Eric,
That’s a great idea, using the C-clamp and flipping the saw. I’m actually fairly ambidextrous, (growing up left-handed in a right-handed world will tend to do that to a person) but there are some activities (particularly sharpening, bodywork, welding, etc…) where I know my approach from one side is definitely better than from the other. I may just give your system a try—thanks.
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Hogwildz,
I hear ya, about user error, and powered sharpeners—I’ve never got to try a powered sharpener myself, so I guess I spoke too soon, re: whether they really eat more tooth than hand-filing. What you say makes sense. Does the Dremel attachment have a jig, allowing various angles to be set?
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Elk,
I'm only a layman, but I thought this little "primer" of yours was excellent--I've bolded the things that really rang true, for me:
Might I add another footnote to chain and bar maintenance? Do not forget to reverse your bar occasionally. I reverse mine every 10 hours of use.
If you continue to leave it set it will hollow out and become useless. By rotating it you will extend its life and get more even results.
Just like any activity practice makes perfect. one that occasionaly files a chain is not going to get the results as one that practices it often.
I’m going to differ with Eric’s practice of sharpening every tak fillup Not saying Eric’s method or practice ie wrong But I do it different.
Just like any tool there is a learning curb One will notice and see a way a saw cuts One can judge by the size chips expelled or the amount of finer sawdust observed,
finally if one has to apply more pressure tto cut. I sharpen the chains when I start seeing too much finer sawdust expelled./ My thinking is, if things are cutting right.
then don’t mess with it, till you have to. Untill you get the filing down, you can actually dull a chain or create a hook and make matters worse.
Second part of chainsaw opperations are two part . If I’m about to drop a tree I plan ahead.I make sure I have a backup plan. I never attemp my first cut.
without knowing how much gas is in the tank. Sceond part is I have a backup saw I know works and it has a full tank and sharp chain. This is even before I make my first cut.
and planned the drop path. These precautions are less of an issue once you have dropped the tree.. Another practice I do, is take a small cap full of oil
and coat the end sproket every tank re- fill. Naturally I examine the tree to see where it is leaning and make the proper notch and cuts and before I begin sawing to have full PE on.
I also plan a path of excape should things not go as planned. When bucking it is very important to keep your work area clean and free of branches. Never over reach
and plan and think about what you are doing. Lots of time the rounds I cut I position them under the tree and ahead of the next round to be cut. This keeps your bar off the ground and supports the weight of the trunk transfere therby eliminating binding and kick back
Your idea about a cap of oil on the bar nose is interesting. I've found that some folks are not aware that the tiny holes in the end of a sproket nose bar
are actually where you stick your tiny, chainsaw-dedicated grease gun, on both sides, each time you fill up with gas. However, on the bigger, older saw I'm using, (Homelite 360 Professional) it doesn't have a sprocket nose, so there's now way to grease it. I was kind of thinking I didn't need to worry about lubing the bar nose, but I guess I'll start oiling it manually.
Re: having a backup saw--Amen! One time, when I either neglected this good advice or my backup saw wouldn't run (can't remember) I had the "pleasure" of unbolting the bar and leaving it in the half-cut (dangerous) tree, where my not-careful-enough technique (at that time) had caused it to become pinched. I had to return with another saw, and free the original bar. (And this process was by no means easy, the saw was brand new, and I was certain I had "tweaked" it, but it came out unscathed, happily, unlike my pride.) Of course, it was even more painful to have a local I know roll by on his ATV, taking my folly in at a glance, to be forever recycled (I'm sure) around certain coffee tables. A second saw can not only prevent injuries to your body and property, but to your
dignity, as well. LOL
