Curving cuts due to uneven wear on my Husky factory bar...ideas?
- Thread starter jcims
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Hi,
I had this problem in the past and it is very frustrating.
As already said by others , it is due to non-uniform length of the cutters.
Probably you sharpen with greater effectiveness on one side than on the other.
Try this, take an adjustable wrench and set it for the length of the shortest tooth, try all of them.
Then put some black electric tape on the wrench's jaw so it wont move, without the tape it will move out of adjustment .
Then file each tooth down to this length, check each one and you will see that they are different.
Each time you sharpen/file the cutters, check the length in this manner. The saw will cut straight again.
Tim
I had this problem in the past and it is very frustrating.
As already said by others , it is due to non-uniform length of the cutters.
Probably you sharpen with greater effectiveness on one side than on the other.
Try this, take an adjustable wrench and set it for the length of the shortest tooth, try all of them.
Then put some black electric tape on the wrench's jaw so it wont move, without the tape it will move out of adjustment .
Then file each tooth down to this length, check each one and you will see that they are different.
Each time you sharpen/file the cutters, check the length in this manner. The saw will cut straight again.
Tim
The OP returns!
Sorry folks for ignoring the thread so long, it has been a busy few days and I didn't actually expect this lively a response! haha
Anyway, I'm inclined to think it's my haphazard sharpening that is at fault, especially since the new bar still is curving a bit!
I've alternated between shop sharpening (don't think the chain will last through many of those, they really hog it out), sharpening with hand file, dremel stone with and without guide, etc.
It hadn't even occurred to me to true up the bar, i just chucked it and bought another one. After reading this, i went and yanked it back out of the trash. Here's a pic of it with a quarter on it.
I think i'm going to invest in a better sharpening system...might save some sweat.
Thanks again everyone for the insight, and for saving a bar from the landfill...
Take care.
Bob
Sorry folks for ignoring the thread so long, it has been a busy few days and I didn't actually expect this lively a response! haha
Anyway, I'm inclined to think it's my haphazard sharpening that is at fault, especially since the new bar still is curving a bit!
I've alternated between shop sharpening (don't think the chain will last through many of those, they really hog it out), sharpening with hand file, dremel stone with and without guide, etc.It hadn't even occurred to me to true up the bar, i just chucked it and bought another one. After reading this, i went and yanked it back out of the trash. Here's a pic of it with a quarter on it.
I think i'm going to invest in a better sharpening system...might save some sweat.
Thanks again everyone for the insight, and for saving a bar from the landfill...
Take care.
Bob
LLigetfa
Minister of Fire
Wow, no insult intended but I didn't think someone could mess up that bad hand sharpening (between shop sharpenings) to bork up a bar and for it to not cut straight on a new bar. Are you sure the chain is the right gauge to match the bar? Don't forget that the bottoms of the chain wears along with the bar so a worn chain can still cant over on a new bar. Makes me think there could be a gauge mismatch or the sides of the drive teeth are really worn. Are you using a good quality bar oil and getting sufficient oiling? With shop grinding, you should run out of cutter long before there is enough wear on the drive teeth. Look into using Stihl chains with their OILOMATIC system.jcims said:Anyway, I'm inclined to think it's my haphazard sharpening that is at fault, especially since the new bar still is curving a bit!
http://www.stihlusa.com/chainsaws/oilomatic.html
Gooserider
Mod Emeritus
First off, lets try being a bit nicer to each other, so I don't need the "magic mod buttons"....
Next, it is probably NOT a good idea to put an old chain on the new bar - if one side of the old bar is worn more than the other, the old chain likely has corresponding wear on the side links, which will then cause the same problem on the new bar...
I would say that dressing the old bar, and possibly closing the rails would be a very good place to start. I would also say to pick one method of sharpening and stick to it rather than swapping around - it is better to practice and get good at one approach than it is to keep changing. What I've been using of late, that I find quite effective is the flat file holder that one inserts a round file into so that the holder indexes on the raker and cutter surfaces and gives just the right depth / exposure of the file to give the right cutter shape, works well and gives a nice consistent edge. Only downside is you need a different guide for each file size.
There are LOTS of different arguments about the hows and whys of curved cutting, I don't think that any one is the exclusive answer, and think it is more important to worry about how to fix the issue. Learning to sharpen properly, and keeping the bar properly dressed is a good step towards curing the issue, no matter what the cause. I would also agree on making sure the chain is properly sized for the bar groove, as a big part of proper bar dressing.
Gooserider
Next, it is probably NOT a good idea to put an old chain on the new bar - if one side of the old bar is worn more than the other, the old chain likely has corresponding wear on the side links, which will then cause the same problem on the new bar...
I would say that dressing the old bar, and possibly closing the rails would be a very good place to start. I would also say to pick one method of sharpening and stick to it rather than swapping around - it is better to practice and get good at one approach than it is to keep changing. What I've been using of late, that I find quite effective is the flat file holder that one inserts a round file into so that the holder indexes on the raker and cutter surfaces and gives just the right depth / exposure of the file to give the right cutter shape, works well and gives a nice consistent edge. Only downside is you need a different guide for each file size.
There are LOTS of different arguments about the hows and whys of curved cutting, I don't think that any one is the exclusive answer, and think it is more important to worry about how to fix the issue. Learning to sharpen properly, and keeping the bar properly dressed is a good step towards curing the issue, no matter what the cause. I would also agree on making sure the chain is properly sized for the bar groove, as a big part of proper bar dressing.
Gooserider
fyrwoodguy
Feeling the Heat
on guide bar maintenece-run one chain until used up then flip bar over use up second chain then take guide bar to service shop for tru-up buy two new chains repeat.
here's a pic of my guide bar rail repair machine. with an antique on it.
here's a pic of my guide bar rail repair machine. with an antique on it.
smokinj
Minister of Fire
fyrwoodguy said:on guide bar maintenece-run one chain until used up then flip bar over use up second chain then take guide bar to service shop for tru-up buy two new chains repeat.
here's a pic of my guide bar rail repair machine. with an antique on it.
I have not done any bar maintenance on my 460 still runs truee after 2 years what your talking about seem to be a hudge over kill or am I missing something
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