If the cut always curves to the right

[livemusic]

Over the years, I can't recall using a saw that, if it stopped cutting a straight cut, it began curving to the left. They always curve to the right (looking down from the top). I always buy new chains, mostly Stihl, and either I have sharpened them or a shop sharpens them on one of those grinding wheel commercial sharpeners. You ever had a saw curve to the left? If your chain is getting dull and you put pressure on it, leverage, lean into it, to finish the cut faster, I guess that makes it curve right?

 

[Squareground3691]

Ur bars rails worn to one side unevenly perhaps

 

[Mastermind]

Over the years, I can't recall using a saw that, if it stopped cutting a straight cut, it began curving to the left. They always curve to the right (looking down from the top). I always buy new chains, mostly Stihl, and either I have sharpened them or a shop sharpens them on one of those grinding wheel commercial sharpeners. You ever had a saw curve to the left? If your chain is getting dull and you put pressure on it, leverage, lean into it, to finish the cut faster, I guess that makes it curve right?

Everyone files one side a little better than they file the other side. So, that side gets filed back a bit further than the other....which makes one side take a little bigger bite. The result is a crooked cut.

Measure the teeth with a caliper....and keep them all as close to the same length and angle as possible.

Better still, buy yourself a Husky Roller Guide......

 

[Wolverine]

Start using a progressive depth plate/raker gauge. Like these:

There's one on the Husky roller guides that Randy mentioned:

If you are a Stihl fan boy, they make one too although may not be in US yet:

All you do is lay the plate on the chain like this and file smooth. With these, it matters not if every other tooth is a different size or if all one side is at the wear mark and the other is new, the chain will cut straight (given that your bar rails are true).

WCS makes a mice one too. Check out my "review":
https://firewoodhoardersclub.com/fo...ressive-depth-plate-check-this-one-out.43321/

 

[Nutball]

The weight of the powerhead can torque it to the right.

 

[KS Plainsman]

I've played around a bit with hand filing and grinding my chains with a Tecomec grinder and the only time mine ever curved to the left, was when I ground my chain and the right side got hit harder than the left. When I ground it, I took each side just back far enough to clean up the tooth and ultimately the right side teeth were shorter and the left were longer, so it pulled left. I basically did it, just to see how bad it would curve, if any, because I'm a seeing is believing sort of guy. (Edit: I originally had that backwards as to which teeth were longer and shorter)

I've found when I hand file and use a depth gauge that sets each depth gauge to each cutter, lengths of cutters don't matter as much. Meaning they can be different lengths and it still cuts straight, until it gets down to the end of the life of the chain.

That's the only time I've ever experienced a saw cutting to the left and it was fully self induced.

 

[Ketchup]

I had a bent bar that cut left.

 

[Stump Shot]

A worn out bar groove will let the cutters flop to one side and make a curved cut. Easy fix, replace bar.

And as Mastermind eluded, cutter length is critical with even depth gauges. For better sharpening in the field, figure out your weak side and give an extra stroke or two necessary to keep cutter length relatively even.

Otherwise depth gauges tuned to each individual cutter will let odd length cutters pull evenly. Such tools from the Husqvarna roller guide and the Carlton File-O-Plate for examples will do such work.

 

[redline4]

Seeing there's discussion of the roller file guides, anyone ever had the Husqvarna guide not fit the chain?


Chain in picture is Oregon exl .063 Guage.
It fits fine on my loops of exl in .063.

My dumbazz didn't notice it.
I thought the cutters looked weird..
And it didn't cut worth a crap..
So I had to redo all 72dl of it without the guide.

 

[davidwyby]

I’ve had the roller guide bind on some chains. Just hammered it down on there. It’s aluminum

YMMV

 

[Stump Shot]

Seeing there's discussion of the roller file guides, anyone ever had the Husqvarna guide not fit the chain?
View attachment 350764

Chain in picture is Oregon exl .063 Guage.
It fits fine on my loops of exl in .063.

My dumbazz didn't notice it.
I thought the cutters looked weird..
And it didn't cut worth a crap..
So I had to redo all 72dl of it without the guide.

Dunno if it helps or not, but, Husqvarna does make two different ones...
https://www.hlsproparts.com/product-p/531300081.htm
https://www.hlsproparts.com/product-p/586938502.htm

 

[redline4]

Dunno if it helps or not, but, Husqvarna does make two different ones...
https://www.hlsproparts.com/product-p/531300081.htm
https://www.hlsproparts.com/product-p/586938502.htm

Well, I figger that explains my conundrum then.

 

[Wolverine]

Seeing there's discussion of the roller file guides, anyone ever had the Husqvarna guide not fit the chain?
View attachment 350764

Chain in picture is Oregon exl .063 Guage.
It fits fine on my loops of exl in .063.

My dumbazz didn't notice it.
I thought the cutters looked weird..
And it didn't cut worth a crap..
So I had to redo all 72dl of it without the guide.

Guy over on another forum was having issue so I got my guide out and it fit every chain I had here. Carlton, Stihl RS, and LGX/EXL (.050) no problem. Just tried putting it on a loop 0f 63 and it's tight like yours. Guess just file the slots a little wider.

 

[davidwyby]

#hammertime

 

[Wilhelm]

Seeing there's discussion of the roller file guides, anyone ever had the Husqvarna guide not fit the chain?
View attachment 350764

Chain in picture is Oregon exl .063 Guage.
It fits fine on my loops of exl in .063.

My dumbazz didn't notice it.
I thought the cutters looked weird..
And it didn't cut worth a crap..
So I had to redo all 72dl of it without the guide.

My Husqvarna roller guide didn't fit most of my chains, I had to file the slots wider.

I commented on this in another thread.

 

[qurotro]

My husky roller guide doesn't know make a good gullet. Not much of a sharp hook on the top cuz the file is not under the top plate enough.

 

[davidwyby]

My husky roller guide doesn't know make a good gullet. Not much of a sharp hook on the top cuz the file is not under the top plate enough.

Gets better as the rollers wear. Also, try a 13/64” file.

 

[Philbert]

Seeing there's discussion of the roller file guides, anyone ever had the Husqvarna guide not fit the chain?

I have, and others have commented on different forms. It was designed for certain bars and chains, and will fit others if the slots are filed slightly wider.

I also had to modify one of the depth gauge plates (top image), to fit over some low kick back drive links, on one chain.




Philbert

 

[davidwyby]

@qurotro

 

[qurotro]

@qurotro

View attachment 350871

I should give it another try with smaller files! Thanks for the heads up.