Sharpen chain - reverse bar?

[Ron660]

My manual and dealer recommends to flip over your bar after sharpening your chain. I wanted to know if this was a recommended practice or overkill.

 

[Greenland South]

I've been doing it for years. Only because my dad told me to.

 

[Erock]

yes it's a good idea, keep the wear even on both sides of the bar

 

[Guido Salvage]

It will only work if your bar is symmetrical, don't try it with a Poulan "banana" bar.

 

[CR500]

I do it after every few of tanks. Had a guy tell me the bar was upside down on his saw once...

 

[AKDoug]

I flip every time I change a chain.

 

[fearofpavement]

What is important to remember is that the bar should be run on both sides. How one plans to ensure this happens is probably not all that important. I just don't pay attention to how the bar goes back on when I have it off and the random installation ensures it runs on both sides. I certainly don't turn it over on every sharpening because I usually sharpen the chain on the bar. Rotate the bar from time to time and keep your chain sharp. Your saw will be happy!

When I sell a saw and am posting pictures, I always put the bar on with the writing up because some will think it is installed incorrectly otherwise.

Do pay attention to a previous post to not rotate banana bars. They're only designed to run one way. (and thus wear out more quickly)

 

[Nuzzy]

Whatever works for you that involves occasionally switching it to wear both sides. Doesn't really need to be so frequent to accomplish the goal, but that isn't a bad idea to practice.

 

[Nuzzy]

And I'm a slow typer.

 

[Canthook Coasty]

I don’t mind flipping the bar, but it sure makes it harder to cut the wood.

 

[Philbert]

When you sharpen your chain, think about bar maintenance too.

Scrape out the groove (or use compressed air if available); then check for uneven rails and sharp burrs along the edges. These are easier to file off when small.

Philbert

 

[MechanicMatt]

Guido, Banana bar, hahahahaha! Thats awesome, I always called them "butter knife bars" .

 

[WoodChuck'r]

If you use high quality bar oil you won't have to sharpen your chain as much.

 

[lambs]

I flip every time I change a chain.

Me too. I just make it a habit and I think it pays. But I almost never file a chain on my saw, so the chain is coming off anyway; I clean and flip the bar while I'm at it.

I have always looked at the bar when trying to buy a used saw. It's pretty easy to tell from the paint on the bar whether the seller knows enough about saws to flip the bar on occasion. Or whether the saw's been run with a dull chain, overheating the bar.

 

[treesmith]

If you file chain on the bar it's a good idea to hit it with air and get rid of the filings. I was taught to draw file away from the nose too when dressing the bar, saves too much filings going in to the nose sprocket

 

[Twisted Priorities]

I dress and flip the bar every 4th tank of fuel when I touch up the chain (hand file) or switch it for the extra chain (same wear).

 

[jeffbecky1]

It will only work if your bar is symmetrical, don't try it with a Poulan "banana" bar.

I have one of those bars... What was the purpose of making it like that?

 

[walexa07]

When that is mentioned by your manufacturer, Ron they are banking on the user's pairing two chains with one bar and wearing them out simultaneously. They are assuming you will file the chain on the bar and only remove the chain when it needs to hit the grinder. It also says to replace the sprocket when you wear out two chains. I flip the bar whenever the chain comes off. It really maximizes the service life of the nose sprocket in particular.

Sprocket replacement - I assume you are talking about the drive sprocket, correct? And how does flipping the bar maximize the service life of the nose sprocket? I always just understood it to maximize bar rail life since you typically buck cutting down for the most part.

Waylan

 

[nk14zp]

I flip mine when I have the chain off.

 

[SawTroll]

When you sharpen your chain, think about bar maintenance too.

Scrape out the groove (or use compressed air if available); then check for uneven rails and sharp burrs along the edges. These are easier to file off when small.

Philbert

I generally flip the bar after sharpening, but not when touching up in the woods during a day.

That ratio likely is overkill, but that is much better than forgetting to do it....