Beginners Question - Saw pulls to the right

[RugerRedhawk]

I haven't done a whole heck of a lot of chainsawing, but cut stuff up as it falls down here and there. I have a Husqvarna 55 and when I was cutting some pretty big logs the other day, I could really notice that it constantly pulled to the right. I picked the saw up used last year ($100!) and it runs great other than this. I have read that it's likely either a problem with the chain, or the bar. My question is, how can I narrow it down? Should I have the chain sharpened and then if it still pulls, replace the bar? Or is there a way to tell if the bar is worn badly.

Thanks!

 

[Woodsrover]

Welcome to AS!

Most likely it just needs to be sharpened evenly. Read up a bit, get yourself the right size file and have a go at it yourself. Check the groove in the bar too and make sure there isn't too much slop sideways.

jim

 

[timberwolf]

If you can take one of the teeth on the bar and flip it side to side any great amount, it is worn. compair the width of the drivers on the the width of the groove in the bar, they should be close. Also worth checking that it is not a .050 ga chain run in a .063 bar, bars can be twisted too and not cut right.

Most likely though it is a sharpening problem. Put a new chain on it, if the problem is solved it was the chain, if not replace the bar and the problem will be solved.

 

[Sprig]

It's probably just the chain being dull on one side more than the other.

There might be burrs on the side of the bar. If so they need removed.

Try flipping the bar over. Sometimes it is just worn unevenly on the cutting side.

Yup, also use a decent square and check the bar for even rails, if its been run like that for a bit and not flipped you may have a low side, slop was mentioned as was uneven sharpening (a common culprate). More often than not the problem but a slight burr along one edge of the bar is second likely and easiest to check (remove with a fine flat bastard file without roundin the edge eh). To re-true a bar thats really zorched I usually take it to my local shop (they can even tweek the groove a bit if its slightly sloppy) and its worth my time ta pay the 10$ or so to have it right. Another small consideration is if the teeth on one side of the chain are noticably smaller (lower), then the other side should be filed a bit more agressively to get them in da ball park (then recheck the rakers, hm, 0.020 I believe is standard). Make sure the bar groove isn't too shallow or your chain's drive links will be hitting and making da chain flop around too.
Just my 0.02$ worth fer the morning, off to da woodlot!



Serge

 

[ralphbsz]

So what is the width of the groove supposed to be? And how accurately do the width of the side rails have to match?

Concrete example: On a bar for .050 chain (the chain really is Stihl "3", and I've miked the drive links), the groove is between .061 and .067 wide, and the side rails are different in thickness, typically by 3-5 thousandths. At least the rails are even in height (square), which is probably because I file and deburr the bar a few times a year. Is this good or bad?

In tihs case, I think I know what the answer is going to beFor a while, my Echo 3400 has been cutting crooked (it wants to make a curved cut, and you have to force it to go straight). Also, the chain sometimes gets into a funny state where it doesn't want to cut and just drags on the wood; wiggling the saw left and right makes it start cutting again. It also recently started the annoying habit of throwing its chain out of the bottom of the bar, even if the chain is have it nice and tight. This has gotten so bad the the sprocket has two wear groves now! I think the conclusion is obvious: I need a new bar and a new sprocket. And I need to sharpen my chains evenly.

 

[superfire]

cuttin right

option one:
take the chain to someone who has a grinder and knows how too use it and then see if there is any difference
option two:
buy new bar and chain and start fresh
and buy a file gude

 

[litefoot]

It's already been mentioned, but to me, the easiest thing to do is look at the bar. If the "Husqvarna", "Oregon" or whatever is still readable and right-side up and if there is considerably more wear (paint missing, burn marks) on the bottom of the bar, then just flip the bar. Problem solved.