What is the angle of the chainsaw sharpening chain

Chainsaw. a necessary tool for domestic needs, He will find a worthy application in the country. A chainsaw is easy to saw firewood for a stove or fireplace. It also performs well when felling. Each owner of such an assistant should know the correct angle of sharpening chains of chainsaws. Calling a specialist at home, and even more so at the cottage, costs a lot of money. Therefore, you have to do it yourself.

What is the angle of the chainsaw sharpening chain

Although it is better to entrust the sharpening to a professional, some lumberjacks themselves learned this craft. If logging specialists have to sharpen the chain 3-4 times a day, then an ordinary gardener does not have such a need due to the fact that he rarely uses a tool. How can you master the craft yourself? There are some recommendations for this.

Features of the chainsaw

Cutting a tree is like working with a planer. over, the size of the cut depends on the thickness of the limiter. When the saw chain is in intensive mode, the teeth become blunt faster. This is clearly manifested when the soil surface appears on the path of the chain. To completely blunt the teeth, it is enough for a couple of seconds to "catch" on the ground.

If sharpening is often possible, the chain will last much longer, since very little metal will be removed. In addition to the question of what angle of sharpening the chain of the chainsaw should be, this should also be known!

Working with a blunt tool is undesirable for a number of reasons. First of all, this affects the quality of the cut, and not for the better. Fatigue also quickly sets in, which is felt not only in the hands, but also in the body.

Another reason. unjustified excessive consumption of fuel. All parts will work in heavy duty, which inevitably leads to their rapid wear. Performance drops dramatically, which also happens when using a defective circuit.

Features of the structure of the chain

To effectively be able to sharpen a chain of a chainsaw, it is necessary to know the structure of its teeth. Do not do without knowledge of the angle of sharpening. Each tooth has a complex structure. Its geometry is represented by the following components:

  • base;
  • shoulder blade;
  • depth gauge.

In this case, the blade consists of two blades: front and top. over, between them there should be a correct angle of sharpening the chainsaw chains to provide it with the necessary performance.

As you can now guess. the chain doesn’t saw wood, since it serves as the basis for fixing the cutting links, moves them at high speed. The links themselves have sharp blades, with which wood is cut.

How to find out when sharpening is needed?

It is possible to determine whether the teeth of the chain are knitted or not, according to some characteristic signs. Of course, it all depends on how much the chainsaw is used. It is worth taking a look at what kind of shavings it leaves. Its uniformity and square shapes indicate sharp teeth. If the chain is sharpened, then it usually leaves wood dust behind it, and the sawdust itself resembles the needles that a “handsaw” “produces”.

If the cutting speed is reduced, then this is also considered a sign of blunting the chain. There is an increase in the load on the instrument itself and the appearance of vibration. Beginners are not always able to notice some of these signs. Therefore, they should pay more attention to the quality of the chips. Sometimes it is a brown hue, which is already guaranteed to indicate that it is time to sharpen the chain.

Sharpening Methods

To sharpen a tool, you can turn to the services of craftsmen who not only know what angle of chainsaw sharpening is needed, but also do all the work quickly and professionally. As a rule, the cost of such services is not so high, but the quality, on the contrary, is very high! This option is suitable for those lovers of logging who do not want to mess with their tools.

Everyone else will be interested in trying their hand at such a thing. Professionals in this regard always choose automatic equipment that is characterized by maximum efficiency and accuracy. Of course, not every lumberjack can afford it, and therefore they can be handled in different ways. And here, among many fans, discussions are underway on the topic of which methodology is better to give preference:

  • manual;
  • alternative;
  • modern.

Do not neglect the signs of blunting, and at the first necessity, proceed to the operation of sharpening the chain of the chainsaw. This will allow you to use it as long as possible.

Correct sharpening angle

The angle of sharpening chains of chainsaws is not a constant value, does not depend on the manufacturer or model of equipment. It is selected taking into account which tree to deal with. You can choose some average value, but the efficiency of the cut may be ineffective. For this reason, it is necessary to choose the correct value, taking into account the specific species of tree.

If we are talking about solid wood, including those trees that have been “freezing” for a long time, it has a high resistivity. In this regard, the sharpening angle should be reduced. This will practically avoid the appearance of vibrations, and the chain stroke will be softer. The minimum value is 25 °.

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In relation to soft types of wood, you can increase the angle of sharpening, but not more than 35 °. Productivity will increase significantly. As for the angle of sharpening the chainsaw chains for longitudinal sawing, the value is 10 °. In this case, the cut will be as even as possible, and the vibration of the equipment is minimized. Knowing such features, we can proceed to consider different ways of sharpening.

Manual method

This is the easiest and slowest method for grinding chain teeth. However, the method is good when sharpening is done on site in the forest. Do not carry the whole machine with you all the time ?! But here it is worth to be more precise. not just one tool is meant, but a whole set, which includes:

  • flat file;
  • round file;
  • template.

Each of them performs its duties. The main purpose of a flat tool is to sharpen the depth gauge.

The round file is already performing the main operation, making the cutting edges sharper. over, for each chain a specific tool diameter is required:

  • ¼ inch pitch. 4 mm;
  • pitch 0.325. 4.8 mm;
  • 3/8 inch pitch. 5.2 mm;
  • pitch 0.404. 5.5 mm.

For Picco chains with which chainsaws are equipped "Stihl" 180 in 3/8 and quarter inch increments, a 4 mm file is also suitable. It is important to keep it right. With respect to the vertical plane, the file must be placed strictly perpendicular to the chain, and with respect to the horizontal plane. at a small angle (about 30 °). The specific grinding angle is selected depending on the needs, but within 25-35 °.

Unlike sharpening a chainsaw chain on a machine, the angle here can be set using a template that is considered a useful helper. To do this, it is equipped with two slots: SOFT / S (for softwood) and HARD / H (for hardwood). The template should be fixed over the chain, which gives it the privileges of a limiter.

It should only be borne in mind that this method is not intended for continuous use, but serves only as a straightening blade. Too frequent use of the file over time leads to chain wear, and the teeth themselves will be sharpened unevenly.

angle grinder is a good alternative

Professional lumberjacks consider this method to be primitive and time-consuming. It is used in the most extreme case, since the angle grinder cannot be fixed on the template. For this reason, it is very difficult to achieve compliance with a constant angle and depth of sharpening.

The tire is firmly fixed in a vice in order to exclude its mobility during operation. It is not necessary to attach a new cutting disc to the angle grinder, it is better to use the old wheel 1.5–2 mm thick.

It is better for beginners not to use this method at all. they will be more intact. There is a risk of serious injury to yourself. In addition, there is no way to do without the skills to work with such equipment.

Modern method

Almost every layman is concerned about the question, what is the angle of sharpening the chainsaw chains on the machine? It is not possible to use the file constantly, the angle grinder is difficult to use, and for beginners this procedure is completely dangerous. There is nothing to be done, one has to use machines that can be either mechanical or electric.

You will have to work with a manual machine for “eternity”, and you will enjoy using an electrical analogue. Today, there are a variety of models to choose from, which provide

  • correct sharpening angle;
  • high level of work quality;
  • high speed sharpening.

It is also worth noting that sharpening is performed evenly in relation to all links. All that is needed is to plug the equipment into the network, set the required angle, enjoy the sight or do other things. The cost of such machines varies from 2 to 4 thousand rubles. But the most important thing is to determine the angle of sharpening the chainsaw chains "Stihl" on the machine is not difficult.

Though it takes a long time to tinker with manual equipment. the process is very long, but it costs several times cheaper. In appearance, the machine resembles a beam saw, but instead of the blade. a round file. The smallest tooth is also taken as a basis. At the same time, two or three movements are enough for sharpening, after which you can proceed to the next link. If necessary, process the stop. the file changes (the round changes to a flat one).

Sharpening rules

The homogeneous sections of each link should undergo uniform processing. Otherwise, if there is an unnecessary selection of metal in any one area, this ultimately leads to an imbalance, uneven running and jerking during the operation of the chainsaw. The load on the mechanism increases at times, which in turn threatens to break the chain.

Therefore, the operation should be carried out at the required angle of sharpening the chain of the Stihl 180 chainsaw (as well as any other tool) with extreme caution, avoiding excessive force. The procedure itself is performed sequentially, that is, you need to start on the one hand, then finish on the other.

In some cases, it can be observed that a single cutting edge (or several) has sharpened more. This happens when the chain in its path bumped into a knot, which occurs when cutting hardwood. Then it is necessary to determine which of the teeth has been knocked out the most and equalize all the other links.

After sharpening is completed, blow the circuit with air from the compressor or pump, and then place it in a container with engine oil for a short time. Usually few people do this, but for the chain it will be useful.

Useful Tips

Some useful tips will help keep your equipment in good condition and eliminate the risk of personal injury. Of course, know the correct angle of sharpening chainsaw chains "Stihl" necessary. But timely care of the tire is also important:

  1. It is necessary to control the chain tension. Especially if during operation the chainsaw leans to the side. Poor tension can pose a threat to humans.
  2. Timely sharpen, without putting everything off the bat. It may be unprofitable, but it is better to give preference to electrical equipment.
  3. Lubricate the entire chain regularly, otherwise it may fly off (its speed is about 100 km / h). Everyone will make conclusions himself.
  4. Do not use used automobile oil or any product of dubious quality. You should choose only specialized lubricants. As the best tool. autol.

Before you start working with a chainsaw, the chain should be run-in. Let her run at minimum speed for 40-50 seconds. Lubrication will reach every detail, and chains with an asterisk will heat up a bit, they will rub against each other.

All these expert advice should not be ignored if you want to stay safe and sound!

Finally

The angle of sharpening chains of chainsaws is selected based on which tree you need to saw. If you have free time and desire to restore the performance of the equipment is not difficult. Even an amateur who at least once in his life worked with a file can handle the job. Of course, for this you will have to spend from 30 to 700 rubles to purchase a sharpening set. The approximate cost of chain sharpening services in a company is 200-300 rubles. The final choice is the lumberjack.