Maxx Grinder?

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ScottWojo

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I may pick up the Maxx grinder in my product line to sell. I would have to pick up a large quantity to pass on a lower price to the buyers.

Does anyone have much experiance using one to give advice on its quality?

Any problems with breakage?

Anything you like over the Maxx as compared to grinders you used in the past?

Thanks in advance,
Scott.
 
Maxx Grinders

The MAXX unit is very tough and a good unit. They use the same wheels as most other popular grinders such as the 511A.

I highly recomend them to my customers who see a lot of saw use and are interested in sharpening their own chains.

You'll definately have to order a large quantity of units to give your customers a "Low Price", think fork-lift on this one for sure. I've ordered over 100 units so far to get my customers the most competitive price.

Oh, and contact a shipping supply depot for boxes, packing peanuts and tape.
 
Best thing to do is to buy one for yourself personally and use it a few months to get to know the product. Jeff Sikkema (an ex site sponsor) has sold loads of maxx grinders and has had very few issues to my knowledge.
 
I agree. That's how I got in to the MAXX units. They sent me one to try out and it was a great unit and easy to use. So I decided to sell them too.

Jeff still sells a lot of units via eBay and I'd like to see him back here as a sponsor. We need sponsors to help out the site.
 
We use the maxx for one of our machines at work - 6 months in the shop (few thousand chains) then sell them to a customer... Seem to be o.k. except the hydraulic clamp is a PITA to bleed if they mess up. Currently using Baileys CBN wheels.
 
Lakeside,

Now MAXX GB and all the MAXX units I've ever seen have a mechanical vise clamp.

You sure it isn't the OREGON 109179 with hydraulic assist?

BTW how is everyone doing? WHo's cutting wood harcore and who is getting ready to battle the snow?
 
Lakeside,

Now MAXX GB and all the MAXX units I've ever seen have a mechanical vise clamp.

You sure it isn't the OREGON 109179 with hydraulic assist?

BTW how is everyone doing? WHo's cutting wood harcore and who is getting ready to battle the snow?

Nope.. definitely not Orgeon. We get them from Tilton. Hmmm... I'll check again Monday.

Edit: oh uh... we get Tecomec Super Jollys... Sorry, I'm not good with the off brands ;)
 
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I picked one up about 6 months ago. After I got used to it I was able to produce pretty good results. However, I found the units craftsmanship and design a bit lacking (maybe it's the German in me). I'm using feeler gauges as shims in a couple of places where slop hinders a consistent result.

I have nothing to compare it against so it's just my two cents worth.

I was hand filing and using a dremel (can't hand file to save my life, just shoot me, get it over with). Compared to what I was producing before, I'm happy with the unit.

:cheers:
 
I picked one up about 6 months ago. After I got used to it I was able to produce pretty good results. However, I found the units craftsmanship and design a bit lacking (maybe it's the German in me). I'm using feeler gauges as shims in a couple of places where slop hinders a consistent result.

I have nothing to compare it against so it's just my two cents worth.

I was hand filing and using a dremel (can't hand file to save my life, just shoot me, get it over with). Compared to what I was producing before, I'm happy with the unit.

:cheers:

Ents, If cost is not an issue (under 600.00) what grinder is THE BEST ? I'd like to buy one soon and I only want to buy one once. If I don't get the best, I'll never be happy with it. I can hand file ok, but when I'm up in a tree i want to be throwing the biggest chip possible. I take mine to the dealer about every 4 hand sharpens, he dos a great job but it's $6.00 and a 30 min drive.
 
reachtree,

I'm no expert when comes to grinders (perhaps maybe the ones you eat) so I go by a lot of what is posted here on AS. If cost were no object it would have to be the Silvey. There's a model for square and one for rnd. ground. I do not believe there is a Silvey under $600 tho. There are plenty of MAXX distrubutors and the unit is under $300.

Now I went with the MAXX since I figured the Silvey was way over my budget and the 511a (and it's contemporaries) were the bottom of the sharpener lines. However, no matter what you end up with the results produced are a factor of the operator. Poor set up and lack of attention to detail results in poor production. Someone who knows the idiosyncrasies of the 511A and works with them can turn out great results while someone who just throws the chain at the Silvey will end up with a poor cutting chain.

There is nothing wrong with the MAXX. I just believe more thought should have gone into the design. I work with it's flaws (feeler gauges here and there) and get o.k. results. Not fantastic results, just o.k. That's not the fault of the unit more the operator (just don't know what I'm doing wrong, but I keep trying)
 
I dunno what to say. I've been working with the MAXX and 511A units for several hundred chains.

Properly dressing your wheels at proper intervals and a good set-up are the most important. While it is nearly impossible to get that "factory New" grind out of any chain with alomst any piece of equipment that doesn't cost the same as a new truck, I think either a MAXX or a 511A can give exceptional results.

If you are experiencing a different between your left and right cutters, try usuing the shim provided behind your wheel when you install it. As to the play in the arm and vise, etc. of the grinders, this seems to be typical of every grinding operation. We see a difference of between .002" to .004" in cutting teeth between left and right and also variations in the teeth. This is a much closer tolerance than hand filing and the width of a piece of paper. I'm not sure what the factory tolerances are at OREGON, STIHL, CARLTON, WINDSOR, etc.

Double check your angles and wheels to make sure you have a good set-up and to verify that you are grinding evenly bith left to right. Also, it is possible to modify the factory angles slightly to produce the best results for your application.
 
do you also put the shim behind the 3/16 wheel? My left and right cutters were different length, but now i just use a digital micrometer to get them close.

Will it help if i put the shim on before the wheel??

LAKE: What grit are the abn wheels you use
Part #?
price$?
 
Dol @ Os,

Hope you didn't think I was knocking either the 511 or the MAXX. The gist of my post was that you get out what you put in, even if you're dealing with an absolute POS (neither unit is that).

Now as it relates to my "just o.k." results. Wheel dressing. Probably a problem. That damn little dressing stone gets chewed up pretty quick and my results suffer. I don't have a gauge either so I'm 2 negs. in the hole (you have those? Mail one to me). Difference between l & r cutters -- I gave up trying to just flip the arm and base over w/o any adjustments. I tried shims behind the head, the shim for the smaller wheel, cussing, etc. I gave up. Now I grind a few chains at a time, first the ls then the rs. Each side and each chain is a new set up and I check the cutter length and adjust as needed. Also check rakers and file accordingly.

As far as the feeler gauges I'm using as shims -- If I feel slop in the arm, or anywhere, then it's too much. So I shim it, don't have shim stock so I use feeler gauges.

Like I said in my other post "I'm no expert .." and I have a lot to learn yet.

:cheers:
 
Ents,

I undertand where you're coming from. BTW, and dressing stone for any grinder will work on the wheels. Local tool store should be able to hook you up for little or nothing.

As for the L and R being different, it usually takes less than an 1/8th of a turn to get them even. I've never found a grinder other than the $20K units that will do the left and right cutters without at least a small amount of adjustment.

If you look at the way the heads are mounted in relation to the centerline of the chain and cutting teeth. It's nearly impossible for them to line up the same way both left and right.
 
Even my Silvey 510 needs a slight adjustment between left and right. I think the angle is accurate each way, but the pawls are not quite the same shape.

When I was at Madsens I looked through a box of replacement pawl pairs (at around $70), and most of them were worse than what I had. Not a really big deal, but I was a bit disappointed as I am a bit of a perfectionist with some things. I just live with it.

What I do like about my 510 is the 8 inch wheel, and the solid way the unit grabs the chain.

I only use it for semi-chisel since I got my Pro Sharp which even at 2 grand is not perfect. (But better than the other square grinders than I've seen.) The pro sharp has a slight bias left vs right angle due to the manner in which it clamps the chain from the same side for both sets of teeth.

Like I've said before, I wish there was a real market for high end chainsaw grinders (esp square) because if the Germans or Japanese got in the game with motivation grinders would take a huge leap forward. Course it will never happen because few folks want to spend more than a couple hundred bucks.
 
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Ents,

I undertand where you're coming from. BTW, and dressing stone for any grinder will work on the wheels. Local tool store should be able to hook you up for little or nothing.

As for the L and R being different, it usually takes less than an 1/8th of a turn to get them even. I've never found a grinder other than the $20K units that will do the left and right cutters without at least a small amount of adjustment.

If you look at the way the heads are mounted in relation to the centerline of the chain and cutting teeth. It's nearly impossible for them to line up the same way both left and right.

I have the Northern tool 511a knock off. I put the shim and washer kit on it but still had different length cutters. So I took the (farmer)pliers to the chain stop and twisted it. It seems to have solved a lot of my problems in different lengths.
 

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