A sharpened sharp chain is one of the conditions for the effective operation of a chainsaw. If the chain becomes dull, things will get up in the country: neither can the bathhouse be repaired, no fence can be built, and no firewood can be prepared for the stove. For help, you can turn to paid specialists, but it should be remembered that this procedure will be repeated at a certain frequency, which means additional financial costs and a waste of personal time. Another way is to learn how to sharpen a chain of a chainsaw yourself, without the involvement of specialists.
When is the time to sharpen the saw?
The periods between two sharpenings depend on the frequency of use of the tool. Some use it daily, others several times a year.
It is possible to understand that the teeth have become dull by some signs that are detected during operation:
- The chain stretches and sags, which is why the saw blade does not function correctly and “brakes” in the cut. Working with such a chain requires extra effort.
- The sawing process slows down, productivity drops, you have to spend twice as much time on work.
- The appearance of sawdust changes: they become uneven, sharp, smaller. Shavings from a sharpened saw look different: identical pieces of even rectangular shape.
If the saw loses accuracy and gets stuck in the cut - it’s time to correct the teeth of the chain
Do not postpone repair work for a long time. The sooner you sharpen, the less material you have to grind, respectively, the longer the service life. And you don’t have to work with a blunt instrument for a long time, increase its wear and waste your own physical strength.
How to choose, correctly replace or sharpen the chain with an electric saw: //diz-cafe.com/tech/cepi-dlya-elektropil.html
Two chip samples: the first is the result of a saw with a sharpened saw, the second is a dull saw
What sharpening tools exist
To start work, you need to stock up on tools that are divided into two types.
Hand tools
A set of tools necessary for sharpening the teeth of the saw:
- Flat file, which is taught to use back in labor lessons at school. Using it, grind the depth gauge.
- A round file of a certain diameter, necessary for processing a cutting tooth. An additional device is attached to it - a holder with lines that suggest how to hold the tool in relation to the chain. The holder is placed on the saw tooth taking into account the guide lines, the file position is under the cutting surface.
- A template that serves to edit and comply with the parameters.
- A hook is needed to remove the sawdust from the chain.
How and where to store tools? Interesting ideas here: //diz-cafe.com/tech/kak-xranit-instrumenty.html
Kits of various configurations can be purchased at a specialized store
Metal sharpening templates help you calculate the depth of sharpening
Manual and electric machines
How to sharpen a chain of a chainsaw if the cutting edge of a tooth has completely lost its shape due to prolonged operation? Files can also be used, but the process will be unproductive and time-consuming. The best option is the use of machines, and here you have to choose, because the machines are different - manual and electric.
Stihl chain sharpener
Before work, parameters are set, and the processing process is much faster than using files: for sharpening each tooth, 2-3 movements are enough. Electric machines also have sophisticated settings and are fast and accurate.
An electric machine can reduce a lot of time, but not everyone is ready to pay a round sum for it
Basic rules and procedure for sharpening
The design and shape of the teeth
First of all, you should understand the device of the tooth of the chain, which is subject to sharpening. A tooth cuts wood like a planer. It has a complex configuration and an unusual cutting surface - two edges: one of them is lateral, and the second is upper, slightly beveled. The tooth limiter, the height of which changes, controls the thickness of the chips. Of course, grinding such teeth is much more difficult than, for example, a kitchen knife.
The chainsaw tooth has a more complex shape than other sharp objects to be sharpened
In this case, you should set the correct angle of sharpening the chain of the chainsaw. It is clear that it is difficult to act with one file, therefore, there are various auxiliary devices that help to adhere to the exact parameters of sharpening. Such kits are sold complete with chainsaws, as well as separately.
The diagram shows the tilt angles that must be observed during sharpening.
When sharpening, the location of the tool should be selected correctly. The round file was chosen not in vain - because of the round shape of the internal contour of the tooth. The edge of the file should be 20% higher than the cutting surface of its diameter, and the chain pitch (usually 4 mm to 5.5 mm) affects the choice of diameter. The procedure should be followed: the cutting teeth are treated first, then the limiter tooth.
Sharpening cutting teeth
The question arises: how to sharpen the chain so that all the teeth are uniformly even and sharp? The work is facilitated by the use of a metal template, which is imposed on the chain. It is installed in a strict position - along the arrows, the ends of which are directed along the movement of the chain. The main pressure falls on the leading edge, observing the angle of inclination, which corresponds to the chain pitch.
It is necessary to try so that each tooth has an equal number of movements. The teeth are sharpened in turn: one on the left side, the next on the right and so on. For convenience, the tire is clamped in a vice, and then processed through a tooth on one side, then also on the other.
During sharpening, the device must be held at a certain angle
Stitching Limiter
The work is regulated by a template, to the level of which it is necessary to grind the stop tooth no longer with a round file, but with a flat file. The position of the pattern “S” is for softwood, “H” is for hardwood. If you do not apply the template, you can get the wrong, low cut, from which the efficiency of the saw sharply decreases.
When processing the limiter, the protruding part indicated in the photo
You can learn something useful for yourself in this video:
It’s also useful to know how to set up and adjust the chainsaw carburetor: //diz-cafe.com/tech/regulirovka-karbyuratora-benzopily.html
Proper care of the saw - timely sharpening of teeth, cleaning, lubrication - extend the life of the tool and increase labor productivity.
