Chainsaw Parts Advice provides you adive on buying chainsaw parts. Especially when you have decided which make model and size chainsaw best meets your needs you will be happy to know that chainsaws of modern day require very little maintenance or replacement parts. Always refer to your owners manual for the proper replacement chainsaw parts for your particular chainsaw.
There are various types of chainsaws and while some chainsaw parts are interchangable, others are manufacture specific or even model specific.
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I will go through a few of the most common chainsaw parts that wear and need replacing in probable order of wearing out. These are easily replaced by the average person, are readily available and should be thought of as basic general maintenance similar to those of an automobile.
The chainsaw bar and chainsaw chain will require the most maintenance (cleaning and sharpening ) and will probably wear out and need replacing first as they are the business end of your chainsaw, kind of like the brakes and tires on your car.
Clutch and drive sprocket will likely be next on the list primarily the drive sprocket as a worn drive sprocket will cause the cutting chain drive links to wear prematurely.
Most chainsaw parts you will ever need for your chainsaw should be readily available from your local dealer. You should also be able to purchase all maintenance tools such as round and flat files, file guides, depth gauges, and grinding wheels.
Oregon and Stihl are the top two suppliers of chainsaw bars and chainsaw chain which also should be available through your local dealer. Most chainsaw parts are common and if they are not in stock they can usually be ordered in within a few days.
Your local dealer's prices will probably be fairly high so if you want to save money another option would be to go through a wholesale outlet.
For safe and efficient operation of your saw the chainsaw chain should be kept sharp and regularly inspected for broken or cracked parts. A dull chain can cause premature wear from excessive heat build up. The heat can cause your chainsaw bar to loose its tempering and the saw chain to stretch or break. A chain that is filed incorrectly can also cause uneven wear of the bar rails. Always consult your owners manual for the correct filing and sharpening details for your particular chainsaw chain and that the bar and chain are correctly matched as well as the sprocket.
Chainsaw bars on your saws should be inspected regularly for damage. Uneven wear of the bar rails (where the chain rides) from heat or improper filing. Check nose tip sprocket (if equipped) is wheeling free and anchoring rivets are tight. The bar groove should be kept clean and free of debris. The oil holes at the tail should always be clear to allow for proper lubrication. After about ten hours of operation the bar should be flipped over to keep the wear even. This will result in the chainsaw bars lasting a lot longer. Always consult your owners manual to make sure your bar, chain and sprocket are correctly matched
You can use a special grinder to sharpen chainsaw chain, this grinder is called a chainsaw sharpener. It is similar to a mitre saw except smaller, and is equipped with a grinding wheel instead of a cutting blade. It has adjustments allowing you to set a variety top plate angles , side plate angles and grinding depths. The chain must be clean of any oil or debris that could contaminate the grinding wheel. Chain grinders can cause serious injuries so always consult your owners manual for safe operation and proper safety equipment to be worn.
If your chainsaw starts to cut crooked and or cuts very slow it most likely has come into contact with something that has damaged the cutters like a rock. If the chips coming off as you cut are not nice and big and more like sawdust it will be time to sharpen your chain.
For this you will need a round file and a file guide both matched to the manufacturers specifications for the chainsaw chain you are using. The file guide fits over the chain with the cutter exposed and a slot at the proper angle to file through making it easier to keep the proper angle. Usually about 25 degrees as the most common and up to 35 degrees for more specialized uses. The file guide will also keep approx 1/5 or 20% of the round files diameter above the cutters top plate.
If your chainsaw chain is not cutting properly but the cutters look and feel sharp you will probably need to file a bit off the rakers which are just in front of the cutting edge and keep the cutters from taking to much wood .
The rakers over time will end up sticking up too high as the tooth gets filed down and back. A quick check to see how sharp your chainsaw chain is would be to lightly brush the top of your fingernail across the point of the cutter and if it cuts into the nail a little it is sharp.