-Help- Getting straight cuts with a chainsaw

I've been getting pretty discouraged lately over the chainsaw and wonder if anybody else goes through this.

Unless its a brand new chain I cant seem to get the bottom of the tiki straight. The bar always seems to go outta line when its a semidull/dull chain. I try using a file to sharpen it but it still never cuts as good.

I've turned a 4ft log into 2ft just trying to get it straight and it drives me crazy.

Only thing I can think of is to get a chainsaw mill, but I've never used one so I'm not sure how well it would work.

Any suggestions would be great, Thank you.

[ Edited by: Jazzy Josh 2011-03-09 07:02 ]

hey bro, not sure why you're having so much difficulty, unless you're being super-picky about a perfectly geometric straight line.

I just lay my logs flat on my front porch deck and try to cut in line with the edge and that seems to work fine. I'm just eye-ballin'em.

Not to sound mean, but learn to sharpen the chain better. You'll never get it as good as a brand new chain, but cutting with a dull chain is only gonna frustrate you.

I eyeball the bottom cut, then stand the tiki on a true flat surface to check it. If it needs some correction (usually!) I use a planer and/or a grinder, because it's just small amounts that need to be removed.

On 2011-03-09 07:01, Jazzy Josh wrote:
I've been getting pretty discouraged lately over the chainsaw and wonder if anybody else goes through this.

Unless its a brand new chain I cant seem to get the bottom of the tiki straight. The bar always seems to go outta line when its a semidull/dull chain. I try using a file to sharpen it but it still never cuts as good.

I've turned a 4ft log into 2ft just trying to get it straight and it drives me crazy.

Only thing I can think of is to get a chainsaw mill, but I've never used one so I'm not sure how well it would work.

Any suggestions would be great, Thank you.

[ Edited by: Jazzy Josh 2011-03-09 07:02 ]

I feel your pain. Flattening the bottom of the log is one of the hardest things for me. I need lessons from 4WD. :wink:

I've tried eyeballing the bottom cut. I've tried setting the log on a flat surface, shim the log so it's straight and them measure an equal distance up all the way around the log. Still I always have trouble getting a decent flat surface. Even with the angle grinder adjustments after. :(

One trick I've used is to hollow out the bottom by 1/2 or 3/4 inch except for a ring around the very edge. Then you don't have as much surface area to try and fix.

A semi dull chain will never cut as good as a sharp one does. A good test to see if your chain is sharp is to check the saw dust. If look like they are shredded then it is definitely sharp. If it comes out looking like powder, then your saw is dull. For palms, the chunks should be bigger than powder = sharp, fine powder = dull.
If edges are "ALL" sharp & still pulling to one side, there are a couple of questions you may have to ask yourself:

Are all the cutting edges equally the same size/length?

Cutting chains do not perform well if the teeth are not all almost equally the same size. When sharpening the cutting edges, you want to make sure that you remove the same amount of material as the previous sharpened edge. That is why I prefer to sharpen the manual way using the round file over using a power tool. In doing so, I can gauge the amount of material removed by counting each stroke filed per tooth and making sure that the next teeth gets the same amount of strokes, give or take a few extras depending on necessity.

Are all the cutting edges equally angled with the bar?

When there is no angled jig or guide used, sometimes people will file one side a certain angle & when they flip the saw to the other side, they file a totally different angle. When they go to cut a large piece of wood, they find that the cut will drift to one side. That's because one side is biting more wood than the other side.

Have you checked your rakers to see if they are higher than the chiseled edge?

The rakers could be cutting the wood more than the cutting edge which is not it's purpose. If so, you may have to file those down with a "SHARP" flat file.
Be sure to protect the cutting edges before filing the raker down so you won't have to sharpen them again. I cover them with my left thumb(not recommended if using a power tool to sharpen) & use that as a guide to keep the file in my right hand on the raker. 2 firm strokes should be efficient but you may need more depending on how high the rakers are(keep filing stroke repetitions the same for all rakers). Don't go too low coz the teeth will dig too deep & you'll just keep jamming the saw. Think of the teeth like tiny wood planers. The rakers are like the straight edge before the knife/blade.

Are you cutting the log properly?

Before cutting any log, especially if it’s on the ground, you’d want to make sure that you have the right stance. The “right stance” to me is a comfortable position throughout the entire cut. If you start in a position that will become uncomfortable later on during the cut, you will either move your body during the cut or force the saw to cut faster by applying more pressure which could turn the cut, bend the bar or worse, injure yourself(I have enough lower back injuries to prove this).
So if the log is lying on the ground, I’ll place my left foot a couple of inches away from the log. Keeping my shoulders parallel to the log & bending my left knee down to about 90 degrees, I’ll go down on my right knee, also a 90 degree angle. My work area is in front of my right half of my body(I’m right handed) & my left thigh gives me the perfect working distance. This lessens the strain on my lower back keeping it straight throughout the entire cut. If you do have to move during the cut, release the throttle and let go of the saw if safe to do so, do what you have to do, then continue with the cut.
When I start cutting a fairly big log, where the diameter is almost as wide or a little more than the length of my bar, I start at the top, cutting about half the depth of my bar's width and then using the dawgs/bucking spikes(the teeth next to the bar, attatched to the body housing)to pivot, I let the front of the bar run all the way till almost to the bottom. NEVER force the saw to cut faster by applying more pressure. Let the saw do it’s thing. By pivoting off the bucking spikes, you can practically hold the throttle handle with one hand and guide the front end down. Then, I’ll pivot off the front end by keeping it in place, & run the back end down my side of the log. When I have leveled the bar, only little remains left to be cut out which I usually do by pulling out the entire bar, roll the log over and from a STANDING position, slide the bar under the existing cut. Throttle a little to get the chain spinning and pull the bar upwards to finish the cut.

Is your bar straight?

If the factors mentioned above are good, the cut should be perfectly straight. If not, then your bar is probably the culprit. I do a few tricks before I toss a bar just to see if I can get a little more use out of them(bars are not cheap).
1st, I’ll try to file down the edges with a flat file like you’d do a knife by holding the file perpendicular to edge & slide down entire length of bar. 4 or 5 long strokes per edge should be good(remember, there are 2 edges to each side). The constant friction of the chain can cause the edges of the bar to flare out a little making the width of the bar wider than the cutting width. Filing those flare outs can get a little more use out of the bar.
2nd, I’ll flip the bar upside down. If the bend or warped side is small & only affects the edge being used then, if you’re lucky, it shouldn’t affect the opposite side. However, if it is badly warped, then you’ll need to get a new bar.

I hope this information helps you in your conquest. If you maintain your power equipment properly, you’ll get more prolong use of them.

I had a little trouble with this as well because I kept looking at the crooked end while making my cut. Looking at the crooked end makes you cut crooked.

This video on drum making shows a good way to get a perfect angle
on the top and bottom of a log. It shows you how to draw the line
so you have a guide to cut by.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jeWi9wcO1s&feature=related

The series has some good general carving tips as well.