Anyone ever refinished a bar? paint or sand and polish?

[jbarber]

I'm looking to clean up my saws a bit - need to refinish the bars on them. Has anyone ever sanded the paint off and just "polished" the bar itself? Not a high polish, but just a clean metal look? I know i will have to keep the rust off, but with lube and a lil light buffing it could be accomplished (i think)..
any ideas?

 

[blsnelling]

Both have been done here, if you can find the threads.

 

[timberwolf]

bars I have stripped haven't tended to rust. I think the alloy used on modern quality bars is fairly corrosion resistant. Also they get regular oiling from the chain.

 

[jbarber]

thanks! i did a "thread search" but didnt come up with anything....
is there a proper way to do it - or more importantly, is there a way NOT to do it? I have polished surfaces before and i was thinking of just starting with sand paper and working my way down to a real light grit..

 

[smitty299]

This is what i do with mine when they start looking like crap about 15 min work i use a palm sander with 220 then 400 and finish with 600 and then a rub with bar oil.

 

[Evan]

i use a grinder with 60 or 80 sanding disc, if doing this method be carfull around the sprocket rivets

 

[catman963]

I would definitely vote for sanding and polishing of some type!!! That's about the best and longest lasting finish you are gonna pull off!! Ahh natuuural!!

 

[pioneerguy600]

Belt sander leaves the best finish I have seen on bars, have done over a hundred this way , yes you have to be careful around the nose sprocket rivets. A stiff rotary wire brush works better around the rivets.
Pioneerguy600

 

[jbarber]

Thanks a lot guys! As a new member to AS this is exactly the kind of support I was looking for!

 

[dingeryote]

Wire brush on a side grinder. Wipe it down with Linseed oil.
From there let the sand in the wood do the fine polishing.

I have a skanky nasty looking slut of an Oregon Bar I'm gonna experiment on using Chemical Bluing. Not so much for looks, the tree's don't care what a bar looks like, but for keeping things from rusting when they are stored in the spare box for months before bieng used.

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

 

[Evan]

now theres a thought. i might look in my midway firearms catalog at the difrent kinds of blueing chemicals they have.

good idea

 

[JeremyFXDWG]

Wire brush on a side grinder. Wipe it down with Linseed oil.
From there let the sand in the wood do the fine polishing.

I have a skanky nasty looking slut of an Oregon Bar I'm gonna experiment on using Chemical Bluing. Not so much for looks, the tree's don't care what a bar looks like, but for keeping things from rusting when they are stored in the spare box for months before bieng used.

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

Not to dissuade you but blueing is actually a rusting process... it does not prevent rusting in the future...

 

[Evan]

it is controlled rust

 

[dingeryote]

Not to dissuade you but blueing is actually a rusting process... it does not prevent rusting in the future...

Jeremy,

Chemical blueing is actually not a rust process. It's a staining process with copper that oxidizes providing the color and oxygen barrier to slow oxidization beneath it.

Hot blueing is a rust process for sure.
That's why there is all new Pex plumbing in my old shop..LOL!!

Gotta admit though, a Belgian blued cannon Bar, on a Pimped out and polished up 372 would be enough Saw Bling to put me over the edge.

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

 

[smitty299]

Not to dissuade you but blueing is actually a rusting process... it does not prevent rusting in the future...

correct i think it actually promotes rust just normal handling will cause rust if not wiped down properly before putting away :greenchainsaw:

 

[ms290]

wire wheel on an angle grinder works just fine. put some heavy oil on it then wipe off excess. always works just peachy for me.

 

[stinkbait]

Has anyone ever though about using trap dip on unfinished bars to protect them?

 

[dingeryote]

Has anyone ever though about using trap dip on unfinished bars to protect them?

Ya mean like Boiled Walnut husks or the commercial stuff?

The commercial stuff is acid based and evil!

I'll bet it would raise hell with rail dimensions.

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

 

[gee_dubya75]

Has anyone ever taped off the rails and oil port and sand blasted one? I have a sand blaster at work I was going to try if others have had success. If not, I'll sand them.

 

[galde]

I shine up rusty old bars on an 8" flap wheel on a bench grinder. I also polish the rails (after grinding them on a 9" disc sander) with the flap wheel.