Chain seems to dull very fast.

[jeffoc]

This weekend was cutting up a downed oak on my property and the chain was so dull after about 5 cuts that it started to smoke.

I am just starting to cut again after about 20 years and most of the cutting I use to do was pine before when I lived in MT. This tree was an oak as I said but I also have black walnut.
Here is what is what I am doing, maybe someone can point out what I am doing wrong. Picked up the saw after having the chain sharpened at the dealer, noticed right off the bat that if I try to go in in the middle of the blade it just won't really bite, have to basically cut with the tip. I was very careful not to touch the chain to the ground. But I did catch the edge of a knot as I went through, that did it for the chain.

Is it just the nature of oak and the walnut that dull it so badly? I am spending a fortune having the blade sharpened on this thing.
It is a Stihl ms 290 with a 20" blade, the tree was about 28" where I was cutting.

 

[PLAYS WITH FIRE]

I am certainly no expert but your chain seems dull and maybe your out of chain lube? I cut with a Pooplon(poulon) Pro with an 18" bar with no problem. I mean the saw is "slow" as I am used to my uncle's Jonsered which will cut the same log diameter in a little more than half the time. The Jonsered is super fast.

However, when he had a dull chain the wood chips were just powder. Again I am no expert but he said crappy bar lube will dull the pi55 out of the chain and burn up the bar. So I would assume smoking is possible too.

 

[jeffoc]

You may have something there PWF. My Poulan, shoots oil off the end of the bar like crazy, but with the Stihl I don't notice it.
I'm going to have to pull the the cover off and look in there. I know I've had to fill it, but I don't remember if it needed any on the last fill. It may have clogged.

Thanks!

 

[Jags]

Sounds to me like the dealer smoked your chain. Probably got it too hot during the sharpening and took the temper out of the teeth. That makes for a junk chain. It won't ever hold an edge again. Replace the chain and see how it goes. If the new chain works as advertised - find a new dealer to sharpen your chains (or better yet, learn how to sharpen them yourself).

 

[jeffoc]

I bought some files and researched the methods for sharpening and have been "practicing" on the poulan and seem to do okay, but wanted to be sure it was sharp on the stihl.
I am going to buy a new chain, just so I don't have to stop when it goes dull. As far as taking it somewhere else, this is the only place close by that does it, and they are still 20 miles away. But if they are ruining it I will go elsewhere.
Thanks Jags

 

[Jags]

A little practice on the teeth and learn how to file the rakers and you won't have to worry about taking them someplace so they can ruin it for ya.

 

[jeffoc]

I'm doing okay on the teeth so far. I still don't get the rakers, do you use a flat file?

 

[mayhem]

Agreed on the new chain. Relatively inexpensive and its always good to have at least one or two spare chains.

To check the oiler, find )or make) a clean cut stump or even use a sheet of cardboard on the ground. Fire up the saw and get it runnig, run it at or near wide open throttle with the tip andgled down towards the cardboard. If the oiler is working properly you'll get a streak of oil across the cardboard pretty quickly. If you don't see any oil streaks forming, you're not getting enough oil on the b&c and you're likely overheating the chain and dulling it.

I can tell you that oak os hard but not THAT hard that it'll dull your chain that quickly. You should be able to cut till you run out of gas before you even have to think abot doing a quick filing to take the burrs off. I cut a pickup truck of red oak per day at lunchtime three days a week for about a month last summer with my 18" Craftsman saw and only ran a quick one sweep with the file between each day.

Only other thing I can think of is the trees are drity, but you sound as though you've checked that already.

 

[Jags]

I'm doing okay on the teeth so far. I still don't get the rakers, do you use a flat file?

Yes, on the flat file.

 

[jeffoc]

Mayhem,
Okay, it's my oiler then, I thought I should be able to see it coming out, and was watching for it after it started to smoke.
I know that's really basic, I should have checked it when I first started.
I'm going to get in there and clean it all out, and hope I haven't toasted the chain but I bet I have.
Does anyone know a good link to chain sharpening?
Thanks everyone.

 

[PLAYS WITH FIRE]

http://blueandwhitecrew.org/files/SharpAdvice061301final.pdf

 

[jeffoc]

Thanks, Plays, this will help.

 

[Danno77]

also, make sure your chain is properly tightened. Not too tight and not too loose.

 

[Adios Pantalones]

If by "down" tree, you mean one that was already dead- they can accumulate a lot of dirt in the bark, and if it's drier than a live tree- they are a lot harder. I girdled some oaks, took them down a year later, and it was serious work keeping my chain sharp. A 20" bar going through a 28" tree is another big factor.

The saw should go through almost a tank of bar oil per tank of gas. You could have a smoked chain, but aside from that- you have a tough tree to buck with this saw anyway, IMO.

 

[TreePointer]

Stihl Video Library - Chapter 3: Sharpening Your Saw Chain

 

[Thistle]

also, make sure your chain is properly tightened. Not too tight and not too loose.

Yup.Depending on what saw I'm using,I try to keep it so there's about 1/4" slack when I pull up with thumb & forefinger.Newish chains tend to stretch a wee bit after they're run a while.Every 3-4 sharpenings,depending on what I'm cutting,I hit the rakers 3 strokes lightly with a small flat file too.

 

[jeffoc]

Thanks Danno,
The dealer had tightened the chain and I asked him about it when I picked it up because the nuts have been falling off as I cut.
It was a little loose when I quit but not as bad as before.

AP,
The tree fell during a ice storm about 2yrs ago. The wood is so pretty, and yes it is drier than a live tree. It was alive when it fell. It is hollow torwards the base. But solid where I am cutting right now. Never thought I would be attacking anything this big when I bought the saw. I'm up from the Poulan though!
I knock the bark off before I cut so I think I'm okay as far as dirt goes.

 

[Jags]

If your nuts are falling off during cutting, you need to take more breaks.

 

[jeffoc]

If your nuts are falling off during cutting, you need to take more breaks.

Very true, lol

 

[Adios Pantalones]

If the nuts are coming loose, then the chain will work loose as well. A loose chain will cause the symptoms you mentioned about getting bite at the tip, but not on the flat of the bar. The chain slips off the bar flat, but not as easily at the tip.

 

[jeffoc]

When I started it had about 1/4" play, maybe a little less. The dealer made me think that "they all do that". So I probably should have been more concerned about it then I was and checked it more while I was cutting. But Geez, 5 or 6 cuts!

I will have to check out the video at home, I'm pretending to work now. Thanks for it though.

 

[Thistle]

If your nuts are falling off during cutting, you need to take more breaks.

Rules to live by.....

 

[jeffoc]

If your nuts are falling off during cutting, you need to take more breaks.

Rules to live by.....

Love it!

 

[smokinj]

This weekend was cutting up a downed oak on my property and the chain was so dull after about 5 cuts that it started to smoke.

I am just starting to cut again after about 20 years and most of the cutting I use to do was pine before when I lived in MT. This tree was an oak as I said but I also have black walnut.
Here is what is what I am doing, maybe someone can point out what I am doing wrong. Picked up the saw after having the chain sharpened at the dealer, noticed right off the bat that if I try to go in in the middle of the blade it just won't really bite, have to basically cut with the tip. I was very careful not to touch the chain to the ground. But I did catch the edge of a knot as I went through, that did it for the chain.

Is it just the nature of oak and the walnut that dull it so badly? I am spending a fortune having the blade sharpened on this thing.
It is a Stihl ms 290 with a 20" blade, the tree was about 28" where I was cutting.

Thats more to get through an oak thats for sure. Sounds like the rakers are a little high aswell.

 

[Jags]

Thats more to get through an oak thats for sure. Sounds like the rakers are a little high aswell.

There ya go Jeff - get Jay on the hook for your questions. He is a chain sharpening maniac.