Please Advise ...how to clean a chainsaw chain
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Fess up, you're cutting some kind of Pine, aren't you? :lol:
Touch up the teeth with your handy dandy file and go back to work. There's trees need cuttin'.
In the 5 years since I bought my first saw, I can't say I've ever cleaned a chain......nor have I wanted to. Yep, Oak works well as a chain floss.
Touch up the teeth with your handy dandy file and go back to work. There's trees need cuttin'.
In the 5 years since I bought my first saw, I can't say I've ever cleaned a chain......nor have I wanted to. Yep, Oak works well as a chain floss.
In almost 31 yrs I've never had to clean a chain.No matter what I was cutting,it always gets cleaned on the next bunch.Chains are staying pretty bright the past several months,they're eating dead & mostly dry Red/Black Oak with the occasional White Oak & Hickory.When I milled some of that Eastern Red Cedar/Juniper,there was a bit of buildup, though not much now since the wood has dried out alot in 6 months.
There was a reason that you carry a bottle of kerosene with your cross-cut saw. To keep the pitch from gumming up the teeth and the blade.
WD-40 is mostly kerosene, so that is what I use to clean the pitch and sap off the front of the saw and the bar. Diesel also works well.
WD-40 is mostly kerosene, so that is what I use to clean the pitch and sap off the front of the saw and the bar. Diesel also works well.
Are you sure you have a sharp chain and aren't "burning" it? If I try to cut with a dull chain, because I'm almost done for the day say, I know I have seen some discolor. Just a thought.
infinitymike said:
+1 on using oak as chain floss.
Also Stihl sells a spray for it's hedge trimmers that does wonders in removing super-sticky sap. I remember the stuff being pricey at $14 bucks a can but it sure saved a lot of time de-gunking hedge trimmer blades.
I've never cleaned a chainsaw, but if I did I suppose I'd spray it down with DW-40, let sit, and wipe off.
Eh?
Eh?
After a long day of cutting I take the bar/chain and soak them both in hot water, dish detergent, and amonia. After about 30 to 45 minutes, I take a stiff bristle brush and scrub the bar/chain and then let it all hang in the sun to dry.
Cleanup the power head with an air compressor, assemble the setup, and I am ready for another day.
My two pennies...
bsticks
Cleanup the power head with an air compressor, assemble the setup, and I am ready for another day.
My two pennies...
bsticks
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As I have a shop and do this for a living(?) I clean chains in my media blast cabinet, I use ground corn cob takes all the crud off and then I can see just how badly the customer has mangled them. The corn cob has no effect on the metal and is cheap. If they are badly rusted I soak them in ATF and kerosene 50/50 mix.
On me woodworking tools I use oven cleaner. Works great. I tried it on my chainsaw chains and it does a great job also. Just make sure you oil them up before use.
Heres a pic of the junk I'm talking about .
I've been cutting oak,maple,cherry and locust.
I tried using brake cleaner but it didnt work well.
However I didnt try scrubbing it.
(broken image removed)
Uploaded with ImageShack.us
I've been cutting oak,maple,cherry and locust.
I tried using brake cleaner but it didnt work well.
However I didnt try scrubbing it.
(broken image removed)
Uploaded with ImageShack.us
Sharpen it up, set the oiler to the max, & make a couple of cuts in the oak, it'll clean right up. I think you may be running a little light on oil & heating the chain slightly. A C
infinitymike said:
Normal, a little w-d 40 and it will shine in a sec. Your running your chains a little long before sharpening. Milling they come in a lot worse!
Something I've never considered is cleaning the chain. I agree with Jay. Sharpen that chain a bit more often. Check to see how much oil you are getting on that chain. Perhaps you need a bit of adjustment.
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