# Grind and renew your chainsaw bar at home-Free.



## trappermike (Jun 23, 2011)

The guide bar is one of the most important and neglected parts on a chain saw.
The groove and the "Rails" of the bar will wear with time,to the point where the chainsaw will not cut straight anymore,or will cut sharply to one side and the bind,and just not cut anymore. Often these cutting problems are blamed on the chain,but once the bar is worn enough no amount of clever chain sharpening will make the saw cut properly again.
The bar should be "Ground" routinely,the saw will cut much better and you can get much more life out of the bar.
You can grind your bars yourself,it's quite easy,all you need is a tablesaw(You or one of your buddies must have one) and a metal grinding disc. The disc you can purchase from a hardware store for under $10 and it will last for years. Get a "Metal Cutting Disc",mine is 7"dia. x 1/8" thick,with a 5/8" hole. Be sure to pick the same hole size as the blades your tablesaw uses.
Mount the disc securely on your tablesaw,then check with a square that the blade is exactly at 90 degrees on the table,use the angle adjuster on the tablesaw to make it so.
Wear goggles or a facesheild,and leather gloves,turn the saw on and pass your bar along the disc,try to do the grinding on the middle of the disc,not the outside or inside edge.DO NOT push hard while passing the bar along the disc,you could burst the wheel and possibly injure yourself.Start your grinding near whhere the tip meets the bar and push the bar steadily along going right to the other end of the bar. Grind until you see a nice new square edges on the rails down the length of the bar.You will see immediately the most worn areas of the bar and work those until they are square like new again. At the end of the bar near the tip,just gently blend the bar to the tip,try not to grind much metal away from the tip itself. ONLY remove as much metal as neccesary to true the bar again. 
Warning- There could be a wicked long metal sliver along the sides of the bar at the end,be sure to carefully remove these with a few gentle swipes of a file.
Clean the bar groove out completely with a tool and some compressed air.Grease the tip well now.
Now the bar will cut like new again and you'll save a lot of money.


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## nmurph (Jun 23, 2011)

Yep....that trick has been mentioned several times bf.


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## 046 (Jun 23, 2011)

after you grind the bar, which also can be done by draw filing bar. 
next up is check if groove needs to be tighten up. 

take a brand new chain that matches size embossed on bar. what ever that size may be
.058, .063, .050 etc 

then check for bar to chain tolerance, which should be tight with little slop. 
if your bar is worn enough to need refinishing, odds are groove is worn too. 

Chain Saw Bar Rail Closer are available from all the major chainsaw parts suppliers.


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## dingeryote (Jun 23, 2011)

OUTFRIGGINSTANDING!!!!!
Excellent treatise on doing things yourself!!!
Good warning on the wire edge too!!

Stay safe!
Dingeyote


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## bobt (Jun 23, 2011)

dingeryote said:


> OUTFRIGGINSTANDING!!!!!
> Excellent treatise on doing things yourself!!!
> Good warning on the wire edge too!!
> 
> ...


 
Agreed!!!!


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## tbone75 (Jun 23, 2011)

Thanks for sharing!Very good info!I have always used the draw file method on mine.I like your idea better!


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## Mad Professor (Jun 23, 2011)

I do about the same thing but with a vertical belt sander. Besides the tip, the other high wear spot is near the power head, blend wear into square in this area too.

There will be marks on the bar after grinding, finish these out by careful draw filing w/bar clamped in a vise. Lightly bevel inner/outer bar edges after draw filing

And yes, draw filing the bar will keep it getting way out of true in the first place.

P.S. Do the newbies/ non-metal workers know what draw filing is???


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## Terry Syd (Jun 24, 2011)

Nope, how about explaining it and what kind of file to use.


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## Oldsawnut (Jun 24, 2011)

Yea professor I use a table/disc sander... Much safer. I know they make the bar tool with the file in it to really stupid proof it too

Bailey's - Pferd Universal Edge Sharpener


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## 67 Mustang (Jun 24, 2011)

Great tip! This type of info bears repeating occasionally for the new guys as well as a reminder to all. :msp_thumbup:


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## promac850 (Jun 24, 2011)

Please explain draw filing, I am interested... What file to use?


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## jakedesnake048 (Jun 24, 2011)

Terry Syd said:


> Nope, how about explaining it and what kind of file to use.


 










here is a knife i'm making - draw filing. also fyi, i was told that the tang of the file should be on the left, not the right in this scenario to avoid excess scratches. don't know how true, but something to note

draw filing is essentially pulling or drawing the file parallel to what you are filing. as opposed to pushing it across perpendicular. it is an easier way to avoid angling unintentionally.

as far as type of file, i would suggest a normal bastard milling file that you can pick up at any hardware store. you probably have a few already laying around!


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## Cantdog (Jun 24, 2011)

Very good tip for DIYers and good of you mention the "wire edge" that's left. I realize not everyone has acess to this type of machine...but I use a fairly large machine called an edge sander that is an important part of my cabinet shop. This is a large belt sander and takes a 6" X 105" sanding belt. It has a flat cast iron table that is 40" long and runs at 90 degrees to the running, occillating belt, so you are actually "ripping" along the length of the bar as you follow the arc in the edges, as opposed to "crosscutting" as with a disc or vertical belt. I dissconnect my dust collection and have a "special" (worn) belt for this work. It does an excellent job and very quickly, usually less than 5 min on a really worn bar. Grinds it perfectly square and easy to follow the contour or change it. Then as the OP said, file away the sharp wire edge and if necessary I too, use a rail closer as 046 mentioned.

While we are on bar repair, site member Roncoinc, told me how he straightens a bent bar....so I gave it a try on the really bent bar off a Jonsereds I got from him LOL!! Anyway this worked really good but does require a fine touch and patience. So I'm going to pass along how I did it but the credit goes to Ron..remember that if you hurt your self!!!LOL!! First you need a hydraulic wood splitter, mine is tractor mounted, vertically and the wedge is on the ram so that made the job a bit easier. I cut three pieces of 2X2 pressured treated about 6-8" long and supporting the bar between two of the blocks and using the third crossways to the splitting edge of the wedge slowly pressed the bend out of the bar. It took about 20 mins of trying and checking with a straight edge to get it perfect but it came out excellent, threw it on the edge sander afterwards and it's just like new. This too, can save you quite a few bucks and most folks who have saws either own or have acess to a wood splitter.

DO NOT TRY THIS WITH A "SUPER SPLIT"!!!!!!!!!!! Hydraulic only!!!!


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## Rudedog (Jun 24, 2011)

Oldsawnut said:


> Yea professor I use a table/disc sander... Much safer. I know they make the bar tool with the file in it to really stupid proof it too
> 
> Bailey's - Pferd Universal Edge Sharpener


 
I bought that on a recommendation from BlueRidgeMark. I think it works pretty well. I'm not as handy as some of you with shop tools and this is idiot proof.


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## TK (Jun 24, 2011)

Assuming you have some sort of stop and/or manual procedure for the tip rails as the table saw would probably take off the rivets holding the sprocket in place if you pass the entire bar through? Most rivets stick out a hair and are not flush with the bar rails. Unless that isn't important. I've always been careful not to hit them with a file. If I don't have to worry about that then life just got a little easier :biggrinbounce2:


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## nmurph (Jun 24, 2011)

67 Mustang said:


> Great tip! This type of info bears repeating occasionally for the new guys as well as a reminder to all. :msp_thumbup:


 
Yep, I see Heiman mention it with regularity.


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## fearofpavement (Jun 24, 2011)

TK POWER said:


> Assuming you have some sort of stop and/or manual procedure for the tip rails as the table saw would probably take off the rivets holding the sprocket in place if you pass the entire bar through? Most rivets stick out a hair and are not flush with the bar rails. Unless that isn't important. I've always been careful not to hit them with a file. If I don't have to worry about that then life just got a little easier :biggrinbounce2:


 
TK, I think you misunderstood. The orientation of the bar is lying flat on the saw's table top and the edge with the chain groove in it is what is getting ground.


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## Bubbles Up (Jun 24, 2011)

I use on similar to the link below,mine came from the ski shop. Works like a hot diggity dog!
Bailey's - Pferd Universal Edge Sharpener


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## Mad Professor (Jun 24, 2011)

Post 12 covered draw filing pretty well (nice start on the knife!, post a pic when it is done, what kind of steel?).

You want a nice sharp file and a sturdy vice to hold the bar. Realize there is some skill involved in getting the rail at 90 degrees to the flat of the bar, you can check things with a square.

With the vertical belt sander or sanding disc on a table saw, the rails are dead on 90 degrees. This is the way to go with a bar that has been abused........


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## trappermike (Jun 24, 2011)

In a workshop that $10 metal cutting disc on a tablesaw made me hundreds of dollars grinding and servicing bars.


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## Modifiedmark (Jun 24, 2011)

trappermike said:


> The guide bar is one of the most important and neglected parts on a chain saw.
> The groove and the "Rails" of the bar will wear with time,to the point where the chainsaw will not cut straight anymore,or will cut sharply to one side and the bind,and just not cut anymore. Often these cutting problems are blamed on the chain,but once the bar is worn enough no amount of clever chain sharpening will make the saw cut properly again.
> The bar should be "Ground" routinely,the saw will cut much better and you can get much more life out of the bar.
> You can grind your bars yourself,it's quite easy,all you need is a tablesaw(You or one of your buddies must have one) and a metal grinding disc. The disc you can purchase from a hardware store for under $10 and it will last for years. Get a "Metal Cutting Disc",mine is 7"dia. x 1/8" thick,with a 5/8" hole. Be sure to pick the same hole size as the blades your tablesaw uses.
> ...


 
Been doing that for some time now with a garage sale portable table saw, but your risking trouble and getting hurt with a 1/8" cutting disk. There not made for grinding on the side and can shatter sooner or later. You need a 1/4" "grinding" disk to do it safely. 

Be careful.


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## Oldsawnut (Jun 25, 2011)

> Been doing that for some time now with a garage sale portable table saw, but your risking trouble and getting hurt with a 1/8" cutting disk. There not made for grinding on the side and can shatter sooner or later. You need a 1/4" "grinding" disk to do it safely.
> 
> Be careful.




Good tip mark I am used to the thiner ones on my partner k700 ... If you buy the cheap ones they flex and shatter even if you take it easy... I pretty much use the expensive ones now they seem to hold up a lot better but still need to use a lot of caution... I have often wondered if I could put my 60t wood blade on it and have some fun... Or just buy a 14" demo blade...


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## trappermike (Jun 25, 2011)

Good point. I have an 1/8" thick disc because it's what I could find in a small town,and I know not to push on it hard,and used them for years. Yes a thicker one is better,I've even thought of having a solid steel disc behind it for real strength.
After all these discs were designed to cut with the edge,not the side, but if you operate with safety in mind I'm ok.
I once ground a special 8 foot bar for a hydraulically powered saw for a pulp mill on one of those discs,the bar was heavy and awkward,I needed a helper to do it!


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## Johny Utah (Jun 25, 2011)

jakedesnake048 said:


> here is a knife i'm making - draw filing. also fyi, i was told that the tang of the file should be on the left, not the right in this scenario to avoid excess scratches. don't know how true, but something to note
> 
> draw filing is essentially pulling or drawing the file parallel to what you are filing. as opposed to pushing it across perpendicular. it is an easier way to avoid angling unintentionally.
> 
> as far as type of file, i would suggest a normal bastard milling file that you can pick up at any hardware store. you probably have a few already laying around!



A mill or lathe file is good but it must be a double cut file. This means you have file groves criss crossing each other so the file will cut on the forward and backstroke evenly while draw filling. I prefer to use a sharpening stone to draw file because it is almost completely square and gives you a larger surface area to stone and keep your angles 90 degrees perpendicular to the groove in the bar preventing rounding over edges and stoning the bar out of true. If you have a lot of material to remove I suggest using some stoning oil which allows the stone to cut more aggressive then when it's dry. Filling is an art and can remove to much material very quickly. You can also use a marker or some bluing die to find the high spots on the bar where more material must be removed to square it up. My tool making background has shown me all these tricks. Just wanted to pass them along.


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## 046 (Jun 25, 2011)

a belt sander will do nicely... but a high quality file like a Nichols will do the job with some elbow grease. file should be medium fine like mill bastard. 

fancy equipment is really nice, but not everyone has access to motorized tools. either due to costs or simply a lack of space. 

all you really need to refurbish a bar back to new performance is a file, sturdy vise, flat screwdriver and a bar closer. assuming most everyone has basic tools. the only tool one needs to purchased is bar closer for $30. got my Silvey bar closer from Madsens. 

after you draw file bar, being careful not to slice your hand. don't stop filing until the entire bar has no further low spots. if there's a hot spot on bar, then you've got a pinched bar. take a flat blade screwdriver, then hammer across slot for entire length of bar. repeat several times until groove is uniform. don't worry about getting slot too big... you can easily tighten groove up with bar closer. 

note bar groove on end of bar next to bar studs, will never be worn. you always got a spot on bar that will stay in factory unworn condition. 

check often with a new chain for correct tightness. true test if you got everything correct, including a drive sprocket that too worn. after final assembly with a new chain. tighten chain to max tension and still turn freely. spin chain using a screw driver to avoid cutting yourself. chain should rotate without tight spots. chain should be uniform for entire rotation.

Silvery bar closer






Mill Bastard file, which is between coarse and fine


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## husq2100 (Jun 25, 2011)

just remember cutting discs are for CUTTING and grinding discs for GRINDING....cutting discs should only be used on the cutting edge, not the large flat face......grinding discs are used for this purpose....yes many tradesmen have used cutting discs for grinding, but some have been bitten...


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## tdi-rick (Jun 25, 2011)

Just remember to be bloody careful using the disc on a table saw.

A mate who has the local saw repair shop has a bar refurbisher which has a a similar setup and he refuses to use it anymore after exploding a few discs re-cutting grooves


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## tdi-rick (Jun 25, 2011)

Bubbles Up said:


> I use on similar to the link below,mine came from the ski shop. Works like a hot diggity dog!
> Bailey's - Pferd Universal Edge Sharpener



Yep, the ski ones are identical, I think they came first AFAIK.

I have an Oregon one (Vallorbe) that lives in the saw tool box, even though I have stacks of files, just makes it quick and easy.


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## flushcut (Jun 25, 2011)

Oldsawnut said:


> Yea professor I use a table/disc sander... Much safer. I know they make the bar tool with the file in it to really stupid proof it too
> 
> Bailey's - Pferd Universal Edge Sharpener


 
I have been using that Pferd file thingy for several years and works very well. You just need to use it on a somewhat regular basis so the rails don't get too far out of whack, it just makes using it easier.


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## AlaskanMillWinch4Life (Oct 28, 2017)

Made and account just to thank you for posting this trick. Always used the draw filing technique before. On 56” milling bar this method will be far more efficient.


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## chipper1 (Oct 28, 2017)

AlaskanMillWinch4Life said:


> Made and account just to thank you for posting this trick. Always used the draw filing technique before. On 56” milling bar this method will be far more efficient.


That's awesome sir.
Welcome to the forum,
Brett


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## president (Oct 28, 2017)

I use a cheap tile cutting saw the has a diamond cutting blade 
and feed it in to the side of the blade as you would the table saw
method .The blades are cheep and if you lay the bar on edge you
will eliminate the wire edge or peened over lip that forms on the 
edges


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## Stihl 041S (Oct 28, 2017)

Johny Utah said:


> A mill or lathe file is good but it must be a double cut file. This means you have file groves criss crossing each other so the file will cut on the forward and backstroke evenly while draw filling. I prefer to use a sharpening stone to draw file because it is almost completely square and gives you a larger surface area to stone and keep your angles 90 degrees perpendicular to the groove in the bar preventing rounding over edges and stoning the bar out of true. If you have a lot of material to remove I suggest using some stoning oil which allows the stone to cut more aggressive then when it's dry. Filling is an art and can remove to much material very quickly. You can also use a marker or some bluing die to find the high spots on the bar where more material must be removed to square it up. My tool making background has shown me all these tricks. Just wanted to pass them along.


Total poop.......a single cut file is what you want. 
And a double cut file file is NOT made to file in both directions. 

What a load.......must be watching Titan the "Machinist" on YouTube


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## L34 (Oct 28, 2017)

Dad's bar edger and my bar closer.Made with 2 066 crank bearings.
Cheers,Chris.


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## Westboastfaller (Oct 28, 2017)

Witch craft


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## Stihl 041S (Oct 29, 2017)

L34 said:


> Dad's bar edger and my bar closer.Made with 2 066 crank bearings.
> Cheers,Chris.View attachment 609452
> View attachment 609453
> View attachment 609454


Stylin'.......nice work.


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## Modifiedmark (Oct 29, 2017)

L34 said:


> Dad's bar edger and my bar closer.Made with 2 066 crank bearings.
> Cheers,Chris.View attachment 609452
> View attachment 609453
> View attachment 609454



This right here is what I was talking about earlier. That grinder setup is a accident waiting to happen. Look at the reinforcements on the face of that disc, it was not made to grind on the face and sooner or later could explode. 

Believe me, I don't like seeing or being the safety police around here, but I have seen these things used incorrectly with bad results and you don't want to be around it when one of those disc's comes apart at high speed.


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## Moto Vita (Oct 29, 2017)

Stihl 041S said:


> Total poop.......a single cut file is what you want.
> And a double cut file file is NOT made to file in both directions.
> 
> What a load.......must be watching Titan the "Machinist" on YouTube



Why is a single cut preferred? I confess I've never had a good understanding of the different applications for single or double cut files, although I do know that double cut doesn't cut both directions.


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## Stihl 041S (Oct 29, 2017)

Moto Vita said:


> Why is a single cut preferred? I confess I've never had a good understanding of the different applications for single or double cut files, although I do know that double cut doesn't cut both directions.



Single cut file for a smooth surface. It is like a knife. And better control of the file.

A double cut is like teeth. For fast stock Removal. I don't use these on Colts.

There is a double cut with grooves in it that really takes metal off.
If somebody PMs me a phone number or email I'll send pics of one.

Get the bar in a vise straight out from your body. Stand on a cinder block to get a good level of pressure. Experiment till it feels right and you can get good pressure.

Grab both ends of the file perpendicular to the bar. "Draw" it back to you. You get good control. And keep it level. That's the reason you are dressing the bar anyway.

Every once in a while whack the file on the vise to get the chips out. As you get better you will feel when there is a chip in the file.

Well ya got some chips in the file. How to get them out.

Get a 30-06 shell. Magnum is even better. And bigger caliber is better. It's wider cleaning surface. Flatten the open end.

Push it along the grooves at the chips. The brass cuts quickly to fit the teeth and then ride in the gullet. Cleaning is easy now.

Use the whole file. Not just the middle.

If using the table saw method. Grind the teeth off a blade and then get a like maybe 60 grit adhesive backed discs.
Larger grit cuts cooler. Then draw file or put sandpaper over the file and finish "draw" sanding it. And use the sandpaper/file to debut the edge. Or use your Dynafile........


And don't worry about a mirror finish. You want something to hold the oil.....


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## L34 (Oct 29, 2017)

Modifiedmark said:


> This right here is what I was talking about earlier. That grinder setup is a accident waiting to happen. Look at the reinforcements on the face of that disc, it was not made to grind on the face and sooner or later could explode.
> 
> Believe me, I don't like seeing or being the safety police around here, but I have seen these things used incorrectly with bad results and you don't want to be around it when one of those disc's comes apart at high speed.


Point noted Modified.He did use it for cutting also as it has a flat plate on each side of the disc.
Will look into thicker wheel or scatter shield.
Cheers,Chris.


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## L34 (Oct 29, 2017)

Also the motor motor spins very slow com paired to a cut off saw or grinder,but still can explode.
Cheers, Chris.


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## rd35 (Oct 30, 2017)

I just use a handheld belt sander and a bench vise. I use a torpedo level to level the rails as I dress them and, once they are clean and level I make a final pass parallel to the rails which slicks them up. Quick and efficient....and safe. What I want, also, is one of those belt/disc sanders. I wish they made one with a fence that goes along the length of the belt so that I could put the bar against the fence to keep it perpendicular to the belt.


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