An email from a friend

[Bad E]

of mine in Michigan. Can anyone help him out here?

My chain saw cuts to the right. When I'm working with a thick log and bearing down with the bottom of the bar, the cut keeps creeping to the right, and sometimes the curve is so severe I can only remove the bar by pulling it straight out, not by raising it up out of the cut. If I cut by bearing up and using the top of the bar, it cuts straight.

I've changed chains and replaced the bar, but it still has the problem. Last winter, when cutting a log that was stuck in some ice, the bar got pinched and I had to remove it by using a crow bar on the log. From then on, it had the right cut problem, and I'm now afraid that the chain pulley may have gotten wrenched in the process of removing the saw from the log.

 

[Lakeside53]

First just look down the bar - you'll see if it's bent. Bad sprocket is unlikely to cause your problem. If the bar groove is badly worn (too wide) the chain can tilt to the side and cut curved.

Usually the problem is a worn bar and chain. Bars need to be ground "true" from time to time so the top rails are square and the same height. if you've been running a bad bar the chain is also likely worn on the bottom of the links. You can grind the bar, but not fix the chain. Both need to be "true" for the bar to cut straight. If the groove is really wide, it can be tightened with a special tool, but often it's time to get a new bar.

This all assume your chain is correctly sharpened, with left and right cutters the same length and the same angles... If not, this will also cause "curved " cutting.


Try a new bar and chain at the same time.

 

[Lawn Masters]

This is also assuming the chain is the same gauge as the bar.

one problem with so very many possible causes.