Refuelling the Saw

Petrol - especially petrol vapour - can easily be ignited by a spark or even a hot surface while refuelling the saw. If you're careless, there's a risk of being badly burnt.

Follow the safe procedures:

• Stop the motor.
• Place the saw on clear ground.
• Fill the oil tank first to allow the saw to cool down.
• Take care not to spill fuel on hot motor components.
• Wipe any spilt fuel from the saw.
• Move at least 3 metres away from the fuelling point before restarting.
• Do not smoke while refuelling your saw.
• Do not use glass containers for fuel or oil. Use a properly constructed metal or approved container that does not leak Note: Consult your owner's manual for correct fuel/oil mixtures as serious damage can be caused by incorrect mixes.

Care of Your Chain

In many ways the chain is the most important part of your saw. It is the part that needs the most attention but fortunately maintenance is not too difficult for the average user.

Dangerous Chain Conditions

Any of the following conditions can increase a chain's potential kickback energy or increase the hazards to the operator:

• Incorrect sharpening angles of the chain.
• Excessive or incorrect depth of gauge settings.
• Loose chain tension.
• A dull chain.
• Any alteration to kickback-reducing features.

Four Rules for Chains

There are four basic rules to ensure that your saw chain performs safely and well.

Keep the chain:

• Well oiled;
• Correctly tensioned;
• Sharp, with correct cutter angles; and
• The depth gauge height to the ‘cutter’ is correct.

Let's look a little further at chain maintenance.

Oiling

A constant supply of oil to your saw's guide bar, chain and sprocket is essential to prevent excessive friction wear and damage.

Regularly check that the chain oiling system is working.

Always use chain lubricating oil or other oil recommended by the manufacturer. Never use waste or used oils - these contain impurities that can damage the chain, and the oil mists thrown off the chain can cause health problems.

Tensioning

Loose chain can affect the depth gauge effectiveness and result in greater kickback potential and increased guide bar and sprocket wear. It may also cause the chain to jump off the guide bar.

The chain should be tensioned so that it is touching the whole way around the guide bar. The chain should fit snugly but still be easily pulled forwards from the saw body towards the guide bar tip.

Regularly check chain tension and correct as necessary.

Tension chain before each use. Tension chain often, or at each refuelling.

Never tension your chain right after cutting.

Chain tensioned while hot can cool and shrink, causing tension to be too tight. Let the chain cool first.

Always wear protective gloves.

Follow these steps:

• Turn the engine off.
• Loosen bar-mounting nuts on the side of your saw.

• Adjust tension as follows:

(a) If you have a solid-nose bar

Pull the bar nose up and keep it up as you adjust tension.

Turn your saw's tension adjustment screw until the bottoms of the lowest tie straps and cutters come up and just touch the bottom of the bar rail.

While still holding the nose up, tighten your saw's rear bar-mounting nut first, then tighten the front mounting nut.

(b) If you have a standard sprocket-nose bar

Pull the bar nose up, and keep it up as you adjust tension.

Tension must be tighter on a sprocket-nose bar than on a solid-nose bar. Turn your saw's tension-adjustment screw until the bottoms of the lowest tie straps and cutters come up and solidly contact the bottom of the bar rail. Then add an additional quarter-turn of the adjustment screw.

While still holding the nose up, tighten your saw's rear bar-mounting nut first, then tighten the front mounting nut.

(c) If you have an Intenz™ sprocket-nose bar

Turn the tension-adjust slot until the bottoms of the lowest cutters and tie straps come up and solidly contact the bottom of the bar rail.

Tighten your saw's rear bar-mounting nut first, then tighten the front mounting nut. It is not necessary to hold the nose up when adjusting tension on Intenz™ bars.

Note: When replacing a standard bar with an Intenz™ bar, the saw's adjustment pin must be removed. Contact your dealer if you need help.

Pull the chain by hand along the top of the bar several times, from the engine to the bar's tip. The chain should feel snug but still pull freely.

If you have a sprocket-nose bar, you should now perform the snap test. Grasp the chain along the bottom of the bar, pull down, and let go. Chain should snap back to its original position, solidly contacting the bottom of the bar.

Check tension often during operation, especially during the first half hour. If the chain loosens: stop, let the chain cool, and readjust tension.

Sharpening

When it is sharp, with correct cutter angles maintained, your chain does the work.

If not, you do the work, safe working conditions are reduced and excessive chain wear can result.

Let's look at the parts of a cutter.

The parts of a cutter.

There is a range of angles for cutters, which are illustrated below.

There is a range of angles for cutters.

You should sharpen your chain to the manufacturer's recommendations for your particular chain. The basic tools you need are a round file with handle and a file guide, which you can buy from your chainsaw dealer.

Basic tools are a round file and a file guide.

All cutters should be kept to an equal length and shape for the life of the chain. Use the correct file guide to ensure the file is held at the proper depth and angle. Do not use a file without a handle.

Use the correct file guide to ensure the file is held at the proper depth and angle.

File from the inside out with smooth strokes of the file, using the file guide to maintain the correct angle.

Sharpen cutters on one side of the chain first and repeat for the other side. If cutters are damaged, repair by filing them back to correct shape or replace if necessary. File replaced cutters back to the same length as the rest.

Use the file guide to maintain correct angle.

Depth Gauge Setting

The depth gauge control the thickness of the chip the cutter will remove. Their proper maintenance is essential for good performance and safety.

Basic tools are a flat file and the correct depth gauge tool as recommended by the manufacturer.

Use a flat file and correct depth gauge tool.

Place the depth gauge tool in position and file from the inside of the cutter outwards.

After lowering depth gauges, file off the leading edge and maintain the original shape of the depth gauge.

Check depth gauges after 4-5 sharpenings.

Note: When you have to replace the chain on your saw, replace the sprocket as well.

File from the inside of the cutter outwards.

Maintain original shape of the depth gauge.

Avoiding Health Problems

There are a few health hazards associated with chainsaw use that you should be aware of.

Exhaust Fumes

Exhaust fumes contain carbon monoxide, which can make you feel drowsy and cause you to lose concentration, increasing the risk of an accident.

Hearing Loss

The noise generated by a petrol-driven chainsaw can start to damage your hearing after just a few minutes' use. The longer the exposure, the greater the likelihood you will suffer permanent noise induced hearing loss.

To protect your hearing, make sure you wear Grade 4 earmuffs, as worn by professional loggers.

Carbon monoxide fumes can make you feel drowsy and increase the risk of an accident.

Vibration Disease

This results in “white finger”, which is caused by a reduced flow of blood to the finger extremities. Excessive vibration can increase the likelihood of vibration disease.

Make sure your saw is properly tuned, regularly check the fastness of the antivibration mounts and saw parts, and keep the chain depth gauge settings and chain sharpening to the manufacturer's instructions.

General Saw Maintenance

Finally, keep your saw clean and well maintained. Not only will it be safer to use, it will prolong the saw's life.

Regularly:

• Clean your saw, particularly the air filter cooling inlets, sprocket cover and chain brake mechanism.
• Clean the guide bar groove and oil holes.
• Check the guide bar for straightness, burring and wear of the rails.
• Turn the guide bar regularly to ensure even wear.
• Check the sprocket and chain for wear.
• Check the chain for cracked rivets or side links.
• Check all nuts, bolts and screws for correct tension.
• Ensure that all components are in place.

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