Chainsaw problem

[John Torchick]

OK, got everything set up and Murphy's Law rides again. For some reason the saw starts square and drifts to the left half way through the cut. It's a HF 12V Portland saw. Frustrating to cut a log for turning for cross grain or end grain. Ideas and/or suggestions?

 

[Wyatt Holm]

The problem is usually a worn bar or the chain was sharpened uneven. You could try turning the bar upside down.

 

[John Torchick]

Wyatt, it's new. This is the third time being used.

 

[robo hippy]

I had that problem with an old saw where the grooves for the bottom of the chain were worn. They "fixed" it, but that lasted a day or two. Since yours is brand new, I would guess the chain is not properly sharpened with one side being off more than the other. I know HF has made efforts to improve the quality of their tools, but maybe take it back, and/or get a new chain.

robo hippy

 

[Tom Rice]

Wyatt, it's new. This is the third time being used.

Chain issue, most likely a couple teeth got dinged, the small saws are a PITA with that because theres way less teeth, found that out the hard way, my husky 395xp with 48” bar will go like hell even with a few bad teeth, my little milwaukee limbing saw wont cut for sheeit with just one tooth dinged.

 

[John Torchick]

Dinged...used three times? First two times didn't even get through as the log kept rolling.

 

[John Torchick]

I had that problem with an old saw where the grooves for the bottom of the chain were worn. They "fixed" it, but that lasted a day or two. Since yours is brand new, I would guess the chain is not properly sharpened with one side being off more than the other. I know HF has made efforts to improve the quality of their tools, but maybe take it back, and/or get a new chain.

robo hippy

It's going to the Habitat store. Looking for another saw. My son has a Poulan saw that I gave him but hard to keep shuffling it back and forth.

 

[David Shumaker]

OK, got everything set up and Murphy's Law rides again. For some reason the saw starts square and drifts to the left half way through the cut. It's a HF 12V Portland saw. Frustrating to cut a log for turning for cross grain or end grain. Ideas and/or suggestions?

My friend had a Harbor Freight saw that gave him problems. He replaced the bar and chain with one from a reputable manufacturer. All of his problems resolved. Maybe give that a try before getting rid of it.

 

[John Torchick]

David, that would cost more than the saw. Got my eye on a possibility: Kobalt 48V, 12 inch chainsaw; good reviews. Have two batteries and charger for a lawnmower; wife lives it as its lightweight.

 

[John Torchick]

David, holding off and looking at the chain, might need sharpening.

 

[John K Jordan]

Chainsaws. One o my favorite subjects!

I've stuck with Stihl for years, several gasoline a corded electric I often used in the shop.
But recently acquired a 14" Milwaukee that uses the M18 batteries. It's amazing. Usually keep it on the floor in the excavator.

After sharpening by hand with a file for years I now use an electric chain sharpener from Northern Tool in the shop when possible - very quick for a SHARP chain.

Every time I sharpen a chain I flip the bar for even wear. As recommended in the manuals.
I set chain tension, run a few seconds, turn off the saw and check the tension again. Sometimes it loosens a bit.

Don't forget to test the oil pump before sawing. From a Stihl manual.


JKJ

 

[Dan Wiggin]

Usually a loose chain or dull chain will do that to me!

 

[Tom Rice]

Chainsaws. One o my favorite subjects!

I've stuck with Stihl for years, several gasoline a corded electric I often used in the shop.
But recently acquired a 14" Milwaukee that uses the M18 batteries. It's amazing. Usually keep it on the floor in the excavator.

After sharpening by hand with a file for years I now use an electric chain sharpener from Northern Tool in the shop when possible - very quick for a SHARP chain.

Every time I sharpen a chain I flip the bar for even wear. As recommended in the manuals.
I set chain tension, run a few seconds, turn off the saw and check the tension again. Sometimes it loosens a bit.

Don't forget to test the oil pump before sawing. From a Stihl manual.

View attachment 87910
JKJ

Stihl
Pffttt”””

They wish they were as good as a Husky,,,

Just kidding bud,
used to go round and round with a tree trimmer bud of mine over what saw was better,

Have always gone with Husky, mostly because when i needed a big saw to run my slabbing bar thats all they had in stock so went with a 3120
That baby could rip,
Still have it but need to swap the carb, durned ethanol gasoline, when it first came out thats all we could get over here.

Gotta tell ya, that husky was a step up from my old McCoullach 1010 i ran when i got my first sawmill, thought i was in heaven with that big saw with a 48” Windsor bar on it and full skip square cut chain dropping big eucalyptus trees, fun times. Gave the old saw away soon after and got a 372xp, put a 32” bar on it, ran super fast and was a worker, recently found a knockoff on Ebay of the 372, look exactly like it and all the parts swap, but was 1/4 the price of a powerhhead from Baileys, damn good little saw, was pleasantly surprised, been running it long enough i need to lean it out a little so it hits higher revs, already ran it with a 37” slabber cutting a bunch of mango for a friend.

 

[Tom Rice]

Dinged...used three times? First two times didn't even get through as the log kept rolling.

It happens, all it takes on those little chains is one little rock embedded in some bark and its toast, can happen on the first cut

 

[John K Jordan]

It happens, all it takes on those little chains is one little rock embedded in some bark and its toast, can happen on the first cut

When chainsawing near the barn I've taken to pressure washing the bark first. Then chainsaw while off the ground.



In the shop I use a wire brush on the bark before bandsawing (little stones are bad for bandsaw blades too).

If the bark is is really bad, I remove it, with an axe if I have to. They always do that at the big bandsaw mills but with a machine. Worth a visit for those who haven't. Fortunately there is one not far from us.

Small bandsawmills sometimes use a carbide cutter to remove a groove of bark just in front of the blade. I don't have that so I try to keep the logs out of the dirt.

JKJ

 

[Dean Center]

When my chain gets dull, or maybe when I get tired, the saw starts curving to the right on rip cuts. You're assuming it came sharp from the factory, hasn't ever hit a piece of gravel in the bark or a nail in the wood, never bumped into the asphalt on your driveway. Sharpen the saw chain, John. It's the easiest way to fix the most common problems with chain saws. That and fresh gas.

 

[Cary Hulse]

Also make sure your bar and chain, (and drive sprocket too) are correctly matched. If the bar groove is wider than the chain's gauge it will drift the cut - as can happen with a worn bar, but a mismatch can cause the same kind of condition. Common bar/chain gauges for smaller saws are 0.043", 0.050", and 0.058", so the difference is not huge but definitely will affect how it cuts. I wonder with HF tools if the tolerance is a tight as it should be, leading to the drifting? The drive sprocket needs to match the chain pitch also, but that would cause skipping or chattering more than affecting the cut....
As for sharp - even small amounts of dirt, sand, or any abrasive would affect the sharpness, so that first cut (presumably through the bark and most likely to hide a bit of dirt/sand or something) is most likely to cause at least a bit of dulling...

 

[John Torchick]

Dean, I have a cradle for sawing. In all the years, I never cut on the ground, etc.
BTW, regarding brands...my wife watches the shows that deal with the frozen north in Alaska and other places. Noticed the brand used is Stihl. Out of my budget.

 

[Cary Hulse]

The best saw brand is the one you can readily get parts for. I lean Husky, but that is almost entirely because of the local saw shop where I lived way back when. One day when I was logging for a living, one of my main saws died. The next morning on my way to the job I stopped at the shop (he opened really early) to try to get it fixed. He didn't have the part in stock, so he pulled a brand new one off the shelf, ripped it part and pulled the ignition module out and slapped it in my saw. He didn't even charge me - just said "you go get to work and we'll settle up when you come in next time". I was in there every few weeks to get chain and oil and such. Great guy. And made me a Husky customer for life.

 

[John Torchick]

Question to keep this going: owner's manual only addresses the specs on the saw, nothing for actual sharpening. Specs give the gauge as 0.050. I have three round files left over from other chainsaws. Don't want to use the wrong one. Any way to check for the proper file, other than fitting it? Even at that, there might not be a nickel's difference there. TIA

 

[Cary Hulse]

The correct file (and associated angles) will depend on the pitch and style of the chain in question.

• what brand is the chain?
• what's the pitch?
• what style is the chain? (are there any markings on the chain - often stamped on the drive links - that we can reference to the manufacturer's specs)

For "full size" standard style chain, in my experience, .375 pitch usually requires a 7/32 round file and .325 pitch requires a 3/16 file.
For "low profile" style chain (often is also .375 pitch but totally different geometry) usually requires a smaller 5/32 file, same as 1/4 pitch "micro" chain used on arborist climbing saws.

Unless you are really comfortable with hand filing, best bet is to get a good guide that matches your chain. Hand filing, even by someone really competent, often leads to an undercut tooth that will be "grabby" and not hold an edge well.
None of them are perfect, but of the ones I have used and are still available, the Husky ones are best I think. Not sure if they exist for low profile or "safety" style chains...
https://www.baileysonline.com/husqvarna-combination-swedish-roller-guides-hva-505-69-81p.html

I have the old "file-o-plate" (or something like that) that I have had since college and I love them, but have not been able to find new ones in years.

 

[Tom Rice]

John T
To add to what Cary was mentioning above, home depot has the Oregon brand chains and usually sells a filing kit that has the guide and both the flat raker file and the round cutter file, would be worth trying that before ditching the saw, i have a small milwaukee limbing saw, the blade that comes with it for that saw and the replacements from milwaukee are crap, cut crooked like yours, put a good oregon chain on it and it cut pretty decent, the bar is kinda sloppy, theres play in the groove so suspect that plays into it, going to swap that bar for one off one of my small Echo limbers that i have, i bet that will make an ok saw excellent,

Side note,
Have both milwaukee and makita electric saws, the milwaukee 20” is a beast, excellent saw, the makita, 14” is also a good saw but not quite as powerful, also half the weight though, my milwaukee 14” is ok, for a saw i dont need to pull a cord its ok for small stuff, but cant hold a candle to the small Echo, the Echo is a true one handed saw, light weight and fast cutting, but its a gas motor so theres all the fun that comes with that

 

[Tom Rice]

When chainsawing near the barn I've taken to pressure washing the bark first. Then chainsaw while off the ground.

View attachment 87914

In the shop I use a wire brush on the bark before bandsawing (little stones are bad for bandsaw blades too).

If the bark is is really bad, I remove it, with an axe if I have to. They always do that at the big bandsaw mills but with a machine. Worth a visit for those who haven't. Fortunately there is one not far from us.

Small bandsawmills sometimes use a carbide cutter to remove a groove of bark just in front of the blade. I don't have that so I try to keep the logs out of the dirt.

JKJ

JKJ
When i had my LT30 i had one of their scoring cutters on it, was a small electric motor with a carbide circular blade on it, dont think they even make that anymore, it was helpful, still no substitute for taking a spud bar or debarker mounted on a small saw to the logs, i used the Timber Wolf Cobalt blades a lot too, they were pretty durable in dirty logs, slower cutting but when out in the toolies sawing koa or mango it sped things up from having to de bark everything, was also why i tried to not skid logs that i was going to cut on the band mill, would generally use my small Skytrack and cary them

 

[robo hippy]

I forgot about the loose chain as being a contributor.... Generally, it is not a problem for cutting, but you don't want to see air on the top of the blade as you are cutting. Not tight, not loose, but just right. It may take a while to figure that one out.... Sharpening is an art that any turner should learn. I did find out that the files I had were the wrong size. The saw was not cutting well, at all after a fresh sharpening. Went and found an old file and sharpened again. A world of difference.

robo hippy

 

[Rob Williamson]

OK, got everything set up and Murphy's Law rides again. For some reason the saw starts square and drifts to the left half way through the cut. It's a HF 12V Portland saw. Frustrating to cut a log for turning for cross grain or end grain. Ideas and/or suggestions?

Sounds like the chain is dull on one side. Pretty fussy. Have had the same.e problem.

 

[John Torchick]

Gary, it's an Oregon chain. I have heard it said that Lord looks after the ignorant. I guess I'm a prime example. So...I checked the Portland manual...14 inch. Found the extra chain... Oregon, 14 inch, 0.050, 3/8 Low Profile, 52 links. Now to see about installing it and getting something to sharpen the original chain. Recommendations? This chain would also be for the Poulan saw that I gave my son. Sharpening gizmo would be for both saws. Maybe I should buy a lottery ticket?
Edit: Noticed my reply...it's corded, not 12V. Left off the extra zero.

 

[Kent Reisdorph]

But recently acquired a 14" Milwaukee that uses the M18 batteries. It's amazing. Usually keep it on the floor in the excavator.

I wanted to like it, but at $550 I can't justify it. I'll have to stick with my gas Husqvarna.

 

[Kent Reisdorph]

Also make sure your bar and chain, (and drive sprocket too) are correctly matched. If the bar groove is wider than the chain's gauge it will drift the cut - as can happen with a worn bar, but a mismatch can cause the same kind of condition. Common bar/chain gauges for smaller saws are 0.043", 0.050", and 0.058", so the difference is not huge but definitely will affect how it cuts. I wonder with HF tools if the tolerance is a tight as it should be, leading to the drifting? The drive sprocket needs to match the chain pitch also, but that would cause skipping or chattering more than affecting the cut....
As for sharp - even small amounts of dirt, sand, or any abrasive would affect the sharpness, so that first cut (presumably through the bark and most likely to hide a bit of dirt/sand or something) is most likely to cause at least a bit of dulling...

Great point. I was running the wrong chain on my Husky for a while. I looked up the chain it should use and bought it, but I had forgotten that I put a different bar on the saw. I was using chains from the old bar. It worked... until it didn't. The repair wasn't real expensive, if I recall.

 

[Jamie Straw]

As someone who has had to be frugal with purchases most of my life, I feel qualified to draw some conclusions (based on experience) and make a rather broad statment: cheap mechanical tools (eg., chainsaw vs. handsaw) quite probably cost more money in the long run. Can't tell you, over the years, how many people I've heard about who sold their first lathe, a Harbor Freight, not long after buying it. With regard to chainsaws, these poor beasts take a beating right from the get-go! Once you get past the bottom-of-the-barrel brands, prices vary quite a bit. None are cheap, for sure, but still save $$ in the long run. I've used Stihl gas and eGo electric and own a Husquevarna that I loan for bigger cuts but can't start or heft myself. Stihl gas saws are pretty nice, but their small electrics seem overpriced and my arborist friend is waiting for the bigger electrics to get better. The 18" eGo is great for cross-cutting, could not ask for more, but you can't get a skip-tooth chain for it to rip through the pith. Not sure these are available for any electric saw.

For anyone considering a RyobI saw (or any RyobI tool that's very$$) , I strongly recommend you find out about repair availability. We have several of their yard tools, and were happy with them, so I splurged on a mower a few years ago. When it didn't start one spring, sad discovery that NOBODY repairs them anywhere near Seattle (huh!?!). One of our Woodshop members turns out to be a former approved RyobI repair guy and he said all others in our general area withdrew because the whole situation was just bad.

If I were to take a flier on a less expensive electric tool, it would be GreenWorks. Same former RyobI guy said that's his go-to. Or buy it at Costco.

 

[John Torchick]

Jamie, Google should turn up service centers. Thanks for sharing those thoughts. However, even though a service center might be close, doesn't mean they are good. Found this to be true about a local car dealer. Heard horror stories about a now defunct dealer- wipe off the oil filter and add oil to bring it up to full, gap old plugs, etc. Charge for service.

 

[Cary Hulse]

Gary, it's an Oregon chain. I have heard it said that Lord looks after the ignorant. I guess I'm a prime example. So...I checked the Portland manual...14 inch. Found the extra chain... Oregon, 14 inch, 0.050, 3/8 Low Profile, 52 links. Now to see about installing it and getting something to sharpen the original chain. Recommendations? This chain would also be for the Poulan saw that I gave my son. Sharpening gizmo would be for both saws. Maybe I should buy a lottery ticket?
Edit: Noticed my reply...it's corded, not 12V. Left off the extra zero.

This is what I'd go with.

Husqvarna Swedish Roller Filing Guide (3/8" Low Profile ) 596284801​

Husqvarna Swedish Roller Filing Guides - HVA 596 28 49 01P

Specially designed file guide by Husqvarna that gives the correct filing angle every time. Exclusive design is easy to use and fits in your pocket. It has been a favorite for chainsaw sharpening for years. - HVA 596 28 49 01P

www.baileysonline.com

Oregon makes, in my opinion, the best bars and chains you can get.
I do prefer Pferd files though.

Pferd Classic Cut Round Chainsaw Files - 15000

Maintain your chainsaw chain like a pro with this top quality German made file. Pferd classic cut round files remove material quickly and efficiently. The aggressive spiral cut tooth pattern of the file is less likely to load up like fine cut files also. Pferd classic cut files leave an even...

www.baileysonline.com

 

[John Torchick]

I have a 5/32 round file from a previous chainsaw. This size was noted in the Oregon package. Thanks for the links.

 

[John K Jordan]

I wanted to like it, but at $550 I can't justify it. I'll have to stick with my gas Husqvarna.

One thing I consider about a chainsaw is how I'll use it. The weight and balance of the 14" Milwaukee battery saw is perfect for me.to use one handed for limbs and such. When needed it will easily cut through a 24" log. I don't fell trees anymore so I don't even use the big Stihl saw - If I can't dig around the roots and drop trees by pushing/pulling I hire someone to take them down and cut them up. (I know a guy who splits and sells firewood and he's happy to take the wood.)

 

[Tom Rice]

One thing I consider about a chainsaw is how I'll use it. The weight and balance of the 14" Milwaukee battery saw is perfect for me.to use one handed for limbs and such. When needed it will easily cut through a 24" log. I don't fell trees anymore so I don't even use the big Stihl saw - If I can't dig around the roots and drop trees by pushing/pulling I hire someone to take them down and cut them up. (I know a guy who splits and sells firewood and he's happy to take the wood.)

Is it one of these?

 

[Tom Rice]

The 20” er is a beast, great saw,


This bigger husky is the real beast, pulls the 54” Granburg like nothin