limb saw and chainsaw question

[Jeffrey Todd]

With the recent ice storm (we call it that, at least) coating trees with 1/2 to one inch of ice, I have many downed trees on my property and need to do some saw work. My chainsaw is dull, although the chain is only a few months old, and I was wondering what the best way to sharpen it is. I would rather not buy the Dremel set if it requires buying the whole Dremel set up also.
I also have a limb or bow saw that I picked up cheap at an estate sale. It is a nice, old-fashioned, well-constructed tool, but it starts to bind up once I get about an inch deep into the wood. It looks to be straight and unwarped and feels decently sharp. Any suggestions?
Hope the rest of y'all don't get such a storm as this one that paralyzed the city for almost 3 days!

[Sundance]

You can pick up a file and guide at any
farm supply and touch the cutters quickly
and easily. Every now and then have it
sharpened at a shop. Don't forget to file
the rakers down a bit if it doesn't get a
good bite.

On the bow (Swede saw) they to suffer if the
teeth are not set. Usually you can get new
blades for most of them.

[Michael Bush]

I have always just filed them by hand, as Sundance says. The files (with a guide) are available at all farm and hardware stores.

[George Fergusson]

I file chainsaws by hand, no guide, just a file. I like to put the saw in a bench vice when I can, otherwise I saw a 2" slot in a stump or something to put the bar in to hold it steady. Been doing it for almost 40 years. If you're not adept at it, it wouldn't hurt to get it professionally sharpened once in a while. Then you can touch it up when it needs it until it starts to cut sideways. I've tried various jigs over the years but never found one I was really happy with.

As Sundance says, the bow saw needs to have it's teeth set. It's hard to do well by hand, but you can do this with a pair of plier if you are really careful. I usually use a small hammer and a straightedge to get it right.

[Sundance]

Don't forget to file your bar edge as well.
You want to keep a mild outward chamfer. Also
turn the bar over every so often to help the
bar wear evenly. I check my oiler every time
I cut by revving the saw up with the tip pointed
at a fresh log end (about a foot away). You
should see a nice splatter pattern that indicates
your oiler is doing it's job. Most decent saws
have adjustable oilers.

I have a spare chain with me always. You never
know when you encounter some dirt, nails, or
something else that will dull your chain in
a hurry, its nice to have a good sharp one at
the ready.

As George said, a slot in a stump makes for a
nice field saw vice.

[Patrick Scannell]

You need to be able to sharpen your own chainsaw. I use a Pferd chainsharp guide to file the cutters and depth gauges at once.

http://store.baileys-online.com/cgi-....x=0&image.y=0

[carbide]

After using various manual chain saw sharpeners for years I finally broke down and bought an electric chain saw sharpener from Harbor Freight. Model #93213-7VGA is on sale right now for $39.99. I had numerous (about 30) old dull chains laying around for my saw after cutting cords and cords of wood over the years. It typically costs me $3.00 to $4.00 to get a chain sharpened and when one went dull I normally didn't have the time to wait a few days to get one sharpened so I would just buy another one.

Once I bought the electric sharpener it took me about 30 to 40 minutes to get the angles and depth of cut adjusted correctly. Now I can properly and quickly sharpen a chain when it gets dull. Takes me about 5-6 minutes to get every tooth on my chain to the perfect depth and angle required to make short work on any wood cutting job.

I figured that since I saved $3.00 to $4.00 in chain sharpening charges for the 30 or so chains that I have, I've already re-couped the cost of the electric sharpener and all the chains are always ready to use whenever I need them.

[Jeffrey Todd]

Thanks for all the good responses. Now it is just a matter of whether my lazy side (get the Harbor Freight kit) or my cheap side (get the file) wins out. Unfortunately, the Pferd doesn't fit my saw.

[Craig W.]

I have a 18" pouland. The thing I don't like about it, it has leaked chain-saw oil ever sense I got it.

[George Fergusson]

>Now it is just a matter of whether my lazy side (get the Harbor Freight kit) or my cheap side (get the file) wins out.

Eh. Get `em both. Seems like every time I discover my saw needs sharpening I'm out in the woods, having just hit a rock, nail, or piece of barbed wire embedded in a tree. Having a file handy and knowing how to use it saves a trip back to the shop.

[Jeffrey Todd]

Craig, that is interesting. Mine is a Poulan also, and it has leaked oil ever since I got it (used). Must be a seal?
George, I think I may have to do as you suggest and get both; the frustration of having a dull chain while far away from the house would be aggravating and I would just as soon have the file, too.
I did manage to sharpen the thing with a Dremel kit that I attached to my drill; it did an okay job, but now the engine is hard to start and dies unless I keep it throttled up. Better clean the filters, I suppose.

[George Fergusson]

>it has leaked oil ever since I got it (used). Must be a seal?

They all leak oil, at least all mine have, some more than others. My current saw (a Husky 264) also leaks gas. This is not really a problem for me and I've never bothered to figure out why it's leaking, or getting it fixed. Most of my equipment leaks something [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Craig W.]

As long as your hives don't leak honey.

[George Fergusson]

Hah! They gotta make honey first [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Sundance]

" Having a file handy and knowing how to use it saves a trip back to the shop."

George is right on, hand filing should be a
Chain Saw 101 requirement.

I run the following.

Jonsered 70E: A fantastic saw that has never
let me down since 1978. A workhorse.

2 Sachs Dolmars: One mid size, and one little
feller for limbing. Great German made saws
that are now being badged as Makita. They
can be had for a lot less than Stihl and are
every bit as good.

[carbide]

>it has leaked oil ever since I got it (used). Must be a seal?

They all leak oil, at least all mine have, some more than others. My current saw (a Husky 264) also leaks gas. This is not really a problem for me and I've never bothered to figure out why it's leaking, or getting it fixed. Most of my equipment leaks something

I've found that if I hang my Poulan chain saw vertically (by the hole in ths blade, just behind the front bearing) with the motor hanging down, it won't leak a drop of oil. I discovered this years ago when I hung a saw up in the rafters of my garage just to get it out of my way. Haven't had any of them leak since I started doing this. And yes, they've all leaked if set on the floor.

[Barry Digman]

If anyone has vintage chainsaws they'd like to get rid of let me know. 1950's-1960's.

[Craig W.]

Carbide,
good idea. I have left mine in the carrying case it came with and oil leaked all over the instruction manual, my rags. I will try your idea.

[bluegrass]

If you haven't ever sharpened by hand you would be better off going the harbor freight route. Nothing is worse than an improperly sharpend chainsaw. Signs that you are sharpening it wrong are: Saw cuts circles instead of straight through log. Saw has to be pushed through wood and the wood chips are small dust like. A person who hand files properly will never have to take a chain to a shop and have the knives re-shaped. Also; if you havent ever sharpend your own saw Do Not file down the rakers!!! If you take too much off it will ruin the chain. You can use the saw this way, but it will be digging too deep and may break the crank shaft or shear the codder pin.
My saw is a stihl 021. I changed the bar out for a 16" and always have my chains custom made without the "kirf cleaners" that comes with pre-made safety chain. My last saw was a husquavarna farm boss, but I had alot of trouble with it so I switched to stihl. Its run great for 12 years and I cut probably 4 cord of wood with it per year as well as alot of random items while doing cut outs.

[size="1"][ January 30, 2007, 12:55 PM: Message edited by: bluegrass ][/size]

[Sundance]

"Do Not file down the rakers!!!"

If you don't at some point the cutters will
get too low and you just won't cut. You have
to file them down. Most file guide include a
simple template that insures the rakers do not
get too low.

Here's a good explanation of saw sharpening
from Backwoods Mag. It really is simple...

http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles/brewer57.html