Mauser
ArboristSite Operative
I am brand new here guys - been lurking a while, but finally decided to participate. I am not very experienced with saws, but generally a pretty experienced all-around mechanic. I am not overly knowledgeable in metalwork, although I do dabble in welding and repair.
I have always done my own chain sharpening, but never knew what needed to be done for bar maintenance until I spent time in these forums.
My first saw is a 40 year old little Homelite Super2 with a 14" bar (I bought it new). I also have a 20 year old Poulan 2900 and an Echo CS590. I did my first bar dressing on the Poulan today with good results. The bar was an aftermarket "Power Care" (Home Depot bar and chain combo) that seemed like it was in fair condition. I started with an almost new 10" Bastard file, which seemed to cut as easy and fast as I expected. I then finished it up with a brand new Chinese copy of the commercial bar dresser to make sure the rails were square, and that also cut well.
So with that success under my belt, I decided to see what I could do with the old Homelite bar. That saw had been cutting crooked and stopping half way through a log (not binding, just stopped cutting), and I recently bought a new Oregon bar and chain for it. It was pretty clear that the old bar was very sloppy with lots of chain flop side-to-side, so I was curious if I could bring it back with my new knowledge. But to my surprise, those same new files that worked so well on the Poulan 20" bar would not hardly touch the little Homelite bar! It felt like dragging an old worn-out file over glass - no cutting at all. I finally had to dress the bar with my old body grinder to do anything at all (and even after I got done, the bar still seems pretty sloppy with the old chain).
I could not believe that I had totally worn out those two new files on the first bar, but I didn't have any better explanation on why I could not get them to cut on the Homelite. So I pulled out the old original Poulan bar for that 2900 - it was pretty sloppy too. And much to my surprise, those two files cut it like butter, just like they had done with the first bar!
I have beat the snot out of that little Homelite over the years, and it has never given me a bit of trouble, but I always just assumed it was a pretty low-quality garden-grade tool for the weekend homeowner. So why does it seem to have a Teutonic bar made out of super-hard steel? Is this normal?
I have always done my own chain sharpening, but never knew what needed to be done for bar maintenance until I spent time in these forums.
My first saw is a 40 year old little Homelite Super2 with a 14" bar (I bought it new). I also have a 20 year old Poulan 2900 and an Echo CS590. I did my first bar dressing on the Poulan today with good results. The bar was an aftermarket "Power Care" (Home Depot bar and chain combo) that seemed like it was in fair condition. I started with an almost new 10" Bastard file, which seemed to cut as easy and fast as I expected. I then finished it up with a brand new Chinese copy of the commercial bar dresser to make sure the rails were square, and that also cut well.
So with that success under my belt, I decided to see what I could do with the old Homelite bar. That saw had been cutting crooked and stopping half way through a log (not binding, just stopped cutting), and I recently bought a new Oregon bar and chain for it. It was pretty clear that the old bar was very sloppy with lots of chain flop side-to-side, so I was curious if I could bring it back with my new knowledge. But to my surprise, those same new files that worked so well on the Poulan 20" bar would not hardly touch the little Homelite bar! It felt like dragging an old worn-out file over glass - no cutting at all. I finally had to dress the bar with my old body grinder to do anything at all (and even after I got done, the bar still seems pretty sloppy with the old chain).
I could not believe that I had totally worn out those two new files on the first bar, but I didn't have any better explanation on why I could not get them to cut on the Homelite. So I pulled out the old original Poulan bar for that 2900 - it was pretty sloppy too. And much to my surprise, those two files cut it like butter, just like they had done with the first bar!
I have beat the snot out of that little Homelite over the years, and it has never given me a bit of trouble, but I always just assumed it was a pretty low-quality garden-grade tool for the weekend homeowner. So why does it seem to have a Teutonic bar made out of super-hard steel? Is this normal?
