# chainsaw suggestion



## moby (4 Feb 2014)

thought i'd best put some info into the forum instead of just taking for a change.  

before christmas i won about third of a ton of laburnum, i also had some huge 3foot rings of poplar that have accummulated over the year.
I had been struggling with an old chainsaw that a friend had given me. despite sharpening the chain, giving it a good cleaning and oiling etc it was taking ages to cut anything. So i decided to buy a new chainsaw.
Looking round prices varied from dear to stupid, considering how much i was going to use it i couldnt justify spending a couple of hundred quid on a half decent one. Anyway, budgeting was prohibiting it. 

So I took a look at screwfix and bought this
http://www.screwfix.com/p/titan-ttb355chn-40-5cm-2000w-electric-chainsaw-230v/92771

I dont usually buy cheap tools because they dont last. it has 5 stars out of 5 for the reviews and now is down to £50 with a 2yr no quibble warranty.

i gave it plenty of stick on ten of the 3' poplar rings, halved the laburnum logs and planked some of it too, in one afternoon. It murdered it. A tad greedy on oil, but what a tool. No sawdust but plenty of shavings! It put the borrowed petrol chainsaw to shame. With the loaned petrol one it was taking me an hour just to do one ring.
Hope it helps someone!


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## nev (4 Feb 2014)

From experience, I think its probably down to the new chain as opposed to the quality of the saw. One plus side of an electric saw though is you can use it inside the shop when its inclementing down outside.


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## adidat (4 Feb 2014)

look out for one of these at lidl's







i think they sell for 20 quid, makes a very sharp blade in minutes. Fantastic value! it can be set to grind the chain at a ripping angle as well.

but please dont buy the same machine from in a different colour plastic from mole valley farmers for 4 times the price! :twisted: :twisted: 

as a side note they do eat away the chain pretty quick, but a stihl 12" saw chain is 12 quid so hardly a kings ransom!

adidat (who loves his stihl ms170!)


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## Dalboy (4 Feb 2014)

The problem when people sharpen chains is that they sharpen the teeth and forget to lower the depth guides in front of every tooth this must be filed to the correct depth too much and it can make the chain jump about too little and the chain will not cut correctly. Those of you that own a stihl saw normally get a gauge for showing you the cut angle and at one end there is a step this is placed along the chain with the step just in front of the cutting tooth and the depth guide or tooth will poke through the little slot, all you need do then is file it down to the step.
Hope this makes sense I will have to have a look in my tool box and see if I still have one from my plant mechanic days as I use to repair chainsaws and the like as a job.

The picture will show the depth gauge in front of the cutting tooth


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## woodfarmer (4 Feb 2014)

I had a cheap German ergo or similar electric chainsaw. It worked brilliantly for about ten years, but the motor died last august. I treated myself to Botche electric saw. The worst chainsaw I have ever come across. It is positively dangerous because it is s frustrating to use. Every time you pick it up with one hand it trips the safety so you have to put it down again an reset the trip and pick it up with both hands. The chain comes off the bar frequently. When working it cuts well but I have to re align the chain about ever y other cut. so I may just get one of those saws from screwfix as a £100 order from them is carriage free to France. (thinks cheap biscuit jointer) to make up the value.


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## paulm (5 Feb 2014)

As Dalboy says. almost certainly the depth guides need filing down a bit on the petrol machine chain.

Cheers, Paul


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## Random Orbital Bob (5 Feb 2014)

woodfarmer":3n8e8juh said:


> I had a cheap German ergo or similar electric chainsaw. It worked brilliantly for about ten years, but the motor died last august. I treated myself to Botche electric saw. The worst chainsaw I have ever come across. It is positively dangerous because it is s frustrating to use. Every time you pick it up with one hand it trips the safety so you have to put it down again an reset the trip and pick it up with both hands. The chain comes off the bar frequently. When working it cuts well but I have to re align the chain about ever y other cut. so I may just get one of those saws from screwfix as a £100 order from them is carriage free to France. (thinks cheap biscuit jointer) to make up the value.



If the chain frequently comes off I would seriously consider junking that....its lethal...one day it will come off in your face!


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## Random Orbital Bob (5 Feb 2014)

I bit the bullet when I took up woodturning in Dec 2013 and bought my first Stihl after years of cheaper ones for firewood. I've never looked back.

I'll impart one critical piece of advice....whilst the higher cost machines are better quality, the fundamental thing is just like all the bandsaw advice in that there are three important things:

sharp chain
sharp chain
sharp chain

I used to shirk it as its a pain to do with a hand file. I also then bought one of those bench grinders for £20 (Silverline in my case) and I have to report that they are fabulous. I can now from start to finish have the chain off the machine, sharpened and back in service in 12 minutes flat. The chain is literally as good as new and that makes all the difference.

In so many woodworking endeavours (turning, planing etc) the difference is related to the sharpness of your edges. That adage is massively true in chainsawing. Its also a lot more safe when its actually cutting


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## Grahamshed (5 Feb 2014)

I had one of the screwfix saws, worked well and who cares if it goes wrong, they will replace it.


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## Vic Perrin (5 Feb 2014)

Anyone got any suggestions for an idiots guide to sharpening chainsaws

Vic


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## bellringer (5 Feb 2014)

Vic Perrin":13p7ncbs said:


> Anyone got any suggestions for an idiots guide to sharpening chainsaws
> 
> Vic



mark with a marker pen the first tooth you start on the with a file file the tooth till is is shiny and then move to the next one


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## Random Orbital Bob (5 Feb 2014)

Also Vic...only file in one direction ie start with the file so you're pushing into the tooth at the appropriate rake angle. Assert a reasonable side pressure ie push into the metal of the tooth gully and take about 3 passes on each tooth. Don't draw the file back towards you at the end of the pass, lift it out and insert back into the tooth. Examine the tooth after your 3 passes, it should be shiny with a noticeable edge created at its tip.

As the last poster said, mark the first one you do so you know when you're done. Then turn the saw through 180 deg and do the teeth facing the other way. (So for each set of teeth do all in the one direction then turn saw, then all in the next). If yours is very blunt you might need 5 or 6 passes per tooth.

If you really want to go fast and accurate without sore fingers....buy one of those Lidl jobs or the equivalent from Silverline for circa £20....they're incredibly useful. If you're really struggling...PM me and I'll setup a Skype video call and show you live over the web.


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## Woodmonkey (5 Feb 2014)

Look closely, each tooth should have a small line etched on it showing you the correct angle. Try and follow this, keeping the file horizontal. The file will only cut on the forward stroke, as someone else said do so the cutters on one side first then turn it round and do the other side. Hold the saw in a vice to keep it all still. Make sure you have the correct diameter file for your chain, they're not all the same size. Try and give each tooth the same number of strokes to keep them balanced. You will need to take the depth gauges down every 2 or 3 sharpens, use a flat file, but don't take too much off or the saw will become dangerous to use.
Failing all that, take it in to your local chainsaw dealer they will sharpen it for you! However they will use a grinder such as those pictured, they take loads off, so you'll prob only get 2 or 3 Sharon sharpens from a chain as opposed to 8-10 doing it by hand.


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## paulm (5 Feb 2014)

Or get some abrasive stones that fit in dremel and similar tools, Axminster do them, and other places, a quick tickle with them (no need to take the chain off the machine) and you're good to go 

Cheers, Paul


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## dickm (5 Feb 2014)

Generally a fan of Lidl cheapie tools, but doesn't it take a lot longer to remove the chain, put it on the machine and sharpen it, compared to working with a file? 
Presumably the downside of the electric sharpeners that work with the chain in place, like the little 12V Oregon, is that they deposit abrasive on the bar, which probably shortens bar and chain life? Plus, of course, the stones are NOT cheap. But ever so quick, so will continue using mine.


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## Random Orbital Bob (5 Feb 2014)

I've not tried those Oregon ones though was browsing them today after this thread. Like I mention above, (and I've timed this) it takes me 12 minutes to whip off my bar and sharpen the chain with the silverline cheapie bench grinder. I use a Stihl MS251 which only has a single locknut to get the cover off so its very easy to access the chain.

Do you rate the little Oregon 12 v ones?


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## Dalboy (5 Feb 2014)

The advantage of removing the chain to sharpen is that while it is off it also gives you the opportunity to clean the chain slot in the bar and also the oiling hole. The build up of muck in the slot is not good for the chain or bar. Also remember to remove any burrs off the bar and turn it regularly to even the wear.


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## adidat (5 Feb 2014)

Dick I found even after studying file sharpening I couldn't get close to the edge I get with the grinder. And i share dalboy's point. Give it a quick wipe down and check the oil and 2 stroke and fill them up if necessary. 

Adidat


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## Sheptonphil (5 Feb 2014)

Also a user of the Silverline sharpener, but I have six chains with one on the saw, two in the saw's carry case and the rest in the shed as spares. When I have three blunt ones I do a sharpening session and do all three in half an hour. The advantage of course is it also grinds the guide at the same time as the tooth. Usually get at least six or seven sharpening so from each chain and they are stored in a thin oil in the shed and in a plastic bag in the carry case. 

Phil


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## paulm (6 Feb 2014)

That sounds like a good way to go about things Phil, very organised and efficient !

Didn't appreciate that the grinder does the depth gauges too at the same time.

Cheers, Paul


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## dickm (6 Feb 2014)

Random Orbital Bob":3r1rfvb8 said:


> I've not tried those Oregon ones though was browsing them today after this thread. Like I mention above, (and I've timed this) it takes me 12 minutes to whip off my bar and sharpen the chain with the silverline cheapie bench grinder. I use a Stihl MS251 which only has a single locknut to get the cover off so its very easy to access the chain.
> 
> Do you rate the little Oregon 12 v ones?



Apart from the cost of the stones, it's brilliant. Especially as it cost 20p from a car boot! The guide by the blade keeps the angle right, and it's a matter of a minute to do a 20" chain. But of course, it doesn't do the limiters at the same time.
(And its red colour probably means it's embarrassed 'cos it usually gets connected to the battery on an effete Golf, not to a huge 4X4 pickup with a name like "Barbarian"  )

Must say, though, that reading all the positives about the bench type model does cause temptation.


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## bellringer (6 Feb 2014)

When i last had some chain saw milling done the guy used it on his 36" bar it was done in mins he says he can do his 6 foot bar in about 2 mins well worth having


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## Sheptonphil (6 Feb 2014)

paulm":31y3d2xy said:


> That sounds like a good way to go about things Phil, very organised and efficient !
> 
> Didn't appreciate that the grinder does the depth gauges too at the same time.
> 
> Cheers, Paul


I don't know about organised, but it really lessens the urge to keep using a chain that is really not sharp enough to be safe. Two minutes and a nice fresh edge to work with. If I get through three chains when I'm logging a small tree then there's too much rubbish embedded to bother with the wood anyway. 

Phil


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## Robbo3 (7 Feb 2014)

Just wanted to say thanks to the OP for posing the question & for all the helpful answers.

I have a brand new unused 14" petrol chainsaw still in its box because of all the horror stories I've read & because I don't have any suitable protective equipment - not even a hard hat.

Because of the size of timber that I'm now being given, I had to bite the bullet & borrow & electric chainsaw. With as much bracing & wedging as I could muster, body out of the line of kickback & arms locked rigid, rather like a novice turner, I hesitantly took my first cut & was pleasantly surprised at how relatively easy it was. Thankfully I had but the sawhorse on a large tarpaulin which made clearing up the garden afterwards, so much easier.

Edit: should be 16" not 14" & 'put the sawhorse' not 'but the sawhorse'.


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## Woodmonkey (7 Feb 2014)

That's a good point Robbo, as a professional user I wouldn't think about using a saw without ear & eye protection, chainsaw trousers and chainsaw boots minimum, makes me cringe sometimes seeing domestic users with little or no ppe at all.


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## Random Orbital Bob (7 Feb 2014)

Sheptonphil":8h0fz4oc said:


> Also a user of the Silverline sharpener, but I have six chains with one on the saw, two in the saw's carry case and the rest in the shed as spares. When I have three blunt ones I do a sharpening session and do all three in half an hour. The advantage of course is it also grinds the guide at the same time as the tooth. Usually get at least six or seven sharpening so from each chain and they are stored in a thin oil in the shed and in a plastic bag in the carry case.
> 
> Phil



And I thought I was being clever by having two chains...one on and one off, sharpened 
Quick question re the silverline Phil. I must be doing something wrong when you say it does the guides at the same time?? Can you just expand on that a little please? Thanks.


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## Sheptonphil (7 Feb 2014)

With the correct tilt angle set, when you swing the grind wheel over, it trims the depth gauge/stop between the teeth just before the tooth is ground. It 'glances' across the stop on the way in. When filing by hand you have to do the depth stop manually as a separate exercise. My sharpener is mounted on a T piece of 2x1 so it can be mounted in a bench vice. 

Well worth the money.

Phil


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## Random Orbital Bob (7 Feb 2014)

Right...thanks for that. I deliberately set my rake angle to just miss the depth gauge assuming it couldn't/shouldn't be done in the same operation. I'll adjust it and try it your way. It all comes of not reading the instructions! But even without that its an amazing piece of kit given its stupidly low price.


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## paulm (7 Feb 2014)

Sounds like a very worthwhile bit of kit.

Do you need different abrasive discs for different gauges of chain ? 

I'm thinking possibly not, but not entirely sure having not been hands on with one.

Having five :shock:  different chainsaws of various chain types, a one size fits all solution would be a big plus !

Not as bad a chainsaw habit as it sounds, honestly :roll: a large huskie for the alaskan mill and bigger jobs, a smaller husky for most of the usual work, electric makita for use in the workshop/shed, stihl polesaw that's worth it's weight in gold for pruning the apple trees and tall hazel and laurel hedges, and a small 12v cordless makita for all sorts of surprising jobs in the workshop and garden. So all totally justifiable, and not an out of control acquisition disorder at all [-( :lol: 

Cheers, Paul


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## Random Orbital Bob (7 Feb 2014)

I'd get the hell down the new Basingstoke Axy Paul and see if they have any chainsaws in stock....sounds to me like you need another


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## duncanh (8 Feb 2014)

If you do use hand files for sharpening (like I do) don't forget to change them every now and again as they wear out. We recently replaced ours and it was a huge improvement.


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