There’s nothing more frustrating than trying to cut through a tree and having your chain saw blade become dull. Not only does this make the job much harder, but it also poses a safety hazard. Luckily, there’s an easy way to sharpen your chain saw blade using a file. Follow these simple steps and you’ll have a sharp blade in no time!
How To Sharpen Chain Saw With File ?
There are some steps to sharpen the chain saw with the file.
Place a rag or a piece of scrap wood on top of a flat surface to prevent the file from making unwanted marks.
Loosen the bolt that holds the chain saw blade in place and remove it from your chainsaw [the other end can be held off with pliers].
Use an electric hand grinder (or another rotating power tool) to sharpen the teeth on your chainsaw blade by running it along each side of each tooth for about five seconds to get rid of any dulling buildup [don’t hold the grinder too close or you might break some teeth; make sure not to put pressure while grinding to avoid damaging your chainsaw].
Make one final pass over all the teeth to sharpen them and ensure that they’re even.
Place the blade back on your chainsaw and tighten the bolt, making sure not to over-tighten it so you don’t break your saw. You’re ready to get back to work!
What are finger joints and why would you want to make them on a table saw?
Finger joints are a type jointly created on a table saw. It’s made by lining up two boards together and running them through the table saw at an angle to create interlocking fingers. If done right, these fingers fit perfectly with one another and will hold together when they’re glued (if there is enough surface area). Finger joints are most commonly used to create table tops with interlocking edges.
How to make a basic finger joint on a table saw?
- Mark the board 1 inch from the end and square it using a pencil and a try square.
- Line up the mark you just made with the blade on your table saw, making sure that it’s angled to create an included joint (if you don’t have a hold-down, use scrap wood or a push block), and run it through the saw.
- Rotate the board 180 degrees and line up your mark with the blade again, cutting into it as you did previously.
- Cut a little into the other side of the board to clean out any remaining wood and separate your two boards – this is your finger-jointed piece! Repeat the same process on the other board to create a matching joint.
What are laps?
Laps are joints that are created by stacking two pieces of wood together and running them through a table saw. They’re used commonly in drawer joints, where each successive piece of wood will have one less tongue (these are the parts that interlock with one another) than the piece it’s attached to. When you put all of the pieces into your table saw, they’ll fit perfectly together like a puzzle.
How to make laps on a table saw?
- Mark out your boards using a pencil and try square.
- Line up the mark you just made with your blade and run it through the table saw, cutting into it as you did previously.
- Place the other board on top of this board but at a 90-degree angle to create an included joint (make sure that both pieces are even). Repeat the first step on this board. You now have two pieces of wood that fit together perfectly.
- Line up the first piece you cut with your blade on your table saw and make a pass on top of it to clean out any remaining wood. Repeat on the other piece, which will leave you with two boards that are joined by two laps.
Advanced finger joint techniques for more intricate designs?
- Mark out your boards using a pencil and try square.
- Line up the mark you just made with your blade on the table saw, making sure that it’s angled to create an included joint (if you don’t have a hold-down, use scrap wood or a push block), and run it through the saw.
- Continue this process until all of your boards are cut into the desired lengths, ensuring that each new board you run through has one less tongue than the previous one. When you’re done, separate your two boards by cutting a little bit into the other side of each board to clean out any remaining wood using a circular saw or jigsaw. You now have two boards that fit together like a puzzle, with the number of tongues matching up perfectly!
- Line up your first board and make a pass on top of it to clean out any remaining wood using a circular saw or jigsaw. Repeat on the other piece, which will leave you with two boards that are they’re lined up perfectly. Repeat on the other piece, which will leave you with two boards that are joined by two laps.
- Line up both pieces of wood and cut a pass on top of them to clean out any remaining wood using a circular saw or jigsaw, making sure that they line up perfectly.
- Continue this process until all of your boards are cut into the desired lengths, ensuring that each new board you run through has one less tongue than the previous one. When you’re done, separate your two boards by cutting a little bit into the other side of each board to clean out any remaining wood using a circular saw or jigsaw. You now have two boards that fit together like a puzzle, with the number of tongues matching up perfectly!
The benefits of using finger joints in your woodworking projects:
The number of interlocking joints in a finger-jointed board equals the number of tongues minus one, so you can easily calculate how many boards you need to create your project.
Finger joints are great for creating unique patterns in woodworking projects since they allow for non-uniform pieces (such as contrasting heights or lengths).
With finger jointing, there’s no need to worry about uneven surfaces when putting together your project. Because each successive piece is less laminated than the piece it is attached to, every joint will fit perfectly in its place!
What materials do I need?
You’ll need two pieces of wood that are at least ½ inch thick and 1 inch wide with square edges. The same width boards will provide a tighter joint. To make a lap joint with a small miter, use pieces of wood that are at least 1¼ inches wide and ¾ inch thick with square edges.
What’s the difference between lamination and finger joints?
In traditional lamination, glue is put into the boards’ edges to stack them on top of one another. In finger joints, no glue needs to be added since the interlocking nature of the two pieces creates a strong bond without any extra help from adhesives.
Some tips and tricks for getting the best results when making finger joints on a table saw?
One way to sharpen a chainsaw is by using a file.
Use the same angle that you would use to cut the joint in order to create an included joint (this will make more sense once we get to the next step).
Finger joints can be formed in several different ways such as with this guide from your table saw or router table. Here, we’ll explain how to use your table saw.
If you want straight-line joints, you’re better off cutting them with a circular saw and cleaning up either with a chisel (if there’s material left on one board) or a pad sander (if there isn’t any material left).
Mark out your boards using a pencil and try square. Using a jigsaw or hand saw, cut between the pencil lines. Separate your boards by cutting 1/8 inch into one of the pieces with a circular saw or jigsaw.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, we have looked at how to make finger joints on a table saw. We have covered the necessary steps and precautions to take in order to make sure that your finger joints are strong and accurate. With this information, you should be able to successfully create finger joints on your own table saw.
