{"id":115,"date":"2010-10-13T21:14:29","date_gmt":"2010-10-14T01:14:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/uncityslicker.com\/?p=115"},"modified":"2010-10-17T22:59:39","modified_gmt":"2010-10-18T02:59:39","slug":"do-you-own-a-chainsaw-stay-sharp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/uncityslicker.com\/?p=115","title":{"rendered":"Do you own a chainsaw? Stay sharp!"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Tools<\/a>

A typical manual chain sharpening kit.<\/p><\/div>\n

If you have any kind of a woodlot on your property, or if you intend to use wood as a heat source in the winter, you’re going to need a chainsaw. \u00c2\u00a0If you’re going to get a chainsaw, you’ll have to keep it sharp!<\/span><\/p>\n

Your owner’s manual should give you all the details like angles and radii, but seeing someone else do it can’t hurt!<\/span><\/p>\n


\n<\/span><\/p>\n

The first thing you’ll need to know is when to sharpen your chain. \u00c2\u00a0This is most easily identified by a lack of cutting power, the saw bogging down or stalling out during a cut, and most importantly the quality of the chips your saw is making!<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

\"sawdust<\/a>

The size of the chips this saw is making means it needs to be sharpened.<\/p><\/div>\n

When you’re working with a chainsaw, calling your waste sawdust is pretty far off base. \u00c2\u00a0If your saw is making dust, or anything like what you see in the picture above, it’s time to bust out the files. \u00c2\u00a0A properly sharpened chainsaw makes chips the size of confetti, or small animal litter.<\/p>\n

Why spend all that time and effort sharpening your chain though? \u00c2\u00a0Wouldn’t it be easier to just get a new chain and put that on?<\/p>\n

Well, no doubt it would be easier, but it would also be much more expensive. \u00c2\u00a0A replacement chain for my Stihl 015 is $18, and that saw is tiny. \u00c2\u00a0The sharpening kit in the picture above was $20 and the calipers were $15. \u00c2\u00a0I already had the calipers, but I’m an engineer, so that makes me an exception. \u00c2\u00a0Nevertheless, you can get all the tools to keep your saw cutting for $35. \u00c2\u00a0After 2 sharpenings, the tools will pay for themselves.<\/p>\n

Let’s say you sharpen the chain 5 times before it breaks or you run out of tooth to sharpen. \u00c2\u00a0Including the cost of the tools, thats $65 you’ve saved. \u00c2\u00a0If you’re cutting firewood or cleaning up after a storm, that is money saved over a week or two.<\/p>\n

If you’ve made it this far, you’re in. \u00c2\u00a0You want to sharpen your chain, make clean cuts, and save money. \u00c2\u00a0Here’s what you have to do (gallery after the instructions):<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Clean out the area around the clutch on the power head. \u00c2\u00a0You should do this after every time you use the saw. \u00c2\u00a0Now is no different.<\/li>\n
  2. Using the depth gauge in your kit, clean out the groove in your bar. \u00c2\u00a0Measure the depth of the groove, and check for any horizontal play or bowing in the sides of the groove. \u00c2\u00a0Check these measurements against your owner’s manual and buy a new bar if you have to.<\/li>\n
  3. Reinstall the bar and the chain you need to sharpen. \u00c2\u00a0Using dial calipers or digital calipers, measure all of the cutting teeth along the length of the bar and identify the shortest one. \u00c2\u00a0This is the tooth you will be basing all of the other teeth on.<\/li>\n
  4. Starting with the shortest cutting tooth, sharpen using the file and angle gauge in your kit. \u00c2\u00a0Sharpen according to the angles in your owners manual, and only file from the inside of the tooth outward. \u00c2\u00a0Measure the length of the tooth when you’re done, and make a note of it.<\/li>\n
  5. Sharpen all of the other teeth on the same side of the chain as the one in step 4. \u00c2\u00a0File them down until they are the same length as the tooth you noted in step 4.<\/li>\n
  6. Sharpen the other half of the teeth on the chain that are on the opposite side. \u00c2\u00a0Make sure they are all the same length as the shortest tooth. \u00c2\u00a0There is a reason behind doing one side of the chain at a time. \u00c2\u00a0You will develop a rhythm and a feel for the angles that you need to maintain. \u00c2\u00a0Switching between sides will prevent you from falling into this helpful groove.<\/li>\n
  7. Check the depth guides with the gauge in your kit. \u00c2\u00a0File down any that are taller than the gauge. \u00c2\u00a0Make sure to bevel the leading edge of the guides so they don’t snag.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n