Although the weather is fine at the moment (except for you Pat 
) the nights are starting to cool down now, that means that winter will soon be upon us, I hope everybody is ready for it, don’t want anybody getting caught out, so I thought I’d share a few essential things I’ve learned to help you all get through another hard winter 
Despite the fact that chainsaws have a deserved reputation for being extremely destructive tools, they are actually precision instruments. As such, they must be kept in tiptop condition in order to be productive and to ensure the safety of the operator.
It is imperative that a chainsaw chain is kept in tiptop condition. The chain only really has two states — useless or perfect. A chain which is in perfect condition should cut through timber like a knife through butter. Normally it will require barely any downward pressure to cut through wood, but once it is in need of maintenance it will either require extra pressure or simply try and burn through the wood.You must keep the chain on your chainsaw in absolutely perfect condition. The condition of a chainsaw chain has no middle ground it is either absolutely perfect for the job at hand, or completely useless. Once the chain starts requiring more than a tiny amount of downward pressure to get through the wood it obviously needs sharpening. In perfect condition, the chainsaw should cut through timber just like a knife cuts through butter.
In ideal condition chainsaw chain should produce reasonably large chips of wood when cutting. As the chain gets to the point where it needs maintenance it will start producing sawdust instead. Also, if the chainsaw has a tendency to veer off to the left or to the right when cutting vertically downwards it is another giveaway sign that the chain needs filing.
The cutting tips of the chainsaw chain have a thin coating of chrome on the cutting edge. This chrome plate is the bit that does the actual work. As the chain gets worn down, it’s the chrome which is being worn away which is why the chain becomes less effective over time. To get the chain back to its best condition it needs to be filed. One of the most important factors of this operation is to ensure that the right sized file is used to match the chain being filed. Chainsaws are expensive pieces of equipment and will give long and productive service if maintained diligently.
To file a chain ideally you should use a tool called a roller guide. It is possible to file a chain by hand, but in most cases the results will not be as good unless the person doing the filing is particularly experienced. If the chain has been ground down by poor usage — for example — when the chain has hit some solid material or the ground, it needs to be filed back in order to give a new chrome edge. They can be filed down quite low but one must ensure that there is still about 1 mm left on the heel of the cutter.
Although it can take some time and be quite a difficult job to sharpen a chainsaw chain, it is still a wise move to do so as once the chain is filed back to ideal condition it is as good as new. A chain sharpening kit shouldn’t cost any more than $30 and the only other item required is a pair of protective gloves. The contents of a chain sharpening kit are a file gauge, a flat file, and the round chain file which must be the correct size for the chain. It is a good idea to have a small stiff brush as well. For example, an old toothbrush is ideal.
The rounded file is used to file down and sharpen the chainsaw chain. The flat file is used to file the depth gauge on each tooth of the chain. The file gauge is used for adjusting the top plate cutting angles of each tooth on the chain. The brush is used to brush away any pieces of debris on the chain before sharpening commences.
One problem which means that you need to replace a chain (even if it still has some life left in it in terms of depth) is if you end up stretching your chain. When replacing a chain that has come to the end of its useful life, you should make a note of the make and model of your chainsaw. It’s also a good idea to take the old chainsaw chain with you as well as the actual chainsaw if this is possible in order to make sure that you don’t waste time making multiple trips back to the store in order to get the right chain. By using these basic tips you should be sure to get the most value for money from the lifetime of your chain.
Chainsaws are very useful, but are also extremely dangerous. Please take advice from a qualified professional before using a chainsaw yourself.
Hope you find it useful 
