Do you clean your chains...

[MCW]

it would certainly get rid of any excess body fur! you can turn the heat up pretty well

Phew... Lucky I have full body laser and waxing therapy done monthly then to combat my yeti like hair growth

That cleaner does sound like a weapon though.

I occasionally use Caustic Soda (Ley in the US) to clean chains with excessive sap buildup and it works very very well. After soaking for about 20 minutes then running the chain under flowing water will see basically every bit of crud fall off and the chain looks like a new one. You need to oil it pretty quickly though as it'll rust before your eyes - you also have to be very very careful when using it, it can and has caused very nasty burns at higher concentrations. You also have to add it to water, not the other way around as the possibility of a violent reaction with the water can be on the cards. Higher rates can cause enough heat to melt the bottom out of a plastic bucket if using warm water and the fumes, although relatively harmless in small doses, certainly clear the sinuses

The use of CBN/ABN wheels also negate the need to really clean chains off before grinding - bar oil can cause issues with standard wheels by soaking into them if excessive oil is on the chain when grinding.

 

[Meatco1]

I'll clean the chains after each sharpening. Dip the chain in Kerosene bath for 10 min or so, then into a oil bath, then out to drip dry. While all this is happening, I am cleaning the bar & hitting the saw with heavy doses of compressed air. When I finish with the saw & bar, I pull the chain down, and install.

After this, it's always a pleasure to run the saw when starting a new day of cutting.

Respects,

Richard

 

[webie]

I don't know crap usually but If I have some real dirty old ones I have plastic bucket with ATF in it I just throw them in there for 24 hours , Pull them out and wipe off with a rag . Seems to dissolve most of the crud and they are plenty oily after.

 

[SawTroll]

After sharpening off the saw either with a bench jig or machine grind. Spray or dunk, or compressed air? I just set up a Stihl FG2(manual bench mount) and it leaves a lot of filings on a chain IF I have to do heavy cutter clean-up.

Just as a habit, I (halv-heartedly) try to blow the filings off by mouth - or I do it with compressed air, if it is within reach.

I don't really think it is a big deal though!

 

[RAMROD48]

My chains dont stay on the saw long enough to worry about cleaning...if a chain lasts me a week thats alot...

We have nothing but rocky soil around here....
and even when your being super careful you dull the chains pretty easy...
its not uncommon for me to touch up a chain on every fill up...

 

[gwiley]

Cleaning chains just seems silly to me. Try this experiment:

Materials
1 clean (not skidded) log of your typical cutting material, 16"+ diameter
1 dirty saw chain
1 clean saw chain
1 chainsaw
1 properly equipped saw operator

Procedure
1. Mount log off the ground and ensure it is clean
2. Carefully observe the dirty chain
3. Cut a 2" thick cookie with the dirty chain
4. Remove chain
5. Install clean chain
6. Cut a 2" thick cookie with the clean chain
7. Place the 2 chains side by side and try to identify any difference

I think that you will find that the chains look identical.

Running a chain through wood cleans it better than just about anything else.

 

[SawTroll]

.....
7. Place the 2 chains side by side and try to identify any difference

I think that you will find that the chains look identical.

Running a chain through wood cleans it better than just about anything else.

Yes, when it is run one time through wood, the difference will be gone for the eye - but there just may be a slight difference in the (remaining) sharpness. I don't really know - did any filings pass over the cutting edges? My guess is that at least some did!

 

[gwiley]

Yes, when it is run one time through wood, the difference will be gone for the eye - but there just may be a slight difference in the (remaining) sharpness. I don't really know - did any filings pass over the cutting edges?

It is certainly possible, even probable that debris from the chain makes contact with the cutters since that debris is being deposited in the kerf. My hope is that it lands on chips that are being ejected.

 

[SawTroll]

It is certainly possible, even probable that debris from the chain makes contact with the cutters since that debris is being deposited in the kerf. My hope is that it lands on chips that are being ejected.

My guess is that at least some filings passed over the cutting edges, dulling them just a tad - if you ever notise the difference is another story.....

 

[eyolf]

Its getting harder and harder to justify putting up small square bales for the kids horses...nobody will ride the wagon, and I don't want to waste the time and work of picking them up off the field.

So I experimented with cutting big round bales up with a chainsaw, feeding the critters that way.

Boy, does that clean chain! They look polished, almost chromed!

 

[Philbert]

Cleaning chains just seems silly to me.

I like tools. I enjoy working with clean tools. I like not having to get crud over everything I touch. I like being able to inspect saws, chains, etc., periodically for wear, cracks, etc.

Some guys spend hours waxing and detailing cars. I like taking care of my tools.

Philbert

 

[gwiley]

I like tools. I enjoy working with clean tools. I like not having to get crud over everything I touch. I like being able to inspect saws, chains, etc., periodically for wear, cracks, etc.

Some guys spend hours waxing and detailing cars. I like taking care of my tools.

Philbert

I take care of my tools too, and cleaning the saw makes a little sense, I just can't see it making sense to clean a chain.

I don't even lube them as the bar oil from cutting seems sufficient, although I guess if I was going to store a saw for a long time I might do something more.

 

[MCW]

So I experimented with cutting big round bales up with a chainsaw, feeding the critters that way.

Boy, does that clean chain! They look polished, almost chromed!

Hmmmm. Good idea Although I don't have any hay bales but may offer to cut some into chaff for the local horse folk

 

[Philbert]

I just can't see it making sense to clean a chain.

The chain is the most important part of the saw.

I respect that most people don't clean them. Whatever works for you and what feels right.

Philbert

 

[blackoak]

I think raw racers might clean their racing chains after filing, but for bush work any filings are inconsequential I think.
John

Hey Gyp, "raw racers" I assume your talking about CULL-HOON. LOL.

 

[redprospector]

The chain is the most important part of the saw.

I respect that most people don't clean them. Whatever works for you and what feels right.

Philbert

This post made me think of a Christmas gift I got once.
In 1981 I was a plant mgr. The employees that worked under me gave me a framed poster. It read;

Once upon a time the different parts of the body were discussing which of them should be the boss of the body.

The hands thought they should be the boss since they did whatever was done.

The feet thought that they should be the boss since without them the body couldn't get to where ever the hands needed to be to do the work they do.

The eye's thought they should be the boss since without them the feet couldn't know where to go, and the hands wouldn't know what to do.

The brain thought that it should be the boss since anything that the hands, feet, and eye's did was ran through it before anyone did anything.

About that time the rectum spoke up. The rest of the body parts were so tickled that they laughed out loud. This embarrassed the rectum terribly, and it shut up tight.
After a few days the hands were shaky, the feet were unsteady, the eye's were crossed, and the brain was foggy. They all decided that the rectum should be the boss of the body.

The moral of this story is that you don't have to be a brain to be the boss. Just an ass.


Judging from the story, I think that the muffler is the most important part of the saw. Because if it's plugged up the engine won't run to turn that chain.

Andy

 

[Philbert]

The moral of this story is that you don't have to be a brain to be the boss . . .

It's true (especially the boss part)!

When we talk about saws, it's often 'how long the bar is', or 'how big or how many rpms the engine has', or 'what color the case' is, etc. And if all of the parts are not working, you have a leaky, smelly, paper weight with an angry, frustrated user.

But the more I use a saw, the more I find that: all things equal, I'd rather cut with a good quality, well maintained, sharp chain on a modest saw, than a cheap, dull, or unbalanced chain on a higher powered or more expensive saw. And those two edges (top plate and side plate) are critical.

Philbert

 

[redprospector]

It's true (especially the boss part)!

When we talk about saws, it's often 'how long the bar is', or 'how big or how many rpms the engine has', or 'what color the case' is, etc. And if all of the parts are not working, you have a leaky, smelly, paper weight with an angry, frustrated user.

But the more I use a saw, the more I find that: all things equal, I'd rather cut with a good quality, well maintained, sharp chain on a modest saw, than a cheap, dull, or unbalanced chain on a higher powered or more expensive saw. And those two edges (top plate and side plate) are critical.

Philbert

You're right about a good chain on a modest saw vs a poor chain on a big expensive saw. But I believe that every part on a saw has to work together or your sawing experience will be less than optimal.
Sometimes (as in my story) the obvious choice for the most important thing is not necessarily the right choice.

Andy

 

[B_Turner]

Its getting harder and harder to justify putting up small square bales for the kids horses...nobody will ride the wagon, and I don't want to waste the time and work of picking them up off the field.

So I experimented with cutting big round bales up with a chainsaw, feeding the critters that way.

Boy, does that clean chain! They look polished, almost chromed!

I would expect that cutting hay would round the cutter edge back a bit (on top) and require more metal to be removed to make them really sharp.

(Those fiber ends are really abrasive, which is why it looks so scrubbed.)

Do you have a pic of a chain cutter (closeup) after it's cut a bale of hay?

 

[Anthony_Va.]

Its getting harder and harder to justify putting up small square bales for the kids horses...nobody will ride the wagon, and I don't want to waste the time and work of picking them up off the field.

So I experimented with cutting big round bales up with a chainsaw, feeding the critters that way.

Boy, does that clean chain! They look polished, almost chromed!

Would'nt be too hard to catch the hay on fire either. Exhaust and the hot chain.

I would just stand the bale on it's end and pull the hay with a pitchfork. It's easy to do. It just unrolls the same way it was rolled. Thats the way we do it.