Bar maintenance?

[Kogafortwo]

My 028 has a 16" bar with all the paint worn off, but the rails look OK and the new chain I bought cuts true and straight, so I think the bar is in good shape.

How do you inspect the rails? What do I look for?
How to deburr and true the edges and tops of the rails?
Should I repaint the bar? What kind of paint do you recommend? And should I tape off the rails and sprocket to keep overspray out of them?

I also plan to grind down the safety rakers on my RM2 chain which I read about in another thread.

 

[oldsaw]

Forget the paint. If your bar has burrs on the edges, you can use a file to get rid of them. I will usually use two blocks of wood and a flat file. Hold a block of wood in each hand on each side of the bar. Clamp the file down with your thumbs, and move the file along the rails. Wear gloves.

Baileys sells a cool file holder from Pferd that looks pretty good too.

Mark

 

[windthrown]

I use a snow ski edge file tool that is basically the same as a chainsaw bar truing tool, except the snow ski one has 0, 1 and 2 degree offset file adjustments. I set it to 0 offset (90 degree edge) and shave off the burs with that. I also use a stone grinding wheel on the big burs and gouges before filing with the ski tool. You can also use a flat file as Oldsaw says.

As for what to look for in a bar, just look down the edges and see if there are any bends or dings in the bar. And run a toothpick down the inside of the rail to get any sand or grit out of there. Make sure that the oil galley is open to the rails too. Sometimes they can gunk up with crud. Lord knows, cahinsaws get into the crud. Mine do anyway.

 

[GASoline71]

Good advice Mark.

Bailey's also sells a bar edge dresser. You can lay a straight edge across the bar and slide it down and see the uneven wear. You can then clean it up with your files or a grinder.

Or... just splurge on a new 16" bar.

Personally I wouldn't waste the time grinding down the saftey thingys on that chain. I would just get a non-safety chain. But that's just me.

Gary

 

[Lakeside53]

Forget the paint. If your bar has burrs on the edges, you can use a file to get rid of them. I will usually use two blocks of wood and a flat file. Hold a block of wood in each hand on each side of the bar. Clamp the file down with your thumbs, and move the file along the rails. Wear gloves.

Baileys sells a cool file holder from Pferd that looks pretty good too.

Mark

I use the Pferd dresser for the side Burrs, but it's pretty much useless on the rails - they are way too hard.. at least on stihl bars.

At work I grind them in a bar grinder... at home I use a wood working 12 inch sanding disk with a 90- degree table..

 

[ciscoguy01]

Discovered

I actually just discovered that the Scrench screwdriver part is actually the exact size to clean the bar groove. It's designed to do that now. I've noticed on the new saws I've purchase in the last 2 yrs(3 of them) the tools were this way. It's not just a screwdriver, it's actully tapered to fit in the groove... FYI... It was a big discovery for me, didn't know if everyone else realized this or when... :jester:

 

[ScottWojo]

My 028 has a 16" bar with all the paint worn off, but the rails look OK and the new chain I bought cuts true and straight, so I think the bar is in good shape.

How do you inspect the rails? What do I look for?
How to deburr and true the edges and tops of the rails?
Should I repaint the bar? What kind of paint do you recommend? And should I tape off the rails and sprocket to keep overspray out of them?

I also plan to grind down the safety rakers on my RM2 chain which I read about in another thread.

I have Dressed carppy bars with half the paint worn off with a belt sander. First you take the rest of the coating off with a wire wheel, then you hit it with the sander and about a 220 grit. Leaves a very visually pleasant grained steel. At this point if you really wanted to paint it, you could use POR 15. It is a super hard and durable paint that you can just brush on. It actually self levels and appears to have been sprayed on. Once it is thumb print tacky, you can top coat it with any color you like and it will wear very nicely.

Then again, powder coating is really inexpensive, but you better make sure you get all the oil out of it.

Scott.

 

[Lakeside53]

I actually just discovered that the Scrench screwdriver part is actually the exact size to clean the bar groove. It's designed to do that now. I've noticed on the new saws I've purchase in the last 2 yrs(3 of them) the tools were this way. It's not just a screwdriver, it's actully tapered to fit in the groove... FYI... It was a big discovery for me, didn't know if everyone else realized this or when... :jester:

HUH? Not the Stihl scrench - way too short in the flattened tip to clean out the bottom

 

[GASoline71]

Stihl supplies a tool to clean the bar grooves out. It ain't a scrench.

Gary

 

[windthrown]

I heard that in the olden days when men were men, they used their teeth for cleaning out bars with? Probably better now that we are switching to canola type bar oils these days, eh?

You guys are right about the Stihl screwdriver scrench being too fat. At least for a 0.05 bar anyway. I use a toothpick, or that itty-bitty orange screwdriver that they give you with the saws for adjusting the carbs with. I must have 6 or so of them. Of the screnches, I prefer the one with the star bit. While the srewdriver one is the only one for bar adjusting out in the woods, the star bit one is mandatory on the bench. I have 3 or 4 of each type.

 

[2dogs]

I will assume your Stihl saw has a Stihl bar. If the paint is worn off so be it. You could paint it but it will wear off even faster. Stihl paint is tough stuff and it would be darn hard to beat it as a homeowner. Maybe it is time for a new bar and keep the old one as a spare even if just for looks.

 

[turnkey4099]

Cleaning bar groves? Why not use the tool designed for it? The Depth gauge, at least the two I have (25 and 30), 'legs' are the right size and depth. One even has 'hooks' on it to help.

Harry K

 

[Monkeyhanger]

HUH? Not the Stihl scrench - way too short in the flattened tip to clean out the bottom

Hi,

neither my Stihl or my two Husqvarnas came with a scrench that can reach down between the rails to the bottom of the groove.

I just use that combined gauge that Stihl makes for checking the angles, depth of the groove and the height of the rakers as it is also designed to clean out the grooves. Works very well too.

Bye

 

[SawTroll]

...
I just use that combined gauge that Stihl makes for checking the angles, depth of the groove and the height of the rakers as it is also designed to clean out the grooves. Works very well too.

Bye

I often use that one for cleaning the groove, but mostly not for anything else - there are better raker guides out there....

I also file off any edges that develop on the rails as soon as they appear, to stop them from developing into problems.

 

[Kogafortwo]

Thanx y'all. Got it:

- deburr with file
- clean the groove
- forget the paint
- buy a new bar when I need one bad enough

Does anybody else here get the risk & liability speech from their Stihl dealer when they ask for rapid cut chain? Or do they just figure me for a geek who can't handle a saw when they look at me? Just wondering...

 

[tawilson]

I keep a bunch of wood shims laying around for cleaning out the groove and scraping crap off inside the cover. Ditto on the sanding disc, minz on a radial arm saw.

 

[Bermie]

Thanx y'all. Got it:

- deburr with file
- clean the groove
- forget the paint
- buy a new bar when I need one bad enough

Does anybody else here get the risk & liability speech from their Stihl dealer when they ask for rapid cut chain? Or do they just figure me for a geek who can't handle a saw when they look at me? Just wondering...

For burrs, I use the flat file that comes in the kit, file away from the groove to prevent dumping the filings down the slot. Get rid of them early so they dont break off and tear chunks out of the bar...seen it happen.

Also, sight down the length of the bar to make sure the rails are:
Level
Same thickness
Straight, not pinched or spread

If the answer to any of the above is 'no', unless you have specialized tools, its time for a new bar.

Check the nose sprocket too, it should spin freely.

 

[badhabits]

For cleaning the bar and other areas that collect gunk I carry a small glazing knife (one of those putty knives that have all the curves and points on it) that and a good flat file is all you really need in the field.