bar oiler hole clogged?

[motif]

Hi,
After few days of logging my chainsaw started to cut wood with more difficulties, also no oil is dropping as in the beginning although oil tank is full.  Is is possible that that hole which delivers the oil is clogged? How often cleaning is needed usually?
thanks

[Ianab]

Yes the hole in the bar itself often becomes clogged.

When you take the bar off you will see a small hole near the mounting bolts that runs from the side of the bar through to the bottom of the chain groove. Actually there are 2, so you can flip the bar over. Get a piece of thin wire,  compressed air, a thin stick, whatever and clean any compacted sawdust out of that, and any crud that's sitting in the groove itself. I find it's a real problem if I have to cut partly rotted wood as it makes really fine dust that sucks up bar oil like blotting paper and then gets packed into the bar groove.

If it's not that, then we will need to investigate further.

Ian

[motif]

thanks, the chainsaw is new so I don't think so anything else can be,
didn't know that cutting performance depends on chain lubrication,
I thought it was only for the chain durability.
You maybe right with that partially rotten wood, I cut some of it.

BTW, how often chain need to be sharpened? I hope not after week of use...

[Rocky_J]

For many rookie sawmen it could need sharpening as often as after every single cut. ;) But the true answer is "When it's dull."
After 25 years of cutting I can often go 2-3 tanks of fuel before I need to touch up the chain, but other days I can still dull it in one cut.

[Ianab]

Your saw is certainly going to need a sharpening. Depending on what you are cutting, it may need a touch up with a file several times a day.

Best is to get a simple sharpening kit with a round and flat file, a file guide and a depth gauge for the rakers.

With a bit of practice you can just touch up the chain in the field as soon as you notice the saw slowing up. That actually makes the chain last longer as it's only a light touch needed to keep it razor sharp. If you let the chain get really blunt it takes a lot of filing or grinding to get the worn off cutting edge back to clean sharp chrome. Touch it up after a few hours and it's cutting sweet all the time. Only takes 10 mins and it's a good chance to sit down and have a break from cutting.

Other guys will take a couple of spare chains with them, swap them out as needed, then sharpen them all later in the comfort of their workshop.

Takes a bit of practice to learn it, but it's a skill that's well worth learning. Once you are doing it right the chain will cut like new again, and you can keep it that way until the cutters are completely worn away. The experts at sharpening can get their chains cutting better than new!!!

Ian

Edit: like Rocky says, if you decide to excavate some gravel from under a log, then one cut is all it takes. The sparks look pretty for a second, but the chain.. not so good  :D

[John Mc]

After you cut for a while, you'll notice by how the saw is behaving whether the chain needs sharpening. Even if it's still cutting well, I'll at least take a look at the after each tank of gas. I'll touch it up if it needs it, then refill and cut some more. If I'm cutting clean softwood, the chain will last a lot longer than when cutting hardwoods.

A GOL instructor once told me "You don't sharpen a chain because it got dull. You sharpen it to keep it from getting dull." That thought has worked well for me, especially since I tend to use smaller saws than some here on this forum. You really notice it when a 50cc saw starts getting dull, even in medium sized hardwoods.

I was visiting my brother-in-law a few years ago. His chain was so dull you couldn't call them "teeth" any more... he was just gumming the wood to pieces. Next time I visited, I gave him a round file and holder, flat file, and a depth gauge, along with a quick lesson in how to use them. He still raves about what a difference it makes, and he can cut a lot more wood in a day without getting fatigued.

[Al_Smith]

Ya gotsta use that file every so often . 8) Jeeze you can take a stock saw with a sharp chain and out cut a hot saw with a dull chain .If it's blowing fines ,its not sharp .

[motif]

gush, so my new toy requires more attention then my wife    ;D

[OAP]

gush, so my new toy requires more attention then my wife    ;D

Tell her what you paid for it if you want some of the attention ;) ;D

[Skiddah]

Performance is obviously a huge issue when it comes to sharpening the chain, but safety is often overlooked.  A dull chain requires you to force the saw into the cut, bringing up a whole lot of dangerous issues.  Forcing the saw can wear you out, cause kickback, or change your posture into one that's going to lead to a strain or injury.  As was mentioned before, if you sharpen or touch up the chain before it dulls, you avoid a lot of these dangerous situations.  BTW John Mc, I like what your GOL instructor said, that'll stick with me.
In addition to these safety issues, you can really do some damage to your chainsaw by cutting with a dull chain.  Dull chains and poor tension can cause the tip of your guide bar to blow out, $15-20 a tip starts to eat into your profits, especially when coupled with the down time.  You're also putting a higher strain on your engine and holding it at a higher throttle for longer.  Burning more fuel... the list goes on.
When sharpening your chain, I'm quickly drawn back to my safety topic.  Consult your manual on manufacturer's specificiation for both the saw and the chain.  Pay attention to your filing angles.  A guide is your best friend in this case.  I've worked with a lot of old time loggers who refuse to use round file guides and depth gauges because they say, "It takes too long."  Well, I use both a guide and a gague and I can file my saw quicker and more accurately, so I don't think that arguement holds water.  But at the end of the day it's a matter of personal preference.  Find a guide that you're comfortable with using and understanding.  They range from simple and compact, to big and cumbersome. 
When filing always make sure to wear gloves!  The first time you slip off the chain when filing, and believe me you will, you're not going to like bare knuckles or fingers going across the chain.  The most important thing in my opinion, is to use a raker depth gauge.  This sets the depth of the cut, and you're going to want it uniform to make sure you're cutting efficiently and safely.  Improperly set rakers will cause the saw to act sluggish if it's dull in a best case scenario, or kick back and possibly injure you in a worst case scenario.  Taking the time to properly learn how to file, putting it into practice, and takign the time to properly maintain your saw will go a long way to making you an effective woodcutter.