How often should chain bars be flipped? :dunno:

[Stihls]

How often should you flip a chainbar and how can you tell when they need it? I'm mostly just an occasional firewood kinda dude and cant keep track of how many tanks of gas etc I use in each saw to determine wear. Hoping there is an easy rule of thumb way to detect when it's time for a flip by looking at the bar or sprocket.

 

[o8f150]

i don't sharpen my chains on the saw,, i just put another one on so i flip the bar every time i put another chain on

 

[Slamm]

Just kinda keep your paint wear even or something, or maybe let one side work until it gets a burr, and then file it off and flip it. I wouldn't purposely remove the bar to flip it, maybe if you get pinched or putting a new chain on or something, where you already have it off for some other reason, then do it, its not like you have to mark your calender or get a ticker to count your tank fills.

Sam

 

[mikefunaro]

When you think about it, it doesn't really matter how often you do it, as long as you do it. Your goal is even wear on both sides. Just do it, do it equally, and whether it's hourly daily weekly or monthly, as long as the time intervals are the same it doesnt matter.

 

[Kingsley]

Common sense and keeping an eye on it factor in the most. I flip mine when I swap out the chain, but it may go thru several tank fills and hand filings before that happens.

Marty

 

[ratso]

As mentioned no set interval as long as you flip your ok. When my bar starts to color I flip or I flip just because I want to no set interval.

 

[madhatte]

My habit is to flip the bar every time I have it off, for whatever reason, and for however short a time.

 

[HUSKYMAN]

Its a little harder to keep track of when you are using 4-5 saws at the same time like I do, but every 5 hand filings or so I flip em

 

[miking]

My habit is to flip the bar every time I have it off, for whatever reason, and for however short a time.

Exactly. It just becomes part of the routine. Good time to clean the bar groove out too.

 

[Trapper63]

Exactly. It just becomes part of the routine. Good time to clean the bar groove out too.

Plus one
I tend to take it off and apart to clean everything anyway after cutting.

 

[Stellarex]

Every tank of gas I'll flip the bar over just cause I can and i'm already doing something.

 

[Rounder]

Do mine every day, maybe it's overkill, but my rails/tips seem to last longer than most other guys I've worked with. Can't hurt I guess. - Sam

 

[RandyMac]

Yep, every day when falling timber.

 

[eyolf]

I think its inconvenient to flip every tank, so I'm with the guys that flip when changing chains.

There's two places to look for wear on a bar: most wear occurs on the bottom, just ahead of the dawgs, and on replaceable tip bars, right at the joint where each tie plate hammers across the joint. The bottom will wear fast of you run out of oil, don't keep your chain sharp, or just abuse the saw. Watch that area and when you begin to see wear flip the bar. You really should dress the bar then, but if you're not in the workshop at least you're still cutting.

 

[jmethodrose]

every time you take it off, it's not a precision thing IMO

you should be taking it off every now and then anyway, to scrape all the gunk out, file the burrs off and clean under the clutch cover, so do it then!

 

[Canyon Angler]

where you already have it off for some other reason, then do it, its not like you have to mark your calender or get a ticker to count your tank fills.

 

[MCW]

I clean my saws at the end of each day with compressed air so flip it then. Also pays to keep track of burrs on a regular basis and ensure your bar is dressed when needed - some bar and chain combos will just go on and on, others get burrs pretty quickly, and even bars and chains of exactly the same model/brand/size vary

 

[Stihls]

Thanks to all for the helpful info. Guess I'll just make a habit of flipping the bar anytime I remove the chain. And maybe even more often when the mood strikes me. Appreciate the insight.