A chainsaw is an indispensable tool for any serious home handy person. Unfortunately, surprisingly few people know all they need to do in order to maintain their chainsaw safely! There are two main parts of the chainsaw that you should pay regular attention to - the chain blade and the engine or motor. There is a fair amount of information available online about how to sharpen the teeth of a chainsaw chain blade, but a basic overview is that you use a round file of the appropriate size to restore the cutting edge on each tooth. File guides are available that help you hold the file at the right angle, so fortunately it is pretty hard to get it wrong.
The other part of maintaining a chain gauge that is more often overlooked is the condition of the depth gauges. Depth gauges are the raised 'tooth' that trails behind the cutting edge of the chainsaw blade. These are responsible for the depth of the cut of each tooth, and if these are not the correct height the chain blade can stick in the cut, with dangerous results. A specific tool is used to measure the distance between the cutting tooth and the depth gauge, which is measured in fractions of an inch. Settings can vary between models of saw, so consult the manual to find the right details for your own saw.
Your chain blade should be sharpened after every use, with just a few light strokes of the file. Depth gauges should be checked and adjusted if required after a few sessions with the chainsaw. To adjust a depth gauge, you use your depth gauge guide tool to get the file to cut at the right depth, and simply file down the tooth as required.
It's important to adjust each depth gauge evenly, so you should turn the chain blade and check every tooth before using the chainsaw next. Including this simple step in your maintenance program will help to ensure continued safe use of your chainsaw!
The other part of maintaining a chain gauge that is more often overlooked is the condition of the depth gauges. Depth gauges are the raised 'tooth' that trails behind the cutting edge of the chainsaw blade. These are responsible for the depth of the cut of each tooth, and if these are not the correct height the chain blade can stick in the cut, with dangerous results. A specific tool is used to measure the distance between the cutting tooth and the depth gauge, which is measured in fractions of an inch. Settings can vary between models of saw, so consult the manual to find the right details for your own saw.
Your chain blade should be sharpened after every use, with just a few light strokes of the file. Depth gauges should be checked and adjusted if required after a few sessions with the chainsaw. To adjust a depth gauge, you use your depth gauge guide tool to get the file to cut at the right depth, and simply file down the tooth as required.
It's important to adjust each depth gauge evenly, so you should turn the chain blade and check every tooth before using the chainsaw next. Including this simple step in your maintenance program will help to ensure continued safe use of your chainsaw!
Chainsaw sharpeners come in a range of models, either electric or manually operated. These make sharpening a chain blade much easier, and are a worthwhile addition to your tool box!
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