Sparks flying off chain?

[hickslawns]

Sawing through a tree? (maybe overgrown bush?) and there were sparks coming off the chainsaw chain. I tried a bigger saw with a better chain. Dulled this chain and still had sparks. Nothing embedded in the wood. Anyone ever experience this? Seriously hard wood.

 

[Barnie]

Sawing through a tree? (maybe overgrown bush?) and there were sparks coming off the chainsaw chain. I tried a bigger saw with a better chain. Dulled this chain and still had sparks. Nothing embedded in the wood. Anyone ever experience this? Seriously hard wood.

Is it the right chain for the bar ??

 

[KsWoodsMan]

What color was the wood ? Osage Orange ( Hedge) will grow in most of Ohio and has a very yellow/green/orange chips and wood when first cut. It is the hardest wood I have cut and will test your sharpening method pretty quickly.

The second growth will grow back as a bush if not trimmed. You couldnt miss the thorns though. It puts them on BAD with any second growth.

 

[carvinmark]

We have iron wood here that acts like that. If you are sure the B & C combo is correct, then it is most likely real hard wood and or dirty wood.

 

[Burvol]

Your about ready to loose your tip.

 

[stdydub]

i cut up a 300 yr old hard maple in my yard you wouldn't believe how many sparks i threw..... didnt notice any damage to chain.. also threw sparks on hedge and hickory. i wouldnt worry about it

 

[KsWoodsMan]

It could be the oil is to thick in this cold weather or both saws just are not oiling well enough.

 

[ckr74]

I cut mostly osage orange and it's not unusual to see a spark once in a while. The old dead stuff will do it for sure. Make sure you're getting plenty of oil to the chain. If you're seeing alot of sparks there may be something wrong.

 

[Suz]

Sparks

A couple of "off wall" ideas on why you are getting sparks.
One, could there be sand embedded in the wood that has been blown into the tree as it grew? I don't know what kind of soil you have there, but it is sandy where my son lives and I'm constantly sharping chains!
Another thought, could your chain be a little loose and you are rocking your bar as you cut, thus causing the chain to rub on one side of the bar and not getting enough oil? (Feel the edges of your bar and if they feel like there is a "hook" on the edge.)
How many of you have been cutting late in the day where it was almost dark and noticed all the sparks coming off the bar?

 

[jonny2bad]

Have ever seen sparks from an odd red elm but mainly is due dirt in/under bark.

 

[dnf0929]

I just cut some shagbark hickory for the first time and that stuff is in a league of it's own. Chain sounds totally different when it hits it and a brand new one was pretty dull after one good size log length.

 

[bore_pig]

A couple of "off wall" ideas on why you are getting sparks.
One, could there be sand embedded in the wood that has been blown into the tree as it grew? I don't know what kind of soil you have there, but it is sandy where my son lives and I'm constantly sharping chains!

:agree2:

I have the same problem. And when cutting down by the stump, there is a lot of embedded sand. Throws sparks a lot.

 

[hickslawns]

Suz-Not very sandy, mostly clay around here.

Barnie-I know it is the right bar and chain, and the saw is nearly new. In fact, after this incident was the first time the chain was sharpened. I tried my 029 Farmboss with the same results, also went at it with my Husky 55 with same results.

KsWoodsman-All three saws have been using oil fine, so I think this rules that out. I am not familiar with the orange, but there are no thorns.

Burvol- ??? Lose my tip? Not sure what you mean.

I believe this is a type of wild fruit tree which may even be an overgrown bush. These are along a wood line between farm fields. There are several of them, I just had to cut this one up to gain better access to the oak which fell. By the way, this tree/bush/whatever seems it is partially alive, although the branches under the tree which broke are certainly dead.

 

[jburlingham]

I have had some sparks in the past, mostly when cutting dead trees. I believe it is most likely embedded dirt and sand. Here in My area it also important to check for old barb wire that grew into trees before the exposed part of the wire rotted away.

 

[hickslawns]

Yes, there are sections of this I had to be careful as there was some barbed wire going thru it. However, this thing throws sparks everywhere. You can see after it has been cut there was no wire in the section, just some dang hard wood.

 

[day52]

Almost any bush, shrub, tree in a fence row will collect some dirt in the bark. Obviously loose bark trees such as a shagbark hickory will collect more. If it is Osage Orange, you already have a very tough wood. With just a bit of grit on the outside, it will dull a chain quickly. Sparks will fly for sure. I don't usually mind cutting hickory in the woods, but on the outside, in a fence row, or isolated in a field, it can put your chains to a test. The heck of it is hickory, Osage Orange, and Hophornbeam (some call it ironwood in some locales) are awfully good burning. I guess it is always a tradeoff.

 

[Zodiac45]

I've had it happen usually due too dirt on the tree being pulled into the cut. Also what Burvol mentioned could cause the sparks. Your bar tip being pootched. Take a good look at it. It the teeth are looking like sharp little points or it's "loose" within the housing, that's you problem.

 

[KsWoodsMan]

I believe this is a type of wild fruit tree which may even be an overgrown bush. These are along a wood line between farm fields. There are several of them, I just had to cut this one up to gain better access to the oak which fell. By the way, this tree/bush/whatever seems it is partially alive, although the branches under the tree which broke are certainly dead.

Oh, maybe you are in Persimmon, a relative to Ebony.

http://www.cnr.vt.edu/dendro/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=29

http://www.cnr.vt.edu/dendro/LandownerFactsheets/detail.cfm?Genus=Diospyros&Species=virginiana

 

[cityevader]

The only time I get sparks are when I'm de-limbing on the ground. Rather, cutting them into firewood lengths from the tip towards the trunk. The flexy branches move a lot, side-loading the chain in the bar...sparks every time.

 

[coppermouse]

Could be barbed wire in the tree, I have had that happen.