A tangled saw chain is one of the most common problems you will encounter if you use a chainsaw vertically or plan to use a chainsaw chain to cut wood or trees. It’s incredible how quickly the chain can get tangled. How to untangle a tangled chainsaw chain?
Proper chain maintenance is crucial in preventing future tangles, and ensuring the smooth operation of your chainsaw. All your attempts to solve this problem seem to make the situation worse, and the system seems to be broken as a whole. Is there a quick and easy way how to untangle a chainsaw chain, safely and quickly without having to cut it or buy a new one?
So, if you have a question about how to untangle a chainsaw chain, we’re here to walk you through it. We remind you that clean a chainsaw carburetor needs to be done on time.
What Equipment Should I Be Wearing while Untangling a Chainsaw Chain?
The most important thing in work is to prioritize safety precautions and wear protective clothing. When you have a question how to untangle a chainsaw chain, be extremely careful and try to follow all safety rules. Even for the pros, don’t allow yourself to become overly comfortable with chainsaws – they are a tool that if used incorrectly, could result in serious injury. Now below we will take a closer look at all the rules and safety precautions, as well as protective equipment that you should always have with you.
Chainsaw gloves
Cut-resistant gloves are necessary for protection, as simple cotton mittens are not suitable in this case. Work chainsaw gloves must have special protection from cuts in the form of a gasket made of multilayer fabric with high tensile strength fibers, which is worn on the back of the left palm. After all, workers’ right hand is always on the handle of the saw, and the left can get under a moving chain, even if there is an automatic brake.
Choosing chainsaw gloves
- chainsaw gloves material that should “stick” to the saw controls (the best option is special models for loggers);
- the size of the work gloves, which should fit snugly to the hand, but not interfere with the operator’s work;
- the presence of a safety valve that prevents sawdust and other waste generated during woodworking from entering the gloves.
Safety goggles
These protective goggles accessory is attached to the helmet and serves to protect the eyes and face. When choosing this personal protective equipment, special attention should be paid to the design and the material from which it is made.
Practice shows that most often chainsaw owners prefer to buy mesh masks made of plastic. However, such models have only one advantage – a low price. After all, the plastic mask quickly becomes dirty, and it is difficult to clean it, since plastic does not tolerate contact with solvents.
Protect not just your eyes, but your whole face
The mesh design significantly reduces the intensity of the luminous flux, and the light reflected from the plastic threads can blind the worker. Both of these phenomena significantly reduce visibility.
Wearing protective goggles in this case are also not the best option, since they quickly fog up, and are also “prone” to distorting objects. Therefore, as an ideal means of protecting the face when working with a chainsaw, professionals recommend using black metal masks with rectangular slots.
What Tools and Equipment Should I Need to Untangle Chainsaw Chains?
After you have prepared all the protective equipment for work, you need to prepare the equipment to untangle a chainsaw chain. Also, you want to get an answer to the question of how to untangle a chainsaw chain. Carefully choose the equipment for untangling. It must be of high quality. A well-organized tool kit and a sturdy workbench are essential items for the untangling process. Needle nose pliers are particularly useful for dealing with very difficult knots or stubborn knots, as they can gently separate tight links without causing damage.
Proper storage techniques are also crucial in maintaining a chainsaw and preventing chain tangles. Combining regular maintenance with correct storage methods ensures the chainsaw remains in optimal condition for safe and efficient use.
A wooden table
We don’t recommend using your regular old kitchen worktable unless you don’t mind scratches on it.
It’s highly recommended to use a flat surface, so look for a workbench or an old wooden table that will help you get the job done. Alternatively, you can also use a floor, but make sure you don’t do it on top of expensive floor tiles or, even worse, floors with expensive wood trim.
Make sure that you don’t use any fabric that can get caught on the teeth of your chainsaw because this will complicate the process significantly. You want to have a smooth, frictionless surface that will help you untangle your chainsaw chain safely, smoothly and efficiently without causing worry or additional problems.
Tools
If your chainsaw chain is still attached to the chainsaw body, it will have to be removed to ensure the best possible untangling process.
The tools you will need will depend on the model of untangle chainsaw chain you own. Usually, it’s a choice between hex keys and screwdrivers that will help you remove the drive links from the chainsaw chain. Ensure that when reassembling the chainsaw chain, the drive link is aligned with the guide bar groove to ensure proper fit and facilitate smooth movement during operation.
Lubricant
Before you can begin to untangle a tangled chainsaw chain, you will need to loosen the individual chain links of the chainsaw chain. The lubricating oil can help with rust removal and get rid of dirt and debris that eventually accumulate on damaged links of the tangled chainsaw chain.
When using this oil, make sure you just don’t pour it all out. This oil can ruin your floors and your desk, leaving you with an unpleasant mess to clean up. In addition, spilled oil is dangerous, because it can lead to people (or yourself) accidentally slipping on it and injuring themselves.
Alternative to lubricating oil
In the absence of lubricating chain oil, you can use the original form WD-40 or other types of well oiled as a replacement, but we still recommend using the appropriate lubricating oil or engine oil that best suits your chainsaw chains.
How Can I Untangle a Tangled Chain?
Not all modern chainsaw chains with sharp teeth are equipped with an installation wheel, which significantly simplifies the procedure and process for installing the saw blade. Techniques like the double loop method and proper tension of the installation wheel are essential in the untangling process.
It is important to gently pull and pry apart ‘tangled links’ with tools like needle-nose pliers or small screwdrivers to avoid damaging the chain while effectively.
Step 1: Get ready
Prepare a flat surface on which you will assemble the opposite chain loops and tire. This will minimize the chance of chainsaw damage or loss of small parts of two loops. A tire is laid out on the prepared surface and a start untangling a chainsaw chain is placed next to it in two smaller loops parallel.
Remove the protection of the sprocket, on modern chainsaws it is enough to unscrew the wing nut, on older models, you may need a cap wrench of the appropriate size little teeth.
Step 2: Two opposite chain loops
At the base working order of the guide tire, turn the tension sprocket all the way to the right. The two opposite chain loops are installed only in this position.
Then the tension properly untangle old chain is sequentially applied link by link to the locking groove on the guide rail. Install the chain on top of the guide, gradually rotate it so that the tire is always on top, and the old chain is on the bottom, this will allow it to always be in a stretched state and enter the guide groove without problems and safety gear.
Step 3: Chain tension
When you perform this step, be sure to wear thick protective gloves and leather gloves, because your fingers will touch the cutting edges and the guide rail. When viewed from above, the cutter is always positioned forward, towards the end of the guide rail.
And put the tire and chain tension on the leading sprocket.
Step 4: Installation
Fasten the newer chains sprocket cover in its place. Make sure that all mounting pins match the holes. Incorrect installation with distortions or not completely can be the cause of extraneous noise, rattling.
Make sure that the guides “go” into a special mounting chute.
Step 5: Fastening
Check the chain fixation on the chainsaw and on tangled chain with the tire longer loop. Everything should be securely fastened without backlash.
An important point about workbench is the degree of tension of the chain after its installation. Setting the chain brake correct tension will take no more than three minutes and stick straight.
First, you need to loosen the nuts on the protective cover. With the help one loop of a freely rotating adjusting screw, catch the correct tension so that the chain does not pull away from the allen wrench edge of the guide tire more than 3-5 mm with other loops. The properly installed chain will help you avoid chainsaw burning the wood.
For more details, please visit What Is the Reason My Chainsaw Chain Is Slipping off: Find and Fix It
How Do You Straighten a Chainsaw Blade
Things you will need:
- A set of sockets
- Screwdriver
- Vise
- Flat Desktop
- Pliers
- Rubber Hammer
To straighten a chainsaw blade, first, secure the chainsaw in a vise to sturdy table to keep it steady. Ensure the guide bar is in a vertical position. Use a set of sockets and a screwdriver to remove the blade. Then, gently tap the blade with a rubber hammer to straighten it.
How to straighten a chainsaw rod
If the chainsaw tire is slightly bent, straighten it.
Homeowners use untangling chainsaws to solve many tasks around the house and in the yard guide bar. Although the sharpening of the chainsaw blade is part of the regular maintenance of the universal tool smaller loops, the maintenance of the chainsaw chains blades is no less important.
A chainsaw chains tire is a part that protrudes from the handle of a chainsaw chain.
The tire is put on the blades of the well lubricated chain. Sometimes the chainsaw housing tire bends or breaks when performing heavy work. Heavily bent untangling chainsaw chain tires need to be replaced. However, a slightly curved bar can be straightened by debris following a vertical position a few simple steps.
Order of action |
What to do to straighten a curved bar |
| Step 1 | Lift the chainsaw blade cover to the upper position. |
| Step 2 | Remove the bolts or screws holding the chainsaw tire in place. |
| Step 3 | Remove the chain blade from the saw blade. |
| Step 4 | Remove the bar and inspect the bend. |
| Step 5 | Place the bar in the vise. Fasten the bar firmly in place. |
| Step 6 | Use pliers to return the barbell to its place. |
| Step 7 | Remove the bar from the vise. Put the barbell on the workbench. |
| Step 8 | Tap the crossbar with a rubber mallet to make bending easier. Repeat until the neck is straight and flat. |
| Step 9 | Put the new chain blade on the saw tire. |
| Step 10 | Reattach the tire to the saw base by replacing the mounting bolts. |
Chapter FAQ
Can you spray WD40 on chainsaw chain?
YES. If you need a quick clean and you’re without a chainsaw cleaner, then you can definitely use WD-40. It contains an anti-corrosion agent with ingredients for water displacement, penetration, and soil removal.
Can you fix a stretched chainsaw chain?
Yes, you can. It’s very easy to do. Stick to the above points and then you will succeed. The main thing is not to forget about safety.
Conclusion
The saw chain must be handled carefully to avoid rust everywhere, especially if it is very tangled. To complete the task, you will need to be patient.
Finally, while you’re trying to untangle the chain with teeth, don’t forget to put on protective gear and add some lubricating oil to make the process go more smoothly!
Also, instead of wasting an entire length of time trying to unravel every confusing area, study and use the strategies we have suggested. We hope that with the help of this step-by-step guide article, you were able to untangle your chainsaw. You can also watch this video just to be sure:
