Chain Issues.. anyone??

[spencerhenry]

not to beat a dead horse, but just because you think you are sharpening a chain properly, and you learned from a guy that has a good reputation as a logger, still doesnt mean that your chains are sharp. i know alot of people that "know how to file a chain", and their chains cut like ????. some use the wrong file size, put the wrong angles on them, grind off the rakers, etc... i for one know that my chains cut well, but i also know that they could be better. practice practice practice. i run alot of oregon chain when cutting in my log pile. cheap chain for less than clean logs. sometimes i replace the chain before i run out of gas. logs from the side of a road, though they look clean, have dust and grit embedded in the bark. i really notice this with band blades on the mill.

 

[Ruger14]

i agree with nevadawalrus. if you do not lift the bartip when tightening the chain, it will go slack after very little run time. at least with my experience, thats not saying much though.

 

[Dadatwins]

Originally posted by Typhoon
Maybe I am tightening it too much?? I tighten it so that there is NO slack at all. It is pretty tight on the bar. I can pull it around the bar with my hands, but it is tight. Should there be any slack at all on the bottom of the bar? Thanks!!

No there should not be slack at the bottom of the bar. I usually tighten my chain enough so that when I pull up on it mid span I can fit a matchbook cover between drive link and bar. Never tighten a hot chain always let it cool before adjusting. I usually adjust a chain once or twice when new and not much after that.

 

[scottr]

Chain tension

Sedanman says "Remember, NO SAG NO DRAG " .

 

[Typhoon]

Originally posted by spencerhenry
not to beat a dead horse, but just because you think you are sharpening a chain properly, and you learned from a guy that has a good reputation as a logger, still doesnt mean that your chains are sharp. i know alot of people that "know how to file a chain", and their chains cut like ????. some use the wrong file size, put the wrong angles on them, grind off the rakers, etc... i for one know that my chains cut well, but i also know that they could be better. practice practice practice. i run alot of oregon chain when cutting in my log pile. cheap chain for less than clean logs. sometimes i replace the chain before i run out of gas. logs from the side of a road, though they look clean, have dust and grit embedded in the bark. i really notice this with band blades on the mill.

Ok spencerhenry, I appreciate your advice, but the reason that I said that filing is not the problem, is so that posts about filing would stop! I am intelligent enough to realize that no matter how good you are at something, there is always room to improve. We all know this.. So is my technique perfect??? Nope. However, common sense comes into play here.. when my chain starts to dull, and throw smaller chips, I touch it up. After I do, the chain cuts like a brand new one out of the box, and cuts to my expectations. My expectations are that it cuts at least as good as a new one, cuts straight, throws big chips, and pulls through the cut nice and strong. I realize that my chain may not be RAZOR sharp, but believe me, I can tell by the way it performs, that a dull chain is not the problem. So please no more posts about dull chain. On to other possible reasons. Don't mean for this post to sound snappy or anything, but you said it yourself, kinda beating a dead horse.
Peace..

 

[WRW]

Typhoon,
No sag. When you spin the chain forcefully by hand, it should continue after your hand leaves it.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Originally posted by WRW
When you spin the chain forcefully by hand, it should continue after your hand leaves it.

Huh?

 

[WRW]

WHEN YOU SPIN THE CHAIN FORCEFULLY...

 

[MasterBlaster]

Forcefully. Ah, I see. :alien:

 

[Dadatwins]

Originally posted by RockyJSquirrel


I'm not trying to tell you that you're wrong or anything

Who is this guy and how did he post using RJS name?

 

[Qatanlison]

To straighten things out a bit; The part number for the oiler on 346 and 357 are NOT the same as Jokers stated; The oiler on the 357 has a higher capacity making it suiteable for longer bars.


Q

 

[tony marks]

well that somethin i hadnt heard.. altho id heard a few grumblings about the 346 oilers.. im bettin dan is switching to 357 oilers when he ports the 346.now..
course i wont tell nobody our secrete dan. we master saw builders,, got to keep our little secrets.

 

[ricksvar]

Well it's a fact,no matter how SHARP your chain is it will not put more oil on the bar,period.

My suggestions are;

1 Install a shorter bar (less surface area to lube) or,

2 Install a 357 oiler on your 346.Perhaps someone could list the part numbers of the oilers in question.I don't think their the same oilers.

Rock

 

[jokers]

Originally posted by Qatanlison
To straighten things out a bit; The part number for the oiler on 346 and 357 are NOT the same as Jokers stated; The oiler on the 357 has a higher capacity making it suiteable for longer bars.


Q

Just what did you straighten out Ola? You didn`t post anything credible to the contrary, merely your opinion.

I haven`t looked on my Husky service disk that isn`t here, but I had this conversation a week ago with another member here who is also knowledgable, while he was perusing his service disk, and he is the one who made this discovery. This other member has never relayed bum info and I doubt he did this time considering that he was examining the info at his disposal for about 10 minutes during our conversation.

It could always be possible that I am wrong in what I`m posting, regardless of the topic, but in order for anyone to refute what I`ve stated, I think verifiable fact is more relevant than conjecture. Let`s see the facts.

Russ

 

[a_lopa]

oregon chain is rubbish if you cut dead wood with it you will do alot of sharpening i think carlton may be a little better at holding edge than stihl chain but not alot in it,i cant really work out what is your problem with slacking chain ive got bars that are 5 yr+ and are only just needing replacing only because the rails are getting uneven.

 

[glens]

Russ, it's not your fault.  How could anybody devote the proper attention to a computer screen while hanging on your every word?  I'd recommend you correspond via email to reduce the nervous intimidation.

Glen

 

[glens]

Dang, I wasted my inverted 666 post on that, and now my 1000 on this...

 

[jokers]

Originally posted by glens
Russ, it's not your fault.  How could anybody devote the proper attention to a computer screen while hanging on your every word?  I'd recommend you correspond via email to reduce the nervous intimidation.

Glen

LOL. It must be the fear of my good eye and my six shooter with the bent sight that intimidates. I can`t imagine it being anything else.

Russ

 

[Qatanlison]

Jokers,
If my opinion was that the oilers of the two saws wasn't identical, I would have said so. I think I contributed to the other readers with some info that I thought could come in handy.
By "straightening things out" I merely wanted to share my knowledge of the aforementioned saws with the rest of you - Not to make you less of an oracle. And fact-wise I have access to Husky's support-site with all updates, service-bulletines and spare-part diagrams but I suppose I should've said that prior to my answer to get some credability?

The part numbers for the oilers are;
346XP: 537 10 55-01
357XP: 537 10 55-02

Q

 

[Typhoon]

Well guys thanks alot for all of the help. I think I figured it out today. I was running my chain too tight. Maybe this post will help someone else in the future to diagnose loose chain problems. I had my chain so tight that it was producing drag. Well today I went out and cut for 3 hours without the chain sagging once. Before I started, I touched up the chain, and tightened it just enough to pull it up against the bottom of the bar, but not tight. It still pulled around the bar very easily. Seems to have solved the problem. Its funny because I never had that problem for over 3 years of cutting with a Husky 350, but the 346 is slightly different. I am thinking with the higher rpms, the 346 may be producing slightly more heat when the chain is too tight. But who really knows.