My newest old saw

[Big Ben]

Well came across this forum and have had a good read of alot of topics regarding the cutting down of trees and such like. I live in the south west of France and although not a newcomer to chain saws I don't possess any of the qualifications everyone is talking about. Mainly I do gardening work out here, the usual hedge trimming, grass cutting and some odd tree felling. Nothing too serious and nothing the involves climbing. Back in the UK I was a mechanic which has paid off quite well out here, mending any variety of things with an engine. The plus/downside to this is that people often say sod it I'll buy a new one you can keep that. So my workshop is starting to fill up with what some would call junk. I had a friends chainsaw for repair, it only needed fuel lines changing so I was just waiting for him to return from the UK and it turns out he bought a smaller saw. He said keep my old one!

So I now have a Sachs Dolmar 112 with an 18inch bar, pulled the fuel line of an old 1955 lambretta I've got sat here for restoration and did a quick bodge. The saw fired up on its third pull.

Spent the afternoon cutting up some large hazelnut without a problem, so decided to try a big log I had in the back workshop, I think it was Ash. It cut through that not as easily as I would have expected and I started getting a bit of smoke from the chain, or at least it looked like thats where it was coming from. There was plenty of oil in it, I took it apart and it seemed to be pumping it out the hole. But what I did notice was that the chain seemed loose in the bar, as in sideways loose. Wouldn't be surprised it its the wrong chain for the bar, but would this cause the oil to not run round the bar as it should and why would it only show up when I'm cutting fairly big lumps.

Just been out to the workshop and where I sat it there is now a pool of chain oil. None of my other saws leak oil when not in use or could it be that it built up somewhere and ran out.

Any advice gratefully received.

[Stubby]

First thing , is the chain sharp ??

[Big Ben]

Yes pretty sharp!

[Stubby]

Yes pretty sharp!

 

Ok . Side to side , as you suggest could be a narrow kirf chain in a wider bar groove . Most common width of the drive tangs is .050" then .058"then .063" . Another thing could be bar rails worn down / uneven . Try dressing of any burrs with a flat file . Could be oil hole in bar blocked or wrong bar for power head and oil outlet does not line up with hole in bar . Possibly .........

[Big Ben]

Thanks, I think I might try a new bar and chain. The old bar does look a bit old and looks to have had a grinder run over it on the sides to dress it up a bit.

[Rich2484]

Get a couple of pics up of the bar.

 

Also what make and type of chain has it got on it. Name and numbers on drive links. Also does the bar have any details stamped into it? Near the saw end of the bar.

[agg221]

The rails may have splayed, or the chain may be wrong for the bar.

 

Is it equally loose all the way round? If so, it's probably the wrong chain. If it's tight up near the bar nose and loose in the middle it's splayed.

 

If it's splayed, you can do a reasonable job by nipping up the rails so the chain just runs smoothly. If you overdo it at a particular point, tweak it back out with a screwdriver. I find I need to use a hammer to nip the rails up. It won't last forever like this but it will give you a reasonable return.

 

If you do decide to run with the bar, check the depth of the grooves too to make sure the chain isn't bottoming out.

 

And in answer to your other question - the little hook-shaped links on the bottom of the chain (drive links) are not only for driving it, they also pull the oil round. If it's too loose then it doesn't do this and the oil slopping around in the bottom of the bar rail then runs out after use, forming a pool.

 

Alec

[Big Ben]

 

And in answer to your other question - the little hook-shaped links on the bottom of the chain (drive links) are not only for driving it, they also pull the oil round. If it's too loose then it doesn't do this and the oil slopping around in the bottom of the bar rail then runs out after use, forming a pool.

 

Alec

That makes perfect sense to me and from the oil on the floor is likely to be the cause.

[C.J]

Sounds like the oil hole in the bar is blocked so oil is not going on the bar and leaking on the floor.This may have caused the bar and chain to wear.

[Big Ben]

Well this is the oil that was left on the floor.

 

This is the chain still on, a bit loose. When I tightened it as I would do on my other saws it wouldn't move so had to slacken off a fair bit.

 

Can't find any marks on the chain at all, as to give a clue of what size it should be.

 

And this is the bar, on the other side it says dolmar.