# Chain saw cutting crooked after flipping bar



## JD420 (Jan 13, 2011)

Was cutting some firewood and saw was cutting straight and fine, and got to thinking that I hadn't turned the bar over in a while. When I did, the chain would bind as soon as I got it in the wood the full depth of the bar. It wanted to veer to the left. So I took bar off and put a square over top of bar and noticed that one edge (of groove in bar) was higher than the other. I ground it and still had same problem---I am thinking that I didn't grind it enough so that both sides of bar are the same height. (didn't want to over grind it) Questions I have are. Why does one edge of bar wear more than the other edge?? And it was the top side of the bar that wore uneven and the bottom side (cutting side) was ok, how can that be?? Why isn't it uneven all the way around?? Thanks for any input!!


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*here's what I do...*

Every so often I will use a vertical belt sander to "dress" the edge of my bars. I hold them at 90 degrees, the long way, not across and that refreshes the two bar plates.
You could also use a mill file and draw file it. Then use a wet or oil stone to clean it up.

If your saw cuts right or left after dressing the bar, I would certainly suspect the chain. Replace it and see how that works, OR sharpen it and see how that works.


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## ETWW (Mar 27, 2011)

In my experience, having the chain sharper on one side than the other is what results in an angled cut.


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## hwebb99 (Nov 27, 2012)

There could be a burr on the bar or chain could be sharper on one side.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

I used to have a lot of problem with a bar doing that. Then I got to looking at the chains I had. I kept using them and sharpening them and when they stretched out too much had links removed kept using them. The chains were just developing excessive wear on the cutting links as well as the drive links. Even on a new bar the drive link was thin enough to allow the chain to wobble which caused more wear on the bar than it should. I started throwing the chains away when they needed a link removed and the bars started lasting a lot longer.


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## hwebb99 (Nov 27, 2012)

I can buy a new woodland pro chain for $10. I can't sharpen a chain as good as new. I save the resharpened chains for cutting small stuff, but I use a new chain for big stuff.


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## JD420 (Jan 13, 2011)

Thanks for all the info. After more inspection (thanks to your advice I had more things to look for) of bar and chain, there was two issues. One issue was that the one bar rail had worn lower than the other rail, but only on one side (top) of the bar. (don't know why just the top side) That is why it cut ok before I flipped it over. The other issue was that the drive links on this chain have narrowed, allowing the chain to tip from side to side and coupled with the bar rails not being straight across on the one side it multiplied the problem when I flipped the bar. I am very careful when cutting wood not to get the chain in the dirt--so when I sharpen, it takes just minimal strokes to sharpen chain. I get maximum use of chain by being careful not to get it in dirt. I suspect that instead of wearing a chain out by sharpening the teeth beyond use, I am wearing out the drive links first. I use bar and chain oil and have the saw (there is adjustment on this saw) set for maximum bar oil output. However I do need to be more diligent in making sure that the oil hole in bar is clean so I am getting the full amount of oil in groove of bar.


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