You might be looking for the answer to the question how tight should a chain be on a saw. You must follow the proper procedures to maximize your chainsaw’s power and safety.
There are many opinions about how to adjust a chainsaw’s chainsaw chain. Two methods are commonly used. The first uses the length of your teeth. The second uses the height or depth of the cut. These tips will help you determine how tight your chain should be when using a chainsaw.
Method 1 – Pull The Rivets Apart
First, you need to be able to pull apart two rivets (the one at the end of your chain and the one immediately to your right) using your naked hands. Then your chain can be adjusted to the correct length. Also, ensure there is enough slack when you move from one link to the next around the bar.
You will notice the chain climbing up the bar if it is too tight. This will cause your bar to show tooth marks. If your cut was too deep (or you were trying to cut too large a branch), you may even notice that the bar has been nicked.
Next time you adjust the chain, make sure there is enough slack to allow two rivets to be removed by hand and one extra link at each end.
Method 2: Gap Approximation
According to the second method, there should be approximately 1/20 cm between the guide bar nose (underside) and the top of the drive links (top side), if tensioners are correctly adjusted.
The 1/20 cm gap in a low-kickback bar is the cut depth. If your bar does not have markings, 1/20 cm will be the cut depth you should aim for when wood cutting.
Take a piece of scrap timber, or any other object, about 30cm long, with a flat surface at both ends. Measure down from the one end using a tape measure, until the tape measures the guide bar nose.
This is the depth you can safely let your saw go into wood while you cut.
Simply adjust the chain tension to ensure that there is a minimum of 1/20 cm between the guide bar nose (top) and the bottom of the drive link (bottom). This will work with all types of chainsaws, except for low-profile or low-kickback models which can be adjusted to length using the previous method.
Your chain may be too tight if your saw vibrates when it is idling, stumbles on starts, rides on the wood being cut, and if your engine stalls while cutting hardwood.
This may be your case. You might need to loosen the chain slightly to correct these problems. But only so that there are not more than two rivets at each link.
How To Maintain Tension Best?
While any of these options will work, sawdust is the best way maintain tension. You can replace your chain if it gets dull. However, if the old one is still working well you can monitor how much tension has been generated to determine if it should be replaced.
If sawdust builds up on the bar from the top, when the engine is at idle speed with no load on the saw, this indicates that the chain is in good condition. Conversely, if dust does not build up during normal usage (on the first cut) then tension should be adjusted.
You should also keep an eye on your drive and bar links: If they begin to show signs wear or discoloration, you will need to replace them before any further cuts are made.
How Tight Should The Chain Be On A Chainsaw?
This would depend on two factors: first, how long your guidebar is without a chains and how deep you plan to cut into hardwood using the same sharpened chain.
Your saw should have a gap of 1/20 cm between the top of the guidebar nose and the underside of the drive links if it is only used for light chores around your yard. A gap of 5/81cm is recommended for professional users who use the saw every day to reduce chattering and kickback when deep cutting.
When viewed from above, a new chain should have approximately 1/20 cm between the guide bar noses and drive links. Tensioners must be correctly adjusted. However, a re-used older chain will have slightly less slack if it has been sharpened.
Different types of chains will require different tensions, depending on the type of saw they’re fitted to. Low profile or low-kickback chains are particularly sensitive so it is a good idea to consult the manufacturer manual before making any adjustments to them.
A broken chain can cause serious injury so it is important to keep your chain in good condition. Sharpening a chain requires expertise and time. If you feel confident enough to do this yourself, regular inspection and critique of your sharpened chains should be part your maintenance program.
It is crucial to know how tight your chain is. It can become too loose and fly off, hitting you on the shin or other areas. This could cause serious injuries that will require medical attention. A guide bar is a piece of metal that you attach to your chainsaw. It will have a symbol representing a screwdriver and an up arrow.
What Do Those Numbers Mean?
If the screwdriver points straight upward, as in number 1, this indicates that the saw is at its most loose setting. To get it to tighten, turn counterclockwise until both numbers line up. It will tell you when the saw is at its tightest setting if they are properly aligned.
A guide bar can be found on your chainsaw to tell you how loose or tight the chain is.
You should not have too much slack in your chain. It could cause it to fly off and hit your body, or even cause your saws motor to stop working altogether. It will not run as efficiently and it will wear out quicker than it should.
You will see an L-shaped symbol and an arrow sticking out of the handle if you don’t have a guidebar (also known as a raker) on your chainsaw. Your chain will be at its most loose setting if the arrow faces forward as in number 1. To make it tighter, you’ll need to rotate clockwise so that both numbers align. When they are properly aligned, it means that the settings have reached their tightest.
If your chain doesn’t run efficiently or becomes too loose after a long period of use, you might have a problem with the chain coming off. If the saw motor is squeaking or squeaking, it could be a sign that there is not enough tension in the chain. Adjust accordingly.
Before you start cutting, make sure to check the chainsaw and then adjust it once you are done. It is possible for the chain to become loose once you begin to work. This means that if the saw is cutting into too much material or you lean on it when it is trying cut, it could cause the chain to come off and strike you.
How Can You Tell If A Chain Is Too Loose Or Tight On A Chainsaw?
Two methods are effective for determining tension.
Push Up On The Drive Link
Pushing up on the drive link approximately halfway between the bar (on most saws) and the sprocket is the easiest and fastest.
Your chain should be tightened if it can be moved more than 1/41 cm. Your chain should be able to move it more than 1/41 cm, but not more than 1/81cm. I would tighten it if you are unable to move it beyond that distance.
Inertia-Type Gauge
An inertia gauge, such as this one, is the second method of checking tension. This works by pulling down on the guidebar and measuring the weight required to accelerate it to a certain speed within a time. Your chain will be looser the faster it moves and the greater acceleration it requires.
This method can give you a tension reading between 13.9 and 72 kg, with all drive links on the saw at 20 C.
After you achieve the right tension, tighten the knob with your chainsaw hand. Then use a wrench to tighten it further. If youre still experiencing problems with loose chain, tighten the knob of your chainsaw by hand and then use a wrench to ensure that it remains at this tension.
Final Verdict
Feeling the chain on your chainsaw is the best way to gauge its tightness. The bar should form a U-shaped shape with the chain, and the U should not sag. Your chain may be too loose if you have more than two fingers between your bar and the quicklink or chain.
If your chain is too tight, (depending on the brand of chainsaw you have this might be as much as two fingers), you can loosen the nuts and move the chain closer to the bar. This will allow the chain to move between the bar’s top and the quick link or the chain. You should also loosen the bar nuts if you plan to cut in cold weather.
