Looking for a guide to sharpening a chainsaw with Dremel? Well, you’re at the very right place!
If you’re a chainsaw owner, you’ll know how important it is to properly sharpen your chainsaw whenever needed, and using a Dremel sharpener for this purpose is very helpful.
What is a Dremel? The Dremel is a handheld rotary power tool with a variety of accessories that can perform a wide range of tasks for crafts, hobbies, and DIY projects. You can use a Dremel for cutting, grinding, polishing, sanding, engraving, and cleaning. A very common use of a Dremel is the sharpening of a chainsaw blade.
Although there are different tools available to sharpen a chainsaw chain including round files which are mostly used by professional loggers, Dremel sharpeners are a game changer! They are very common and useful since they can be used by anyone and everyone!
Our today’s article contains a detailed guide to “how to sharpen a chainsaw blade with Dremel”, how to effectively use a Dremel, and some common mistakes to avoid while doing so.
How to Know If Your Chainsaw Needs Sharpening?
Your chainsaw would simply not work as efficiently as it should whenever the chain gets dull. Here are a few signs that I’ve personally experienced whenever my chainsaw blade required sharpening.
- The chain would not pull itself into the wood and you’ll feel like applying pressure on it so that it is forced into the wood you can say. If this is so, your chainsaw blade isn’t sharp enough.
- A dull chainsaw chain creates fine sawdust instead of coarse strands of sawdust when cutting cross-grain (against the grain of the wood).
- Despite an oiled chain and proper chain tension, your saw produces smoke.
- Uneven cuts are produced by the chainsaw. You may have dull-cutting teeth on one side of your chain. You might also have unevenly sized cutting teeth.
Related Read: How Many Times Can You Sharpen a Chainsaw Chain?
Sharpening the Chainsaw with Dremel – Step-by-Step Guide
A well-sharpened chainsaw blade would save you from a lot of trouble and will make cutting tasks a lot easier and smoother. And, using a Dremel for sharpening is a super convenient way.
But before we start with the steps to the main guide, here’s an important thing you should know.
Check For Wear and Damage to the Chain and Bar Frequently
- You should inspect chainsaw chains and bars regularly for signs of damage as they can become damaged or worn over time. It is important to replace the chain or bar immediately if it is damaged. For a quick inspection of the chain and bar, follow these tips:
- Before using the chainsaw, make sure it is unplugged and cooled.
- Wear and damage should be checked on the chain. Wear and tear or cracks will require replacement.
- -Make sure there are no signs of damage or wear on the bar. You’ll have to replace it if it’s bent, twisted, or warped.
- Check the chain’s connection to the bar. You will need to tighten it if it’s loose or crooked.
Let us now continue with the sharpening steps.
- Remove the chainsaw bar
- Clean up the chain groove
- Use a Dremel to sharpen the chain
- Lubricate the chain groove
- Reattach the chainsaw bar
- Secure all screws and bolts
Remove the Chainsaw Bar
The very first step is to remove the chainsaw bar. You can do this by pressing the side lever or button on the saw. It will loosen the bar and you’ll be able to pull it off.
Lubricate the Chain Groove and Clean it Up
If dirt or grime gets into the chain, the sharpening process won’t work properly, and the chain will quickly become dull again. And so, a clean, debris-free chain groove is essential when sharpening a chainsaw.
Keeping your chainsaw sharp also requires lubricating the chain groove. This prevents the chain from becoming dull quickly and keeps it running smoothly. The most popular lubricant is WD-40, which is affordable, easy to find, and my personal choice for the concerned purpose as well.
So now, you need to clean the chain groove by applying WD-40. Then remove all dirt and debris with a wire brush and ensure that the area around the chain teeth is properly cleaned.
Use a Dremel to Sharpen the Chain
Now that the chain groove is clean and the bar has been removed already, you can now sharpen the chain. The first step is to make sure the speed setting on your Dremel is set appropriately. Between 10 and 15 is the ideal speed for most chainsaws.
Set up the bar on the vice and workbench. Use a black marker to mark the chainsaw chain tooth where the cutting should begin.
Look into the Dremel Sharpening guide to ensure that the Dremel is level and at the correct angle while you are sharpening a tooth. Dremel the tooth then and sharpen it.
The teeth should be sharpened equally (10 times, for example) to keep them evenly sharp. The teeth cut straight lines when they are even!
Remember, all of the teeth on the chainsaw face the same way. But the sharpening is done in the other direction for those in between. So, when sharpening teeth, keep the tooth’s advice in mind.
Sharpen each tooth on the chainsaw blade until you are back at the black mark you put on the first tooth.
You’ll have to sharpen each tooth manually until you reach back to the black mark you marked.
Here’s a video for you to watch!
Reattach the Chainsaw Bar and Secure the Screws and Bolts
Now is the time to put back the chainsaw bar. Make sure you place it in the correct direction and fix it appropriately in its place. Tighten the screws and bolts back that you untightened while taking the bar off.
You might want to read: How to Put a Chain Back on a Chainsaw?
The Best Way to Sharpen a Chainsaw with Dremel
There are several tools you can attach to Dremel’s universal head. When you switch on the Dremel, the head rotates. The blades will be sharpened by this rotation of the head.
Here’s how to effectively use a Dremel.
- Make sure you use a square slab with a cylindrical attachment at the center. There should be an identical diameter between this container and the hole in the chainsaw blade. In order to make the slab secure, a wooden slab should be placed beneath it.
- Attach the chisel to another slab to ensure the Dremel and the cylinder are held in a good position for sharpening.
- Now turn on the Dremel and sharpen the tooth. Keep rotating the blade onto the next tooth while passing it through the tool.
- Sharpen all the teeth in the same way.
Mistakes to Avoid When Sharpening a Chainsaw
Although sharpening your chainsaw blade with a Dremel is super easy but you can still end up making certain mistakes if you’re not warned about them. Here are some of the common mistakes that you should avoid.
- Using the wrong chainsaw file size.
- Sharpening your chainsaw with a dull file.
- Instead of using the depth gauge, filing the cutters is also a huge mistake.
- By overfilling the depth gauge, your chainsaw works harder and becomes more likely to kick back.
- Less or improper bracing of the saw.
- Backward filing.
How to Sharpen a Chainsaw with Dremel – FAQs
Conclusion
With the Dremel Sharpening kit, you will certainly get quicker and cleaner cuts. Along with it, it will help you out in doing a lot more work in a shorter time without much trouble if you are a person who uses chainsaws.
This excellent product from Dremel will maintain and sharpen your chainsaw and will increase the lifetime of your saw. It’s a portable product that u can easily carry around as well when you’re out camping in the forest!
