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#1
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Chain Saw Bar Wear
I am a relatively new chain saw owner who has Googled extensively and
read the owner's manual several times. I have a good degree of common sense, and try to take care, but I am destined to make stupid mistakes anyway. After about 2 hours of use on the new saw going through cherry and ash, I started into some oak about 12" in diameter with a 20" bar on a Husky 346XP (fast saw). I worked through this for about an hour and noticed that the the oak seemed to be getting progressively harder to cut, requiring more pressure on the saw as I moved toward the base of the tree (tree had been felled already). Eventually, the bar and chain began to smoke, and I probably made 7 or 8 cuts until the bar and chain were smoking so badly it became obvious that something was seriously wrong... the bar oil on the bar was bubbling from the heat. I removed the bar from the log and ran the saw for about 30 seconds to oil the bar and allow the smoke to dissipate from the bar and chain. I inspected the bar and noticed that the paint had disappeared along the edges of the bar, the Husky lettering in the center of the bar was completely gone, and there were a couple of spots in the center of the bar where the paint had disappeared. I suspect that the paint had simply burned off at these locations. Obviously, the chain was dull. Why that wasn't obvious when I had to force the saw to cut is beyond me. That's the bad news. The good news is that I inspected the bar and didn't see any obvious signs of damage. I didn't notice any "bluing" of the bar metal where the paint is gone, and I didn't notice any burring or flaring of the bar rails. I did flip the bar over and put a new Oregon chain on it, and the saw now cuts like a champ. I am not sure why the original Husky chain became so dull after only 3 hours on the saw, as I took care to keep it out of the dirt and certainly didn't hit anything other than wood during operation. My question: What signs of damage to the saw, bar, or chain should I be looking for at this point? I suspect that the paint burning off of the bar is premature wear at this point, but I'm not sure if that is a indicator of damage. Does it sound like I got lucky this time, or could something have been damaged that is not yet obvious? Thanks, JKG |
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#2
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"Jonathan Goodish" wrote in message ... My question: What signs of damage to the saw, bar, or chain should I be looking for at this point? I suspect that the paint burning off of the bar is premature wear at this point, but I'm not sure if that is a indicator of damage. Does it sound like I got lucky this time, or could something have been damaged that is not yet obvious? Thanks, JKG There probably is very little or no damage to the bar. How long a saw chain will stay sharp depends on the quality of the chain and what you are cutting. You may have hit a small stone or nail imbeded in the wood you are cutting. Dirt, stones, nails, wire, and more can be found in trees and you could cut into one with out even knowing. As your experiance grows you will realize when to sharpen, or change saw chains. Change them often! Do not force the saw to cut, just guide it throught the cut. If you plan on cutting a fair amount of wood you should have 5-6 spare chains. Greg |
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#3
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Well, letting the smoke out is never a good thing to do.
You should touch up the chain every time you fill the tank. More if you suddenly feel it start to cut poorly, like you have hit something. A touchup like that only takes a couple of minutes and gives you a chance to rest and think about safety. There's no reason to overload the engine or ruin the parts prematurely, or to waste time cutting slowly. If you damaged the bar by softening it, you'll soon see the saw veering off line when you cut. As soon as that happens, you have to dress the bottom of the bar to make the two sides exactly parallel. If the blade has softened, it will soon wear unevenly and veer again. Good shops can dress the bar pretty well, but if it is bad it will pay to get a new one. My troll alarm is tinkling on this, but maybe the advice will be useful to some beginners. ALL CHAINSAW USERS SHOULD BE CAREFUL! Keep the bar away from the legs and keep the tip out of the cut. Be sure you aren't cutting something that can spring up or fall. Take the time to look at each cut and think what will happen when you cut through. Hearing protectors work! Wilson "Jonathan Goodish" wrote in message ... I am a relatively new chain saw owner who has Googled extensively and read the owner's manual several times. I have a good degree of common sense, and try to take care, but I am destined to make stupid mistakes anyway. After about 2 hours of use on the new saw going through cherry and ash, I started into some oak about 12" in diameter with a 20" bar on a Husky 346XP (fast saw). I worked through this for about an hour and noticed that the the oak seemed to be getting progressively harder to cut, requiring more pressure on the saw as I moved toward the base of the tree (tree had been felled already). Eventually, the bar and chain began to smoke, and I probably made 7 or 8 cuts until the bar and chain were smoking so badly it became obvious that something was seriously wrong... the bar oil on the bar was bubbling from the heat. I removed the bar from the log and ran the saw for about 30 seconds to oil the bar and allow the smoke to dissipate from the bar and chain. I inspected the bar and noticed that the paint had disappeared along the edges of the bar, the Husky lettering in the center of the bar was completely gone, and there were a couple of spots in the center of the bar where the paint had disappeared. I suspect that the paint had simply burned off at these locations. Obviously, the chain was dull. Why that wasn't obvious when I had to force the saw to cut is beyond me. That's the bad news. The good news is that I inspected the bar and didn't see any obvious signs of damage. I didn't notice any "bluing" of the bar metal where the paint is gone, and I didn't notice any burring or flaring of the bar rails. I did flip the bar over and put a new Oregon chain on it, and the saw now cuts like a champ. I am not sure why the original Husky chain became so dull after only 3 hours on the saw, as I took care to keep it out of the dirt and certainly didn't hit anything other than wood during operation. My question: What signs of damage to the saw, bar, or chain should I be looking for at this point? I suspect that the paint burning off of the bar is premature wear at this point, but I'm not sure if that is a indicator of damage. Does it sound like I got lucky this time, or could something have been damaged that is not yet obvious? Thanks, JKG |
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#4
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In article ,
"Wilson Lamb" wrote: Well, letting the smoke out is never a good thing to do. You should touch up the chain every time you fill the tank. More if you suddenly feel it start to cut poorly, like you have hit something. A touchup like that only takes a couple of minutes and gives you a chance to rest and think about safety. There's no reason to overload the engine or ruin the parts prematurely, or to waste time cutting slowly. If you damaged the bar by softening it, you'll soon see the saw veering off line when you cut. As soon as that happens, you have to dress the bottom of the bar to make the two sides exactly parallel. If the blade has softened, it will soon wear unevenly and veer again. Good shops can dress the bar pretty well, but if it is bad it will pay to get a new one. My troll alarm is tinkling on this, but maybe the advice will be useful to some beginners. You know, I'm always amazed at how some folks can't help but beat their chest and display their ego every time someone asks a legitimate question. First of all, I never said anything that indicated that I wasn't being safe with the saw. This was my first cut into oak with this saw, and the high degree of smoke did tip me off that something wasn't right, even though I now realize (with a new chain) that I shouldn't have had to work nearly that hard to cut through even seasoned oak. However, I suspect that I did little more than burn some bar oil off the bar and chain, along with some bar paint. Secondly, I'm not sure what caused your "troll alarm" to start "tinkling," but I don't appreciate the suggestion that this question is somehow a troll. If you don't feel that a question is worthy of your great body of knowledge, you are always free to not reply. I will state that I do appreciate thoughtful replies from those who don't have anything to gain by making snide remarks. JKG |
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#5
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Chain saws with their steel teeth and often abusive cutting conditions
(especially if the teeth contact dirt) have to be sharpened way more frequently than table saw blades. Notice how chain sharpening equipment can be easily used sitting on a log in the woods? That's where you are likely to use the equipment. I often take a break to sharpen during extended cutting sessions. I suspect that the bar paint is gone on account of contact with the wood instead of heat. Your heat question does make me think though. The 346XP takes a 3/8" pitch narrow kerf chain, right? Maybe the narrow kerf chains aren't as tolerant of hard use. Otherwise why wouldn't all saws come with them? Your saw is probably fine. In the future change or sharpen the chain sooner. Were you bucking thick logs non-stop or felling and limbing? I think of the 346XP as a felling and limbing saw. |
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#6
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Jonathan Goodish writes:
[...] You know, I'm always amazed at how some folks can't help but beat their chest and display their ego every time someone asks a legitimate question. First of all, I never said anything that indicated that I wasn't being safe with the saw. This was my first cut into oak with this saw, and .... speaking of Chainsaws: A (local fool) buys a new chainsaw, impressed by the dealers promise that he can fell 100 trees per day with the saw. Next day he returns furiously to the shop and complains: "A hundred trees? I did not even manage one, and i was all woked out! The saw cuts very poorly." The dealer is astonished, takes the saw to see if anything is wrong, pulls the starter cord, the saw starts up all right. Astonished buyer: "What's that for a strange sound?" -- Dr. Juergen Hannappel http://lisa2.physik.uni-bonn.de/~hannappe Phone: +49 228 73 2447 FAX ... 7869 Physikalisches Institut der Uni Bonn Nussallee 12, D-53115 Bonn, Germany CERN: Phone: +412276 76461 Fax: ..77930 Bat. 892-R-A13 CH-1211 Geneve 23 |
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#7
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In article ,
Juergen Hannappel wrote: ... speaking of Chainsaws: A (local fool) buys a new chainsaw, impressed by the dealers promise that he can fell 100 trees per day with the saw. Next day he returns furiously to the shop and complains: "A hundred trees? I did not even manage one, and i was all woked out! The saw cuts very poorly." The dealer is astonished, takes the saw to see if anything is wrong, pulls the starter cord, the saw starts up all right. Astonished buyer: "What's that for a strange sound?" I will admit to being amazed at how much trouble some folks have starting chain saws. The saw that I purchased doesn't have a compression release, and it's almost easier to start than my car. I really don't understand where the problem is for folks, particularly with a new saw. JKG |
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#8
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#9
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My troll alarm went off because it's pretty far fetched that someone would
smoke the bar on a brand new Husky and not stop to see what was wrong! You obviously have never used a CS seriously, or it wouldn't have happened. I thought my reply was pretty reasonable and the advice good. In my 50 years of being close to chainsaws, I've never seen a smoking bar, so maybe you can cut me a little slack. I HAVE seen a chain or two on backwards, which really takes the cake! I'm way too old to get an ego rush from chatting on a newsgroup, so maybe you could lighten up a little? If this had happened in the field, you'd have received a good ribbing in person! Wilson "Jonathan Goodish" wrote in message ... In article , "Wilson Lamb" wrote: Well, letting the smoke out is never a good thing to do. You should touch up the chain every time you fill the tank. More if you suddenly feel it start to cut poorly, like you have hit something. A touchup like that only takes a couple of minutes and gives you a chance to rest and think about safety. There's no reason to overload the engine or ruin the parts prematurely, or to waste time cutting slowly. If you damaged the bar by softening it, you'll soon see the saw veering off line when you cut. As soon as that happens, you have to dress the bottom of the bar to make the two sides exactly parallel. If the blade has softened, it will soon wear unevenly and veer again. Good shops can dress the bar pretty well, but if it is bad it will pay to get a new one. My troll alarm is tinkling on this, but maybe the advice will be useful to some beginners. You know, I'm always amazed at how some folks can't help but beat their chest and display their ego every time someone asks a legitimate question. First of all, I never said anything that indicated that I wasn't being safe with the saw. This was my first cut into oak with this saw, and the high degree of smoke did tip me off that something wasn't right, even though I now realize (with a new chain) that I shouldn't have had to work nearly that hard to cut through even seasoned oak. However, I suspect that I did little more than burn some bar oil off the bar and chain, along with some bar paint. Secondly, I'm not sure what caused your "troll alarm" to start "tinkling," but I don't appreciate the suggestion that this question is somehow a troll. If you don't feel that a question is worthy of your great body of knowledge, you are always free to not reply. I will state that I do appreciate thoughtful replies from those who don't have anything to gain by making snide remarks. JKG |
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#10
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"Jonathan Goodish" wrote in message ... I am a relatively new chain saw owner who has Googled extensively and read the owner's manual several times. I have a good degree of common sense, and try to take care, but I am destined to make stupid mistakes anyway. snip The bar is fine. Just make sure the oiler is working properly, keep chain oil topped up. Sharpen the chain regularly, if it's making square chips it's sharp, if it's making dust it's dull. |
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#11
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On Sun, 16 Jan 2005 08:58:02 -0500, Jonathan Goodish
wrote: You know, I'm always amazed at how some folks can't help but beat their chest and display their ego every time someone asks a legitimate question. I'm amazed that someone can use a chainsaw and have smoke pouring off the bar before they realise something is wrong. |
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#12
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Jonathan Goodish wrote:
I am a relatively new chain saw owner who has Googled extensively and read the owner's manual several times. I have a good degree of common sense, and try to take care, but I am destined to make stupid mistakes anyway. After about 2 hours of use on the new saw going through cherry and ash, I started into some oak about 12" in diameter with a 20" bar on a Husky 346XP (fast saw). I worked through this for about an hour and noticed that the the oak seemed to be getting progressively harder to cut, requiring more pressure on the saw as I moved toward the base of the tree (tree had been felled already). Eventually, the bar and chain began to smoke, and I probably made 7 or 8 cuts until the bar and chain were smoking so badly it became obvious that something was seriously wrong... the bar oil on the bar was bubbling from the heat. I removed the bar from the log and ran the saw for about 30 seconds to oil the bar and allow the smoke to dissipate from the bar and chain. I inspected the bar and noticed that the paint had disappeared along the edges of the bar, the Husky lettering in the center of the bar was completely gone, and there were a couple of spots in the center of the bar where the paint had disappeared. I suspect that the paint had simply burned off at these locations. Obviously, the chain was dull. Why that wasn't obvious when I had to force the saw to cut is beyond me. That's the bad news. The good news is that I inspected the bar and didn't see any obvious signs of damage. I didn't notice any "bluing" of the bar metal where the paint is gone, and I didn't notice any burring or flaring of the bar rails. I did flip the bar over and put a new Oregon chain on it, and the saw now cuts like a champ. I am not sure why the original Husky chain became so dull after only 3 hours on the saw, as I took care to keep it out of the dirt and certainly didn't hit anything other than wood during operation. My question: What signs of damage to the saw, bar, or chain should I be looking for at this point? I suspect that the paint burning off of the bar is premature wear at this point, but I'm not sure if that is a indicator of damage. Does it sound like I got lucky this time, or could something have been damaged that is not yet obvious? Thanks, JKG Smoking? And you didn't stop? yep, that is dumb, but you know that. The chain is unlikely damaged, you just sharpen it, and if it dulls very rapidly you may have ruined the temper, but I can't believe that would happen. Lack of oil will screw up the bar. From your description, it doesn't sound like it got hurt. You can tell by running a finger very VERY carefully on top of the bar groove (bottom of bar where the pressure is during cutting) and along each side next to the groove. If you feel roughness or metal slivers, you need to draw file it. Draw filing is fairly simple, put the blade in a vice with the edge you want to file up. Take a small fairly fine flat,file; hold it crosswise to the blade edge and exactly at right angles to the side (wide part), set it down on the edge with a bit of pressure and pull it toward you. Actually you can also push it even if it is called draw filing. The main point is keep the file flat so the blade is filed flat. You won't need to do much filing. Finish by lightly filing the edge with the file surface essentially parallel with the wide part of the blade to remove any fine metal slivers. DO NOT round the edge. If you are really a stickler, you could polish the edge by wrapping 400 grit wet/dry sand paper around the file and running it back and fort on the the blade in the same way you draw filed. BTW, you should periodically flip the blade as you have done and it is a good thing to lightly draw file the used edge which will up after the blade is flipped. So what have you learned? don't continue to try to cut with a dull blade, sharpen it. Good luck. |
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#13
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#14
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Sounds like premature ejaculation and anticipation of
trolling........Your the one thats uptight making quick assed assumptions........you would think with yur so called age you would be more chilled out and easy going and not so quick to jump to conclusions. As to your chain and bar, I doubt you did anyhting to it that will cause you problems. More use and experieince and you will get the hang of it. A saw should cut without having to apply pressure if the chain is sharp, so keep an eye on the chips, wehich should be nice flakes of wood, and when you start getting raggy, edged and dust more than chip look and it starts slowing down you know its time to touch up the chain. As carefull as one can be non one can see what has been grown into trees etc over their lifetime, and this is a common thing. Run a file along the sides of your bar to knock off any wire edge that it may have. As to paint on the bar, most of my saws have little to no paint left on the bars, as its gonna wear off with use. Its highly unlikely ou burned off the paint on the bars sides to amount to much, along the gujide slot perhaps , but you just did not generate sufficient heat to burn it off the sides. Lots of luck and be safe. On Sun, 16 Jan 2005 15:00:26 GMT, "Wilson Lamb" wrote: ===My troll alarm went off because it's pretty far fetched that someone would ===smoke the bar on a brand new Husky and not stop to see what was wrong! You ===obviously have never used a CS seriously, or it wouldn't have happened. I ===thought my reply was pretty reasonable and the advice good. In my 50 years ===of being close to chainsaws, I've never seen a smoking bar, so maybe you can ===cut me a little slack. I HAVE seen a chain or two on backwards, which ===really takes the cake! === ===I'm way too old to get an ego rush from chatting on a newsgroup, so maybe ===you could lighten up a little? If this had happened in the field, you'd ===have received a good ribbing in person! === ===Wilson === ==="Jonathan Goodish" wrote in message ... === In article , === "Wilson Lamb" wrote: === === Well, letting the smoke out is never a good thing to do. === You should touch up the chain every time you fill the tank. More if you === suddenly feel it start to cut poorly, like you have hit something. === === A touchup like that only takes a couple of minutes and gives you a chance === to === rest and think about safety. There's no reason to overload the engine or === ruin the parts prematurely, or to waste time cutting slowly. === === If you damaged the bar by softening it, you'll soon see the saw veering === off === line when you cut. As soon as that happens, you have to dress the bottom === of === the bar to make the two sides exactly parallel. If the blade has === softened, === it will soon wear unevenly and veer again. Good shops can dress the bar === pretty well, but if it is bad it will pay to get a new one. === === My troll alarm is tinkling on this, but maybe the advice will be useful === to === some beginners. === === === === You know, I'm always amazed at how some folks can't help but beat their === chest and display their ego every time someone asks a legitimate === question. === === First of all, I never said anything that indicated that I wasn't being === safe with the saw. This was my first cut into oak with this saw, and === the high degree of smoke did tip me off that something wasn't right, === even though I now realize (with a new chain) that I shouldn't have had === to work nearly that hard to cut through even seasoned oak. However, I === suspect that I did little more than burn some bar oil off the bar and === chain, along with some bar paint. === === Secondly, I'm not sure what caused your "troll alarm" to start === "tinkling," but I don't appreciate the suggestion that this question is === somehow a troll. If you don't feel that a question is worthy of your === great body of knowledge, you are always free to not reply. === === I will state that I do appreciate thoughtful replies from those who === don't have anything to gain by making snide remarks. === === === === JKG === REMEMBER: "This is worth repeating for benefit of al newbies! Jo Ann asked Dr. Sooooooooooooooooolow to remind people that while she has retired from selling GF (and sold the business to Ken Fischer http://dandyorandas.com/) she has NOT retired from helping people with sick GF and koi FOR FREE. 251-649-4790 phoning is best for diagnosis. but, can try email put "help sick fish" in subject. Get your fish at Dandy Orandas Dandy Orandas Dandy Orandas........you guys got that DANDY ORANDAS |
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#15
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"Jonathan Goodish" wrote in message ... I am a relatively new chain saw owner who has Googled extensively and read the owner's manual several times. I have a good degree of common sense, and try to take care, but I am destined to make stupid mistakes anyway. After about 2 hours of use on the new saw going through cherry and ash, Chain just stretched, a new one will get a little longer after hard use, that's why there's an adjustment on the bar. I use a Dremel chain saw sharpener, doesn't take any time to touch up a saw, but I use a good guide and file for serious sharpening. RJ |
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#16
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In article ,
"George E. Cawthon" wrote: Smoking? And you didn't stop? yep, that is dumb, but you know that. Actually, I did stop after it was apparent that the bar and chain were smoking. It wasn't apparent what was happening at first. I have noticed that a chain that is wearing will go through softer woods without a problem but will not go through harder woods, such as oak. Given the fact that day 2 began with the oak, the distinction between the two wasn't as apparent as it would have been had I moved immediately from softer to harder woods. But, you're right, I now know how to instantly recognize when a chain isn't performing as it should. JKG |
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#17
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In article ,
"George E. Cawthon" wrote: The 346XP uses as .325 pitch chain, and spins it at close to 15k RPM. I think my confusion was caused when I switched from softer wood into seasoned oak, things became much more difficult and the saw required much more force to cut. After a new chain, I now understand that the saw shouldn't require much force to cut even the oak. Spins at 15K? You gotta be kidding? Well, I haven't measured it, but it's somewhere around 14.5k according to Husky. Anyway, I can verify that it's fast. But, as I've learned, it is not tolerant of even a slightly worn chain. I think I'm going to have to buy at least one more chain in order to make it through a day without having to stop and sharpen. JKG |
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#18
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On Sat, 15 Jan 2005 22:47:07 -0500, Jonathan Goodish
wrote: I am a relatively new chain saw owner who has Googled extensively and read the owner's manual several times. I have a good degree of common sense, and try to take care, but I am destined to make stupid mistakes anyway. After about 2 hours of use on the new saw going through cherry and ash, I started into some oak about 12" in diameter with a 20" bar on a Husky 346XP (fast saw). I worked through this for about an hour and noticed that the the oak seemed to be getting progressively harder to cut, requiring more pressure on the saw as I moved toward the base of the tree (tree had been felled already). Eventually, the bar and chain began to smoke, and I probably made 7 or 8 cuts until the bar and chain were smoking so badly it became obvious that something was seriously wrong... the bar oil on the bar was bubbling from the heat. I removed the bar from the log and ran the saw for about 30 seconds to oil the bar and allow the smoke to dissipate from the bar and chain. I've smoked a bar or two over the years, so don't feel too bad about it. If there was still oil on the bar and it doesn't appear blue you probably didn't hurt the bar. Your problem seems (as you guessed) to come from a dull chain, so you are more likely to have damaged the chain. At worst, however, it will only mean that the chain won't stay sharp very long. Most of my chain saw work is done in softwood - dry pine or fir for firewood - and I probably sharpen the chain every hour or slightly more often, cutting cherry, ash and oak you aren't going to keep a chain sharp for an hour of steady cutting, let alone two or three. At this point my test would be to sharpen the chain and see if it cuts straight. If the saw wants to cut curves you may be able to sharpen it out, but I'd just toss the chain and try a new one. It is actually pretty amazing how messed up a bar and chain can be and still cut great as long as the chain is sharp. Tim Douglass http://www.DouglassClan.com |
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#19
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"Bruce Sinclair" wrote in message ... Keeping a cahinsaw sharp is IMO the most important part of maintenance. As soon as you notice it's not cutting so well, sharpen it. Before you start, sharpen it. You get the idea  When you stop to fuel up, is a good time to hit the chain a least a couple of swipes on each cutter. Another good time is right after you hit a sap spout, a rock, a nail, etc... which is guan to be immediately after you finish sharpening it during your fuel stop. -- -Mike- |
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#20
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In article , Jonathan Goodish wrote:
In article , "George E. Cawthon" wrote: Smoking? And you didn't stop? yep, that is dumb, but you know that. Actually, I did stop after it was apparent that the bar and chain were smoking. It wasn't apparent what was happening at first. I have noticed that a chain that is wearing will go through softer woods without a problem but will not go through harder woods, such as oak. Given the fact that day 2 began with the oak, the distinction between the two wasn't as apparent as it would have been had I moved immediately from softer to harder woods. But, you're right, I now know how to instantly recognize when a chain isn't performing as it should. Keeping a cahinsaw sharp is IMO the most important part of maintenance. As soon as you notice it's not cutting so well, sharpen it. Before you start, sharpen it. You get the idea JKG Bruce ----------------------------------------------------------------------- It was so much easier to blame it on Them. It was bleakly depressing to think that They were Us. If it was Them, then nothing was anyone´s fault. If it was Us, what did that make Me ? After all, I´m one of Us. I must be. I´ve certainly never thought of myself as one of Them. No-one ever thinks of themselves as one of Them. We´re always one of Us. It´s Them that do the bad things. = Terry Pratchett. Jingo. Caution ===== followups may have been changed to relevant groups (if there were any) |
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#21
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Jonathan Goodish wrote:
In article , "George E. Cawthon" wrote: The 346XP uses as .325 pitch chain, and spins it at close to 15k RPM. I think my confusion was caused when I switched from softer wood into seasoned oak, things became much more difficult and the saw required much more force to cut. After a new chain, I now understand that the saw shouldn't require much force to cut even the oak. Spins at 15K? You gotta be kidding? Well, I haven't measured it, but it's somewhere around 14.5k according to Husky. Anyway, I can verify that it's fast. But, as I've learned, it is not tolerant of even a slightly worn chain. I think I'm going to have to buy at least one more chain in order to make it through a day without having to stop and sharpen. JKG I think it is not RPM (spinning) Chains saw generally have a direct drive and the drive wheel is fairly small, maybe a max of 4" in diameter (about 13" in circumference. Don't know what your bar size and chain are assume an 18" bar which makes the chain at least 44" long. So, divide 44 by 13 = 3.4. Your engine would be turning 3.4 x 15K or 51K. Never heard of a chainsaw engine that could rev to 51,000 rpm. Could be wrong, but that would be one hell of an engine. |
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#22
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In article ,
"George E. Cawthon" wrote: Well, I haven't measured it, but it's somewhere around 14.5k according to Husky. Anyway, I can verify that it's fast. But, as I've learned, it is not tolerant of even a slightly worn chain. I think I'm going to have to buy at least one more chain in order to make it through a day without having to stop and sharpen. JKG I think it is not RPM (spinning) Chains saw generally have a direct drive and the drive wheel is fairly small, maybe a max of 4" in diameter (about 13" in circumference. Don't know what your bar size and chain are assume an 18" bar which makes the chain at least 44" long. So, divide 44 by 13 = 3.4. Your engine would be turning 3.4 x 15K or 51K. Never heard of a chainsaw engine that could rev to 51,000 rpm. Could be wrong, but that would be one hell of an engine. I didn't mean to imply that the CHAIN spins that fast, but rather that the engine is turning at that speed. Husky says 14.7k max engine speed, which is a lot less than 51k but still faster than many saws. In any case, I can tell you that it smokes a dull chain in a hurry. :-) JKG |
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#23
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"Wilson Lamb" wrote in message .net... Well, letting the smoke out is never a good thing to do. You should touch up the chain every time you fill the tank. More if you work. I think Wilson may be holding some kind of smoke in his lungs too long. Wilson "Jonathan Goodish" wrote in message ... I am a relatively new chain saw owner who has Googled extensively and read the owner's manual several times. I have a good degree of common sense, and try to take care, but I am destined to make stupid mistakes anyway. After about 2 hours of use on the new saw going through cherry and ash, I started into some oak about 12" in diameter with a 20" bar on a Husky 346XP (fast saw). I worked through this for about an hour and noticed that the the oak seemed to be getting progressively harder to cut, requiring more pressure on the saw as I moved toward the base of the tree (tree had been felled already). Eventually, the bar and chain began to smoke, and I probably made 7 or 8 cuts until the bar and chain were smoking so badly it became obvious that something was seriously wrong... the bar oil on the bar was bubbling from the heat. I removed the bar from the log and ran the saw for about 30 seconds to oil the bar and allow the smoke to dissipate from the bar and chain. I inspected the bar and noticed that the paint had disappeared along the edges of the bar, the Husky lettering in the center of the bar was completely gone, and there were a couple of spots in the center of the bar where the paint had disappeared. I suspect that the paint had simply burned off at these locations. Obviously, the chain was dull. Why that wasn't obvious when I had to force the saw to cut is beyond me. That's the bad news. The good news is that I inspected the bar and didn't see any obvious signs of damage. I didn't notice any "bluing" of the bar metal where the paint is gone, and I didn't notice any burring or flaring of the bar rails. I did flip the bar over and put a new Oregon chain on it, and the saw now cuts like a champ. I am not sure why the original Husky chain became so dull after only 3 hours on the saw, as I took care to keep it out of the dirt and certainly didn't hit anything other than wood during operation. My question: What signs of damage to the saw, bar, or chain should I be looking for at this point? I suspect that the paint burning off of the bar is premature wear at this point, but I'm not sure if that is a indicator of damage. Does it sound like I got lucky this time, or could something have been damaged that is not yet obvious? Thanks, JKG First off.....check that you have chain oil in your new saw. One hole for the gas ....one hole for the chain oil. If you did do this, check that the oil can get to your bar. There is a little hole on the side of your bar that lets the oil in. You have to take the side cover off to see it. Periodically you HAVE TO clean this little hole and the groove in your bar. Chainsaws do not have 'blades' . Chains and bars.....no blades. Occasionally, after extensive use, you can feel a bit of chain wear on your bar.......simply run a flat file down the side of the bar and remove the bur. You are a 'long' ways away from developing that problem. Remember that you have to lubricate the tip of your bar.....if it has a wee hole to do so.....grease not oil in this hole. Last two points, when you are holding your saw keep your thumb locked around the handle...not over the handle, like a young girl; when it bucks back in your face you will appreciate this advice....and keep your head to the LEFT, away from being in line with the bar when...not if...it bucks back at you. Now, did anyone tell you which side of a log you should stand on when bucking ......just might break your legs if you choose wrong. BTW.......filing a chain so it is 'razor' sharp don't mean squat........if your rakers are high. Good luck lad........nothing feels so good as knocking down your first big 'stick' Drop me a line if you wish................Ken |
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#26
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Jonathan Goodish wrote:
In article , Juergen Hannappel wrote: ... speaking of Chainsaws: A (local fool) buys a new chainsaw, impressed by the dealers promise that he can fell 100 trees per day with the saw. Next day he returns furiously to the shop and complains: "A hundred trees? I did not even manage one, and i was all woked out! The saw cuts very poorly." The dealer is astonished, takes the saw to see if anything is wrong, pulls the starter cord, the saw starts up all right. Astonished buyer: "What's that for a strange sound?" I will admit to being amazed at how much trouble some folks have starting chain saws. The saw that I purchased doesn't have a compression release, and it's almost easier to start than my car. I really don't understand where the problem is for folks, particularly with a new saw. It's really quite simple. You've got that old fuel mix from last year (or was it the year before?) so why mix up new stuff? Changing spark plugs isn't really necessary. Don't bother with the air filter either. Choke? And remember, never ever RTFM. JKG |
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#27
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On Tue, 18 Jan 2005 01:01:43 GMT, Elmo
wrote: It's really quite simple. You've got that old fuel mix from last year (or was it the year before?) so why mix up new stuff? Changing spark plugs isn't really necessary. Don't bother with the air filter either. Choke? And remember, never ever RTFM. A couple years ago I pulled my old big McCulloch out of storage and went to start it. There was still a bit of gas in it from 4-5 years earlier, so I just popped the compression release, set the choke, held the throttle and gave it a spin to see what it would do. Started on the second pull. Smoked like crazy because about half the gas had evaporated, leaving a pretty oil-rich mix, but I was sure surprised when it fired up. Tim Douglass http://www.DouglassClan.com |
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#28
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On Tue, 18 Jan 2005 12:11:28 +1300, Peter Huebner
wrote: In article , says... Actually, I did stop after it was apparent that the bar and chain were smoking. It wasn't apparent what was happening at first. If the chain and bar were smoking, then that suggests to me that you didn't have enough chain bar oil in the tank?!? Or maybe that the feeder hole was blocked, or that the groove in the bar was full of sawdust. Smoking should never occur blunt chain or sharp, if the chain lubrication works as it should. A dull chain will smoke like crazy if you keep trying to force it to cut - in fact the more oil on the bar the more it will smoke. I've conducted this experiment more than once in the past trying to use an old bar and chain to cut some bridge timbers - lots of heat, lots of smoke, not much cutting. Tim Douglass http://www.DouglassClan.com |
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#29
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On Sun, 16 Jan 2005 11:40:41 -0500, Jonathan Goodish
vaguely proposed a theory .......and in reply I say!: remove ns from my header address to reply via email Ok OK. You admitted to a really daft act. The guy made a mild reference to trolling. He still gave good advice, to someone who admits to being a newbie, and who did a daft thing with a chainsaw. There is not much room for that with chainsaws. Let's let it alone? BTW I am not taking sides here. I have bever heard of or from Wilson Lamb before TMK. |
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#30
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On Sun, 16 Jan 2005 19:35:33 -0800, "....Ken"
vaguely proposed a theory .......and in reply I say!: remove ns from my header address to reply via email "Wilson Lamb" wrote in message k.net... Well, letting the smoke out is never a good thing to do. You should touch up the chain every time you fill the tank. More if you work. I think Wilson may be holding some kind of smoke in his lungs too long. Why? Because he suggests toucjing up the chain each tankful? Common and good advice! |
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#31
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In article , Old Nick wrote:
On Sun, 16 Jan 2005 19:35:33 -0800, "....Ken" vaguely proposed a theory .......and in reply I say!: remove ns from my header address to reply via email "Wilson Lamb" wrote in message nk.net... Well, letting the smoke out is never a good thing to do. You should touch up the chain every time you fill the tank. More if you work. I think Wilson may be holding some kind of smoke in his lungs too long. Why? Because he suggests toucjing up the chain each tankful? Common and good advice! ... for no other reason than it makes cutting much easier. Bruce ----------------------------------------------------------------------- It was so much easier to blame it on Them. It was bleakly depressing to think that They were Us. If it was Them, then nothing was anyone´s fault. If it was Us, what did that make Me ? After all, I´m one of Us. I must be. I´ve certainly never thought of myself as one of Them. No-one ever thinks of themselves as one of Them. We´re always one of Us. It´s Them that do the bad things. = Terry Pratchett. Jingo. Caution ===== followups may have been changed to relevant groups (if there were any) |
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#32
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On Mon, 17 Jan 2005 17:56:53 -0800, Tim Douglass
wrote: McCulloch Smoked like crazy because about half the gas had evaporated, leaving a pretty oil-rich mix, but I was sure surprised when it fired up. It's a McCulloch. I wouldn't rave about them as saws, but they have a very good little ignition system. You can buy it as a spare part and I've fitted it to several old engines ('50s vintage) to much improve cold starting. -- Smert' spamionam |
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#33
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In article ,
diesel_fuel wrote: You say ----------------------------------- I started into some oak about 12" in diameter I worked through this for about an hour 7 or 8 cuts until the bar and chain were smoking so badly ------------------------------------ this is a very blunt chainsaw less than 10 seconds per cut for a sharp chain I didn't say that it took me an hour to make 7 or 8 cuts, I said that I had been cutting for about an hour, but it became progressively more difficult to cut. In any case, you're right, with a sharp chain on this saw it is just a few seconds per cut. In any case, I do have a filing kit w/guides, so I am going to give that a go and see what happens. Thanks to all for your replies. JKG |
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#34
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One problem to watch for is when the cutters dull on one side, or when the
sharpening angles are not the same side to side. The chain will try to tip over in the cut, which makes it cut poorly and also widens the groove in the bar. If the bar groove becomes much wider than the drive legs on the chain, it's worn out. John Martin |
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#35
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"Jonathan Goodish" wrote in message ... In article , diesel_fuel wrote: You say ----------------------------------- I started into some oak about 12" in diameter I worked through this for about an hour 7 or 8 cuts until the bar and chain were smoking so badly ------------------------------------ this is a very blunt chainsaw less than 10 seconds per cut for a sharp chain I didn't say that it took me an hour to make 7 or 8 cuts, I said that I had been cutting for about an hour, but it became progressively more difficult to cut. In any case, you're right, with a sharp chain on this saw it is just a few seconds per cut. In any case, I do have a filing kit w/guides, so I am going to give that a go and see what happens. Thanks to all for your replies. JKG I haven't followed this thread all the way through, but I'll add that I use a Dremel with a chainsaw blade sharpening kit on it with excellent results and no more material removal than filing would cause. It's a lot quicker than filing. Ken (MI) |
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#36
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"Wilson Lamb" posted on that vast internet
thingie: In my 50 years of being close to chainsaws, I've never seen a smoking bar In all fairness to the other guy, I had a situation where the little holes in the bar had gotten plugged up with sawdust and things were getting pretty hot. More to your point I immediately stopped before completely trashing the bar and troubleshooted the problem. I think we would all agree that when using a chain saw if anything is not "normal", STOP immediately and find out what the problem is. I remember another time when (I don't know *HOW* it could have happened) the oil cap on the saw had not been properly tightened and had popped open. I'm glad I stopped since I don't think that would have been covered under warranty. Steve at SELLCOM -- http://www.sellcom.com Discount multihandset cordless phones by Panasonic AT&T, 5.8Ghz 2line; TMC ET4000 4line Epic phone, OnHoldPlus, Watchguard! Brick wall "non MOV" surge protection. Firewood splitters www.splitlogs.com If you sit at a desk www.ergochair.biz you owe it to yourself. |
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#37
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z (Bruce Sinclair) posted on
that vast internet thingie: Keeping a cahinsaw sharp is IMO the most important part of maintenance. As soon as you notice it's not cutting so well, sharpen it. Before you start, sharpen it. You get the idea Good advice! Which remindeded me of another tip. You saw should be throwing small wood chips and not fine sawdust. If your making sawdust instead of a pile of chips then you need to stop and sharpen. Steve at SELLCOM -- http://www.sellcom.com Discount multihandset cordless phones by Panasonic AT&T, 5.8Ghz 2line; TMC ET4000 4line Epic phone, OnHoldPlus, Watchguard! Brick wall "non MOV" surge protection. Firewood splitters www.splitlogs.com If you sit at a desk www.ergochair.biz you owe it to yourself. |
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