I have a chain saw question..

Columbia,SC. · #1 09/03/07, 09:48 PM

I have a Husky 55 Rancher. I love the way it starts and runs. My only complaint is the bar, I keep oil in it and I sharpen it to the specs. But, and this is a realy big BUTT!hahaha The bar seems to 'open up' and the chain starts to lean towards the left/cut to the left. I have replaced the bar twice but it seems to wear out way too soon. I am talking less than 5 gallons of gas! Is it something I am doing wrong or should I look for a stronger bar from an outside source? I keep the oil topped off after every fill up, it is NEVER run dry. I sharpen the chain when it is not throwing 'chunks' instead of dust.
This is an 18" bar and chain. I thought about going to the 20" setup but some times the 18' gets bogged down in bigger trees. I am only a home owner clearing 5 acres and not a PRO. But I work like one! LOL
I am wondering if there is any other after market bar/chain that I can buy that will fit and give me better service? I know I should have bought a sthill so please do not go down that road and chastize me,,please. This saw cuts 2" before the blade and always starts quick! The problem is that the bar seems to not 'hold up' as long as I think it should.
Thanks for any help.

agmantoo · #2 09/03/07, 11:00 PM

Are you using bar oil ? Will the saw consume a tank of bar lubricant with a tank of fuel?

wildhorse · #3 09/03/07, 11:43 PM

I have a 55 rancher and I have used it for three years with no bar problem. I have had a same problem cutting to one side or the other. The problem I had was the chain was sharper on one side than the other. After 2 or 3 sharpenings it should cut straight again. Husky usually runs faster than a sthill.
Sthill and Husky are both good saws. Don't let anyone tell you different.

**Cabin Fever** · #4 09/04/07, 06:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wildhorse

I have had a same problem cutting to one side or the other. The problem I had was the chain was sharper on one side than the other. After 2 or 3 sharpenings it should cut straight again.

Yup, that's your problem. The brand of saw has nothing to do with this problem....it can happen on any saw. Either the teeth are sharper or the rakers are shorter on the side the saw is cutting toward. I bet if you but on a brand new chain you would not have the problem. When you sharpen your chain, make sure that ever tooth is sharpened equally and every raker is at the same height.

mink · #5 09/04/07, 09:20 AM

its a good idea to turn the bar over every now and then too say like after 8-10 sharpenings.......mink

Jim S. · #6 09/04/07, 10:21 AM

I've got a 55, too. That is one FINE saw. Never had a bar or chain problem. And no, you shouldn't have bought a Stihl.

sugarbush · #7 09/04/07, 03:58 PM

Yeah you are over sharpening one side.......if you file right handed for every pass on that side do two on the other....it should straighten it out.......also dress your bar once in a while with a flat file to take the burl out of the chain runner. Flipping the bar over from time to time is another good idea.

Iddee · #8 09/04/07, 06:15 PM

#1...All the above

#2...Always have your RPM up before you touch the wood with the chain.

#3...Allow the saw to fall through the wood. Never push down on the stabilizer bar.

woodspirit · #9 09/04/07, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wildhorse

I have a 55 rancher and I have used it for three years with no bar problem. I have had a same problem cutting to one side or the other. The problem I had was the chain was sharper on one side than the other. After 2 or 3 sharpenings it should cut straight again. Husky usually runs faster than a sthill.
Sthill and Husky are both good saws. Don't let anyone tell you different.

I own stihl and Husky. Both good saws. Turn your bar over once in awhile. and be sure You're sharpening the same on both sides.

Columbia,SC. · #10 09/04/07, 09:47 PM

Thanks everyone!

Are you using bar oil ? Will the saw consume a tank of bar lubricant with a tank of fuel?
I top it off at every refuel and it does not need it

its a good idea to turn the bar over every now and then too say like after 8-10 sharpenings.......mink
I do that about every 10 tanks of gas, after almost every time a tank runs out I re-sharpen

also dress your bar once in a while with a flat file to take the burl out of the chain runner.
I did this a couple of days ago and this bar only has about 10 tanks of gas also

#3...Allow the saw to fall through the wood. Never push down on the stabilizer bar.
I am guilty of pushing the saw a bit to hard on some trees, I will stop doing that.

Thanks again for any more ideas, when I took the chains (3 of them) the guy always said 'looks like you have been hitting rocks' I have been extra carefull staying away from the rocks that I used to hit before this new chain and bar. I NEVER let it get near the dirt now and always roll the log to get a clean cut up on top, but still have the same troubles. I have a gauge to be sure I set the correct angle on the re-sharpen, I do it by hand no machine. I will add a few more swipes on the right side, is that right> looking down on the saw with the bar in front of me?
Thanks again.

sugarbush · #11 09/05/07, 05:07 AM

The guy at the saw shop will not say anything.....he sees hundreds of poorly sharpend chains per month and his job is to either replace them or regrind them.....he doesn't make any money teaching people how to sharpen them

Fileing a chain is an art that takes time to develop...you have to pay attention to the angle while not cutting into the bottom of the knife....you also need to learn when to file rackers down....always use a gauge on them... I would keep buying new chains everytime you mess one up, its hard to learn on a wrecked chain. I know people who cut all of there firewood with a chainsaw and have been for years without fileing a chain...they keep several replacements on hand and when one gets dull the change it out and take the old one in to be sharpened.

tinknal · #12 09/05/07, 08:59 AM

I sharpen by hand, but about every couple dozen of sharpenings I'll take the chain AND the bar to a shop and have the chain machine sharpened and the bar trued up.

Blu3duk · #13 09/05/07, 12:32 PM

If you are having problems with filing the power saw chain, then a file holder device like such may help [it takes getting used to but for the beginner it is an improvement over nothing at all] or if you prefer to use a electric saw grinder then the ITEM 93213-7VGA at harborfreight might be your ticket

I have a grinder similar to the Silvey Model 510 Round Chain Grinder from Baileys from my days as a sawyer... the model I have now has been improved and cost a couple hundred more but is worth having around if you are doing much sawing at all...... like 5-7 chains per day is faster to swap than to sit and file or fight a dull chain when sawing by the log or by the bdft.

on the small bars it is very easy to lean the teeth into the cut causing the chain to actually eat into the metal of the blade... and the bars are not tempered even no matter what type of bar or length you have, if oyou doubt it try using them for making a knife using you older bars and you will find soft spots and hards spots throughout the entire length.... been there, but it works just the same in the end after the final temper of the knife blade.

Length of tooth is very important for even cutting, the rakers are important for cleaning the chips away, to short on the rakers and you will stick the saw often, rakers to long and the chain resembles a dull chain not cutting very well... also of importance is to clean the rail of dirt, sawdust and oil build up that the guide lets the drivers wear correctly and move smoothly thru the bar..... a power saw is realy a simple tool once a person figures then out, I started using one when I was 10 years old...... nearly 35 years ago, did not cut my leg until I was 16 sawing on the landing one extremely hot summer day, 14 stitches on the outside and only a couple on the inside and i was back in business a few days later.... today the scar looks like orthoscopic knee surgery was done......

William
Central Idaho..... where men are men and the one US senator claims he now did not want retire to star in the upcoming hollyweird movie "brokeback bathroom", and wants to continue being a senator..... go figger eh?

ForestCoCabin · #14 09/13/07, 02:05 PM

Here is nice little article on chainsaw sharpening

....complete with how to build a simple homade jig that really helped me out.

http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles/brewer57.html

MELOC · #15 09/13/07, 03:00 PM

i have a husky 55 and i had the same trouble with an 18 inch bar. i switched to a 16 inch bar and have not had that trouble since. i cannot remember if i have replaced the 18 inch bar with another brand, but i have switched to stihl chain and i think it lasts longer than oregon. i try to be mindful of my chain and i do flip the bar. if you do a lot of cutting, just be prepared to use a lot if chain. if you sharpen a chain properly, you use a lot of chain.

**Cabin Fever** · #16 09/13/07, 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MELOC

i have a husky 55 and i had the same trouble with an 18 inch bar. i switched to a 16 inch bar and have not had that trouble since....

It was probably not the 16" bar that corrected the problem. It was the new factory-sharpened 16-inch chain that came with the new bar that allowed you to cut straight again.

Columbia,SC. · #17 09/15/07, 09:22 PM

Hey,
sorry so long to reply. I resharpend Fri. and I made sure to hit the right side teeth, correct me if I am wrong. Looking down on the saw with the file pushing towards the nose of the saw, the teeth I filed extra holding the file were,, this way \ is that right? I do not know how to explain this other than left teeth are / this way and right hand teeth are \ that way. PLEASE tell me if I am bass akwards! It was till no better cutting, P.S. is there any way on a Husky 55 to set it to oil out more? I have cleaned it pretty good but not sure where the oil comes out.Is there any ajustments I can make for more oil output?
Thanks.

rambler · #18 09/15/07, 10:00 PM

I haven't read all the replies, but with 4 different chains saws during my life, _every_ time it cuts to one side the issue is the chain having uneven wear/ dings/ sharpening on one side vs the other.

Likely not going to be a bar issue, but a chain issue. Get the chain proffessionally sharpened/ trued up & see if your problem goes away.

--->Paul

farminghandyman · #19 09/16/07, 08:53 AM

good place for chains and bars.

http://www.baileys-online.com/

agmantoo · #20 09/16/07, 09:02 AM

I read where you stated that you top off the bar oil each time. Did you answer whether you are using bar oil? My question was to an attempt to determine how much oil you have to add each time. If the chain is not getting enough oil it will wear the bar excessively. I agree with the others the problem is with you sharpening technique but a clogged/incorrectly set oil with accelerate wear.