Oregon 511ax cutters uneven

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OBX Koastie

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Location
Virginia & North Carolina
I have a relatively new 511ax that I use for sharpening the chains for fellow church members...we have a firewood mission where tree companies donate logs that we cut into fireplace lengths, split it, cure it and then donate it to families that use wood for heat. I have talked to Oregon, have read everything I can find on this site and elsewhere about the unit filing cutters unevenly and other than changing the stop for each side can find nothing that helps me understand why the cutters aren't even. There is a 0.0175" difference on my digital caliper. This difference is enough to be visible when looking down on the chain.

I primarily use a Diamond Tools CBN wheel and tried to see if using the Oregon wheels made any difference. The cutters are uneven with both wheels.

One post on this site talked about installing shims but the picture is no longer available.

Any help in understanding this issue and possible solutions other than changing the stop for each side would be helpful. I would think for what this unit costs, it should grind both sides the same amount.

Any suggestions on addressing this with Oregon?

Thanks.
 
No help here, other than to say that i file all my chains by hand and i will keep it that way. I have a 511a collecting dust in the barn, for reasons similar to yours. I find it easier to keep straight, and certainly easier to just leave the chain right on the saw and sharpen there.
 
Best I can tell you is that the length of either side is in relation to the position of the vise vs the wheel. if you look closely you will notice that when going from one side to the other will require a slight change in the position of the vise to get the same length as you can only have one side of the cutters positioned under the wheel properly at a time. So it is either adj the cutter position or vise position. Every single vertical wheel grinder of this style has this same short coming. Additionally the degree markings cast in are only a reference.
 
Thanks for Helping We do about the same thing for the needy.See my post in the firewood section Ethelsvillle Firewood Mission.
 
lts hard to hand file for multiple saws in a commercial application unless you are prepared to spend hours on end hand filing, l tried and after getting a 511ax chinese copy l have not picked up a file. lf l set the gauge at 25° each side l end up with 20°one side and 33° the other. So l just set the wheel so it falls to match the witness mark and l end up with consistent even cutters. If its an original grinder you would expect better accuracy and l understand why your not happy.
 
You need to center the vise, it's very easy. Find a short flat piece of metal stock thin enough to clamp in the vise. Set vise at 0* and grinding head straight up and down. Now pull down the grinding head until the wheel touches the vise, the clamped (upright) straight edge should line up perfectly with the center of the bolt that holds the grinding wheel in place. If it doesn't, loosen the two 4mm allen bolts underneath the vise and slide it forward or backward until the straight edge is perfectly centered with the wheel bolt.
 
You need to center the vise, it's very easy. Find a short flat piece of metal stock thin enough to clamp in the vise. Set vise at 0* and grinding head straight up and down. Now pull down the grinding head until the wheel touches the vise, the clamped (upright) straight edge should line up perfectly with the center of the bolt that holds the grinding wheel in place. If it doesn't, loosen the two 4mm allen bolts underneath the vise and slide it forward or backward until the straight edge is perfectly centered with the wheel bolt.

That was the first thing I tried after the helpful person at Oregon told me that is what I needed to do. Funny how that is missing from the manufacturer's instructions. Also missing is the information from Oregon that "it would not be possible to make a chain grinder that files both cutters evenly for the amount charged" and that you must "reset the cutter stop for each side separately." Funnier still is how that is missing from any of the advertising of this unit, is totally absent in the manufacturer's instructions, and only a senior tech at Oregon is knowledgeable of this. They use a Silvey when they need accuracy!)" It has absolutely no results whatsoever on the outcome. Even with the vice moved to the extreme end of its travel in both directions, the difference in results is inconsequential (<0.003"). I am convinced I got a unit where the centering of the device was improperly machined at the time of manufacture and will be sending it back for an exchange.

It seems odd to me that a $29.95 Granberg File-N-Joint can get the cutter lengths identical when you set the stop and lock it yet a $400 511AX cannot!

Just like the Dolmar 5105 I purchased new from a Dolmar dealer and burnt up in less than tree full tanks of 40:1 Stihl Ultra mix with premium non-ethanol fuel only to have the local Dolmar dealer tell me I ran the engine lean. The individual who purchased that saw found that there was a crack in the carburetor casting when he also could not get it to run the way he thought it should after a partial rebuild. I know Dolmar and OregonTecomec make great products; I am convinced I got a lemon in both cases. Hopefully the dealer will step up so I don't have to go through the manufacturer like I did with Dolmar.
 
Even though this is advertised as having a "self centering vice", it is only a semi-precise device. I always assume that all grinders are at least slightly 'off'.

I sharpen one side, then check the first tooth on the other, and adjust if needed. You will quickly learn which side to sharpen first on your grinder, and as the grinding wheel wears.

It's part of the skill and technique for grinding. I learned as a land surveyor, that even when using highly precise equipment, you always assume that there will be some error, and your technique compensates for that error. That is how old craftsmen achieved incredible results with tools we would consider 'primitive' today.

There was a recent thread that discussed some additional adjustments on another grinder that may provide some insight :
http://www.arboristsite.com/communi...462-centering-adjustment-is-there-one.260861/

Good luck.

Philbert
 
I've had 3 511s and all three you had to make a slight adjustment when switching sides . Even my STIHL usg needs to be adjusted slightly but it's not as far off


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
We have had a 511AX in use for 6 years now, recently it started grinding shorter on one side. I centered the vise according to the directions, and it works perfectly now. It is on it's 3rd vise (from wear) and still going strong.
 
We have had a 511AX in use for 6 years now, recently it started grinding shorter on one side. I centered the vise according to the directions, and it works perfectly now. It is on it's 3rd vise (from wear) and still going strong.
It seems like there are some good ones and some bad ones out there and I am guessing the quality in a six year old device is like superior to the quality in a 2014 device. Like I said, mine is always 0.018" off no matter what I do, how I center the unit under the wheel in accordance with Oregon's instruction, etc. I did read the "fix" that Dr.D found for his 511AX hydraulic assist but I am not going to take apart the vice on mine to try and center it as it isn't even closely similar to his vice. (Thanks Philbert for the heads up and it made very interesting reading.) I am going to let Oregon figure out how to make this unit grind cutters that are within a couple of thousandths of even while it is still under warranty.

I cannot believe the wealth of information available on this site!

Thanks for all the replies.
 
Well I got my new 511AX from the Oregon dealer and before I destroyed all of the packing just in case, I set it up and used a new Stihl 3/8 RS chain for measurements. I measured two teeth with a micrometer and they were the same length as best I could measure. I put a CBN wheel in and checked to make sure the vice was centered the way Oregon Tech Support told me. It was dead on. So I rotated the vice 30 degrees right, set the head angle at 60 degrees and got the chain so it just touched the wheel. Now comes the amazing part. Rotated the vice 30 degrees left and voila, the gap was between 0.001" and 0.0015" the only two feeler gauges I had at this small a gap. To me that is well within the realm of reasonableness when sharpening a chain. The 30 degree angle right and left was dead on as was the sixty degree head angle. So I guess the first one I got a lemon because it was 0.018" off no matter what I tried! I was just happy that Oregon stepped up and replaced it. (I did not check the warranty card that came with the older unit but the new unit manufactured in July 2014 has a 90 day warranty and was glad Oregon honored the fact the unit was getting close to one year old. Not much of a warranty for a device that sells for over $300!)

No one seems to have the new 520 with the different vice arrangement and I'd be interested if anyone knows if that vice set-up would replace the one that comes with the 511AX. Should be some good deals on the 511AX once the 520 hits the shelves.
 
Glad you got something that works for you.

My guess is that the vice on the older 511A would also fit in your 511AX - anyone tried to swap them? Would like to hear from Oregon or Tecomec how the 520 differs from the 511A - might be some things that are not easy to see.

Philbert
 
Just replaced a vice ( the fancy muti part one ) the shaft snapped in half. Course that part isn't available by itself ( frigging normal around here). I think the older simple pinch/ cam operated type vise is better . All though I do like the rollers on the end as with the none roller style the chains wear grooves in the ends. Seems ya can't have your cake and eat too. I could really use one of those automated units- but time tested reviews I have read of the under $2500 ones aren't that hot. I sure do not have $25k for the Swiss unit.
 

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