Equipment failure..

[MoDoug]

Had an equipment failure today, not nearly as fun as Janet Jackson's, but my saw chain came loose from the bar while cutting. It's the first time it happened to me and hopefully the last. I was disappointed in myself for not noticing it was that loose, but I'm guessing it was caused in part by getting my saw pinched a couple times. It must have stretched the chain a little too much.

 

[sweedish]

That on occasion does happen, or a link breaks. Also I have once or twice put the chain on backwards.

 

[SidecarFlip]

That on occasion does happen, or a link breaks. Also I have once or twice put the chain on backwards.

Polish chain saw............

 

[MoDoug]

That on occasion does happen, or a link breaks. Also I have once or twice put the chain on backwards.

I had my chain on backwards once, wondered why it wasn't throwing chips, fortunately my neighbor happened by and solved my problem. I felt silly, but a lot of life's learnings are dumb chit moments. LOL

 

[fbelec]

i had that happen to me but the difference was the bar was worn more on one side but enough to make it keep happening

 

[SpaceBus]

It happened to me once, but I didn't tighten the bar nuts enough and they loosened up over ten minutes of cutting. This was when I first started using chainsaws.

 

[SidecarFlip]

I tend to file my surfaces on my bars square a couple times, then toss them. So long as there is adequate quality bar oil, bars don't wear a bunch and it's easy to tell if the amount of bar oil is sufficient. If it isn't the paint will discolor next to the sliding surface, mid bar where the heat is generated from the sliding action of the chain. No discoloration after a hard (wood) session means adequate lubrication. Good for the loop, good for the bar and drive sprocket.

 

[MoDoug]

I tend to file my surfaces on my bars square a couple times, then toss them. So long as there is adequate quality bar oil, bars don't wear a bunch and it's easy to tell if the amount of bar oil is sufficient. If it isn't the paint will discolor next to the sliding surface, mid bar where the heat is generated from the sliding action of the chain. No discoloration after a hard (wood) session means adequate lubrication. Good for the loop, good for the bar and drive sprocket.

I've noticed my chain and bar becoming discolored lately. I've been putting it to hard use, I've gotten a windfall of wood that I need to get while I can. However the saw still seems to be using the normal amount of bar/chain oil, so I've haven't been too concerned about the discoloration due to the hard use. Some of the harder use comes from cutting stumps off to Corps of Engineers requirements.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Good way to tell (besides the discolored paint on the edge, is, pull the chain and look at the rails themselves on the cut side you presently use. If the rails are turning blue in spots, that is a sure sign of insufficient lubricant or a lubricant of insufficient film thickness. One reason I refrain from using drain oil as bar oil. One' it's not heavy enough and two, it lacks the boundary layer protection the chain to bar contact needs. I tend to run my oilers wide open all the time. Bar oil is cheap. Guide bars and sawchain loops aren't.

 

[Nealm66]

Not so easy with a short bar but 28” and up, you can roll them back on without taking anything loose. Just start it on the tip and bend the bar a bit while working it over the nose. Best if using gloves but I did work with an old guy that could do it without them. I did it once with a topping saw about 100’ in the air and too lazy to lower it down to a groundman.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Not that I've ever looked at anything else other that Stihl but I will say Stihl puts those nice nylon blocks in the correct places so when the loop comes off, it don't tear up anything but your pride.

 

[SidecarFlip]

I pretty much use only Stihl saws, at least the older ones the noise police didn't castrate but the one thing I don't like about the newer bars is the non-greaseable roller nose so I don't use them. Don't understand why they did away with the grease port.

 

[fbelec]

I pretty much use only Stihl saws, at least the older ones the noise police didn't castrate but the one thing I don't like about the newer bars is the non-greaseable roller nose so I don't use them. Don't understand why they did away with the grease port.

so they can sell more bars

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

Not that I've ever looked at anything else other that Stihl but I will say Stihl puts those nice nylon blocks in the correct places so when the loop comes off, it don't tear up anything but your pride.

They all have them. It is such a small detail that is so important. I shudder to think of the early days before someone figured this out. I call it the "nut saver".

 

[Sawset]

If the rails are turning blue in spots, that is a sure sign of insufficient lubricant

Like this?

 

[SidecarFlip]

so they can sell more bars

Not to me. I use bars with replaceable and greaseable roller noses.

 

[xman23]

I've thrown the chain a few times. I just got lazy about keeping the slack out. I recall it happens when you ketch the chain on small branches. And it comes to a immediate stop.

I use Sthil, that definitely thick and tacky. My saw has an adjustable oil feed. When it was new I opened it all the way. Never to much oil. I use about half a tank of oil for ever tank of gas. I don't cut enough to be concerned with using a little more bar oil.

 

[Sawset]

Like this?

I was told the induction hardening process for manufacturing bars causes the bluing heat effected zone. Thought someone would comment on that. Anyway, it threw me first time I saw it - thought I fried another bar - but apparently, nope, just that I finally used the bar enough to wear off the paint. Unless you're seeing something different.
Other than that, it's pretty rare that I throw a chain off the bar. Never broke a link either. I have ppe on generally, so any damage from flailing chains should be reduced.

 

[highanddryinco]

...hardening process for manufacturing bars causes the bluing...

Exactly what he said.
The blue is on every bar, under the paint.
If that blue was caused by you, you'd know it from the huge plumes of smoke coming of the bar while you're cutting.

 

[Nealm66]

A friend of mine’s brother made a butcher knife out of old chainsaw bars where they twist he steel, Damascus I think it’s called? It was super cool looking and I wanted one but couldn’t afford one at the time. Not sure how good of a knife it made but it sure seemed like it might be good

 

[SidecarFlip]

Induction hardened bars will show an 'even' blue shade the length of the rail. Localized overheating from friction (lack of bar oil) will show as spot coloring with shiny sections. Other way is discolored paint near the rail and mushrooming the the edge of the rail from excessive friction.