Chainsaw chain

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Picked up an Echo CS-310 for light work around the house. Chain got dull, tried to sharpen a couple of times, not having any real luck. Local shop charges $6 to do, but it is a week plus of time, so I am thinking of getting another chain or two. Swap as necessary. I don't burn wood and it's a tool that I would only use on weekends, and not every weekend at that.

So... shopping around I see that I can get an Echo chain for $20 at Home Depot. Or I can get Oregon. Or shop online and get Tallox or Sungator, which sound like cheaper chains, but for $30 or so I could get 3 or more chains. Is this something where you get what you pay for? Cheaper chains being softer and apt to dull quicker? Or are they all equivalent?
 
IMO, you get what you pay for...

Learn to sharpen your own. Hit it with a couple of strokes from the file before each time you use it and you will always have a sharp chain.

You also have to keep down the "rakers" (depth gauges) for it to cut well... this "2-in1" file does both at the same time:

https://www.amazon.com/Stihl-2in1-Chainsaw-Chain-Sharpener/dp/B010JJNOUE/

It's expensive, but there are also cheap knockoffs... you need the right size, too, of course.
 
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The box store oregon chains are soft. But you don't use a saw that often, so they are also easier to sharpen. Unless you use a saw a lot and have a lot of experience , the anti kickback chains are safer.

Don't hit the ground with the running chain, it will dull the cutters instantly. Don't run the chain until is super dull. Touch up the chain with a file every tank or so , before its really dull. Extra chains are good as you have them sharpened and ready to go.

Make sure you have the right size files for your chain.

WHAT LENGTH BAR?

This is a tougher chain than the box store chains but its not anti kickback. The cutters are harder. This is a 16inch length. I don't know if your saw has enough power to pull it.

https://www.amazon.com/OREGON-20LPX066G-Drive-Super-0-325-Inch/dp/B008PD0WJI/ref=sr_1_4
 
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Originally Posted by brages
IMO, you get what you pay for...

Learn to sharpen your own. Hit it with a couple of strokes from the file before each time you use it and you will always have a sharp chain.

You also have to keep down the "rakers" (depth gauges) for it to cut well... this "2-in1" file does both at the same time:

https://www.amazon.com/Stihl-2in1-Chainsaw-Chain-Sharpener/dp/B010JJNOUE/

It's expensive, but there are also cheap knockoffs... you need the right size, too, of course.

Tried that, saw is cutting sideways. I call it user error--I went until it was good and dull, like went through a gallon of gas and maybe hit a rock towards the end dull.

I did check the rakes and they seem low, the gauge indicated no problem. Just doesn't cut like new.
 
Sharpening a chain for a saw is a piece of cake if you have the right file. Two chains and the stuff has paid for itself. I've sharpened all mine for over 40 years now. But then that's just me. I've had the same setup to sharpen them since I was thirty and it still works great.
 
You can have teeth sharp to the touch. But if you haven't touched the rakers, the saw will make dust like it is dull. I hand file the teeth with the right size round file. Every 3rd sharpening I hit the rakers with a flat file. I don't bother trying to make all the teeth even. I concentrate on following the existing angle as close and as level as I can. Its more by feel than sight. I get decent results. Maybe not perfect, but serviceable. Way more convenient and I remove a lot less material with 3 strokes per tooth than a grinder that sizes every tooth equally. I have lots of chains I had 5 or 6 from the early days when I had them done.So I cant advise you on what to buy except that Oregon used to be good.
 
Originally Posted by supton
Originally Posted by brages
IMO, you get what you pay for...

Learn to sharpen your own. Hit it with a couple of strokes from the file before each time you use it and you will always have a sharp chain.

You also have to keep down the "rakers" (depth gauges) for it to cut well... this "2-in1" file does both at the same time:

https://www.amazon.com/Stihl-2in1-Chainsaw-Chain-Sharpener/dp/B010JJNOUE/

It's expensive, but there are also cheap knockoffs... you need the right size, too, of course.

Tried that, saw is cutting sideways. I call it user error--I went until it was good and dull, like went through a gallon of gas and maybe hit a rock towards the end dull.

I did check the rakes and they seem low, the gauge indicated no problem. Just doesn't cut like new.


Take it to a saw shop or hardware store and have it sharpened, then keep it sharp, don't let it get dull. IMO, it's fairly easy to keep a chain sharp with a guide, even just the basic type. Without a guide, it's tricky. The more you do it, the better you will be at it.
 
Originally Posted by supton
[
Tried that, saw is cutting sideways.


Examine the bar. Make sure you did not run out of bar oil and wore the bar.

I always fill my bar oil tank full, and i only put 3/4 of a tank of fuel, that way i usually run out of gas , before i run out of bar oil.
 
Originally Posted by spasm3
Originally Posted by supton
[
Tried that, saw is cutting sideways.


Examine the bar. Make sure you did not run out of bar oil and wore the bar.

I always fill my bar oil tank full, and i only put 3/4 of a tank of fuel, that way i usually run out of gas , before i run out of bar oil.

I kept an eye on it, never ran out. I do miss having the manual oiler, never quite trusted automatic ones, but I'm guessing a bit has changed in the couple decades since I used a saw.
 
I only have experience with Stihl chains, which are very high quality (I get a big discount through workplace). My experienced student employees (some trained wildland fire fighters) think Oregon makes good chains also. You could probably hang out at Arboristsite.com and discover if more economical brands have value.

I would seriously study chain sharpening on line AND have a competent person give you some hands on training. While it is not rocket science, you need to understand the fundamentals of chain geometry and sharpening technique to get it right. I.E., your crooked cutting chain is due to differences in length/sharpness of one side of the chain teeth vs. the other. A right/left handed person teds to hand sharpen one side more than the other over time. A machine sharpening will get all the teeth equal again.

I.E., this Stihl tool checks ALL of the critical angles, raker depth, etc.:
[Linked Image from baileysonline.com]


You need to know about bar and sprocket maintenance too! They wear too, and you can correct bar abnormalities.
 
I sharpen lots of things - Axes, plane blades, knives, chisels.

Never learned to sharpen saw chains. I've got 4 or 5 spare Oregon chains, when they get dull, I drop them off to be professionally sharpened.

I liken it to suits, and other dress clothes. I'll never learn to dry clean them myself, I farm that work out, and have more than one suit, so that I'm never without.
 
Chain saws require a lot of maintenance. For every three hours use I'll spend about an hour maintaining it per suggestions mentioned above. Ditto to not touching the ground with the chain. It'll dull the chain instantly.
 
I've had a similar guide tool to what is pictured above for 40 years, only the file fits inside it and is held firm with a thumb screw. I clamp the bar in my bench vice and it works like a charm. Also, flip the bar every other sharpening.
 
Originally Posted by supton
Originally Posted by brages
IMO, you get what you pay for...

Learn to sharpen your own. Hit it with a couple of strokes from the file before each time you use it and you will always have a sharp chain.

You also have to keep down the "rakers" (depth gauges) for it to cut well... this "2-in1" file does both at the same time:

https://www.amazon.com/Stihl-2in1-Chainsaw-Chain-Sharpener/dp/B010JJNOUE/

It's expensive, but there are also cheap knockoffs... you need the right size, too, of course.

Tried that, saw is cutting sideways. I call it user error--I went until it was good and dull, like went through a gallon of gas and maybe hit a rock towards the end dull.

I did check the rakes and they seem low, the gauge indicated no problem. Just doesn't cut like new.


I see your use similar to mine. I have a Husky Rancher 18." I am no stranger to sharpening BUT I found it best to pick up 3 Oregon chains. Two for use and 1 out to get sharpened. That way I'm never in a rush. I also don't get the chain too dull. When it STARTS to make dust and not chips it's time.

Takes some time to learn how to sharpen a chain well. For us (I should say me) low use types it's not something worth the time.
 
Just out of interest I bought a Chinese chain off ebay and found it far better than the box store Oregon chains I have used.

I often cut in a dirty environment, so have taken to taking a couple of spare chains with me when I go out.

I have better results sharpening the chain with the runners in the jaws of a vice than sharpening with the chain on the bar
 
Originally Posted by supton

Tried that, saw is cutting sideways. I call it user error--I went until it was good and dull, like went through a gallon of gas and maybe hit a rock towards the end dull.

I did check the rakes and they seem low, the gauge indicated no problem. Just doesn't cut like new.
You need to sharpen before the thing is dull. Hit each tooth 5 times every couple tanks of gas or if you notice it's not cutting like before. The Oregon non safety chains on Amazon cut great and are fairly inexpensive. Keep them out of the dirt and rocks. Oregon does have some super hard chains if you're cutting a lot of dirty wood.
 
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