Chainsaw Cuts Crooked Curved Cuts. Bar Dressing and repair. Before and After.
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- Опубліковано 7 лют 2025
- Crooked cuts are caused by issues with the bar and/or chain. Bar quality can make a big difference in cut quality and speed. This video shows how to inspect your bar and bring it back to factory cut quality.
0:00 Intro
0:01 Test cuts
2:23 Bar and Chain ID
4:30 Bar Inspection
6:29 Bar Dressing Options
6:52 Belt Sander Method
9:14 After Inspection
11:19 Test Cuts
13:53 Cut Review
14:34 Repair and Dressing Review
This is the third video I've watched in two days where I've learned of a chainsaw tool I never knew existed. My shopping list is growing.
That’s exactly what I was thinking lol
One of the best videos I've seen for dressing a bad bar. Thank you!
Great video. Thanks
Great video. Short, sweet, to the point. No goody music or endless yacking. Helpful info, thanks.
Finally, someone who knows something about bars and chains. +1000 thumbs up!!
You are a clear and concise speaker.
Good information and very well presented.
Thankyou for posting. After 45 years with a saw I learned something very valuable.
Great to hear!
My bar has been cutting crooked for a while now and I've been looking to buy a new bar. This is a great video with lots of great information for a beginner and I'm super thankful for it
My Dad was a timber cutter from the 40's through the early 80's. He could make a chain and bar last a long time, Thank you for the how to. All my best.
I've had those problems many times in the past. Used same fixes as you did. I discovered (the hard way) that this problem vanishes when the chain is kept tight, and you use a quality chain oil. Great video,...cheers from N.E. Ohio.
I often get the scrap bars and chains that our local chainsaw dealer throws out as they just put new bars and chains on customers saws that go in for servicing.
I won't have to buy bars for a long time as ive got heaps of them that still have heaps of life left in them.
But I do buy new bars and chains for all my pro saws as we have some pretty hard wood down under,
The redgum is especially hard and we need to keep the chains sharp just to cut it and they can go blunt pretty quickly if you don't pay attention.
Great video well explained 👏 👍
Hello to all from Australia 🇦🇺
That's a great idea, getting old bars from the shops that replace the customer's worn bar. Does the repair shop actually discard the old ones, instead of repairing them? Wondering how much you would pay them for the used ones. Thanks!
That little plastic Oregon gauge is a work of art. Amazing.
you actually did awesome job showing the gap with the light. after fixed bars , saw on big log sounded ways better as it wasnt struggling anymore. great tutorial😊
Thank you! I don't have experience fixing chain saws and am probably one of the people that hasn't flipped my bar around, or did it once but didn't fully understand why. Your explanation was clear and very helpful!
I always just went around to the other side of the log and finished the cut. Or sometimes we need a circular cut... I have this issue right after hitting a rock. 30 years ago it was just bad maintenance and very frustrating trying to fix it. Years have taught me. Thanks for the guidance and teaching.
After you correct the bar surface you need to check there is sufficient depth still available for the chain to seat properly.
Great video.
Yes, absolutely. That needs to be pointed out, I forgot to do that. One can file down too far over time and the chain will no longer seat or fit the entire drive link in the valley. That will induce a curve cut syndrome.
Well, there’s several things that can cause that your bar is not holding the chain well enough so if you’ve got a chain that is not the right with on the drivers it’ll flip the chain back-and-forth and if there’s a dull side that side will cut slower the sharp side will generally cut faster if your bar is full of junk the drivers can’t go deep enough in the rail in the bar to hold the chain still the condition of the chain, the sharpness, the accuracy of the sharpening, all play into having a straight cut. Also the amount of slop that your chain has right and left stop cutting Let the saw cool down take the bar off, clean the groove out in the bar, put the chain in there and wiggle it right and left and if it moves quite a bit, there’s your problem your bar is wore out or your bar is wider a lot wider than the width of the drivergot the wrong chain on there then more than likely
I've definitely been fighting this problem for awhile. I've never heard of dressing a bar til now, but it makes perfect sense.
@Daniel Nelson I flip my bar all the time, it's still worn in deep and uneven. Why does it cut crooked when the bar is straight and it has a new chain? I run an ms440 and 20" stihl bars.
@Daniel Nelson yeah im thinking I pry been running my last bar or 2 longer than necessary.
@Daniel Nelson .050 on .050 for sure. Got sold some of the heavy gauge chains once and they won't seat in the bar. I cut alot of hardwood, been burning wood my whole life. I'm no logger, but I use a saw more than the average Joe. Use good oil, fresh gas, change my air filter and spark plug most years. I keep my bar oiler cranked up too. I think I just been trying to get more use out of my bars than I should.
@Daniel Nelson I put a new sprocket bearings and flywheel on last year.
Glad I found this. My 029 as similar issues. Tomorrow morning I’ll be doing a bar inspection and verify I have the correct chain. Thanks!
029 is strong
I was having this very issue, today, out cutting a big log. Now I know why! Thanks so much, great video. I'd never even heard of doing this before.
Thank you. I was looking for this video for long time, but it didn't exist.
Thanks for this. I mostly figured it out for myself (with just a file), but your clear illustration and instruction really make it plain. And I never heard of a bar dressing tool, much less to keep up on bar maintenance like you do a chain. Well done.
I WAS CUTTING UP SOME FIREWOOD AND I HAPPENED TO NOTICE IT WAS CUTTING UNEVEN. 😅I REMOVED THE BURRS ON EACH SIDE OF THE BAR PUT THE CHAIN BACK ON AND STILL HAD THE SAME RESULTS. I TOOK IT TO A BE REALIGNED .THE MAN SAID THE BAR WAS DONE WITH FOR. I BOUGHT A NEW ONE TOOK IT HOME AND INSTALLED IT ON THE UNIT. FIRED IT UP AND STARTED CUTTING ONCE AGAIN AND IT WAS CUTTING PERFECT. SO.DONT BE WHAT IS CALLED TRYING TO MAKE IT CUT TO QUICK.
I'm only a couple of years into chainsaws and am trying to learn whatever I can whenever I can and this video edified me in something I did not know. Great video!
Nice straight forward video explanation. Thank you for taking time to film, edit and post this video.
Thanks kind sir.
Yeah great video
your the only one I've seen to address "the bar" I had to learn this on my own decades ago
because I had saws that cut real good archs..... I did it with hand files and it cured the problem
Emphasis on the bar, and the bar only. Thanks for the comment.
On a serious note: solid advise! On the humorous side, I was getting notes of the famous UA-camr, Ichiban Moto, throughout this video. When I spotted the moped in the background I was having problems convincing myself that you are not Ichiban Moto. I sorely miss Ichiban Moto!
Wow, I actually have this problem. Had no idea where to start. Thanks for the video.
Had this problem bad this morning. First use after winter. I remember struggling to cut before i out it away.
Switched chains and it now works perfectly so it isn't the bar - just my sharpening technique.
It won't be long before it cuts crooked again. One side of the guide will be thinner than the other and it will wear out more. When i was young i tried this too, and after a lot of time wasted i knew it is better to get a new bar.
WoW.
I'm really impressed by your craftmanship !
Did not know this phenomenon of curved cuts causef by an uneven baredge...
Many thanks & season greetings 🎄 from 🇳🇱
Great video! I've had similar issues after nicking a few teeth on a rock. What I found that works (don't know why, but it does) is sharpening the chain, and then doing an extra pass on the teeth that are on the side that the saw's cut curves toward. Curve left, double sharpen left side cutters.
Good vid. Old boss 66 used to cut sideways all over the place really. Made sure chain was good raker gauge. Was the bar. Chain was just leanin everywhere. Was bar wasenent bent. But the grove was so worn chain sloppin around. Thanx good vid. New bar we were kickin arse.
Great vid, you could build a platform with locking casters for your sander so you don’t have to crouch. Thanks for sharing all the great info. 👍👍
I could definitely hear the difference on the 24". Great video! I have the Stihl 261C and it came with the 18" 0.063/.325" bar and chain and last fall I upgraded to the 20" 0.63/3/8" bar and chain. big difference it cutting. Happy I upgraded the bar and chain. Thanks for the knowledge!
Some of the best chain saw info that i have seen yet! Thanx Gorge,
Thanks! I wasn't sure what was happening. I figured I was causing the curve but couldn't cut straight no matter how I tried. I'll have to give this a shot
Very good discussion/information. Thank you. Never noticed this as an issue with my smaller saws (under 18") but got A stihl MS660 with 32" bar a few years ago and am buggered if it will cut straight in big timber. Relpaced chain a few times without much effect. Will need to investigate the bar for sure now. Many thanks
Very informative video , I’ve learned something new today 👍🏻👍🏻.
I really enjoyed the video. It chimes with what I figured out myself using a belt sander clamped to my workbench. And a set square. Time to get a bar dresser though… Thanks from Portugal
Really helpful thanks, I have a old 28" bar that has never cut well and was relegated to the back of the workshop.
Confusing as my sharpening was consistent after watching this and some significant file work I have now corrected it.
Never seen a bar dresser tool, always used a flat file. Thanks for this video
Very nice and informative to those that wish to undertake bar dressing. It's fun doing your own maintenance, Proper maintenance makes efficiency!
Happy holiday!
good info, i have an almost new Oregon bar and chain that is doing this, i made sure left and right cutting teeth were same length but still cuts off,,, i have watched many 'fancy' channels for an answer and never really got one. i will now go check what you just taught me. Thanks!!
Terrific practical perspective on bar repair.
How did I miss your channel until now?
Subscribed!
DOUG out
Thanks Doug. I'm new on here. Not very popular yet, still kind of a ...
Thanks for the great info.. Ive heard of dressing the bar but never looked into it.. Ive got a few bars that can cut the moonholes in an outhouse.. Good stuff brother..👍👍
As a second generation logger you did a really good job explaining and showing things. The bar is overlooked to often.
Thanks for a Great Video. Next time I struggle with crooked cuts, I'll be checking the bar (as well as the chain).
Great advice🎉🎉🎉. And a curved bar puts a lot of pressure on sprockets. Bearings. Crank.
Brilliant explanation. Used to do tree lopping and removal. My employees could never understand why the saws were jamming when they hadn't been flipping the bars and checking the chain guides. Spent so much time doing all that filing by hand. Didn't have the belt sander or hones available easily back then. Only thing I didn't see you do is lightly file the bar edge to remove any burrs from the honing. (perhaps your hone has an extra side hone to do that.)
Great explanation and demonstration. I’m going to check my bar and do some maintenance. Thanks for sharing. Greetings from Maine.
Absolutely excellent explanation and demonstration..!!! This was never explained to me when I trained many years ago...!!!
Great video! I loved how you demonstrated the importance of keeping the bar and chain in good shape. The way you explained the gauge measurements was super helpful-it's fascinating how a little maintenance can make such a big difference in cutting performance. Has anyone else tried the roller tool you mentioned for bar repair? I'm curious if it really works as well as you described!
Nice work showing how to manage a chain saw bar!
🪓 MATE, love your attention to detail 🥇
I use a similar grinder but I use the disk wheel with a super fine grade paper (can’t recall what it is 😬). The shop didn’t have a fine grade for the belt at the time. Having one of these grinders actually makes dressing the bar a pleasure 🎉💥 I didn’t know anything about how to check the gauges etc but with Australian hard wood we go though chains ⛓️ pretty darn quick. And hey, I even liked your country drawl… reminded me of Little House On Through Prairie‼️ Hope to see you in the sky one day 🙏 😉
Best video I’ve seen on this! Helps me tremendously. Mine was cuttin crookeder than a dogs hind leg. Low tide at Harbor Freight! Lol
The San Fransisco chainsaw haha, love it
Great video and guided info. Thanks. Been sawing wood and my own timber for many years. Never stop learning
I like how you drop the bar and chain into the ground on your test cuts.
So I can make a chain grinder video on sharping next week.
@@gorgeoutdoors of course. I should have realized that.
Silly me.
@@gorgeoutdoors A mater borrowed his father-in-law's saw and after a while, wondered why it would no longer cut wood. He'd been cutting the ground with it at the end of each cut.
There is something to be said for letting the tool do the work but you have to pay attention with chainsaw regardless. I cut slabs freehand and the bar can do a lot of the aligning work for you. Don't forget the perpendicular line on the side of the saw, that is pretty useful as well.
Most all of this can be visually inspected and fixed by hand easily in the field once you know what your doing. Thanks for the video.
The visual inspection is a valuable tool.
Thank you for taking the time to make the video .very educational and helpful
Very helpful. I have the same problem. Now I know how to fix the issue. Try to dress the bar first and then, maybe get a new bar. Thanks!
If your bar is in bad shape, you won't make much worse!!! Try dressing with anything if you just need the saw to get a job done.
Before getting a decent belt sander with a good fence, I used my table saw with a large fine grit stone wheel that fit the arbor. Also, like you did, got to confirm the table was square to the stone. Be very gentle doing that however. Still required a dressing tool. Nice work and video.
A table saw would be a good flat surface. I bet that would spin a stone wheel fast as hell.
@@gorgeoutdoors It does and I did the same one time on my old Shop Smith set up as a table saw. I don't know how safe that is to spin a stone so fast though so now I just use the belt sander. take care!
Great presentation. Straight to the point.
Its best to change the chain too after such a big bar dressing job. The link sides that touch the rails are most likely worn out unevenly too, so it might create problems/more uneven wear now that the bar si flush on both sides.
That's interesting. I'm going through the comments trying to identify what might be causing a problem with 1 chain. Always gives me grief and can't seem to figure out why. Either side wear or rakers
Good video, covers everything. The chain is making nice big chips. One comment, the picture of the drive sprocket - looks pretty worn? Maybe it's the camera angle? Also, you can check for wear on the nose sprocket by holding it vertical and letting the chain rest on the sprocket teeth - they should hold the chain up off the bar tip.
I liked to take the rakers down a little past spec. No better feeling than a sharp chain and letting the saw fall through your cut. It's a lot less wear and tear on the saw when you're not trying to force it to cut. I used to use compressed air to clean out the bar groove, grease the sprocket on the end of the bar, flip the bar over regularly, take the clutch cover off after every use and use. compressed air to blow out saw dust, remove air filter and blow that off with compressed air. I pay close attention to keep teeth on each side of the chain the same length, as well as having the right tension on the chain and tightening as necessary. Chains stretch. Doing all this takes some frustration out of using my saw.
Amazing video, I don't have much experience with a chainsaw, but it's great to know for when I'm at the hunt camp.
Great video dude. Very helpful and a money saver.
Quick field fix if you get in a pinch. Find the flattest, hardest surface and carefully pound the bar while taking care not to hit the chain drive slot or roller tip. Using a sledgehammer top surface works great. This method has gotten me through on site bent bar problems many times.
Thank you for helping me with this problem- I was totally mystified.
One trick to see if the bar rails are true, is to stand the bar up on its edge on the kitchen table. It will only balance when true, and fall down to the low side when it still needs grinding. They usually last a good ten years, but once they start to cut crooked, the wear increases faster.
Also many people don't know there are oil ports in bar groove which get clogged .
Must be cleaned with small wire .
They get oil from larger holes by bar bolt adjustment area .
Thank you for sharing your expertise. Knowledge not shown in the owners manuals.
The geese approve! I never knew why mine cut crooked. I assumed I didn't sharpen evenly.
Very helpful tips. I will properly dress my 16", 20" 24" 30" and 32" bars....
Very good explains a problem with one of the saws....never thought about the bar, just chain,
Really great video! Thanks for sharing this! 🔥💯👍
Thats a nice Vidja on bar maintenance. I the past I used to "Just Buy a New Bar", now I dress them, for extended life. I dont have the right tool as U do, but I touch them up with a bench grinder. Its a little crude, but with OK results.
The little hand dresser is available on amazon. It's a nice follow up after the bench grinder.
I have brand new Stihl 32 bar and new in box 3/8 skip tooth chain on 461 cuts crazy crooked. All chain and bar combos cut great. Gotta investigate this
Good job squaring the bar up! But I don't think I want to run my fingers over the edges of the bar because the sharpened edges can possibly cut your finger? But I would do it carefully if I were to do that? And I guess, those are pretty good grinders for squaring the bars up with? I usually will have to replace my chainsaw bars? I think I will look into getting a grinder like that? Thanks for the tip
Learnt something new today. Thanks for that .
Thanks for the video; my machinist background will fit in nicely truing up my chainsaw bars
You are a Pro! Evan more than that! Respekt!
This is great information I could have used years ago. Thank you. Is the bar wear uneven due to poor bar oiling?
Really great video I’ve never seen this procedure before or the tools you used during the fix.
G'eat video. This film should be attached to user's manual when you buy any new chain saw. Thank You so much.
Ive had this happen to me. My problem was that I did a horrible job "touching up" the chain. I had an unevenly sharpened chain. I started sharpening the opposite cutters and little by little i got the chain cutting straight again. Most experience is learned after making mistakes.
Mine is cutting at ab45 degree angle😂😂 But I got it free. Just tried it when a huge branch blew down in the back yard.
Well I just learned why my saw sucks right now! thank you.
excellent demonstration, thankyou.
This helped me bro.. i got a lot of gear to take care of and this helps bigtime. Thank you
Anything that can grind, sand, or file AND stay square will help. Keep it moving and stay square. Results will be noticeable.
@@gorgeoutdoors i have a few 880 bars that are super sloppy... the groove is too big. So i look into buying a few new ones. Omg expensive. How much and where can i find that tool that you showed in your vid that squeezes the bar gap back closed? Its worth a try for me to try to fix it...
Found one 40$shipped from forester. Pretty sweet looking setup...I Need this!!! 47 inch 880 duramatic bar= 400ish$$at least. Worth a try to either fix mine or at least maintain tolerances on a new one.... we whoop saws asses in hardwood over here in Illinois!!💪
Mine ended up being my chain was sharpened at different angle 1 side to the other. More than 1 person uses it so not sure if it was me or others but something to watch in future. I've also had a worn bar too that caused crooked cuts.
Thanks. Great info. You are a legend to us cheap S.O.B's.
Great!Lots of detailed information.Thanks!
from the factory my 3/8. 50guage echo bar wasn't flat. I had to dress it some. so yeah be aware even brand new bars can have issues
I definitely got something from this guy
Thank you for sharing 👍
New to chainsaws. Thank you!
Thanks this was well presented and concise
Excellent tutorial! Thanks!
Thanks for video, I've been focusing on length of teeth to no avail, I'm gonna attack the bar like you did, I'm sure thats the problem, thanks