconds is necessary for the saw.

So, if you are already the proud owner of an ergonomic, comfortable saw, get ready to have a closer look at the device, replacing and sharpening the chain. the main dynamic part.

Before choosing a saw, read the information on the overheat protection system. The life of the protected motor is much longer, and the productivity is higher

How to choose the right chain?

The chain, along with the engine, is the most important functional part; therefore, when used actively, it is often subject to repair, sharpening or complete replacement. It is better to replace the old, worn chain completely, and for this you need to know some selection rules:

• When replacing any spare part (sprockets, tires or chains), you need to remember the compatibility of the saw elements, that is, purchase parts only from the manufacturer: for example, a Makita chain is required for a Makita saw.
• Pick up a chain depending on the goals. If you need more power, it is more profitable to purchase the product in increments of 3/8 inch, at low loads, 0.325 inches is enough. The cylinder volume in this case does not play a role.
• Pay attention to the angle of sharpening. this is useful for further care, repair or restoration. For greater productivity, choose an angle of 30º. it is easier to absorb large loads. However, with complex processing of wood (if it is raw or frozen), it is better to stop at 10º.
• The chain length must necessarily correspond to the size of the tire. In the process, it can stretch out, sag, but the issue is solved by simply removing 1-2 links.

Video: Husqvarna How To Use A Manual Sharpening Chain

Of course, it is necessary to take into account the method and material of the cut. For example, for a longitudinal cut it is better to choose a chain with a small angle of sharpening. Productivity will be less, but the service life will increase significantly.

One of the indicators of chain selection is the step that is usually measured in inches. This is the spacing between rivets divided by two. Now there is a unified designation system and generally accepted standards. 3/8, 0.325 and 0.404 inches

Chain Tooth Parameters

The elements of the chain. the teeth. have differences that are important to consider when acquiring a chain for certain jobs.

Each part of the tooth has its own purpose. For example, the upper face of the tooth, which is often called the scapula, tapers at the back and forms the angle of the end blade. It is necessary to cut chips

The sliding surface and the inclination of the end blade form a rake angle, which has various options. from 60º to 85º. Correct the angle of the upper blade, as well as the rake angle, during sharpening. Each of the elements, in particular, its size and degree of sharpness, affect the cutting ability of the saw.

It is impossible to adjust the tilt angles to arbitrary parameters, there are proven standards that must be followed depending on the type of circuit and its functional purpose.

The angle of the blade forms the optimal cutting properties when cutting the chain into the wood layer. On the inside there is a sharpening angle. 10º or 30º, which can be changed if necessary

The clearance angle is 50º or 60º. This is the most important angle, but it is quite difficult to measure, and it is also difficult to adjust if you do not observe the other values.

The depth gauge distance affects how thick the chip will be. It depends on the type and purpose of the chain and is 0.6-0.8 mm. The limiter also requires adjustment and grinds, but much less often. after 5-8 sharpening

Self-changing saw chain

Companies that produce saws do not prohibit the replacement of the chain with their own hands, on the contrary, they often complete new products with repair and replacement instructions for individual parts. Start by buying a new chain.

We check the chain for compliance, that is, we study its characteristics: length (depends on the tire), step size (relative to sprockets), drive link thickness

One of the common designs of budget saws is with lateral tension. To change the chain, perform the following steps in turn:

• we move the protective shield, while lowering the brake;
• turn the control tension screw with a screwdriver, unscrew the nut, thereby weaken the tension;
• remove the cover;
• we separate the tire with a chain from an asterisk;
• remove the old chain from the tire, install a new one in its place;
• perform actions in reverse order.

We tighten the chain smoothly, without jerking. Finally we pull it after closing the plastic cover with the screw and nut.

There are modern keyless chain tensioning systems, but many craftsmen prefer the traditional side-chain tensioning, which is somewhat problematic, but proven and reliable.

Modern saw models have the so-called wing nuts for operative chain tension. Thanks to this element, the replacement process is faster. and this is important for large volumes of work. Lowering the brake, unscrew the nut and remove the cover. Slightly pushing the tire back, remove the old chain, put on a new one. first on the sprocket, then along the entire length. Then we put an asterisk in place, we twist a nut. We turn the tension wheel in the direction indicated on the housing and finally tighten the “lamb”.

The last step is to check the chain tension. It should fit snugly on the tire with the brake released, but spin under manual action. For a more effective check, it is recommended to drive the saw at low speeds

You can watch more details about chain stretching in the video: