CLEANING AND
MAINTENANCE
Continued
Items Needed to Sharpen Chain
Purchase these items from your local dealer, hard-
ware store, or chain saw supplies outlet.
• 5/32" round file
• Depth gauge tool
• File guide
• Vise
• Medium sized flat file
Sharpening Cutters
Use file guide for 30° filing.
1. Adjust chain for proper tension (see Saw Chain
Tension Adjustment).
2. Clamp guide bar in vise to hold saw steady.
Note: Do not clamp chain.
3. Press 5/32" round file (attached to file guide)
into groove between top plate and depth gauge
on chain. File guide should rest on both top plate
and depth gauge (see Figure 20). Note: File at
midpoint of guide bar.
30° Guide Mark
Note: This illustration shows file guide placement and filing direction
for sharpening cutters on left side of chain.
Figure 20 - File and File Guide Placement On
Chain
Depth Gauge (left
side of chain)
Groove
Top Plate (left side
of chain)
Figure 21 - Chain Part Locations
Filing Direction
File Guide
5/32" Round File
Depth Gauge (right
side of chain)
Groove
Top Plate (right side of
chain)
Right Side of Chain
4. Hold file guide level. Make sure 30° mark on
file guide is parallel to center of guide bar (see
Figure 20). This will insure that you file cutters
at 30° angle.
5. File from inside towards outside of cutter until
sharp. Only file in this one direction (see Figure
20). Note: Two or three strokes with file should
sharpen cutter.
6. After each cutter is sharpened, move chain for-
ward to sharpen next cutter. File all cutters on
one side of chain.
7. Move to other side of chain and repeat process.
Filing Cutter Depth Gauges
The cutter depth gauge clearance is reduced as cutters
are sharpened. After every second or third sharpen-
ing, reset cutter depth gauges.
1. Place depth gauge tool (.025") firmly across top
of two cutters. Make sure depth gauge enters slot
in depth gauge tool (see Figure 22).
2. Use medium flat file. File depth gauge level with
depth gauge tool.
3. Remove depth gauge tool. With flat file, round
off front corner of cutter depth gauge (see Figure
23).
After several hand filings, have authorized service
center or sharpening service machine sharpen chain.
This will insure even filing.
REPLACING SAW CHAIN
Replace chain when cutters are too worn to sharpen or
when chain breaks. Only use replacement chain noted in
this manual. Always include new drive sprocket when
replacing chain. This will maintain proper driving of
chain. Note: For proper chain and drive sprocket,
see Replacement Parts and Accessories.
Depth Gauge Tool
Figure 22 - Depth Gauge Tool On Chain
Front Corner
Figure 23 - Round Off Front Corner Of Depth
Gauge
17
Flat File
Depth
Gauge
Depth Gauge Slot
.025"
.635 mm