Chain saw chain is past the point of no return or is it

[rbh]

No more straight cuts from this chain, I have sharpened this chain to the point both sides "should" be equal, but I will be DANGED!!! if I can get a straight cut out of it anymore.
She hooks to the left good.

There are a few chunks out of the teeth.

Does anyone have any good techniques to getting the chain to cut straight, or just #$%%# it and get a new chain???

 

[dwco5051]

It sounds like it isn't the chain but the bar. Put a good machinists square on the bar and you will probibly see that the lands besides the groove the chan rides in are worn unvenly. This is an easy fix if it is not worn too bad. Put the bar in a vise and draw file it till it is square again.

 

[rbh]

Good thinking I Will check that out.

I just resurrected my old stihl 075,I needed a little more power to get through this old pine!

 

[nwcove]

jmo...but if you even think the chain may be questionable.......spring for a new one.

 

[Scott Danforth]

I get about 3 good re-sharpens out of a chain prior to simply buying a new one (a few filings in between). about 3 chains to a bar, then it is replace the bar.

 

[MTboatguy]

You can get an Oregon bar and chain combo for most saws at lowes or home depot for less than $25, I don't even worry about getting a new chain only these days, I just sharpen with the dremel a few times, then pick up a new combo pack. If you insist on continuing to sharpen your chain, make sure and also file the guides in between the cutting teeth as well, I know my brother in law who was a logger, always showed me, why they go sideways was because people only sharpen the cutting teeth and don't file the guide teeth and equal amount.

 

[redneck joe]

new chain.

 

[Grub54891]

Had one that even a new chain,and checking the bar for square,would not cut straight. It would do whatever it wanted. The bar was wore to the point that the guides were bottoming out in the groove. Just to finish my cutting that day I rednecked it: ground down the guides a bit,finished my day and went and bought a new combo.....

 

[Bondo]

I get about 3 good re-sharpens out of a chain prior to simply buying a new one (a few filings in between). about 3 chains to a bar, then it is replace the bar.

Ayuh,..... I'd go broke cuttin' 40 cords of firewood a year at that rate,....

I sharpen my chains, til there's no tooth left to sharpen,....
I recondidtion my bars when needed,....

For the bars, I flat file 'em if they burr over at the cuttin' areas,....
Then I'll square up the rails, top, 'n bottom,....
After that, I use a rail closer to squash 'em back to the .050" to keep the chain runnin' true,...

I hand filed my chains, 'n bars for years,....
Only a year or 2 ago, I bought a cheap chinese chain grinder, which spoiled me to file sharpenin',...
This year, I decided the plastic harbor fright grinder just ain't accurate enough for me, so I broke down 'n bought a brand new top of the line Oregon chain grinder,...
Got the 511AX, with the hyd. lockin' system,... That 1 is 'bout $100.00 below most other retailers,...

I also strongly agree with MTboatguy,... Ya Gotta knock down the rakers as ya sharpen the cutters,....
As ya sharpen the cutters, bein' on the angle they run, they get lower, so ya gotta lower the rakes too,...
Standard raker depth is usually in the .025" to .035", below the cutters,....

Bein' an ole hand with a chainsaw, 'n knowin' the dangers involved, I run Full Chisel chains, 'n cut my rakers down to 'bout .040/ .050" below the cutters,....
At full tilt, my ole 044 is a handful, 'n kick-back is always on my mind, but it'll chew through a 24" hard maple in Seconds,...

 

[dwco5051]

I am with you 100% Bondo. I touch up with a file every couple of tanks of gas. I will change chains and then grind later as soon as I notice a change in my chips. I will also take my rakers down a bit if I am cutting a lot of yellow poplar or pole sized maple. If I could buy 20 inch sprocket nose bars for a .058 chain and a new chain for 25 bucks I would buy 4 of them and save them for later. I don't know how many times I do my chains but I do know it is a lot before the teeth narrow to the point there is hardly any kerf.

 

[MTboatguy]

I am with you 100% Bondo. I touch up with a file every couple of tanks of gas. I will change chains and then grind later as soon as I notice a change in my chips. I will also take my rakers down a bit if I am cutting a lot of yellow poplar or pole sized maple. If I could buy 29 inch sprocket nose bars for a .058 chain and a new chain for 25 bucks I would buy 4 of them and save them for later. I don't know how many times I do my chains but I do know it is a lot before the teeth narrow to the point there is hardly any kerf.

I was stating that price, that I have found for the average home owner, not a lumber jack! You will not find 29 inch bars are Lowes or Home Depot, my local stores normally don't stock anything larger than an 18 or 24 inch every once in a while. I live in timber country, so there are quite a few professional level stores in the area and the type of stuff you are talking about is quite a bit more money. That said, I am sure glad that I switched over to pellets a couple of years ago and have a buddy that will come up and take the wood that falls over the year as well as take the trees down when needed.

 

[dwco5051]

I was stating that price, that I have found for the average home owner, not a lumber jack! You will not find 29 inch bars are Lowes or Home Depot, my local stores normally don't stock anything larger than an 18 or 24 inch every once in a while. I live in timber country, so there are quite a few professional level stores in the area and the type of stuff you are talking about is quite a bit more money. That said, I am sure glad that I switched over to pellets a couple of years ago and have a buddy that will come up and take the wood that falls over the year as well as take the trees down when needed.

The keys on my computer are too close together for my knarled fingers. Just happy to have all on them after all these years. My one grandfather could only do math in a base 8 system. Corrected my post to 20 inch.

 

[MTboatguy]

The keys on my computer are too close together for my knarled fingers. Just happy to have all on them after all these years. My one grandfather could only do math in a base 8 system. Corrected my post to 20 inch.

I am sure they have probably gone up since I bought my last set up, as I said, I don't cut wood anymore, but I do know I can get 5 20 inch new chains and a new bar on ebay for $59 with free shipping. But will admit, I may have been low on my price in my first message.

 

[rbh]

MMMMMMMM, new bar, new chain.
Like a hot knife through butter and a straight cut!

 

[MTboatguy]

MMMMMMMM, new bar, new chain.
Like a hot knife through butter and a straight cut!

Ha, if you are lucky! Been there done that!

 

[rbh]

Ha, if you are lucky! Been there done that!

Wife did the grocery shopping then went to the saw shop yesterday and I was cutting by 1pm.

What a sweet feeling it is to have to hold the saw back or it digs itself in to much, it was cutting and throwing the saw dust out the size of corn flakes ! lol

 

[ehenry]

ok, I'm an average home owner and definitely not a lumberjack. I know what the cutting teeth are on a saw chain and am fairly sporty at sharpening them but am unfamiliar with the term 'rakers'. Would someone care to enlighten me?

 

[MTboatguy]

ok, I'm an average home owner and definitely not a lumberjack. I know what the cutting teeth are on a saw chain and am fairly sporty at sharpening them but am unfamiliar with the term 'rakers'. Would someone care to enlighten me?

Take a look at these images it shows what they are:

https://www.google.com/search?q=cha...v&sa=X&ei=WKRfVPq4G8mfyASs1YKQCw&ved=0CHkQsAQ

 

[rbh]

The rakers basically set the depth of the cut, if the rakers are at the same height as the cutting tooth it will not cut, if the rakers are filled to much the cutting tooth will cut to much wood and will not be efficient (bog the saw down)

 

[64osby]

I used to have issues with "butter balling" (curved cuts). My BIL recommended going to a 28 degree cut when sharpening. I've been doing it and have had much better cuts with my older chains. Stihl with a 24" bar cutting black oak most of the time.