Any chainsaw experts/users on here?

[tactcom7]

I have a ryobi (yes not very good I know) petrol saw and it seems to go blunt quite quickly. I use it with plenty of chain oil but after half an hours use it just goes blunt and I end up trying to force it to cut and I end up with a few sparks. I try letting the weight of the saw to do the work etc but i'm on my second chain now in a short space of time :-( any hints or tips or suggestions as to what i'm doing wrong?
Cheers,
Simon.

[454697819]

they do go blunt quite quickly, think about the amount of work each tooth is doing,

are you hitting nails, or mud etc as that wont help.

As for consumption reduction, buy a chain sharpening kit, as they can be re sharpened.

[punyXpress]

If you're having to force it, your effort is 90% blunting the chain further - time to have a breather & fettle it.
What wood are you cutting?

[tactcom7]

Thanks for the replies, it was a stake used to hold up an apple tree and a muddy root stump from a big bush thing.
I've seen the files you can get but wouldn't have a clue how to use it. Perhaps a quick search on you tube would help...

[454697819]

Thanks for the replies, it was a stake used to hold up an apple tree and a muddy root stump from a big bush thing.
I've seen the files you can get but wouldn't have a clue how to use it. Perhaps a quick search on you tube would help...

dampwood is a killer too as it heats the chain up, fresh wood is ok but the dryer the better,

dad & I cut up a stump the other week which took 4 or 5 breaks to re sharpen the chain

[mister c]

As soon as it starts to go blunt, change it. Take your chain to a local hire shop, or mower repair chap, they should have a machine to resharpen it. We charge £4 for a sharpen, but you may find it's a bit more than that at other shops.
You could also invest in a file & guide just to touch up your chain when you start to see it going dull they are only about £3 to buy. They are normally sharpened at 30 degrees.

[tactcom7]

Good advice, I took it to the local mower shop after my sisters neighbour borrowed it and decided to run it dry of oil. The guy took one look at it and laughed n said yeah he's probably knackered your oil pump as well as your chain. Go and buy yourself a decent make etc...
But yes, I think a file will be my next purchase, roll on payday.

[yorkie_chris]

If you're cutting muddy 'orrible sh*t it will blunt it really quickly. You'll probably spend nearly as much time sharpening as cutting, but it's well worth it as there's no point standing there getting the chain hot and not cutting owt.

Chains last ages, worth an occasional trip to a shop with a jig to put the proper angles back on as you can never quite get them by hand.

I refuse to lend chainsaws out to my mates as guaranteed they'll either blunt it or cut their arm off or something, and bone chips are so troublesome to remove from the clutch...

[tactcom7]

That's just the thing, I left it at my sisters in brum and she lent it to the neighbour. It's only when I went to pick it up a few months later and went to use it n found it was blunt, I rang her n she fessed up that he'd borrowed it. The git.
Guess I just didn't realise how often they needed sharpening cos when you're watching Axemen on channel 5 for an hour you never see em sitting round with their files out. Suppose it doesn't make gripping tv...

[-Ralph-]

PM JamesMio

[454697819]

That's just the thing, I left it at my sisters in brum and she lent it to the neighbour. It's only when I went to pick it up a few months later and went to use it n found it was blunt, I rang her n she fessed up that he'd borrowed it. The git.
Guess I just didn't realise how often they needed sharpening cos when you're watching Axemen on channel 5 for an hour you never see em sitting round with their files out. Suppose it doesn't make gripping tv...

thier chains will be in a different league to be honest.. probably made of steak and beefcake with testosterone.. each blades scares the wood out of the tree so the fecker falls down in fear..

[phil24_7]

As mentioned dirt/mud/stones/nails will dull the blade almost instantly, which can be a right pain when you hit it unexpectedly, right at the beginning of the job. Get yourself a second chain, that way, you can replace the dull one straight away and not have to wait for it to be sharpened.

[Dipper]

Make sure the chain is running in the right direction.... never made that mistake myself though :---):---)

[tactcom7]

thier chains will be in a different league to be honest.. probably made of steak and beefcake with testosterone.. each blades scares the wood out of the tree so the fecker falls down in fear..

And they run on maple syrup and grizzly bear blood no doubt.
Phil, if I could afford two chainsaws I wouldn't have got myself a ryobi in the first place! :-)

And yes, the right direction always helps hehe.

[phil24_7]

Not a second chainsaw, a second chain. They shouldn't be too expensive and you can keep one chain sharpened whilst the other is on the machine.

[tactcom7]

Not a second chainsaw, a second chain. They shouldn't be too expensive and you can keep one chain sharpened whilst the other is on the machine.

Ooohh that makes more sense, boy do I feel silly.

[phil24_7]

LOL

[JamesMio]

Now, had this been 6 months ago I'd have posted a nice link to a page on my (former) employers site for just the very thing that would be ideal for you.

However, seeing as they decided to make me redundant, fook'um!

Search online for 'Oregon Powersharp' - they're an excellent system for home users, and works out roughly about the same price as a normal bar, chain and filing kit etc once you add them all up.

Fit the Powersharp bar and chain, cut until blunt, attach sharpening kit to end of bar (whilst still on the saw), run for 4-5 seconds, remove sharpening kit and carry on cutting.

Doesn't get much simpler than that!

[grimey121uk]

I know nothing about chain saws but these guys might be able to help
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFGva6ZS4fU

[tactcom7]

Thanks James, sorry to hear they made you redundant. W@nkers.
But thanks for the tip i'll have a look.
Same goes to you Grimey :-)