Northern Tool Chain Sharpener

I've been thinking about getting a chain sharpener and Northern Tool has theirs on sale for $99.99. Is this how much it usually sells for when it's on sale? I've got all of my wood cut for the year and could wait awhile if I have to.

I think mine was 89.99,but i have had it for a couple years now, it's not a bad grinder, i use it all the time.

they have been 120 for a while now... mine will be on order by the weekend.

danrclem said:

I've been thinking about getting a chain sharpener and Northern Tool has theirs on sale for $99.99. Is this how much it usually sells for when it's on sale? I've got all of my wood cut for the year and could wait awhile if I have to.

Click to expand...

A hundred bucks is what seems to be the normal on sale price. A couple of times they were 89.99 with free shipping. Haven't seen that for a while, though.

There is at least one thread around here on this very grinder.

PA Plumber said:

A hundred bucks is what seems to be the normal on sale price. A couple of times they were 89.99 with free shipping. Haven't seen that for a while, though.

There is at least one thread around here on this very grinder.

Click to expand...

that must be a clone to the oregon i cant even get the oregon one that cheap and i am a dealer for oregon

OK Guys....I normally don't do this but think its needs to be brought out.......Been sharpening my chains with a Nick and recently bought a Harbor Freight one for $29 bucks to set up for the drags only. Its much cheaper made than the Nick, but the price was right....Anyway, I've read many of the threads on the Northern Sharpener and all the mods that have been done. SO I decided to step up and get one of these. Needless to say I haven't had the best of luck so far. opcorn:

I got the first one, thats right the first one, on Tuesday and it was missing the complete parts kit/bag and the 3 grinding wheels. Called them up and they graciously gave me a return shipper and said they were shipping me out another. Got it today and while I got all the parts, it has other issues.

I noticed right off that the grinding wheel hub ran out from just spinning it by hand. SO I put an indicator on it and the locating face of the hub AND the
.867 hub diameter both run out about .008 of an inch....Now when I put a wheel on it and start it up, the wheel wobbles about .030-.040 out on the cutting edge..Not good ..It doesn't end here...I thought, OK I'll make another hub....


So I pulled the hub off, slip fit, good....The main part of the shaft runs dead nuts....But the end of the shaft where it is turned down, runs out .005-.006" from the main part of the shaft!

So what to do guys? Take the motor apart and true up the end of the shaft and make another hub to fit? OR take my chances, send #2 back and hope # 3 was made on Wednesday and not Monday AM or Friday PM? BTW, I work at a very large machine shop and getting this done will be a piece of cake. Providing I can get the shaft out of the motor without damaging it. Or do I say "It's just the principle of the thing" and send it back? What would you do? Sorry for such a long post.....

Send it back 2Biz....3rd times za charm. I got lucky, mine was good...but the wheels suck....order quality wheels.

RD

I got mine yestday,only have opened box and checked contents..
will be reading the threads to "tune" it up.
hope all goes well with it.
looks and feels pretty good so far..

Mine came day before yesterday, but havn't opened it yet. Suppose to be a Christmas gift. I hate not to at least inspect it, to see if it needs to go back. Oh well, Christmas ain't that far off, and I haved survived this long without one, sharpening by hand.


Gregg,

That doesn't look like a Harbor Freight sharpener.

Mine is Stihl colors and is mostly ABS or some other type of plastic. Did some mods and it works great. I got mine from the store. Looked over the stack they had that was almost 5.5 ft tall!!! and dug one out of the middle that had not been dropped or handled rough. I took it out to the car and plugged it into the inverter to make sure everything was ok and went home. I just need some better wheels because the one from HF doesnt like to bite. It just skims on the metal.

well of you notice, the title of this thread is "northern tool sharpener" not harbor freight sharpener.....:monkey:

Send it back for replacement
When replacement arrives open and inspect with store manager present.
I have read a lot of threads on these Northern grinders and it seems about half the time something is wrong on arrival..broken wheels..parts missing etc.
Price is right..and I would like to buy one..but can't handle the repeat problems
The product should be fully operative on delivery!! If not...send it back!
If second delivery is defective...just take your refund and go!!!
J2F

I was on the verge of buying a NT sharpener until I read this thread. Thanks for the detailed review, TooBizzy, rep sent.

What's a guy to do ? Well, a former AS sponser has the Tecomec Jolly Star on sale for $320. Same as the Oregon 511AX minus the wheel wear compensation. Haven't heard a single bad thing about it. So....... looks like Santa will be bringing me a Jolly Star.

Might check this one out from Bailey's...maybe more / better advanced??
http://www.baileysonline.com/itemdetail.asp?item=45340&catID=9761

If you believe the photograph, Bailey's Speed Star appears to be the same as the Jolly Star, and like the Jolly Star, it lacks the wheel wear compensation.

If you can't live without the wheel wear compensation, our sponser CM sells the 511AX for $350 including shipping. 511AX for $350. I was tempted, but decided I could live without the wear compensation.

I have the NT grinder and am not happy with it at all. It has way to much slop and play in it. I would save the $100 and save it untill you can get a good grinder.

Or, get the NT grinder (if you know a bunch of people with saws.) Then start sharpening chains. Save that money and buy a real grinder.

Would you please give me an explanation of "wheel wear compensation"
Is there a remedy to this problem?
Never had a grinder so no idea of what you refer to.
Have heard of "wheel dressing" bars..I believe..to reshape a wheel
Please excuse my ignorance...and thanks in advance for any explanation.
J2F

danrclem said:

I've been thinking about getting a chain sharpener and Northern Tool has theirs on sale for $99.99. Is this how much it usually sells for when it's on sale? I've got all of my wood cut for the year and could wait awhile if I have to.

Click to expand...

I'm not a fan of these knock-off grinders, but if you have your mind made up, try NT on 'Black Friday' (the day after Thanksgiving). Rumor is that they will be $79.99 in stores only, while quantities last.

Philbert

jus2fat said:

Would you please give me an explanation of "wheel wear compensation"
Is there a remedy to this problem?
Never had a grinder so no idea of what you refer to.
Have heard of "wheel dressing" bars..I believe..to reshape a wheel
Please excuse my ignorance...and thanks in advance for any explanation.
J2F

Click to expand...

The diameter of the grinding wheel gets smaller as it wears. This changes the grinding angle ever so slightly. The 511AX lets you move the chain vise closer to the wheel to compensate for wheel wear. The Jolly Star and Speed Sharp seem to lack this adjustment, but otherwise appear identical to the 511AX and are made by the same company (Tecomec).

Most of us non-pro sharpeners will not be wearing wheels out that quickly, and replacement wheels don't cost that much, so I doubt if I would ever utilize the wheel wear adjustment if I had a 511AX. Still, it's a nice feature for the perfectionist.

Philbert said:

I'm not a fan of these knock-off grinders, but if you have your mind made up, try NT on 'Black Friday' (the day after Thanksgiving). Rumor is that they will be $79.99 in stores only, while quantities last.

Philbert

Click to expand...

In stores only and not on line. Just my luck. I don't have a NT near me.

I'm probably going to get one even if I have to pay more for it. I know that some of guys don't care for these but from the searches that I've done most people like them after fixing some casting fitment problems. I can't justify big bucks for a grinder that I'll probably use once in awhile just to get my chains back in shape or when I hit metal or some other hard object. I can hand file fairly well but after awhile my cutters start getting unequal in length. If I had a tree or firewood business I'd definitely go with a higher quality grinder.