Small filing tip

cory

Tree House enthusiast
Joined
Aug 23, 2008
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You know when you are hand-filing your chain and the proper chain tension for cutting wood is just a tad too loose for good filing tension cuz the tooth can wobble/rock back a bit with each filing stroke? I sometimes engage the chain brake when that happens and it prevents the wobble. Not sure exactly why this works cuz the brake shouldn't make the chain any tighter, afaik.

Anybody else do this? Heck, it's probably common, just new to me.
 
I file loose chain all the time, I just press the side of my index finger against the side of the tooth as I file with the other hand. Done it that way for years, works fine as long as the chain isn't sloppy loose.
 
Ahhh... Gentlemen: Take a little tip from Max Adams (63 year-old timber cutter from Southern Oregon--Willie will laugh at the mere mention of his name).

Leave the chain loose! Then ram a 12" wedge on the under side of the bar, between the bar and chain, with the palm of your hand. Then set the brake. Works like the champ of champs. Cory: try this--I swear you'll never do it the old way again.
 
With all due respect to Mr. Adams, I think the brake applied is an unneeded extra step. A wedge...wtf? :lol:
 
Not on a rocked or messed-up chain Jay. Man seriously, you gotta try it. Specially on the long-bars... it leaves the chain nice and loose to spin by hand around the bar. No more cut fingers! Not that you'd spin it the dumb way anyway. Man, it amazed me when guys spin the chain (by hand) the dumb way! Of course it's gonna cut you fingers every time! :lol::O:whine::cry::roll::|:
 
I thought you were joking, Jed, sorry to be so flippant. It just seems that having to undue the brake and pull out the wedge then do the reverse every time you move the chain, it could give you tennis elbow or something.
 
That's exactly what I thought Butch. Weird thing though: The longer wedges, of course have a more gradual incline, so they actually work better. It's funny, the drivers pull out these long fuzzy little strings of plastic off the wedges (K and N, my personal choice), but that just adds desirable texture to the wedge.

Jay: Can't blame ya in the least for having a good laugh! Here's the thing: try it before you laugh again. I swear you'll never do it the old way again--makes the file depth on the side-plate way more easy to get accurate by feel. No annoying "rocking-back" of the chisel. Gotta try it gentlemen.
 
My buddy tightens the chain before filing. That works, but the you've got to re-adjust, which is a PITA.

I like the idea of jamming it up...
 
Jed, I do the same thing, except since I don't run the long bars, I get away with using a scrench instead of a wedge.

Jerry mentions it somewhere in "Fundamentals", I think.
 
It doesn't take that much to tighten it up a tad then back it back off after you're done .Depends on how you look at it I guess .
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #19
Its just one less thing to do. Even hitting the chain brake seems onerous at times. The scrench is a good idea over the wedge but still more hassle than the brake, it seems to me
 
Are you sure your bar rails are not worn out out? That can cause the chain to lay over too
 
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  • #21
That's a good point but I think the bar is good, it cuts just fine. I don't get much lay over, more rock back of the tooth when filing.
 
Here's another point to ponder .A majority of people file from one side and may hit a number of cutters before advancing the chain .

I on the other hand file from both sides over the top near the engine ,lefty ,righty, lefty .They really isn't much shake rattle and roll with that method .Maybe only two,three cutters then advance the chain .It isn't however a method most are comfortable with .
 
Yah, I've never had an issue with it myself and I've been accused by others of running my chains on the loose side of things.
 
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