new electric chainsaw not cutting (Home Depot, gas, light, concrete)

[NCtoMiami]

Okay so we bought a new chainsaw and it is not cutting...it just makes a dent. We thought we put the chain backwards changed it still no change. What are we doing wrong. It has oil.

16 in. Electric Chainsaw-UT43122 at The Home Depot

[Asheville Native]

Looking at the top of the bar, the teeth should look like this image, with the saw being to the left side and the bar tip to the right.



The teeth should be sharp to the touch, with the sharp edge being where the tip of the arrow point to the "inside facing tooth" is. Are you sure it was totally "brand new" or had some bozo returned it after he had hit a rock or metal then returned it. Hitting a rock or concrete will dull a chain instantly, to the point it is no more effective than a bicycle chain would be.

[Big George]

Originally Posted by NCtoMiami

Okay so we bought a new chainsaw and it is not cutting...it just makes a dent. We thought we put the chain backwards changed it still no change. What are we doing wrong. It has oil.

16 in. Electric Chainsaw-UT43122 at The Home Depot

If it's turning, and you have the chain going the right direction, it should be tearing the heck out of wood.

Ashville Native makes some excellent points - especially the part about how you can make a chain go dull ALMOST INSTANTLY.
1. Check to see that the chain is on properly.
2. Check to see that it's sharp.

[K'ledgeBldr]

Have you tried plugging it in?

I couldn't resist!

[thecoalman]

As mentioned dirt, rocks, and metal(like nails in the tree) will dull a chain very quickly, cutting just wood and it will remain sharp for a very long time. You can check to see if it's dull by looking at the top of the tooth. The flat part on the top of the tooth that would be horizontal with the ground has to be flat right up to the cutting edge. As it dulls the cutting edge will round over like this one:

How to Sharpen a Chainsaw « Whispering Winds Bamboo





The worse thing you can do with a dull chain is to continue to run it dull, that rounded edge will get a lot worse requiring more metal removal to properly sharpen it. To do it properly you have to sharpen it back to the point where it's no longer rounded. You're better off sharpening frequently with just a couple of light strokes with the chain file on each tooth than waiting until it dull which requires a lot of metal removal. Any saw I owned would never get to the condition of the tooth you see above.


Just one small tip, observe the size of the chips your saw makes while cutting when you know the chain is really sharp. As the chain dulls the chips will get smaller, once they start getting smaller sharpen it. The chips from that saw you posted when it's sharp will proabaly be a little bigger than oat meal.

[bmrisko]

I think the problem is it is not a Stihl...

(As mentioned above, double check the chain sharpness and orientation...also, I assume the chain moves when powered on and the trigger activated?)

[Billy_J]

Watch the following video, Stihl "Chain Saw Safety, Operation, and Maintenance", chapter 3 - Sharpening your Chain.

Just sharpening the cutters will do nothing, you also need to lower the "depth gauges" (rakers) with a file. This is explained in the video.

STIHL Video Library - Informative Videos about STIHL Outdoor Power Equipment | STIHL USA

[Pitt Chick]

DH says he has never seen an electric chain saw perform the way a gas one does.

Do you have to go electric?

[NCtoMiami]

Got fed up with the chainsaw and i took it back to the store. One thing i noticed the chainsaw had a scratch like it was returned. I told them not to put it back on the shelf.

[Coldjensens]

I have never had one work wirth a darn. I think they are just supposed to look nice in the store so people will but they. THey really are not intended to be used to cut anything. Maybe thistles or brambles.