Playing around, first attempt at square filing saw chain.

I am always trying to learn a new skill or learn for myself what works and what doesn't. I have been reading up on square chain filing, and watching a few videos. I have never even seen a square filed chain in real life, just in pictures and videos although I was told one of my local Stihl dealers will make up a loop for me if I want of factory square ground chain.

Anyway, it seems that many people will start with a round filed chain and convert it over. I finally got up the confidence to give it a shot. Unfortunately, no one had one of those double beveled bastard files, locally, which is what everyone seems to be using. The one Stihl dealer that seems to have the best inventory, has only the triangle files for the square cut chains, so I bought one of those to get started and ordered some double beveled files from Bailey's but it will be a little while before I get those, which I think are a lot better.

The triangle file might be fine (has Stihl's name on it) for maintaining the factory square cut chain, but not so good for converting over from a round chain, in my humble opinion. But I decided to give it a try anyway, what the heck!

So, I decided to convert the chain I currently had on my Jonesred 2255. I decided to sacrifice this chain because I didn't think it had much future left anyway, and it has these bent over sheet metal rakers on it anyway, that I didn't figure would continue to work well as I continued to lower them. You can see what I am talking about in the pictures.

For a first try, and handicapped, IMHO, with just the triangle file, I was fairly happy with my first attempt. And it only too me probably 15 to 20 minutes. It's not great, or correct as such, and I have too much beak on the cutters, for sure. I didn't know what to expect when I decided to fire it up. I checked the rakers first and they were about .025 so I decided I was good to go.

It was a little grabby, but not bad, really. It cut probably some faster, then the same chain did before, even when fresh sharpened. And it cut straight. I felled 3 or 4 trees with it, and bucked up some firewood and cut one double stump off really close to the ground, and got it slightly into the dirt, but did not seem to noticeably dull the saw. It's still cutting fine, and I made several cuts after the stump cutting.

I know I have a long ways to go, but I am feeling confident that I can master this square filing thing. One thing I learned if nothing else, is that it don't have to be perfect to still cut pretty good. I can't wait to get a good file or two.

 

I was all over the map on the beak and couldn't get the vertical right with the triangle file, but I held my top plates consistent with guide line on the top. And I held the file pretty consistently on a triple 45 degree. 45 down, 45 back, and tilted under the top plate at a 45, which was per an Iron Horse video on square filing, I watched.

But I didn't get the corners to meet, so I almost always had a fairly pronounced beak, and of course I didn't get decent vertical cuts, but I don't think they really matter that much. However, that's where a good double bevel file comes in. Peferd makes a good double bevel file, I think, which Bailey's sells, but I am afraid they are on back order.

 

The wide side of the file should be under the top plate, and the short side of the file needs to file the side plate. That corner of the file needs to line up with the corner of the tooth where the top and side meet. The side of the tooth should come down nearly vertical. Here’s one of my own pics that might be able to help you.



The Wood Wolverine is proficient at filing square and might be able to offer some assistance via pics or video.

I wouldn’t take too much stock in anything Ironhorse says, and that’s not just my opinion. It’s pretty well known in other circles that he doesn’t know much about what he’s doing.

 

I concur with the sentiments about iron horse.

This is the best video I've found for showing the details of square filing.

 

Lastmohecken
I meant no disrespect to you or what you’ve tried on your chain. I was only trying to make sure you knew how to do it properly so that you could make your own judgment on a correctly filed square chain. I have several 72 driver loops and I would send you one so that you could study it, learn from it, and give it a fair shake on your own

 

huskihl,
No problem, just now getting back on here. Yes, I would like to have a loop to look at. PM me with a cost. Thank you.

 

Ok, I wasn't aware of that, about Ironhorse, although I did notice a thing or two on some other videos of his that I wondered about, some.

 

No cost. I believe I still have your address, I’ll send a loop one day next week

 

On a different site, he unethically traded some modified parts with some Chinese parts and failed to return the good ones with the saw. Several members pooled money together to have it rebuilt correctly again like it was the first time. It leaves a bitter taste in your mouth once you’ve spent money for repairs so a member could receive what he paid for.

 

Yep, that is the result I was after, but didn't have much success at achieving it. I may not have been holding the file at the right angle.

 

Ok, well that's not good.

 

Thank you, very much. I will look forward to receiving it. Thanks for your help.

 

I tried the file route, decided to go with a square grinder. I tried the triangle file but liked the beveled six sided file better. I was alright filing just did not do it enough for proffency. The had file thread on top has a ton of info, as well as OPE.

 

Thats a very good video, Thank you. I see that some people file from the top down like in the video. I have also seen it done from the bottom up. I was trying to do it from the bottom up, but I think top down is probably the way to go, like in the video.

I like those files, but have not found a source for them, yet.

 

I am not ready to take it far enough to get a grinder, but I do want to get proficient with filing.

 

That video was the best I have seen so far on hand filing square ground chain. My next chain will be a lot better. Be glad when I can come up with some better files.

The more I think about it, it's truly amazing how well my first attempt at it cut, in spite of my terrible filing job. I don't know how it would have done in some hard oak, but I cut quite a bit of Red Cedar, some Black Locust, and several cuts of up to about 12" diameter Pig Nut Hickory, and I cut a stump off real close to the ground, but I don't know what it was, but was a hardwood of some kind, might have been Cherry.

At any rate, I am kind of excited. I think I will try another chain, tomorrow, see if I can do a better job. I will go from top down, and see if I can control that corner and side of the chain better.

 

Felt the same when I went down the road.

 

I wish you had made your OP about a week ago . I just gave away an ATOP filing jig . Great tool for learning ,and turns out a fast chain .

 

Just repeating what the others have hit on here. Making the inside corner hit right at the outside corner of the cover is the most important part . Too low with the file ,and the chain will cut ,but won’t last .Too high , ,the chain won’t cut . It’s called side ,and top beak . Work on getting the corners first . The other angles like top plate, and forward lean can be adjust to suit later as you gain experience .

 

Yep, I knew I didn't have the corner correct, I was too low, and had pronounced top beak, I guess you would call it.