Where You Can Sharpen The Chainsaw Chain
Sharpening the chain with a hand machine
Asking the question of how and where to sharpen a chain for a chainsaw, you can seek help from a specialist, but if you wish, you can do this work yourself. One option is to use a hand-held machine.
This type of activity is characterized by some rules that are recommended to be followed for more efficient and quality work:
- First, you need to decide what degree of sharpening the blade will be performed, this should be done based on the indicator of the dumbest of the teeth, which will become a reference point
- Sharpening the teeth too much is not worth it, as this can lead to a weakening of the strength of the link and, as a result, reduce the service life of the chainsaw
- At the end of the processing of the web, it is advisable to blow the chain with a jet of compressed air, and then leave it in clean oil for several hours.
This type of processing is the most accurate, but this method of sharpening a chainsaw chain, the price of which is quite reasonable, requires quite serious physical work and takes a lot of time.
Required chain sharpening frequency
There are no clear terms for the repair work with the equipment chain, it all depends primarily on how often the device is used, as well as on its technical characteristics. A person who has never dealt with such a device can easily sharpen a chainsaw chain with his own hands, having previously familiarized himself with certain rules. Do not forget that the tools used for this process may be different, and it depends on the type of model and the technology of work.
Therefore, you should understand in more detail how to sharpen a chainsaw chain using devices that are different for their purpose as correctly as possible, having studied each of the methods separately.
How to determine the need for sharpening the chain in time?
There are many ways to sharpen your chainsaw. But it is also very important to know when to do this. Many people, using a chainsaw, do not at all understand at what point it becomes necessary to sharpen it. As a result, this becomes the main reason that, as work continues, the position of the star mechanism and the tire is disrupted, gasoline consumption increases several times, and the cutting quality gradually decreases, losing its former clarity.
For these reasons, it is necessary to determine in time when it is necessary to sharpen so that the tool does not deteriorate further. For this, there are several main defining features that can be seen both in the nature of the work and in its result. So, these signs include:
Chainsaw chain sharpening scheme with a file.
- The nature of the chips formed as a result of the work. As a rule, the chips become noticeably darker than usual over time, as the chain begins to dull significantly. In this case, its pieces can become either much smaller or much larger (depending on the type of instrument).
- Significant difficulty in work. This is achieved at the expense of tool performance degradation. As a result, it becomes more and more difficult for them to work. With skillful use, the chainsaw should not give significant fatigue.
- Time-consuming work. When there is a noticeable dullness of the chain, the time spent on sawing something increases several times. So in the end, you may need a lot more time even to cut a non-solid and relatively thin material.
- Quite often, dullness is visible even with the naked eye. In such cases, the chainsaw teeth become slightly rounded where they should be sharp and shiny. And if you touch them with your hand, then you will not feel absolutely any sharpness.
- Strengthening the feed in the cut. As a rule, a well-sharpened chain can be easily pulled into the cut. But when she becomes dull, it becomes very difficult to pull her into the cut. Sometimes the first time you may not even succeed, in the end you will have to spend some time.
- In a gradually dull chain of a chainsaw, during operation, in addition to shavings, the finest dust can also be poured along with vertical sharp particles resembling thin needles. This is often the first sign that a tool needs to be sharpened.
Scheme of planing wood with a chainsaw tooth.
Today, there are two most common methods where it is best to sharpen a chainsaw chain.
This is the sharpening of the tool on the machine and with the help of a special set, which contains round and flat files, a stand for ease of work, a hook that will promptly clean the cavity of sawdust.
Chain sharpening methods using a machine
One way or another, not every chain can be sharpened with a file. In the event that the cutting part is significantly deformed, such work will be very long and will require a lot of effort. If the situation is similar, it is best to use a machine.
Such devices are of two types: electrical and manual. Both are based on one main element. this is either a grindstone or grinding wheels.
The algorithm for preparing this type of sharpening is as follows:
- Need to loosen the chain clamp adjusting screw
- Then it is required to adjust the chain so that its teeth are directed towards the sharpening element
- At the end, it is necessary to fix the equipment at a certain angle.
When deciding how to sharpen a chainsaw chain using a machine, you can use one of two ways:
- Sequential sharpening mode (teeth are machined in turn).
- Machining every second tooth (left-handed and then right-handed or vice versa).
Where and how you can sharpen a chainsaw chain with high quality?
- How to determine the need for sharpening the chain in time?
- Using special machines for sharpening
- Sharpening on a manual machine
- Working with an automatic machine
Chainsaws are a very expensive and necessary tool. They are irreplaceable in the household if you have your own house and garden. After all, it is so easy and pleasant to do the job without making a lot of effort. Chainsaw, when properly operated, is able to economically consume fuel. Therefore, it makes no sense to think that it is better to do everything with an ordinary hacksaw if you have a choice: use an ordinary or high-quality chainsaw.
Chainsaw tooth device diagram.
But the chainsaw tends to get dull. Therefore, it is necessary to periodically sharpen its chain. But where to sharpen the chainsaw chain. You will have two options: take the saw to a special workshop or do it yourself.
Chainsaw chain sharpening with an angle grinder
A very common misconception is the opinion that the use of an angle grinder can harm the chainsaw and its chain. This is absolutely not the case, although difficulties may arise in the process of work, since this method of processing the chain blade is the most laborious of all. Therefore, figuring out how to sharpen the chainsaw chain of an angle grinder, it is recommended to entrust this procedure to a professional in order to avoid the risk of damage to the equipment.
When performing such repairs, the following recommendations should be taken into account:
- It is not necessary to remove the chain blade during sharpening
- It would be most correct to use a disc for metal with a section of 2.5 mm, and it is better that its edges are rounded
- The required angle at which sharpening is performed can be selected visually
- With the correct execution of this procedure, the chainsaw chain can properly serve, withstanding 4-7 sharpenings.
This method of processing is notable for its low cost, in addition, it does not require a lot of time and does not take much effort. Nevertheless, for its high-quality implementation, it is extremely important to have special skills in working with an angle grinder.
Than manual sharpening is inferior to machine
You can get used to and carry out manual sharpening of the chainsaw chain without much difficulty. But there are some nuances here, because in the first place it is not as effective as sharpening with a machine. The biggest disadvantages of manual chain cutting teeth sharpening are:
- Difficulty keeping the required angle. You don’t need to think that you can sharpen the chainsaw chain with just one round file, for this operation you will need at least a special guide and a second flat file.
- Low speed of the operation. It is necessary to fix the guide on the tooth, manipulate with a round file, check the gap between the limiter, if you need to correct it with a flat file, and only then proceed to the next tooth.
- The need for experience. Despite the various helpers for sharpening a chainsaw by hand, first of all you need to feel the process, and this requires some experience.
Where can I sharpen a chainsaw chain
It is very convenient to work with a chainsaw. Despite the fact that the unit weighs 5-7 kilograms, or even more, cutting a tree trunk into logs, you simply wonder how quickly this happens, and there is practically no fatigue. But then the moment comes when it is harder and harder for the tool blade to enter the wood. There is only one diagnosis. the saw is dull, so it is required to sharpen the chainsaw chain.
Whoever comes across this for the first time is a little upset, because it is not clear: to do it yourself or to give the instrument to specialists in the workshop. And what is the general sharpening method? But in fact, there is nothing wrong with that, and if you have knowledge, you can easily sharpen chainsaw chains with your own hands. The correct strategy for solving the issue in this case directly depends on the load of the unit.
If a chainsaw is used from time to time, several times a year, then it may not make sense to buy a special sharpening machine or accessories, it is easier to solve the problem by using the services of a service center. But if a chainsaw is a means of earning or there is a desire to master the sharpening process yourself, then you should definitely purchase a sharpener or a machine and manually carry out this simple manipulation of the chain. Let’s see below what the correct sharpening of the chainsaw chain is based on.
File types and tips for choosing
As it has already become clear, you need to select a file for sharpening the teeth of a chainsaw chain with a round diameter and flat. For the convenience of consumers, many manufacturers of motorized tools of this specificity simultaneously produce sharpening sets, where such files are already present in the kit. But here it is also important not to be mistaken: for a particular chain, you need a file of a suitable diameter. Its value is determined based on the pitch of the chain teeth.
Following the rules, before choosing files for sharpening the chainsaw chain, the exact chain pitch is determined by the chain marking. Further, they adhere to the recommendations:
| 0.25 | 2×2 |
| 0.325 | 2×2.4 |
| 0.375 | 2×2.6 |
| 0.404 | 2×2.75 |
There are saw chains where it is appropriate to use round files with a cross-sectional diameter of 2×1.6 mm.
Signs of a dull chain and the consequences of further operation
The difficulty of working with a dull chainsaw should not be confused with the difficulty of sawing hardwood or heavily dried logs. In all these cases, the speed of the operation decreases, but a blunt instrument has a certain character of behavior. signs by which one can judge the need for sharpening:
- The chainsaw does not immediately bite into the tree trunk, as if grinding, moving from the point of contact;
- During cutting of soft breeds, the tool sluggishly enters the thickness of the wood, you have to press on the tire;
- Coarse shavings with characteristic elongated particles turn into small thyrsa, which very rarely crumbles;
- The chain heats up quickly, there is an unpleasant smell of burning oil to lubricate the guide bar.
In addition to these alarms, always after hitting a chain on metal nails, wire or burying a chainsaw in the ground, you can be one hundred percent sure of the need for subsequent sharpening of cutting edges.
What can happen to the tool later if you ignore the problem? The most harmless thing is that it will be impossible to work with a chainsaw, in the end it will get bored and force you to service the unit. But adherents of the saying "You don’t need to have power" can come to the following conclusion:
- An unnecessary load on the body, because, frankly, you have to put pressure on the tool so that it saws;
- Excessive fuel consumption up to 30%, which is explained by the need to go through a longer cycle of revolutions to achieve the same result;
- Accelerated wear of the tire and other parts of the chainsaw.
In addition to all these negative consequences of a blunt saw, there is a high probability of the chain jamming in the trunk and injury to the operator performing the work.
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.
When chain sharpening is required
Sharpening of chains for chainsaws is often done at the wrong time, some users simply do not pay attention to the signs of dullness, as a result, the chain becomes dull and this significantly affects the quality of wood cutting. The load on the engine is colossal, as a result, fuel consumption increases significantly, the drive sprocket and the tire of the chainsaw are destroyed. As a result, wear of all components of the saw increases and work productivity decreases, as well as leads to the complete failure of expensive equipment.
What threatens to work with a blunt instrument?
Working with a faulty tool itself is fraught with many unpleasant consequences, and here are some of them:
- Decrease in efficiency, that is, in the same time less work will be performed.
- The mechanism begins to wear out, and individual parts are also at risk of breakage.
- Excessive fuel consumption.
Hand-operated machines
The design of such a machine is similar to a bow saw. Only where the saw blade is located is the round file. With such a machine, you can sharpen and straighten the teeth, adjusting the proportionality of the upper edges to the smallest (control) size. The mechanism allows you to accurately set the parameters. After adjusting the "control" tooth, sharpening is carried out in two or three movements. And then the transition. to the next tooth.
When it is necessary to grind off the stopper, we change the round file to a flat file.
Advantages of the method: Allows you to sharpen teeth, including those that have lost their original shape, with a high quality, convenient and without large physical costs.
Disadvantages: The price of the tool and the distance from the possible site of the saw operation.
What to choose for sharpening is up to you. This is due to how often you use your chainsaw. From the accuracy of handling it. From the quality of the purchased chain. And, of course, from the opportunity to spend a certain amount. The methods cannot be compared, because as the German proverb says. "apples should be compared with apples".
File sharpening
For work, you need two files: round and straight. The first one is chosen by the oval in the link body. There are no diameters larger than 6 mm on household chainsaw chains. Usually this size does not exceed 5.5 mm. You cannot use a larger file. It will change the geometry of the cutter.
There are two main technologies for manual sharpening. The simplest method is when the file is visually controlled. The master observes the angles of the factory processing as much as possible and carefully, under full visual control, processes the vertical edge.
The tool partially touches the horizontal edge. Then, with a flat file, it is brought to the desired state and slightly pass along the limiter.
The second method is more accurate and productive, sharpening chains for chainsaws with your own hands with a file is done using a special holder for a round product. With such a device, sharpening a chain for a chainsaw with your own hands is easier.
It is configured so that both faces can be machined in one pass. The file moves along the vertical file, and along the horizontal along the cutting edge. The device significantly reduces the sharpening time, makes it better. The depth gauge can be removed with a straight file. Despite the technological difference for both methods, the general rules are:
- The chain must be fixed in a vice;
- The angle of the file relative to the tire is observed (about 30 °)
- It is done in 2-3 movements from oneself with the same effort.
You can make a device for sharpening chainsaws with your own hands for a maximum of an hour. The photo shows an image of the factory device. Making the same at home is not difficult for an ordinary home craftsman.
: Sharpening with a round file
How to sharpen a chainsaw chain: an overview of ways
Sooner or later, the chainsaw chain will need sharpening. Of course, you can give the saw to a service where everything will be done quickly and without problems, but many owners are interested in always being able to sharpen the saw with their own hands. And since this can be done in several different ways, it is worth considering all of them, as well as the pros and cons, the convenience of one way or another.
How to sharpen
Chainsaw chain sharpening is not an easy process. There are three options that are used today:
- Using a file;
- Angle Grinder;
- Special sharpening machine.
Similar methods are used when sharpening knives, scissors and other cutting tools, so nothing extraordinary has been invented here. However, there are also special tools for sharpening the PowerSharp system. They allow you to quickly sharpen saws at home, on which there is a special mark indicating the design features.
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).