A chainsaw has a longer blade compared to a circular saw. A chainsaw is a set of teeth attached to a rotating chain that runs along a guide bar. A chainsaw can be used in many applications, and one might wonder, why does your chainsaw blade direction matter?
As a matter of fact, if the chainsaw blade moves in the wrong direction, then you will not get a minimum result. This can occur while restoring the chainsaw’s blade, bar, or chain mistakenly in the incorrect direction. The wrong direction of the chainsaw blade will also result in a waste of bar oil and massive stress on the guide bar of the chainsaw.
Attaching the Chainsaw Blade
Is it possible to put a chainsaw blade backward?
Why not, many people get this type of mistake and they put chainsaw blades the wrong way. This is why it is essential to check your chainsaw to ensure that everything is okay with it and that the blade is working correctly in the right direction.
Now, which way does the chainsaw blade go?
How to Know if the Chainsaw Chain Direction is Correct
Smoking, burning wood, and excessive chain rattle without effective cutting when a chain is applied to a piece of wood under power is an indication that the blades are mounted backwards. The chainsaw would need to be shut down immediately, and the chain put on correctly before any more cutting is attempted.
To avoid this and save time, we must ensure that the chain and the blades are placed in their correct position before starting the tool. Here is the most straightforward procedure you can follow to know whether your chainsaw blade is facing in the right direction.
Step 1: Top View
Observe the blade from the top side to see which way the cutting edge is pointing. From there, you should see that the chainsaw has a chain, and the chain has different blades. Because the chainsaw chains rotate in a clockwise direction, the blade cutting edges should be facing away from the chainsaw body or motor and to the right, on the top of the chain.
Step 2: Bottom View
The bottom view should obviously be the opposite of the view that you noticed from the top view. Check the guide link teeth to make sure they are pointed in the proper direction. If the chainsaw chain direction is right, you will be able to see that the blades are facing towards the body or the engine, and the sharp edges of the blades are spinning from the clockwise direction.
Step 3: Front and Side View
The clutch drum transmits a turning moment from the clutch to a driving device, for example, the chain of a chain saw. As the blades of the saw run in the right direction, which is the clockwise direction, you will see the chainsaw blades at your right side and the chainsaw engine at your left side if you check from the side of the machine. When checking from the front, you can see the movement of the whirling blade from upside to the downside. You know that it is placed incorrectly if it is moving from downside to upside.
Tighten Up the Blade
After bar attaching, chain mounting and checking chain blade direction, the last part of the procedure is to tighten up the saw’s blade so that the chainsaw can run smoothly without any disturbance. Can you over-tighten a chainsaw chain? The answer is yes; you can over-tighten the tensioning screw. And this could cause problems while working through the chainsaw.
So exactly, what is the correct tension for a chainsaw chain? It would help if you tightened your saw’s blade with caution, keeping in mind that the blade should not be too tight or too loose. If the blade is too tight, then the chainsaw might get damaged and run ineffectively, and if the fit is too loose, then there are chances that the chain will come off from the bar.
Sharpening the Chain Saw Blade.
How often should you sharpen the chainsaw? Chainsaw cutters can be sharpened up to 10 times or more before the chain needs replacing. You can use an electric chainsaw sharpener, sharpening stone, or a round file for sharpening. When sharpening your chain using a file, the correct size file must be used to maintain the right hook angle and gullet shape on the tooth. These are right size files:
- 3/8LP and .325 pitch chains is a 5/32 (4mm) chainsaw chain file
- 3/8 pitch chain is a 3/16 (4.8mm) chainsaw chain file
- 404 pitch chain is a 7/32 (5.5mm) chainsaw chain file
Wear refers to the part of the chain that has become blunt. The wear on the cutting edge can be seen as it is grey. The chrome wears off, causing the grey color. The chrome is a very thin covering over the top of the chainsaw tooth that mainly does the cutting. However, it can be removed in a matter of seconds if it comes in contact with abrasive dirt particles.
During the sharpening process of the cutting tooth, if the filing gauge is four strokes of the file to remove the wear on one tooth, you have to continue filing four strokes of the file on every tooth. This is because if the teeth become uneven in length between the right and left-hand cutter, this will cause the chain to pull to one side when cutting and eventually cause excessive wear on the chain bar.
How to sharpen your chainsaw, how to get more flexible cut to know visit: Proper Tips to Sharpen Your Chainsaw Chain
Why does My Chainsaw Chain Dull So Quickly?
Your chainsaw could be dulling because you are putting too steep of an angle on the cutters. Your makers may be too far down, you may be cutting dirty wood, or you may be slightly touching the ground with the tip of the bar, which will also contribute to a quickly dull chain.
What is the Depth Gauge on a Chainsaw Chain?
As they are sometimes called, the depth gauges, riders, or rakers control the amount of wood severed by a cutter tooth. A pro saw chain would need occasional chainsaw maintenance for top-cutting performance. A new chain saw has correctly set saw depth gauges.
However, after a chain is sharpened a time or two, they may need maintenance. Each time the chain is sharpened, the top corner of the cutter tooth gets lower. If the depth gauges are not measured and maintained, each time the chain is sharpened, the tooth cuts thinner and thinner chips. Eventually, it won’t cut anything at all.
Before you perform any depth gauge maintenance, you need to learn what the setting is. The correct depth is stamped on the depth gauge for some chainsaw brands. Knowing the correct height is important because if the depth gauges are not set correctly, the chain is more dangerous to operate.
Why is my Chainsaw Blade Smoking?
There are several reasons a chainsaw will be smoking. They are all grouped into two main categories: An overheating chain/bar or fuel problems.
Too Hot Chain/Bar
Friction is constantly present whenever chainsaws are involved. This is mainly because there is metal-on-metal friction between the chainsaw bar and the chain. Increased friction when cutting can be caused by no or not enough bar oil when the chain is too tight, or the chain is dull.
Issues with the Fuel
If your chainsaw is smoking from the engine, there is a likelihood of potentially more significant damage to the machine. It could be caused by contaminated or improperly mixed fuel. Chainsaw fuel is a mix of gasoline and oil.
The exact ratio of the mixture can vary from one saw to the next, and many manufacturers, such as Stihl and Husqvarna, include it in the user manual. Therefore, you must always check the manufacturer’s manual to ensure you use the right mix of gas and oil.
How do You Measure the Length of Your Saw Chain?
Some manufacturers, including Husqvarna and Stihl, sell replacement chains based on the bar measurement alone. However, a more accurate means of determining the chain’s length includes two other sizes that affect how well the chain fits on your saw.
To know the length of your chainsaw chain, measure the distance from the tip of the chainsaw bar to the point where the bar first emerges from the saw’s casing using tape, which will provide the information. Round the measurement up to the nearest even number if the figure was uneven or fractional. The resulting number is the bar measurement. The most common bar measurements are 16, 18, and 20 inches.
Stretch the chain on a flat surface and look for the chain’s drive links or lugs as they are often referred to as then count them. These links protrude from the underside of the chain and grab the drive cog, powering the chain.
Determine the pitch of the chain. Measure the distance between any three consecutive rivets that hold the chain assembly together. Measure from the center of one rivet to the center of the third one. The rivets are noticeable between the drive links and the cutters. To arrive at the pitch, divide the measurement by 2. Together with the number of drive links, the pitch describes the chain’s length when seeking replacement chains.