Saw Chain
43 Mechanical Timber Harvesting Handbook
Saw Chain Troubleshooting
Most Harvester saw chain problems are caused by:
• Excessive saw chain speed and/or feed force.
• Poor maintenance practices.
• Lack of lubrication or the use of poor quality lubricants.
Here are the things to look for and the associated corrective
actions you should take:
Cuts slow, cuts rough, or won’t hold an edge
Look closely at your saw chain’s cutters and compare them to the
following illustrations.
1. Light abrasive damage on side plates.
Cause: Cutters came in contact with light
abrasive materials.
Symptoms: Very slow cutting
Remedy: File cutters back until all damage
is removed.
2. Severe abrasive damage on side
and/or top-plates.
Cause: Cutters hit or cut material other than
wood, such as rock, dirt, or sand. This type of
damage typically occurs when cutting close
to the ground.
Symptoms: Saw chain won’t cut or cuts
crookedly if the damage is to one side of
saw chain. Possible guide bar rail damage.
Remedy: File cutters back until all damage
is removed.
50˚
3. Too much top-plate filing angle.
Cause: Excessive top-plate angle while filing
or grinding.
Symptoms: Cutting angle is very sharp, but dulls
fast. Cutting action rough and erratic.
Remedy: Resharpen cutters while holding the
file at the correct top-plate filing angle for the
saw chain. Be sure the file guide is stamped
with the saw chain’s correct top-plate angle.
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