How The Chain Cuts - Grizzly T28959 Owner's Manual

How the Chain Cuts

Sharp chains cause wood chips to fall away from
the chainsaw. A chip-free chainsaw bar guides
the chain straight through the cut. Dull chains
build up with wood chips, not allowing the chain to
move smoothly around the bar. This causes cuts
that are rough and not true. A dull chain also puts
more strain on the motor.
As illustrated in Figure 19 below, when the cut-
ting point at the top of the cutter moves against
the wood (1), the front of the cutter pivots up until
the depth gauge meets the wood (2), which forces
the cutter to pivot even farther into the wood (3) to
make the cut.
Figure 19. The self-feeding motion of the cutter link during a cutting operation.
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Chain Travel
When the rear of the top plate meets the wood
(4), it forces the cutter to continue pivoting forward
and move out of the kerf, producing wood chips
that are carried away by the top plate angle in the
final position (5) to complete the cut.
The goal of this rocking motion is to allow the
chainsaw to self-feed into the wood and do the
work without requiring the operator to force the
chain into the wood. This makes the job easier
and reduces wear on the saw and chain.
Also important is the clearance angle amount.
The downward slope of the top plate enables the
cutter to move into the wood (2) and then forces it
out again (3–4) to complete the cut.
Always use the chain manufacturer's specifica-
tions for the cutter specifications when sharpen-
ing the chain.
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Model T28959 (Mfd. Since 2/19)
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