Chainsaw Sharpener Tips

An essential part of chainsaw safety is a good general maintenance program. Besides just sharpening your chainsaw, there are a number of steps to take that will prolong its working life and minimize the chance of accidents. If you are going to use your chainsaw heavily on any given day you should try to set aside some time at the end of the day to do a little general maintenance – if you only use it now and then, you can get away with taking these steps every few sessions. Chainsaw maintenance can be divided up into things to do regularly, and things to do occasionally. But first, a few safety tips:

• Always unplug electric chainsaws before touching the blade or opening the casing.
• Wear leather gloves and eye protection (safety goggles) when using any sharpening or other power tools or handling the chain blade.

It’s useful to keep a collection of tools that you use specifically for your chainsaw. If you sharpen your chain blade with a particular dimension of round file, keep that at hand obviously, along with a screwdriver to tension the blade and whatever Allen keys or sockets you need to open the cover. It’s also wise to keep your manual with your chainsaw tool collection in case you run into problems specific to your model. A variety of brushes and some scrap rag will also come in handy for cleaning, as will something to scrape out sawdust and oil from the guide bar groove. A piece of bent wire fits the bill!

I will run through a list of the things to look out for with chainsaw maintenance but you should also consult your manual for any details specific to your model.

Regular tasks

• Check the chain tension and tighten if necessary
• Check and top up oil or gas (if using a gas chainsaw)
• Clean guide bar and any other areas caked with sawdust and oil – mine always builds up at the bottom of the saw where the chain blade passes under the cover
• Check for damaged or blunt teeth, sharpen if necessary
• Check depth gauges and adjust if necessary
• Check air filter and clean if necessary

Occasional maintenance – after every 40 to 50 hours of use

• Check spark plugs and clean or replace if necessary
• Take off the cover and clean any build up from the exhaust
• Examine the fuel filter
• Look for any damage to the guide bar and check the depth of te groove according to your manual

This isn’t an exhaustive list, but it’s a good starting point. If you want more details, I can recommend the book Chain Saw Safety and Field Maintenance