Sharpened sharp chain is one of the conditions for effective operation of a chainsaw. If the chain becomes blunt, things in the country will rise: and bath not to be repaired, and the fence is not to build, and wood for the stove not to prepare. For help you can turn to paid professionals, but it should be remembered that this procedure will be repeated with a certain frequency, and this additional financial costs and waste of personal time. Another way to know how is the sharpening of chainsaw chain on their own, without the involvement of specialists.
The contents
When it comes time to sharpen the saw?
Between the two sharpening depends on the frequency of use of the tool. Some use it daily, others several times a year.
Understand that the teeth dull, you can by some signs, which are detected during operation:
- The chain stretches and sags, in connection with which the saw blade operates inaccurately and «inhibits» in the cut. The work with this circuit requires additional efforts.
- The process of sawing slows down, the efficiency falls, you have to spend at work in two times more time.
- Changing the form of sawdust: they become irregular, acute, smaller. The shavings from sharpened saw is different: the same pieces of flat, rectangular shape.
If the saw loses precision and gets stuck in the cut — time to do the edit of the teeth of the chain
You should not postpone repairs in the long term. The sooner you sharpen, the less material will be ground off, respectively, the longer service life. Don’t have a long time to work with a dull tool to increase its wear and spend wasted physical effort.
Sample of two chips: the first is the result of saw-edged saw, the second blunt
What tools exist for sharpening?
For the beginning works it is necessary to have tools at hand that are divided into two types.
Hand tools
The set of tools required for sharpening of saw teeth:
- A flat file which is taught to use back in the classroom work at school. Using it to grind the depth gauge.
- Round file of a certain diameter necessary for machining of the cutting tooth. Attached is an accessory — holder with the lines that tell you how to hold the instrument in relation to the chain. A tool holder arranged on the saw tooth taking into account the guide lines, the position of a file under the cutting surface.
- The template that is used for straightening and compliance parameters.
- The hook is needed to remove the chain sawdust.
Sets of different configuration can be bought in a specialty store
Metal templates for sharpening help to calculate the depth of grinding
Manual and electric machines
How to sharpen a chainsaw chain, if the cutting edge of the tooth has completely lost its shape because of the prolonged work? You can also use the files, but the process will be unproductive and time-consuming. The best option – the use of machines, and there will have to choose because the machines are different – manual and electric.
Manual machine for sharpening chains brand Stihl
Before work exhibited parameters, and the processing is done much faster than using files: for sharpening each tooth is enough 2-3 movements. Electric machines also have a complex setup, while working quickly and accurately.
An electric machine allows you to reduce a lot of time, but not everyone is willing to pay a lot for it
Basic rules and procedure for sharpening
The device and the shape of the teeth
First of all you should understand the structure of the tooth chain, which is subject to sharpening. The tooth cuts the wood like a plane. He has a complex and unusual configuration of the cutting surface or two edges: one lateral and the second the upper, slightly sloping. The limiter of the tooth, the height of which varies, and regulates the thickness of the chip. Of course, to grind these teeth is much more difficult than, for example, a kitchen knife.
Prong chainsaw has a more complex form than other sharp objects that are subject to sharpening
This should set the correct angle of sharpening of chain saws. It is clear that to act in one file is difficult, so there are different accessories that help stick to the exact parameters of the sharpening. These kits come complete with chainsaws, as well as separately.
The diagram shows the angles that must be followed during sharpening
When sharpening you should properly choose the location of the tool. Round file was not chosen in vain — because of the rounded shape of the inner contour of the tooth. The edge of the file should be above cutting surface 20% of its diameter, and the diameter affects the pitch length of the chain (usually from 4 mm to 5.5 mm). You should follow procedure: first treat the cutting teeth, then tooth-limiter.
Sharpening cutting teeth
The question arises: how to sharpen a chain so that all the teeth were uniformly smooth and sharp? The work facilitates the application of the metal pattern that is applied to the circuit. It is installed, simply position the arrows, the ends of which are directed by the movement of the chain. The main pressure falls on the front edge, following the angle of inclination, which corresponds to a length of chain step.
You need to try to on each tooth had the same number of movements. The teeth are sharpened by turns: one left, next right and so on. For the convenience of the action the tire is clamped in a vise, and then treated through the tooth from one side, then the same on the other.
During sharpening fixture must be kept at a certain angle
Flatlock limiter
Work adjusts the template to which it is necessary to grind the tooth-limiter already not a round and a flat file. The position of the template «S» designed for soft wood, «H» — for hard. If you do not use the template, you can get an incorrect, low cut, from which the efficiency of the saws will fall sharply.
During the processing of a limiter filed off the protruding part shown on the photo
Something useful can be gleaned in this video:
Proper care of a saw — timely sharpening of the teeth, cleaning, lubrication extends tool life and increases productivity.
