Pole Saw: Cuts Poorly or Not At All

The chain provides all the cutting teeth as well as all the drive teeth. If the chain starts to underperform, it could mean the teeth are no longer sharp and need to be re-sharpened. You can do this by purchasing a chainsaw sharpening tool with the same kerf as the chain. Lock the bar in a bench vice in the center of the bar. Mark the first tooth so you know where you started. Sharpen each tooth facing you by running the sharpening tool at the exact same angle in the teeth upwards, four times on each tooth. Always do the full length of the sharpening tool. Rotate the chain to the next blade facing you. Once you have completed one side, remount the chain saw on the other side in the vice and perform the same sharpening on the other side. The other reason a chain is not cutting or cutting poorly is the drive teeth are worn to the point where the chain will not rotate at full speed, or stops under a load. When this happens, chain replacement is required. To replace the chain, remove the cover. Remove the bar and chain. Clean out the bar and lubricate with bar oil. Install the new chain around the bar, then back onto the pole saw, making sure the chain is around the drive sprocket. Install the cover and tighten the nut. You may have to back off the tensioner in order to properly align it into the hole on the bar. Adjust the adjuster screw to tighten the chain. Tighten the chain so you can spin it with one hand, making sure the drive teeth do not come out of the bar nose. Tighten the nut on the cover and recheck the tension on the chain as it may have changed during final assembly.

The bar provides the channel for the cutting blade to rotate on. If this bar becomes worn over time, or the inside of the channel becomes damaged or gummed up with debris, it impacts performance of the blade rotation and will need to be cleaned out or replaced. Start by removing the cover, bar, and chain. Separate the chain from the bar and clean out all debris from the bar, as they can become badly gummed up. Inspect the channel for wear and damage. If you suspect any wear or see damage, replace the bar. If it is just full of debris, a good cleaning will solve the issue. To install the bar, apply a little bar oil to the inside, then install the chain over the bar. Affix the chain and bar back onto the pole saw, making sure the chain is around the drive sprocket. Re-install the cover with the nut, hand tightened. You might need to back off the tensioner so that you can correctly align it back into the hole on the bar. Adjust the tension on the chain with the adjuster screw, tight enough to rotate with one hand so the drive teeth cannot come out of the bar nose. Tighten down the nut on the cover and recheck tension on the chain.