Using A Chainsaw Sharpener

Chainsaws are an extremely useful tool to have around the home. Whether it's for heavy 'pruning', removing whole trees that aren't right for your yard or going off on firewood expeditions, a good chainsaw is pretty much indispensable for the handyperson. However one aspect of chainsaw use that is often overlooked is sharpening the chain blade.Chain blades should be give a quick hone regularly during use, and a proper sharpening to restore the correct cutting angles and edge as needed. Cutting through wood that has dirt on it is a quick way to remove the edge from your chain blade!

You will know it's time to get the blade sharpened when you find that it is taking a long time and a lot of effort to cut through larger pieces of wood - another tip is to look at the chips produced while you are cutting. If your chainsaw is producing fine sawdust as opposed to larger pieces, it may need to be sharpened. Anyone who has used a dullchainsaw will appreciate how tiring it can be! You can have your chainsaw sharpened at the same time you get your chainsaw serviced, or you can do it yourself using just a sharpening stone if you are careful. However for the best and most efficient results, a dedicated chainsaw sharpener is a great tool to have in your toolbox.

There are a few different options when deciding how to sharpen a chainsaw. But before we start going through the options, lets consider what a sharpening tool must do to keep your chainsaw running in tip top shape. First off it has to shape the teeth that actually cut the wood, then it must adjust the links that regulate the depth of the cut.

The most basic chain sharpening tool is a simple rounded file. This can be used with or without a file guide to help get the right angle, but it is recommended that unless you are very experienced, you use the file guide. You will want to refer to the instructions that come with your file guide but basically the round file is inserted into the groove in each tooth, and pushed away from your body to sharpen. Then the chainsaw is turned so that the other side is facing away from you, and the process repeated. Three or four strokes should be enough to restore an edge to each tooth of the chain blade if you have a nice sharp file. Once you have sharpened each tooth, move on to the next until all are done. Rotate the blade as necessary to access each tooth. It's a good idea to wear gloves while doing this to protect yourself from your newly sharp blade!

Consistency is important using a file, as your chainsaw will run best not only when it is sharp, but when each tooth cuts at the same angle.

An overlooked part of chain saw maintenance is maintaining the depth gauges. Depth gauges need to be looked after as part of your chain sharpening routine. They are the small projections in front of each tooth on your chain blade, and they determine the size of the chip that is removed as the blade cuts. As you file away the teeth when sharpening, you will also need to adjust the depth gauges to compensate for the gap between the top of the cutting tooth and the top of the depth gauge. If this is not done, the cutting edge willhave a lot of trouble making contact with the wood. A symptom of this is that you will produce a fine sawdust when cutting, so if this happens and you know your blade is sharp, check the depth gauges.

Depth gauges can be adjusted using a depth gauge guide and a flat file to adjust te height of the depth gauge. Be careful not to cut back the depth gauge too much however, as this can be dangerous. Each tooth will take bigger cuts out of the wood than it should, which puts more pressure on the chain and the engine, and can cause problems with kickback.

If you use your chainsaw a lot, you might want to look at getting a stump vice. This allows you to affix your whole setup to a stump while working and it can make your job a lot easier as you won't have to balance the chainsaw during the sharpening.

Electric sharpeners are also available, and popular models are clamped in the bit of a drill, so are less portable than a simple file and file guide. Larger units are not portable, but hold the chain blade at a precise angle for a beter result. They are faster, more consistent, but more expensive. Some might find that using these is less satisfying than the hand method, and gives them less tactile feedback as to when the tooth is sharp enough. Others love the convenience of an electric chainsaw sharpener, so it comes down to personal preference a bit.

Whichever tools work best for you, do make sure to inspect your chain blade regularly. For absolute best results, it's worth learning how to do the quick sharpen every few hours of cutting. After you have done this maybe a few dozen times (depending on your skill level) it may be worth having the edges and angles professionally ground. And don't forget to keep on eye on your depth gauges as part of the process! If you follow these tips, you will enjoy years of hassle free chopping.