The Complete Handbook of Chainsaw Accessories
A practical reference for professionals, businesses, and serious hobbyists: how to select, fit, maintain, and profit from the bars, chains, sprockets, and safety gear that decide how well a chainsaw actually performs.
by Alumigogo Books
non-fiction
From chain pitch to bar oil viscosity: the complete technical reference on chainsaw accessories, for those who make money with a saw.
About this book
The saw itself is only half the tool. The guide bar, cutting chain, drive sprocket, and oil system are a carefully matched set of components that decide whether a saw cuts fast, stays straight, and lasts through a season of work. Most of the common problems people have with chainsaws - dulling chains, crooked cuts, excessive vibration, premature bar wear - are accessory problems, not engine problems. This handbook treats chainsaw accessories as a system, explaining how each component interacts with the others and with the wood being cut.
Written for professionals and serious users, the book covers everything from sizing and compatibility rules to daily maintenance and troubleshooting. It goes into the detail that matters: what chain pitch and gauge actually mean for bar selection, why a sprocket's tooth count affects chain speed, how bar oil viscosity behaves in cold weather, and which safety standards apply to which pieces of protective clothing. Every chapter includes concrete examples from real working situations, such as choosing a ripping chain for milling, setting depth gauges for frozen timber, or building a rental fleet that survives cumulative abuse.
Beyond the technical side, the handbook covers the market: who manufactures at budget, mid, and premium tiers, what certifications matter, and where the genuine business opportunities are in reselling, servicing, private labeling, and renting. It ends with a look at what is changing in the category - from lightweight composite bars to the rise of battery-powered platforms - and a glossary that pins down the jargon. If you use a chainsaw as a working tool, this is the reference to keep within reach of the filing bench.
Reader Reviews
Jacob Williams
★★★★★I've been running saws for a living for twelve years and I still found the chapter on sprocket matching useful. It's the kind of thing you know by feel but nobody ever explained properly. Four stars because I would have liked a bit more on which bar lengths pair with which powerheads across different brands, but overall it's the best non-marketing reference I've come across.
Betty Martin
★★★★★Bought this for our grounds maintenance crew. The chapter on choosing accessories for your specific situation saved us from another bad batch of aftermarket chains that never held an edge. It's written in a very straightforward, no-nonsense way - none of that promotional filler you see in most catalogs. Only complaint is that the photos are all renderings rather than real photos of wear patterns, which would be more helpful for diagnosing bar damage.
Michelle Adams
★★★★★As someone who runs a small tree service, I've spent way too much on trial-and-error. This handbook is what I should have bought instead of five years of forum threads. The business chapter is actually realistic, not just 'start selling online.' The trade-off sections on cut quality versus chain speed have already changed how I equip my ground crew. Knocking off one star only because the book could use a quick-reference card to hang in the workshop.
Karen Hill
★★★★★I picked this up because I do firewood cutting on the side and wanted to stop guessing about why my chains went dull so fast. The troubleshooting chapter pinpointed my issue - I was running a full skip chain for bucking when I didn't need it. Solid, practical advice throughout with concrete numbers, not vague 'choose the right product' fluff. Four stars because the glossary is good but I wish it also covered more of the electrical terminology, since battery saws are moving in fast.
Patricia Mitchell
★★★★★Finally, a chainsaw handbook that treats the bar and chain as the performance-critical system they are. I've read a lot of resources that tell you what to buy but never why. This book explains the 'why' - from how raker depth affects cutting behavior to how bar hardness interacts with chain chatter. The section on protective clothing standards alone is worth the price. I run a training group and I'm making this required reading before anyone touches a saw at my site. Five stars, no hesitation.