20
CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE
WARNING: Unplug chain saw from
power source before servicing. Severe
injury or death could occur from electri-
cal shock or body contact with moving
chain.
WARNING: Cutting edges on chain
are sharp. Use protective gloves when
handling chain.
SHARPENING SAW CHAIN
Keep chain sharp. Your saw will cut faster and
more safely. A dull chain will cause undue sprock-
et, guide bar, chain, and motor wear. If you must
force chain into wood and cutting creates only saw
dust with few large chips, chain is dull.
Items Needed to Sharpen Chain
Purchase these items from your local dealer, hard-
ware store, or chain saw supplies outlet.
• 5/32" round file
• Depth gauge tool
• File guide
• Vise
• Medium sized flat file
Sharpening Cutters
Use file guide for 30° filing.
1. Adjust chain for proper tension (see Saw Chain
Tension Adjustment, page 11).
2. Clamp guide bar in vise to hold saw steady.
Note: Do not clamp chain.
3.
Press 5/32" round file (attached to file guide)
into groove between top plate and depth gauge
on chain. File guide should rest on both top plate
and depth gauge (see Figure 23). Note: File at
midpoint of guide bar.
4. Hold file guide level. Make sure 30° mark on
file guide is parallel to center of guide bar (see
Figure 23). This will insure that you file cutters
at 30° angle.
5.
File from inside towards outside of cutter
until sharp. Only file in this one
direction (see
Figure 23). Note: Two or three strokes with
file should sharpen cutter.
6.
After each cutter is sharpened, move chain
forward to sharpen next cutter. File all cutters
on one side of chain.
7.
Move to other side of chain and repeat pro-
cess.
Figure 23 - File and File Guide Placement On
Chain
Note: This illustration shows file guide placement and
filing direction for sharpening cutters on left side of
chain.
FILE HOLDER
File
Guide
Filing Direction
5/32" Round
File
30° Guide
Mark
Filing Cutter Depth Gauges
The cutter depth gauge clearance is reduced as
cutters are sharpened. After every second or third
sharpening, reset cutter depth gauges.
1.
Place depth gauge tool (.025") firmly across
top of two cutters. Make sure depth gauge en-
ters slot in depth gauge tool (see Figure 25).
2.
Use medium flat file. File depth ga
uge level with
de
pth gauge tool.
3.
Remove depth gauge tool. With flat file, round
off front corner of cutter depth gauge (see Figure
26).
After several hand filings, have authorized service
center or sharpening service machine sharpen
chain. This will insure even filing.
Figure 24 - Chain Part Locations
Groove
Depth Gauge (left side
of chain)
Top Plate (left
side of chain)
Right Side of Chain
Groove
Depth Gauge (right side
of chain)
Top Plate (right
side of chain)
Figure 25 - Depth Gauge Tool On Chain
Flat File
Depth Gauge Slot
Depth Gauge
Tool
Depth
Gauge
Front Corner
.025"
Figure 26 - Round Off Front Corner Of Depth
Gauge