Chain jam/snag/stupidity/noob question.

[Adamam]

In weekend warrior mode this morning, I decided to cut some firewood.

 

I have a bunch of small diameter limbs (beech) that I hadn't bothered cutting, but are pretty well seasoned, and thought I should get them out of the way. 3"-5" limbs.

 

All burns the same, right?

 

Anyway, my only functional saw today is a Jonsered 625 (Husky 61) with an 18" bar, in great order. Chain is sharp.

 

Well, it kept getting snagged (don't know the proper term) on the smaller diameter stuff.

 

Put the limb on the saw horse.

 

Saw to WOT.

 

Put saw to wood.

 

Chain immediately sticks/snags in the wood and needs to be worked/sawn back out.

 

I'm saw there's an obvious answer to this, but (being rather daft) I can't see it.

 

The wood is beech, and seasoned.

[swinny]

IS the wood held down properly and securly?

 

Also are the rakers filed to low?

 

Bar need dressing? if burrs...

[Stubby]

In weekend warrior mode this morning, I decided to cut some firewood.

 

I have a bunch of small diameter limbs (beech) that I hadn't bothered cutting, but are pretty well seasoned, and thought I should get them out of the way. 3"-5" limbs.

 

All burns the same, right?

 

Anyway, my only functional saw today is a Jonsered 625 (Husky 61) with an 18" bar, in great order. Chain is sharp.

 

Well, it kept getting snagged (don't know the proper term) on the smaller diameter stuff.

 

Put the limb on the saw horse.

 

Saw to WOT.

 

Put saw to wood.

 

Chain immediately sticks/snags in the wood and needs to be worked/sawn back out.

 

I'm saw there's an obvious answer to this, but (being rather daft) I can't see it.

 

The wood is beech, and seasoned.

 

The kerf is closing on the bar ? try an under cut . look to see where the stresses /levers/principal of moments what ever you want is going to act on the log . If it is supported both ends the kerf ( slot created by you cutting down ) is going to close on the bar . So under cut so the 2 halves fall away . If it is supported one end only over cut and the unsupported end will fall away . Sorry if you know this already .

[Adamam]

The chain and bar have seen almost no use, so it's not them.

 

I wonder if you're right about the wood not being secure enough; it's just in the jaws of a cheapo saw horse.

 

How should one go about cutting wood of this diameter when it's not attached to a tree? I know this is purest noob home-user (me) territory! I haven't encountered this before, but I then I don't often cut stuff so skinny!

 

[Adamam]

The kerf is closing on the bar ? try an under cut . look to see where the stresses /levers/principal of moments what ever you want is going to act on the log . If it is supported both ends the kerf ( slot created by you cutting down ) is going to close on the bar . So under cut so the 2 halves fall away . If it is supported one end only over cut and the unsupported end will fall away . Sorry if you know this already .

 

Thanks!

 

I do know this stuff, but it's very kind of you to answer anyway!

 

 

I'm not talking about pinching, I'm talking about an immediate jam the second the chain hits the wood. The wood isn't long enough (or heavy enough) to pinch the chain.

[GardenKit]

Does the saw normally cut without snagging, or has there been a change to the saw since it last worked ok?

 

Just wondering if you have accidentally fitted a narrow kerf (microlite) chain to a standard bar?

[Rich2484]

Does the clutch work ok on the saw?

[Stubby]

Thanks!

 

I do know this stuff, but it's very kind of you to answer anyway!

 

 

I'm not talking about pinching, I'm talking about an immediate jam the second the chain hits the wood. The wood isn't long enough (or heavy enough) to pinch the chain.

 

Ok Sorry bud . Sounds like a possible chain sharpening thing . Rakers too shallow ? so it digs in and jams ,clearance , gullets need filing out if its been sharpened allot ? ( flanks rubbing ) Just clutching here !

[agg221]

You say 'immediately'. Have a look at how deep the cut is. If it's literally immediately then only the teeth of the chain will be in the wood, in which case individual teeth are biting too deeply, i.e. the rakers are probably too deep.

 

If you're getting further in and the edge of the bar rail is in the wood, it's possible the bar rails are splayed. Can you wobble the chain significantly from side to side in the bar rail? If so, it wants nipping up a bit (or replacing).

 

Alternatively, you can get this if the teeth on one side are significantly different from the ones on the other side. Different either means different length, or one side is dull and the other is sharp. The former is possible on a part worn chain that has always been hand filed - you naturally sharpen one way which tends to take more off one side than the other and unless you have specifically taught yourself to correct this it can mount up (if you've got any calipers then you can check the length of teeth on one side, then compare with the other). The latter can happen when you clip a nail or a stone right on the edge and dull all the working corners. Both are easily fixed with either a file or a grinder.

 

Hope this gives you some ideas to work on.

 

Alec

[Chris Sheppard]

I'm going to agree with rakers being too low or if not, then maybe you're going in too agressively initially and it's snatching, especially as it's a reasonably powerful saw in some small wood.

 

Does it try and pick up/roll the piece of wood?