Thread: the cheap ebay chainsaws yours still going?

Still carry a file in the tool kit, but now that I use one of those cheepie electric chain sharpeners, it is a waste of time using a file as the grinder disk leaves the tooth hardened.
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Originally Posted by wrinklearthur

Still carry a file in the tool kit, but now that I use one of those cheepie electric chain sharpeners, it is a waste of time using a file as the grinder disk leaves the tooth hardened.
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just put a link in my post before yours.

Stihil has a new sharpening file for small saws that is dead easy. It files the angle and rakers all in one. Costs about 60 bucks but fantastic.

Cheers

Originally Posted by wrinklearthur

Still carry a file in the tool kit, but now that I use one of those cheepie electric chain sharpeners, it is a waste of time using a file as the grinder disk leaves the tooth hardened.
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No, if you're heavy handed it leaves them all burned up

The cutter is hard chromed on the outside of the tooth, that's what gives you the life. (and why you file the rakers and cutter from the inside out or take the teeth off the file too quickly)

Originally Posted by Yorkie

mine is still going ok, it is the bauhmeurs (sp?) model.
leaks liquid and might need to look at replacing the starter assembly as the recoil spring is not staying in place but still starts fine.

This is the brand I have, 52cc, the "easy start" rewind was a PITA, and I spent more time fixing it than cutting wood, would almost have to manually rewind the springs after each use as the plastic used for the starting system was soft as and deformed with the engine heat. Finally put the whole thing aside until I could find parts or figure out a way to fix it, bought a SOLO 35cc.
Finally found a place in the UK to buy a replacement rewind system (not the easy start) and works fine. Unfortunatley only use it on the bigger stuff, but prefer it over the SOLO, which needs a new chain - I'm not the best at sharpening them.
I always run them out of fuel before storage, as it could be months between use.

Originally Posted by It'sNotWorthComplaining!

[snip]

I found this link Chainsaw Maintenance Made Easy | Scottie

it shows an electric chain sharpener like I used, It said it is bad as it won't cut a nice curve on the blade, maybe that's where I'm going wrong. Better to use a file.

That's BS too, a grinder works well if used properly and I'd wager a lot of ground chains work better than the badly filed chains I've seen.
A grinder will put an edge on a tooth as good as a fie, and sometimes better if one of the ABN type grinding wheels are used (but they are very expensive)
Having said that, race chains are filed (although only round filed sometimes, mostly square filed)



I file as I'm too lousy to buy a decent grinder (a lot of the cheapies don't replicate angles well and you are limited on the angles you can use)

Originally Posted by rick130

That's BS too, a grinder works well if used properly and I'd wager a lot of ground chains work better than the badly filed chains I've seen.

I was a bit heavy handed when I first started using my grinder, maybe the teeth were needing a bit more sharpening to bring them back to the correct profile.
Now I just touch the tooth lightly with the disk and move to the next, doing the sharpening more often and lightly gets around the heating problem IMHO.

A grinder will put an edge on a tooth as good as a fie, and sometimes better if one of the ABN type grinding wheels are used (but they are very expensive)
Having said that, race chains are filed (although only round filed sometimes, mostly square filed)
I file as I'm too lousy to buy a decent grinder (a lot of the cheapies don't replicate angles well and you are limited on the angles you can use)

Have you a reference that you can point the new chum / learners to, so they can get an idea of what angles are needed for like ,
green hard wood
dry hard wood
softwood
ripping
sculpting
also the lessening of kick back ?
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Originally Posted by wrinklearthur

I was a bit heavy handed when I first started using my grinder, maybe the teeth were needing a bit more sharpening to bring them back to the correct profile.
Now I just touch the tooth lightly with the disk and move to the next, doing the sharpening more often and lightly gets around the heating problem IMHO.



Have you a reference that you can point the new chum / learners to, so they can get an idea of what angles are needed for like ,
green hard wood
dry hard wood
softwood
ripping
sculpting
also the lessening of kick back ?
.

Arthur, I'm no expert either.

If you stick to the factory specced angles initially, it will get you a fair way there.
Remember too that each manufacturer has there own specs for a given chain, ie. they vary in angles and heights.

FWIW even loggers are supposed to stick to factory angles and depth gauge heights these days. (OH&S strikes again)
A mate did his Certificate whatever for advanced felling a few months back and got into trouble from one of the instructors as his rakers were too low.
He had to buy some standard chains to continue.

The best online sources of factory info.

I've uploaded the Carlton book below (it's no longer available online since Blount bought them out, dial up warning, it's 1.6Mb) and the Oregon manual from last year, so it should still be current (and that files even bigger)
Stihl's info isn't quite as complete and i have some Windsor stuff if anyone is interested as there's still some Windsor chain around.


OK, my take on what works for me.

Use a file guide (or grinder) and check that the angles you've set on your grinder are repeating exactly side to side, many don't.

The same goes for filing.

Plenty of blokes are good on one side, but can't get the angles right the other way, even when using a guide.
Check it, it makes a difference.

I really like the Vallorbe file guide if you prefer the clip on type.
Oregon and Stihl's clip on the file type guides hold the file too high IMO resulting in not enough hook on the tooth.

Too little hook restricts the tooth self feeding into the timber, slowing the cutting and needing too much pressure on the bar.
This isn't right, there should be no downward pressure required.
When the angles are right and the chain sharp the chain self feeds into the timber.

My absolute favourite file guide is The Husqvarna roller combi guide.
It works fine on Husky, Oregon (same thing) Carlton and Windsor chains and I've used it on Stihl chain too, even though it isn't designed for it.
It's quick and accurate and I like the raker guide that is built into it.



Carlton's little File-O-Plate is a great idea for cutter and raker heights but hard on files (it's hardened steel) and I prefer the slightly more aggressive raker height and the little more hook I get with the Husky guide for my saws (which are a little on the grunty side)
A less powerful saw (most consume saws) might prefer the FOP heights.






Dry hard timbers require a semi-chisel or chipper chain unless you have some nice old clean Red Gum (only Carlton make chipper chain these days, and FWIW Carlton are owned by Blount, who also own Oregon and the late, lamented Windsor Saw Chain Co)
It'll outlast full chisel chain easily, and after a few cuts will be just as fast.

There's a really good description of the different chain types and how saw chain actually works in the Carlton PDF below.

Use factory raker heights. (unless you really know what you are doing)

Dropping the rakers makes the chain grabby and severely increases the risk of kick back.

It doesn't always increase speed either.

Apparently you can pick the difference in the way the wood fibre looks when the rakers are too aggressive, but I'm not good enough/experienced enough to do that.

Soft timbers like pine can be filed a little more aggressively with a little more hook and slightly lower rakers, although if you are cutting Cyprus I'd probably stick with what works on Eucs.

Clean, green timber you can use full chisel chain and have fun.

True ripping is a different kettle of fish all together and I've done bugger all.
IIRC the top plate angle is around 10-15*, but other than that, I have no idea.

If you want to reduce kick back, use chain with bumper links, folded rakers (Oregon's Vanguard chain) etc.

It doesn't cut as fast as non safety chain, or at least you have to work more on the chain to get it to cut quickly but I'd suggest most casual users should use it.
Kick back and push back can be nasty, or worse.

That's all pretty general, the angles and heights I use on my chains are a little tweaked from stock, eg. I usually use 30* with my Carlton semi-chisel and a specific cutting angle/raker height but it may not be appropriate on a smaller saw.

Hope that helps some.