Overheating / warping a bar

Snag · March 21, 2006, 01:20:12 PM

I have run chainsaws for quite awhile, but certainly not an everday thing. Everything I know about them has been self taught, so my knowledge on some of it is limited to say the least. I have a husky rancher 55 that I was cutting some firewood with. Was working great. Good bar, sharp chain, life was good. Then, sparks. I hit something. I looked at the chain and some of the cutters had the leading point slightly damaged and and the top of the cutter worn down in that area. Being in a hurry, I filed out the worst of it (still took about 10-15 minutes) and went back to work. Seemed ok, but not the greatest. Then it stopped cutting so nice and as soon as I noticed it getting hot I stopped. I let it cool off and went back to filing. Got the cutters back to normal and filed down the rakers. Cut great on real small stuff but not so great on 10"+. It acts like the bar is bent or warped. On the bottom of the bar that is an area about 1/4" high and about 8" long that is kinda black. Would that indicate the bar overheating? Would heating up for a brief moment like that warp the bar? I know I need to check the bar, but was just curious about dull chains, bar heat and warping.... Thanks.

Minnesota_boy · March 21, 2006, 02:47:10 PM

If the cutters are longer on one side than the other, or they are sharper on one side than the other, the saw will want to cut circles. It takes quite a bit to warp the bar. Check your filing job or put on a new chain and see it it doesn't cut straight again.

Snag · March 21, 2006, 04:59:24 PM

I was hoping it take more than that. Like I said, I hadnt checked the bar yet, but was curious about smokin' a bar. I'll put the chain in the grinder and do a better job. :

Thanks alot.

Rocky_J · March 21, 2006, 05:42:06 PM

You can never have too much oil on the chain. Semi-dull chain will generate more friction (heat) than a new sharp chain. Oil helps reduce friction and heat. If you're generating more heat then a little more oil will help keep the bar from getting too hot. Turn your oiler up all the way. It won't hurt a sharp chain either.

barbender · March 22, 2006, 07:36:14 AM

If you have an area on your bar that is black (like it got really hot) you may have kinked your bar or your rails might of got pinched in, either one would cause your chain to rub and get the bar hot.

Snag · March 22, 2006, 06:42:16 PM

Without trying to sound like a complete idiot.... what is the best way to check that out barbender? Straight edge and a caliper? smiley_dunce

Captain · March 22, 2006, 08:57:30 PM

http://www.majestystables.com/cgi-bin/store/cp-app.cgi?usr=51F8220102&rnd=2152963&rrc=N&affl=&cip=70.19.219.90&act=&aff=&pg=prod&ref=qcgbgc&cat=sawbar&catstr=HOME:chainsaw:sawbar

One of these....

Captain

snowman · March 23, 2006, 09:22:52 AM

Barbenders right, must of pinched your bar. Quick fix is cut a groove in a stump, remove your bar and lay it in there, take your saw wrench and put screwdriver in pinched part and carefully wack the wrench end with falling axe, work your way down the burned part. Its a gippo logger bailing wire and string fix but it works. I highly recomend the Bailys bar closer tool though for reg maintainance, be careful though our youll squeeze the bar to tight and end up doing the above procedure entire length of your bar, i learned that the hard way.

barbender · March 23, 2006, 12:47:12 PM

If it is pinched or kinked you should be able to see it by sighting down the length of the bar. Another way to find a bad spot is to take one of your drive links, the part that rides in the groove of the bar, and slide it in the groove to see if it catches anywhere. If it does, you can maybe put a wide flat screwdriver in the groove and twist it to spread the rails, I've had to do that before. Why do you think I call myself Barbender? :D I've never bent one so bad that I couldn't straighten it out, bang it with a hammer or whatever to make it work again though

My buddy runs a Ponsse, they really bend those bars up once in a while- I think they are about $150 apiece, so they straighten quite a few of those out

Blubber-AWD · March 24, 2006, 09:31:43 AM

Have a look under

www.oregonchain.com

You will find there the Maintenance and Safety Manual as a PDF download. You will find a lot of hints and of good advice on such topics.