As preparations for hunting season begin, you’re likely taking stock of the tools necessary to help clear the way to your hunting ground or perhaps help you build a new blind. One vital tool in hunting-season prep is a chainsaw, and it takes proper maintenance of the tool to be sure it’s ready for work every time you start it up. When you’re out on the land, you need a saw you can depend on.
Regular Chainsaw Maintenance
If you use your chainsaw regularly, there are some ideal maintenance measures to perform before and after each use to ensure your chainsaw is operating at its best.
Before each use, inspect your chainsaw to make sure it is safe to operate. Test all features to confirm they are working as they should. Check the condition of the saw chain and make sure it is sharpened and lubricated properly.
A Clean Machine is a Working Machine
The most important piece of maintenance you can do for your chainsaw is to keep it clean. After each use, remove any resin, shavings, and dust. If not removed, resin accumulates and hardens. When combined with chain lubricant, it can make its way into the chainsaw housing, guide bar, or onto the sprocket. The earlier you can remove traces of resin from your chainsaw, the better.
Periodic Chainsaw Maintenance
Every so often, make sure you are also cleaning the guide bar, chain sprocket cover, cylinder fins, and the inside of the shroud and filter cover. If necessary, deburr the guide bar each time you change or sharpen the chain. After working with a new saw chain, check the chain’s tension and make sure it’s always lubricated.
Watch this STIHL Tutorial: Adjusting Your Chainsaw’s Chain Tension
Need More Guidance?
Your chainsaw’s instructions will provide a detailed overview of all necessary maintenance measures and when they should be completed. Your STIHL Dealer can also answer any questions about chainsaw maintenance for your specific model. You can even ask your STIHL Dealer to perform certain maintenance and servicing tasks for your chainsaw.
Chainsaw Sharpening Tips
A chainsaw is only as good as it is sharp. When your chainsaw starts producing finer sawdust versus large uniform chips while cutting, you’ll know it’s time to sharpen your saw chain.
Here are a few tips to keep in mind when sharpening your chainsaw:
- Before you start sharpening, put the bar in a vise and make sure your chain is snug on the bottom of the bar rail.
- Start sharpening with the cutter in the worst
- Use the proper filing guide for the best
- In most cases, your chain will need the same amount of filing strokes on each cutter. Count the number of strokes as you go. Measure teeth side-by-side to confirm they are close to identical in length, and use additional strokes if
- After filing, use the proper tools to appropriately set your depth
Finding the Right Fit
Need help finding the right chainsaw for you and your needs as you prepare for some quality outdoor time? Your local STIHL Dealer can help with that too. From legendary gas chainsaws to efficient and powerful battery-operated models, STIHL has a variety of options ready to take on preparations for the next hunting season and all the work that happens in between.