After a year or so of sporadic attempts to properly sharpen my chain, I've isolated the issue. It all came down to one simple mistake I was making. Prior to discovering this mistake, I tried sharpening with a dremel+chainsaw bit, got it sharp to the touch, but it wouldn't cut correctly. I then bought a manual file and got it sharp to the touch, but it still wouldn't cut right. I then tried filing down the rakers, but that didn't help either. I finally figured out what it was. When I first attempted to sharpen my chain a year ago, I had read some place that you're supposed to hold the file at a bit of an upwards angle when you sharpen, so I've been doing just that. Tonight I looked at the cutters under good lighting and realized the top of the cutters weren't getting sharp. Evidently, I've been holding it at too much of an angle, preventing the file from making contact with a good portion of the top of the cutters. I straightened out my file just a little bit to match the natural angle on the cutter, ran the file over each cutter a few times, and voila, it cut like a new chain. Big chips were flying out all over the place. My saw was once again having a hard time keeping up with the chain, not vice versa.
Finally Sharpened My Chain Correctly
- Thread starter s37d
- Start date
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What chain are you using?Oh it's just a crappy china-made Home Depot chain by PowerCare for my crappy Poulan PP4218AV 42cc saw with 18" bar. I've thought about getting a new higher quality chain and even a new chainsaw, just haven't taken the plunge yet.
Sagetown
Farmer and a STIHL
If the motor on that Poulan is good, and you fit it up with a good bar and chain, no matter how much you don't like that saw, it'll make you grin every time you stick it to a tree.
you've been here on AS for two years and managed to NOT buy an additional saw or 10 ? Truly miraculous !!
you have the willpower of a Saint !
good luck with the chain and the Poulan .
Pulp Friction
ArboristSite Operative
S37D, try to find the 3 sharpening angles. Maybe on the box or on a paper inside. You could look the chain up on the internet possibly. I've only see 0-degree or 10-degree "vise-tilt" angles. My grinder only has 2 setting for this angle, 0, +10 (and -10). I like stihl chains because they use 0-degree and the grinder sharpens more symetrically when you flip from left-hand cutters to right-hand cutters. Chances are it's one or the other.
MacLaren
Addicted to ArboristSite
Great to hear. You got it made now man!!
isnt that the best feeling ever?!?? i think im happiest in life when i lay my bar into a log and the chain just starts eating through wood like a hot knife through butter!
but kudos on finding that right angle! my dad's gone to durastic measures in the past when he loses his angle, he'll set up a camera and record himself sharpening so he can play it back and watch to see what he does wrong. he gets really into it, sharpens with a chisel file, up and out angle the whole nine yards..
but kudos on finding that right angle! my dad's gone to durastic measures in the past when he loses his angle, he'll set up a camera and record himself sharpening so he can play it back and watch to see what he does wrong. he gets really into it, sharpens with a chisel file, up and out angle the whole nine yards..
Good to be home!!! Now, I find myself checking garage sales, ebay, craislist....etc for saws. Really, it is anything with an engine that I love and these are so easy to store.
leatherman92
ArboristSite Lurker
I have a couple poulans sitting around and they are great for the price
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