The Chainsaw Saws Crooked Reason And What To Do

Using an unsuitable saw headset

Many operators forget that it is not only the chain that has the characteristics, the guide bar also has those critical characteristics. An important characteristic worth remembering is the width of the groove for mounting the chain. On average, a range of widths from 1.1 millimeters to 1.6 millimeters are distinguished.

What happens if you use a chain that has a 1.1mm fit. In this case, you will install the chain on a guide bar, the groove width of which is 1.3 millimeters. When installing, be sure to adjust the chain tension, after which you are unlikely to notice something amiss. But as soon as the chain is loose, the difference in the gap widths will make itself felt. These 0.2 millimeters will not allow the chain to move along the guide bar as evenly as possible, while rotating it will tilt to the side, which will cause the curvature of the cut.

When purchasing a replacement chain, be guided not by the model of the tool and the manufacturer of the power unit, but by its exact characteristics, taking into account the characteristics of the guide bar. Remember, identical models of chainsaws can be fitted with tires with different widths, which means that different chains will be needed.

Not sure how to determine the landing width? It is easy to do it using a vernier caliper.

What to do if the chainsaw goes to the side for this reason, but the tire has not had time to wear out? Replace only the chain. If you ignored the problem for a long time, the guide bar was damaged because of this, you will have to change both. Only the installation of a new set will solve the problem of a crooked cut.

Why does the chainsaw go sideways?

It is worth considering the consequences that you have to face if the chainsaw does not cut well. If you, for example, are engaged in the preparation of wood fuel, then the curves of the finished chocks, due to the uneven surface, will complicate the process of breaking them into logs. If you are laying a log house, then curved bars cut with a saw, which go sideways, cannot be used, since the ends will be sloppy during laying.

But these are not the worst consequences, given the fact that the bus offset leads to:

• Imbalance, which means discomfort when using the saw;
• Decrease in tool performance;
• Increased fuel consumption.

The tire also deteriorates, which cannot but upset especially those who have a premium expensive saw headset, which will have to fork out to replace.

So why the chainsaw saws crookedly, the reason is one or several?

• Saw blade teeth are unevenly sharpened;
• The wrong bus or chain is used (they work badly together);
• Saw head is worn out.

Why does the chainsaw cut crookedly? There is a solution!

Many chainsaw owners know that when working with a tree whose diameter exceeds 30 centimeters, cutting the material is accompanied by a bending of the tire, which seems to be pulled to the side. The problem becomes apparent as the diameter of the barrel increases when operators use the double-cut technique (cutting from the top, then flipping the barrel and making a second cut to finish off the material). If the chainsaw cuts crookedly, the cause must be identified immediately.

Teeth are unevenly sharpened

Let’s consider the first reason. Those powertrain operators who have read the instructions carefully know that the teeth grind at the same distance. And it doesn’t matter which side they are on. Everyone who remembers this rule when sharpening saves himself from problems in the long run, from the problem of uneven cutting of wood material.

As soon as you notice that the saw is being pulled to the side, check the chain teeth. It is highly likely that it is an illiterate sharpening that is the cause of the problem.

Inexperienced chainsaw operators or those who use a file rarely control the length of the teeth. Even the notorious technique of counting movements made when filed a single tooth does not help. Why? Because the chain wears out unevenly, which means that on certain teeth it will take more or less file movements for the sharpening to be of the highest quality (all teeth were even).

How do I fix this problem? Learn to sharpen the chain correctly, do it on time. You need to get in the habit of checking the teeth for wear, and if damage is found, it is recommended to resort to using a special sharpener. You can really get this one yourself. It is these machines that are used in workshops, where for a certain fee the teeth of the tools will be made identical, one to one.

Why is this particular method effective? Because all sharpening will be done on the smallest tooth, the one that has been subject to wear. This ensures that each tooth will end up being the same.

There is, of course, one unpleasant nuance. It is necessary to take into account the fact that you grind on this device even those teeth that have not been damaged, and this leads to a decrease in the resource of the saw headset. To minimize the need for low-wear teeth sharpening, ensure that no metal parts such as nails fall under the chain when working with wood (this happens with old boards).

Saw head is badly worn

Noticed a cut along the curve? It is likely that the saw headset has worn out a lot. How can you be sure that this is the case? A visual inspection is sufficient. Dismount the tire and examine its flatness at the point of contact with the cutting element. Examine this area from the end to be able to closely examine the seat groove. In relation to the groove, assess the condition of both sides of the bar. If the saw is used correctly, wear on both sides will be even. But more often than not, one side is grinded faster, which leads to a crooked cut. Only replacing the worn edge will help to eliminate the defect.

When you have identified the cause of the problem with the curvature of the cut, determined increased wear, diagnose the lubrication system so that after repairs you will not encounter an identical problem. Experienced powertrain service technicians know that if the lubrication mechanism is working properly, the likelihood of (uneven) wear is minimized.

Careful maintenance of the tool, regular checking of the main components of the device, allows you to quickly find a malfunction. And since the nodes are interconnected in a chainsaw, the quick elimination of one problem reduces the chances of others.

Using the wrong chain

It’s no secret that a chainsaw tire, like a chain, has several main characteristics, one of them is the width of the groove for installing the chain. The groove width can have several basic dimensions:

• 1.1 mm;
• 1.3 mm;
• 1.5 mm;
• 1.6 mm.

Imagine that we take a chain with a width of 1.1 and place it on a bar with a 1.3 mm groove. Initially, having pulled it well, we may not notice the differences, but as soon as the tension loosens a little, a gap of 0.2 mm will prevent it from moving evenly along the tire, it will tilt to one side and we will again get crooked sawn material.

Check the width of the chain, you can use a vernier caliper.

To eliminate the malfunction, if the chainsaw tire has not yet suffered much and there is no uneven wear on it, only the chain will need to be replaced. If it already shows wear, a completely new kit must be installed.

The main causes of a crooked chainsaw saw

If the chainsaw starts to cut crookedly during operation, then besides an uneven cut, we get a number of the following negative consequences:

1. The sawman needs to exert physical effort to keep the tool in a straight direction.
2. Fuel consumption increases, which is associated with an increase in the trajectory of the tool passing through the material being cut
3. Increased load on the drive sprocket, which leads to accelerated wear
4. The tire wears out as the load only increases on one side
5. Decreases tool performance
6. Obtaining a cut curve. If the forest is being prepared for the manufacture of boards, then crooked trunks are equated to marriage. If the tree is cut for firewood, then in the end, the curved-sawn log will not be very convenient to chop
7. Discomfort during work the master quickly gets tired when working with a faulty tool

Why can a chainsaw cut trees crookedly? Many people may think that the reason is a malfunctioning chainsaw tire, but in fact, there are four main reasons:

• Incorrect or uneven sharpening of teeth
• Using a chain, bar or sprocket that does not match in pitch
• Saw head wear is often associated with abrasion of one side of the bar
• Untimely tightened chain

How to avoid incorrect sharpening

In order to prevent a curve cutting due to uneven sharpening, you can use a special sharpening machine to straighten the chain from time to time or in case of severe damage. Buy a machine and sharpen it yourself or send it to a workshop for sharpening.

The fact is that the machine during sharpening is adjusted according to the most worn tooth, which has the smallest size among all. After sharpening, all teeth will have the same size, which will be equal to the tooth on which the adjustment was made.

Severe saw blade wear

The tire lasts much longer than the chain. However, this does not mean that you can exploit it forever, and not think about replacing it. Usually the guide changes after 2-3 worn chains. Before replacing the chain saw guide, you need to assess its technical condition. If a Chinese-made tire is installed on the chainsaw, then it can wear out faster than the chain. That is why, if a sawing curve is detected with a chainsaw, it is necessary to diagnose the tire.

Remove and inspect the tire to be sure it is worn out. Usually, wear is manifested by a shortened one of the sides. Sometimes it is extremely difficult to detect this visually, so you need to use a caliper. A difference of a few tenths of a mm indicates that the tire needs to be replaced. There is also an easy way to check rail wear with a square. To do this, the tire is located on a flat surface, and a square must be attached to it from the side. If the top and bottom walls of the guide are in contact with the square, then the part is in good order.

Accelerated tire wear can occur due to a malfunctioning oil pump. If the lubricant is supplied with long interruptions, then friction increases accordingly, which means that the parts wear out faster. If the lubrication mechanism works properly, then this significantly increases the service life of not only the headset, but also the entire tool.

Teeth are unevenly sharpened

If the tool cuts to one side, the first step is to check the chain. The teeth on the tool should not only be sharp, but also correctly sharpened. Correct sharpening is when each tooth is grinded at the same distance as the previous one. This sharpening method eliminates chain imbalance during sawing. The instructions for the tool indicate that each tooth must be ground at the same distance when sharpening. If this requirement is not met, then besides the fact that the chainsaw will be taken to the side, it is possible that the load on the engine will increase.

Why a chainsaw cuts crookedly, and how to quickly solve the problem

Many chainsaw owners know that when working with a tree whose diameter exceeds 30 centimeters, cutting the material is accompanied by a bending of the tire, which seems to be pulled to the side. The problem becomes apparent as the diameter of the barrel increases when operators use the double-cut technique (cutting from the top, then flipping the barrel and making a second cut to finish off the material). If the chainsaw cuts crookedly, the cause must be identified immediately.

Why the chainsaw is being pulled aside

Discomfort during work, a decrease in productivity, an increase in fuel consumption, a curve cut, these are all negative consequences of this phenomenon, and what is the reason?

There are actually only three reasons:

1. Uneven sharpening of teeth;
2. Using a circuit that does not meet the bus parameters or vice versa;
3. Increased wear of the chainsaw saw headset.

Why does the chainsaw cut crooked

Working with a chainsaw, in some cases, you may notice how when cutting a tree trunk with a diameter of more than 30 cm, the tire gradually starts to go sideways. This is especially noticeable when it is necessary to cut large diameter trunks using the double-cut technique, i.E., first saw from above, and then turn over and finish to the end.

Lumps, crookedly sawn off with a chainsaw, have an uneven surface, this causes some discomfort when they are split into logs. And the use of such a chainsaw when laying a log house, for example, for trimming bars, is not at all permissible, since the ends will be uneven.

How to avoid incorrect sharpening

In order to prevent a curve cutting due to uneven sharpening, you can use a special sharpening machine to straighten the chain from time to time or in case of severe damage. Buy a machine and sharpen it yourself or send it to a workshop for sharpening.

The fact is that the machine during sharpening is adjusted according to the most worn tooth, which has the smallest size among all. After sharpening, all teeth will have the same size, which will be equal to the tooth on which the adjustment was made.

Using the wrong chain

It’s no secret that a chainsaw tire, like a chain, has several main characteristics, one of them is the width of the groove for installing the chain. The groove width can have several basic dimensions:

• 1.1 mm;
• 1.3 mm;
• 1.5 mm;
• 1.6 mm.

Imagine that we take a chain with a width of 1.1 and place it on a bar with a 1.3 mm groove. Initially, having pulled it well, we may not notice the differences, but as soon as the tension loosens a little, a gap of 0.2 mm will prevent it from moving evenly along the tire, it will tilt to one side and we will again get crooked sawn material.

Check the width of the chain, you can use a vernier caliper.

To eliminate the malfunction, if the chainsaw tire has not yet suffered much and there is no uneven wear on it, only the chain will need to be replaced. If it already shows wear, a completely new kit must be installed.

Uneven sharpening

According to the instructions for sharpening the chains, the teeth should be grinded at the same distance, and regardless of which side they are located on. Observing this simple requirement, you can protect yourself from the problems associated with the fact that the chainsaw is taken away when cutting.

When sharpening the chain with a file, it is not always possible to control the length of the tooth using the technique of counting the number of movements with a file.

This is due to the fact that the wear of the teeth is uneven, some are more damaged and more movements are required with a file in order to bring them back to normal, which means the size of such teeth will decrease significantly compared to the rest.

Increased wear

If the chainsaw cuts crookedly in an arc, the reason may be excessive wear on the saw headset. You can check by visually inspecting their contacting surfaces. To do this, the tire must be removed from the chainsaw and look at its plane of contact with the chain from the end, placing it at eye level so that the landing groove for the chain is fully visible.

With this inspection, you can visually assess the wear on the left and right side of the tire in relation to the groove. As a rule, the wear of the edges should go evenly, and if one side is worn off more, to eliminate the malfunction, replace the defective one with a new one.

The figure below shows several views, the upper one has the direction of installation of the chain, as indicated by the icon on the tip of the tire and the direction indicator.

Experienced masters of service centers for the repair of chainsaws, if increased wear is detected, they advise to carry out a complete diagnosis of the lubrication system of the saw headset, because with a properly working lubrication system and installing a chain corresponding to the chain of the chainsaw, this phenomenon should not be observed, therefore, the oil supply system can have faults or incorrect adjustment.

If, when working with a chainsaw, you observe a curve cut, the first thing you should pay attention to is the correspondence of the chainsaw chain to its tire. If everything is normal, check the sharpening of the teeth and tire wear, in case of increased wear, check the operation of the lubrication system, since the problem may lie in it. And the main thing to remember is that everything is interconnected in a chainsaw and the use of low-quality oils for lubricating chains can cause premature wear and loss of the chainsaw’s performance.

When the chain is loose and how dangerous it is

Every chainsaw needs to be tensioned regularly. If this rule is not followed, the consequences can be very traumatic. Most sawers know what this is about and how to tighten or tighten the chain correctly. Correct cutting attachment tension when three shanks are fully visible when trying to pull it away from the tire, as shown in the photo below.

If the chain is slack or over-tensioned, the bar will wear. And not only the guide, but also the sprocket, bearing and motor. That is why make it a rule to check the chain tension before using the tool.

Why does the saw cut crooked

Many chainsaw owners know that when working with a tree whose diameter exceeds 30 centimeters, cutting the material is accompanied by a bending of the tire, which seems to be pulled to the side. The problem becomes apparent as the diameter of the barrel increases when operators use the double-cut technique (cutting from the top, then flipping the barrel and making a second cut to finish off the material). If the chainsaw cuts crookedly, the cause must be identified immediately.

Saw head is badly worn

Noticed a cut along the curve? It is likely that the saw headset has worn out a lot. How can you be sure that this is the case? A visual inspection is sufficient. Dismount the tire and examine its flatness at the point of contact with the cutting element. Examine this area from the end to be able to closely examine the seat groove. In relation to the groove, assess the condition of both sides of the bar. If the saw is used correctly, wear on both sides will be even. But more often than not, one side is grinded faster, which leads to a crooked cut. Only replacing the worn edge will help to eliminate the defect.

When you have identified the cause of the problem with the curvature of the cut, determined increased wear, diagnose the lubrication system so that after repairs you will not encounter an identical problem. Experienced powertrain service technicians know that if the lubrication mechanism works correctly, the likelihood of (uneven) wear is minimized.

Careful maintenance of the tool, regular checking of the main components of the device, allows you to quickly find a malfunction. And since the nodes are interconnected in a chainsaw, the quick elimination of one problem reduces the chances of others.

Curved sawing due to uneven sharpening of the teeth

If the tool cuts to one side, the first step is to check the chain. The teeth on the tool should not only be sharp, but also correctly sharpened. Correct sharpening is when each tooth is grinded at the same distance as the previous one. This sharpening method eliminates chain imbalance during sawing. The instructions for the tool indicate that each tooth must be ground at the same distance when sharpening. If this requirement is not met, then besides the fact that the chainsaw will be taken to the side, it is possible that the load on the engine will increase.

If the teeth were sharpened by a beginner, then you should make sure after the work done in the correctness of its implementation. Some sawers rely on a simple rule of thumb to file sharpening in the same amount for each tooth. However, this assumption is not true, as the chain teeth wear unevenly. As a result, it turns out that the sharpening of each tooth leads to the restoration of their sharpness, but not uniform wear. When the saw starts to cut crookedly, you need to check all the teeth on the chainsaw for sharpening and even wear.

To exclude uneven chain wear, you should sharpen the teeth in a timely manner, that is, sharpen with a file every 15-20 hours of operation. Once every 2-3 months (depending on the frequency of use of the tool), sharpen using a special machine.

If you are not sure that you are sharpening the chain teeth correctly, then you should entrust this work to a professional. Although it is costly, it is much more efficient. If you want to learn how to sharpen a chainsaw chain correctly, then this material contains detailed instructions for beginners.

Increased wear

If the chainsaw cuts crookedly in an arc, the reason may be excessive wear on the saw headset. You can check by visually inspecting their contacting surfaces. To do this, the tire must be removed from the chainsaw and look at its plane of contact with the chain from the end, placing it at eye level so that the landing groove for the chain is fully visible.

With this inspection, you can visually assess the wear on the left and right side of the tire in relation to the groove. As a rule, the wear of the edges should go evenly, and if one side is worn off more, to eliminate the malfunction, replace the defective one with a new one.

The figure below shows several views, the upper one has the direction of installation of the chain, as indicated by the icon on the tip of the tire and the direction indicator.

Experienced masters of service centers for the repair of chainsaws, if increased wear is detected, they advise to carry out a complete diagnosis of the lubrication system of the saw headset, because with a properly working lubrication system and installing a chain corresponding to the chain of the chainsaw, this phenomenon should not be observed, therefore, the oil supply system can have faults or incorrect adjustment.

If, when working with a chainsaw, you observe a curve cut, the first thing you should pay attention to is the correspondence of the chainsaw chain to its tire. If everything is normal, check the sharpening of the teeth and tire wear, in case of increased wear, check the operation of the lubrication system, since the problem may lie in it. And the main thing to remember is that everything is interconnected in a chainsaw and the use of low-quality oils for lubricating chains can cause premature wear and loss of the chainsaw’s performance.

If the saw head is incorrectly selected

Often, most sawers simply do not pay attention to the fact that not only the chain has technical characteristics, but also the tire and the drive sprocket with a crown. All these details must correspond to each other in such a technical parameter as a step. Most chainsaws are equipped with a headset with standard pitch parameters equal to 0.325. The tire, chain and drive sprocket, or rather the crown, must have the same pitch. If one of these parts does not meet one standard, then this will lead to accelerated wear of individual parts and the entire tool.

The tire also has such a parameter as the groove width. The value of this value can vary from 1.1 to 1.6 mm, depending on the power of the tool. It is categorically contraindicated to install a tire with a groove width of more than 1.3 mm on a household chainsaw. A standard chain in such a tire will have too much play, which will lead to accelerated wear of both parts.

Never buy an instrument headset if you don’t know or remember the exact measurements. A chain, bar or sprocket like this may be far from suitable for your tool, and as a result, you will need to change all consumables. To find out the width of the tire, you will need to use a caliper or look in the technical description for the tool.