Hey guys new to the forum, thought I'd throw a question out there. Have a echo cs370 16" bar that has recently been eating chains rather quickly! I've changed bar out and made sure chain wasn't hitting anything abnormal. Any suggestions would be appreciated!
Welcome to the Forestry Forum.
Tell us more about what is specific about your "dull" chain.
Meaning the teeth are becoming dull after they are sharpened?
Cannot tell from your description just what might be causing a problem.
Ya teeth dull to point it won't cut . When it was new I could cut up a whole tree before sharpening now it's like I start breaking a sweat and have to quit to sharpen?
Then I don't understand why you changed the bar out.
But sounds like you are trying to cut something other than wood. Like letting the tip run down in the dirt. Dulls the teeth very fast.
Tell us a bit about what you are cutting (logs, railroad ties, etc.? ) and how you sharpen the chain.
Changed bar to c if it was the problem. Im cutting mostly oak on my place. Some trees I'm cutting I couldn't tell Ya what they are? Sorry not up to par on my trees. Thanks
Oh and use electric sharpener I picked up at atwoods. Think it's Oregon brand.
Ok. Some good pics of the teeth after sharpening will help.
Or take the chain to a dealer for them to critique the sharpening job should help you too.
And never let the chain near dirt, be it in the bark or on the ground.
I'm sure ive hit some dirt in my 2 yrs of ownership but I make a serious effort not to!
Considering switching dealers since you've Been more helpful than them in trying to figure out problem. They kinda shrug shoulders and don't say much?
This is not a joke, i seen a guy doing this at a wood cutting bee. He was sawing away like a madman, the end of his bar was in the ground. I got him stopped and told him the end of his bar was in the ground. He told me that it didn't matter, he wasn't using that end. :o ::)
Haha!
I think your grinding a little to deep, when you start cutting the cutter edge folds under
Or you've got the cutter to hot and took the temper out of the cutters.
Ok thanks for info. Would there be any other explanation for a new chain and new bar to dull quickly? Throwing plenty of oil, Wasn't in dirt? Kinda at a loss I guess.
If the drags are too tall, it will act sorta like a dull chain. If you have plenty of rpm but the saw wont cut, take a flat file and hit each drag two light passes. If you are stalling in the cut and bogging down, thats a dull chain.
Ok thanks for info!
If we could see a picture of a cutter, we'll tell you whats wrong
plus 1, get some good pics up here. we can help you file better, i am like 48, i bet you have the wrong angles going on there.
Sounds good I'll send pics tonight after work.
Ok I'm getting an error on pic I'm trying to post? Tried last few days and haven't had any luck. Guess chainsaw isn't only thing I can't fix! Ha
I agree with lumberjack48, with an electric grinder, you can take too much off and not at the right place. If the tooth edge is too thin, it will not last. Gets dull quickly.
It is easy to go too deep when using an electric sharpener, unless you have the kind that has a guide to set the depth. (I'm assuming what you are using looks more or less like a dremel tool, which may or may not have a guide on it).
Electric sharpeners can also overheat a chain in a heartbeat, if you are not careful. once that happens, the teeth can either get hard and brittle, or soft, depending on the alloy of steel, and how hot you got it.
I'd suggest starting with a new chain, and hand-file (with a filing guide) and see how that works for you. If you see a significant difference in chain life, you may need to brush up on electric sharpener technique.
Is that like when the tire is only flat on the bottom
Assuming by "drags" "depth gauges" were being referred to a bit back, please do NOT just randomly file them down some. Tools for doing this precisely to .025" with oregon guide, or to whatever depth you want with Granberg "File-N-Joint" are so cheap/simple/precise.
When filing, keep ~1/5 of the file diameter above the top of the teeth. That'll give you durable cutters.
Your chain also may have arrived annealed (soft). This happened with an Oregon 3/8" LP chain I received on a PP4218 factory refurb. Cutting clean red oak, it needed sharpening at each fillup. New (also Oregon) chain, no mo problem- quich touch with file every other fillup, and cuts like razors. Oldie is now stumper.