What would cause this?

[shortys7777]

Clogged passageway? Need to get some small picking tools to clean everything up.

 

[MissMac]

i would take it apart and clean it up. see if that doesn't do the trick. could just be really gunked up

 

[Jazzberry]

Air compressor and a blow gun works better
.

 

[shortys7777]

Bingo. Can't believe I forgot about using that instead. Thanks!

 

[DodgyNomad]

Yup. Looks like a lot of very fine flour like dust on your felling dogs, usually from a dull chain. I'd bet you need to pop off your bar, blow off and brush off the oil channels, clean around the clutch and in all the grooves of the bar and oiling passages, and you'll be good as new.

 

[xman23]

Never had an issue with the chain oil. But I maintain it often. I've always wondered if you could tell the oil feed was plugged up. That is before the chain smokes. I have the oil feed wide open. More is better. With every fuel fill, I fill the oil. The oil is about half empty. I pull bar, often and clean everything.

 

[walhondingnashua]

With every fuel fill, I fill the oil. The oil is about half empty.

I do the same thing and I find about half empty too. I have the oiler full open. Is it normal to be about 1/2 empty on a tank of gas?

 

[Sean McGillicuddy]

I have this great tool

see that hook ..run it down the bar to clean out the grove..
Then flip the bar once in a while...

 

[salecker]

Yup. Looks like a lot of very fine flour like dust on your felling dogs, usually from a dull chain. I'd bet you need to pop off your bar, blow off and brush off the oil channels, clean around the clutch and in all the grooves of the bar and oiling passages, and you'll be good as new.

Plus don't forget to sharpen the chain so you don't get saw dust.

 

[SpaceBus]

I have this great tool
View attachment 255229 see that hook ..run it down the bar to clean out the grove..
Then flip the bar once in a while...

I need one of these. I hate fumbling for a scrench in the bush.

 

[Sean McGillicuddy]

I need one of these. I hate fumbling for a scrench in the bush.

Along with my 2in1 sharpener ... life is good ..

 

[Sawset]

Along with my 2in1 sharpener

How old is the chain. The rakers don't appear to be height adjusted either.

 

[SpaceBus]

How old is the chain. The rakers don't appear to be height adjusted either.

I noticed this as well. Has the chain ever been sharpened?

 

[Sean McGillicuddy]

What causes this ...

 

[Sawset]

What causes this ...

A beaver?

 

[Sean McGillicuddy]

A sharp chain ...

 

[DodgyNomad]

A sharp chain ...

And a Stihl 2 in 1 sharpener in the right hands

 

[tadmaz]

and especially when ripping soft wood such as cedar. sometimes 6 inch+ strings.

 

[Jazzberry]

Ripping. I get them a few inches long with a sharp blade.

 

[Sean McGillicuddy]

Ripping. I get them a few inches long with a sharp blade.

Not this time .... a Maple .

 

[Jazzberry]

Never cut maple but like Tadmaz said above they get long in softwood.

 

[Sawset]

50yrs ago all we had was a mini mac 6 for cutting fireplace wood. Saw a lot of dust coming from that thing. Somehow the idea of a sharp chain wasn't very important. Last time I used it, it wouldn't cut, at all. Actually, it threw sparks. Just depends on where you're at in life. That was a long time ago. A lot has changed, lives change, people move on. Now equipment around here runs like a swiss watch, and cuts like a btch. Ribbons it is or it's shut down and tended to. I like things a lot better now.

 

[DodgyNomad]

I'm a fan of big old ribbons myself. That's where I like my chains to live, but big chips flying at a minimum. I've had more than person point out and comment on the ribbons shooting from under my saw while I was bucking.

OP has a very dull chain to be able to create the fine dust that seems to be all over that saw.