Cutting chain can cause injury if incorrectly fitted
to a chainsaw or if the saw is used improperly. Install, adjust and
maintain the chain as recommended by the manufacturer of your chainsaw.
Beware of kickback, particularly when
cutting with the bar nose. Kickback
can lead to dangerous loss of control of the chainsaw and result in
serious injury to the saw operator or bystanders. Before using
any chainsaw, thoroughly read the manufacturer's operating and safety
instructions.
 |
Because it is tougher
to cut frozen wood, an operator will have a tendency to apply
more pressure on the saw chain and bar. In addition, because oil
thickens at cold tempertures, it is difficult to maintain an adequate
supply of bar-chain lubricant to the chain and bar. The result
is increased wear on bar rails and on the bottoms of chain cutters.
This excessive pressure also puts extra strain on both the saw
motor and the user. Generally, winter cutting is similar to winter
driving. You drive on icy roads with extra caution and attention
to your automobile. It's also important to give the same care
to your chain, bar and saw.
|
Winter Chain Saw Use Guidelines
- cutters: Keep cutters sharp. Touch up every hour, more
often if needed. Do not force dull chain to cut.
- depth gauges: Check and adjust your cutter's depth gauges
at every sharpening. It is not uncommon for top-plate breakage
to occur with low depth gauges in conjunction with frozen wood.
- bar: Keep the bar groove clean and the oil hole open.
Turn bars over to equalize rail wear. Chain and bar wear will
occur if oil is not allowed to pass freely from the saw.
- drive sprocket: Replace the sprocket after every two
chains, or sooner. Chain stretch is often the outcome if too many
chains are allowed to run on a worn sprocket.
- tension: Keep your chain correctly tensioned. Check and
adjust often. Loose chain tension is a very common reason for
premature chain and bar wear.
- oil: Use lightweight bar-chain oil and be certain your
chain is receiving oil from the saw. If needed, you can dilute
your summer oil with up to 25 percent of clean kerosene or diesel
oil. You should use up to twice as much of this diuluted oil during
operation. Because they are friendlier to the environment, biodegradable
lubricants are suggested as an alternative to traditonal mineral-based
oils.
When cutting in snow, clear as much as you can away
from the cut. Snow will melt from the heat of your chain and bar,
which will wash away the oil.
Keeping Top Plates Equal
Have a look at your used chain; are the top plates on one side
consistently longer than on the other? If so, that means you're
probably more comfortable sharpening the short side; it feels
natural and so it gets more strokes. Next time you buy a new chain,
make a point to start sharpening on what was the long side of
the used chain, count the strokes, and do the same on what was
the short side. You'll have a better chance of keeping the top
plates equal, and your chain will cut straight.
|
Greasing Bar Noses
Like any machine with precision bearings, bar sprocket noses
benefit from frequent greasing. OregonŽ suggests tying a grease
gun to your gas can. Every time you fill your saw with gas, grease
the nose of your bar.
|
Files and Grinding Stones
Thoroughly cleaning your chain prior to filing or grinding
will insure longer file life and less cutter burning while grinding.
A wire brush works well for this job. |
|
