Simon the jobler: The Bar

Last time I showed you my old new little chainsaw and I mentioned that I thought the 16" bar was maybe a bit too long. Thirty two inches of chain turns out is a bit more than it can drag around the bar while doing anything more than cutting little branches. With that in mind I was out at the Coop store buying something else when I saw they had chainsaw chains on clearance. Probably unpopular sizes or whatever but they had a chain for a 14" bar real cheap so guess what! Now that I had the chain I needed something to put it on so I went and had a look at the pile of old chainsaws in the barn and not a 14" bar in sight. I picked a 16 inch likely candidate for cutting down and this is a before and after wire brushing.

I set it up on the milling to lengthen the slot the proper amount before cutting it off and reshaping the back end of it. I did not take pictures of the actual shaping or re-grooving as it was mostly done free hand on the belt sander in the heat of the moment. Re-grooving I did on the drill press. I put a small cutting disc the right thickness in the chuck and set it the appropriate amount off the table to center it on the bar. It was then just a matter of grinding down the middle lamination until the chain passed freely through.

That same day I was painting another project I'll probably show you next time with red rust paint and I thought why not paint the bar too. While I was at it I figured why not go the whole nine yards and give it a logo. I've been wanting a logo for myself and the little projects I make for a long time. Although I could probably tell you how a mechanical appliance was feeling when it stopped working not so with graphic design, I've no talent for it. Anyway, this is what I came up with, which I don't like but it's going to have to do for now.

Anxious for the thing to dry enough so I could try it that very afternoon I hung it up in the kitchen oven to dry. If you're going to try this stunt set the oven to the lowest it can go (or else the paint may bubble) and keep the door ajar. You can also see in this picture the re-shaped back end with new oiling hole, tensioning hole et etc...