Ms461 not cutting straight

[Gu_42]

I'm having trouble with my 461

I replaced the bar and chain with genuine stihl gear, and its had about 10 -15 tanks of petrol put thought it since then

Its not cutting straight anymore, its pulling to the left to the point were the bar jams in the wood

Ive taken the burrs of the edge of the bar with a hand file, I've also checked the bar with a straight edge and its out by maybe 1mm. Is this enough to cause this problem? But I haven't done anything to bend the bar?

I've been sharpening with the stihl 3 in 1 sharpener if this has any relevance

 

[buzz sawyer]

Have you checked that the rails are square (90deg) to the sides of the bar? If square, then you have a sharpening issue. Post some pics of the cutters.

 

[RED-85-Z51]

If it were me id start with a new chain or have that on trued up on a grinder...15 tanks is a good bit of use on a chain.

Sent from my LM-G820 using Tapatalk

 

[grizz55chev]

I'm having trouble with my 461

I replaced the bar and chain with genuine stihl gear, and its had about 10 -15 tanks of petrol put thought it since then

Its not cutting straight anymore, its pulling to the left to the point were the bar jams in the wood

Ive taken the burrs of the edge of the bar with a hand file, I've also checked the bar with a straight edge and its out by maybe 1mm. Is this enough to cause this problem? But I haven't done anything to bend the bar?

I've been sharpening with the stihl 3 in 1 sharpener if this has any relevance

If you have a burr after so few tanks of fuel, you need to adjust your tension just a little loser, and take a good look at your chain, not cutting straight means one side is dull or sharpened incorrectly, IMO. You might also check that it's oiling enough to prevent the bar from wearing.

 

[ammoaddict]

If it's pulling to the left, it's probably time for a front end alignment.

Sent from my moto g(7) power using Tapatalk

 

[BangBang77]

Is the chain oiler working?

Take some closeup pics of the bar and chain so we can see the bar rails and chain cutters.

 

[stihl86]

New chain and dress the bar. Look down the rails first, before doing anything,
to see if bar is bent. Assuming isn't part of a troubleshooting procedure.

 

[John Lyngdal]

Most likely a chain sharping issue. I'd have a shop grind it and see if the issue goes away.
There a good Bucking Billy video where is mis-sharpens a chain to demonstrate how that effects the cut.

 

[Timber MacFallen]

If a saw chain is pulling to one side it's usually one of the following issues:

1) Worn bar inner groove (not relevant on a new bar)
2) Incorrect chain gauge (for example using a .050 chain in a .058 bar)
3) Chain is not sharpened evenly. You're pulling to one side because you've sharpened one side differently than the other.
4) Worn bar rail. The height of one rail is different than the other from wear. Highly unlikely on a relatively new bar, but you can take a look and flip over the bar to be sure.

I'd be willing to bet the chain is not sharpened evenly, but do check your bar rail. If you want to quickly eliminate this as a concern just flip the bar over.

Good luck. It's not a hard problem to fix.

 

[trains]

post pictures of the chain cutters.
then we can offer some advice.

 

[Gu_42]

I do run my chain on the tight side, Ill try running it looser as I do have to file the burrs off pretty regulary.

When I put a straight edge across the bar rails I dont think it is square with the side of the bar, but it was hard to tell if the square was sitting flat.

None of the local stihl shops around here mentioned dressing the bar, they just wanted to sell me a new one. I might call around and see if somebody can do it, or is there a way to do it myself and get it back to square?

 

[TNsawman]

Looks like the bar rails get hot if the paint around the rails is missing after only 10-15 tanks. That happens from running with the chain tight, or dull, or leaning too hard on it, or not enough oil which is common with Stihls. In the second picture, it looks like the teeth on one side may be sharpened at a different angle, that could cause it to cut crooked. Sharper top plate angles dull faster, and the right side looks like a sharper angle. Dull in general can cut crooked, maybe you never got it sharp enough after filing especially if the teeth on one side all hit a rock or nail, that will mess up the whole sharpening process. And filing the rakers low can exaggerate crooked cutting even on evenly sharpened chain. My limited experience with the 3 in 1 sharpener is that it too easily files the rakers way too low.

That bar groove looks a bit on the wide side to me. Either that is a 1,6mm gauge bar or you have a lot of wear in there, or I'm a bad visual judge.

 

[TNsawman]

This is a useful tool for general use. It can help you tell how much wear is on 1,3mm gauge bars by fitting the larger feeler gauge corners into the groove.

Oregon 556418 Pitch N gauge chain measuring tool​

You can also find right angle bar filers:

111439 Oregon chainsaw guide bar rail dresser and file​

 

[Gu_42]

This is a useful tool for general use. It can help you tell how much wear is on 1,3mm gauge bars by fitting the larger feeler gauge corners into the groove.

Oregon 556418 Pitch N gauge chain measuring tool​

You can also find right angle bar filers:

111439 Oregon chainsaw guide bar rail dresser and file​

Thanks, I will buy both of those.

In the mean time ill measure the gap with some feeler gauges I have here or maybe some verniers?

The saw uses 1 tank of bar oil to 2 tanks of petrol, should I increase the oil?

I run the chain tension to the point were I when I pull the chain from the bar I cant fully expose the drive link, if that makes sense. Im thinking this might be to tight.

I actually try to put pressure on the part of the file that files the rakers as I thought it was doing very little, ill stop doing this when I'm using the 2in1 sharpener.

Is it worth sending this chain off to get sharpened by somebody who knows what there doing or should I just buy a new one? Can it wear unevenly were it runs on the bar rails?

 

[billyboy]

Yes, get that chained sharpened and trued up by a pro shop So cutters are same length and angle. Pay attention to your chips when cutting, if your making dust and pushing too hard you need to sharpen. Let the saw do the work. Clean out your rail groove after a couple , three tanks of fuel. Get an inexpensive 3” tri square at the hardware store to check your bar top/side angle. In the second picture it looks like the tie straps are flared on the bottom a bit much given the length of the cutter which says to me you are pushing too hard on a dull chain. Could be I can’t see it very well . HTH

 

[buzz sawyer]

That chain is horrible dull and the front of the depth gauges need to be rounded over .

 

[J D]

Thanks, I will buy both of those.

In the mean time ill measure the gap with some feeler gauges I have here or maybe some verniers?

The saw uses 1 tank of bar oil to 2 tanks of petrol, should I increase the oil?

I run the chain tension to the point were I when I pull the chain from the bar I cant fully expose the drive link, if that makes sense. Im thinking this might be to tight.

I actually try to put pressure on the part of the file that files the rakers as I thought it was doing very little, ill stop doing this when I'm using the 2in1 sharpener.

Is it worth sending this chain off to get sharpened by somebody who knows what there doing or should I just buy a new one? Can it wear unevenly were it runs on the bar rails?

Feeler gauges will work. If it feels like it's wider at the top than the bottom of the groove then the rails may have splayed some & need closing up. Sounds like a combination of chain too tight, lack of oil, & to some degree sharpening. Generally you want to be going through just under a tank of oil per tank of gas. If the oiler isn't set low might pay to check the screen in the oil tank, bar oil holes, etc. Chain should be tight enough that it hugs the bar all the way around, without being so tight that you can't pull it up to fully expose a drive link or 2.

 

[mountainlake]

Quit running a dull chain!!!! Steve

 

[Vintage Engine Repairs]

Hi, sorry to hear of your frustrations, on old bars that have come with old saws I have brought, they sometimes cut curved until I have dressed them on a belt sander.

Uneven sharpness of the teeth, worn rails, uneven height rails all play a factor. That bar looks like it’s been forced into the timber because the teeth are dull. Have the shop square your rails and sharpen your chain nice and evenly and I’m sure you’ll be fine.

You can square the rails yourself too of course

 

[deye223]

Cutters will be a lot happier when they look like this .