511A Grinder - Improvements / Tweaks?

[Wood Doctor]

Switch Placement

Another 'Oregon-if-you-are-listening' type suggestion: I would like to see the On/Off switch relocated so that it is easier to see. I usually do this by feel when grinding. Would be nice to have it up front, or on the side, where I could clearly see it, even with the grinder head in the full up position.

Philbert

Good point. I suppose we could mount a mirror somewhere. It becomes second nature after awhile, but that does not help a new buyer. Cost and wire routing may have something to do with it.

Still contemplating the DC-AC inverter idea. The chief sawyer says he wants his men to learn how to file sharpen cutters in the field at the work site the same way he does. He says they are all too lazy to learn and it drives him bonkers. And, he fears that they will then not be careful and hit the ground more often while bucking logs.

 

[Junkfxr]

Say, has anyone ever driven a 511a using a DC to AC converter that can be connected to a truck's battery?

I thought about doing this for my logger friends to reduce their hand-sharpening time. I have a portable work bench with a vise for clamping the grinder to it. The idea is to use it out in the woods when we are miles from AC current. It only needs about 500 watts. Any thoughts?

I do it all of the time. I have a 3000 watt modified sine wave inverter mounted in the tool box on the truck with an auxiliary battery that's charged through a battery isolator. I also have a vice that mounts in the receiver hitch that the grinder gets clamped in. The grinder doesn't need any where near that big of an inverter but it gets used for a lot more than grinding chains.

 

[Philbert]

I have a 3000 watt modified sine wave inverter mounted in the tool box on the truck with an auxiliary battery that's charged through a battery isolator.

There are a lot of cheap inverters out there, that don't hold up, or don't put out what they say. So it's good to have some 'overcapacity'.

Sounds like you have yours set up right: not just running out of a cigarette lighter adaptor!

Philbert

 

[Wood Doctor]

I do it all of the time. I have a 3000 watt modified sine wave inverter mounted in the tool box on the truck with an auxiliary battery that's charged through a battery isolator. I also have a vice that mounts in the receiver hitch that the grinder gets clamped in. The grinder doesn't need any where near that big of an inverter but it gets used for a lot more than grinding chains.

Just got back from a logger's equipment auction in northern Wisconsin. While there, I talked to several other saw service people who have put together a similar setup but smaller scale like I was planning. In their book, it works. They also tote around a separate battery rather than wear down the truck's battery. Usually, they can get several hours of grinder operation on a full charge. Then they trickle charge it back up overnight in the garage. One guy's battery has lasted two years and still holds a charge.

Number one warning is: "Don't use the grinder or the power supply out in the rain. Keep it dry."

 

[Junkfxr]

Just got back from a logger's equipment auction in northern Wisconsin. While there, I talked to several other saw service people who have put together a similar setup but smaller scale like I was planning. In their book, it works. They also tote around a separate battery rather than wear down the truck's battery. Usually, they can get several hours of grinder operation on a full charge. Then they trickle charge it back up overnight in the garage. One guy's battery has lasted two years and still holds a charge.

Number one warning is: "Don't use the grinder or the power supply out in the rain. Keep it dry."

That's the reason for using a battery isolator. I can run the extra battery dead if need be and not affect the starting battery. I don't have an actual battery isolator, I'm using a 500 amp relay wired to the ignition switch. Whenever the switch is on, the extra battery is connected to the main truck battery through the relay and gets charged while driving. Helps starting the truck on cold mornings also. I've used this type of set up for at least 25 years on various trucks and equipment and have put the same set up in countless other peoples equipment and never had a problem. Sure beats trying to file a rocked chain on a 36" bar in the woods.

 

[Wood Doctor]

This thread gets better with time. I found an old Sears 3248 Die Hard in the garage that a friend left me after he moved away over five years ago. Never used, I decided to try and rejuvenate it. I've trickle charged it at 750 ma for about 60 hours and slowly added about a cup of water in total to the cells. I still don't have a flashing green on the charger indicator, but I decided this morning to see what it could do.

I hooked up the DC/AC inverter, plugged in my 511a, and threw the switch. The light came on and the motor ran! Battery terminal voltage now measures 12.41 under load and 12.48 under no load. The charger delivers 13.2 v. After a few minutes, I switched off the grinder and hooked the charger back up.

I also found an old B&D Workmate vise that I seldom use. I'm going to mount that to my adjustable saw horse and clamp the 511a to it. Soon as that's done, I'll post Pics of my new completed contraption, soon to be known as a portable saw chain sharpening station.

 

[Philbert]

I'm thinking of the foot treadle on an old sewing machine stand . . . save all of the adaptors.

Philbert

 

[user 122190]

I just had to use mine this morning. Probably the 10th time I've used it in the last year. It's a cheap knock off, and has its quirks, but it is fast and for a rough chain is a great thing to have.

The problem I have is the indexing of the chain. It does not have much precision, so the grind is to much or to little from link to link. The machine is sloppy enough that I can just ease the arm into or away as necessary to grind only just enough to put the edge back on the cutter.

 

[Wood Doctor]

I'm thinking of the foot treadle on an old sewing machine stand . . . save all of the adaptors.

Philbert

Actually, I erred above on the model number of the DieHard. It's actually a 31248 and the age is much older than I first thought. Time flies. The original owner moved out in the spring of 2005. He could have had it for a number of months, so I suspect this unused battery is over 10 years old. I cannot find a date stamped anywhere on it, so if I ever get it fully charged, it may be a small miracle. Others have told me that trickle charging is the only way to go with an old relic and to have patience. I tend to agree.

I've also thought of another hook-up to the power station--a box fan that I can run while splitting and stacking wood. It gets hot in the summer and where I split logs (near a creek bed) there is very little breeze.

 

[Junkfxr]

Actually, I erred above on the model number of the DieHard. It's actually a 31248 and the age is much older than I first thought. Time flies. The original owner moved out in the spring of 2005. He could have had it for a number of months, so I suspect this unused battery is over 10 years old. I cannot find a date stamped anywhere on it, so if I ever get it fully charged, it may be a small miracle. Others have told me that trickle charging is the only way to go with an old relic and to have patience. I tend to agree.

I've also thought of another hook-up to the power station--a box fan that I can run while splitting and stacking wood. It gets hot in the summer and where I split logs (near a creek bed) there is very little breeze.

If you'll bring that battery up to 15.0-15.5 volts very slowly then hold it there for about an hour then slowly bring it back down to to about 13.5 and hold it there, there's a good chance that it may come back to life. You need to boil it to 1) remix the acid and water that has separated (stratified) from sitting so long and 2) break up the deposits that have formed on the faces of the plates. That is assuming that you have a battery with liquid acid in it and not gel or absorbed in glass mat.

 

[Wood Doctor]

If you'll bring that battery up to 15.0-15.5 volts very slowly then hold it there for about an hour then slowly bring it back down to to about 13.5 and hold it there, there's a good chance that it may come back to life. You need to boil it to 1) remix the acid and water that has separated (stratified) from sitting so long and 2) break up the deposits that have formed on the faces of the plates. That is assuming that you have a battery with liquid acid in it and not gel or absorbed in glass mat.

Yes, it has liquid acid and it did boil. I ran the sharpener for 15 minutes yesterday. I'm going to give it a try this week in the field to see how long it can run the sharpener. If nothing else, I'll run a fan to cool off the operator while he splits campfire wood in 90-degree heat. The fan motor only pulls 1.5 amp at 120 volts or 180 v-a. If my calculations are correct, I may get 2 hours or so of forced air breeze and one truckload of split logs before the battery quits.

 

[redoakneck]

So.... when you grind with a reversable grinder, do grind outside to inside, or opposite???

On the 511a I do the the right cutters with the stock direction (sparks into back of grinder), and the left cutters with the reverse direction??

 

[Philbert]

So.... when you grind with a reversable grinder, do grind outside to inside, or opposite?

'Outside-in' if you don't want a burr.

Philbert

 

[redoakneck]

Thanks Philbert!!!! U r awesome!!!

 

[redoakneck]

What is the best wheel for doing stihl rs/rm chain????


I have the molemab pinkies now. Seem to work OK, I haven't had a lot of cut time on my ground chain, not as good as hand filed w fg2, but much, much quicker to sharpen.

Those picco cutters seem to heat up too much when I grind them, prolly too impatient.

 

[lambs]

What is the best wheel for doing stihl rs/rm chain????


I have the molemab pinkies now. Seem to work OK, I haven't had a lot of cut time on my ground chain, not as good as hand filed w fg2, but much, much quicker to sharpen.

Those picco cutters seem to heat up too much when I grind them, prolly too impatient.

If you really want to keep the heat down, you need a CBN wheel with cutouts in it through to the edge. Mine has 8 or 9 of them. They create a good breeze and since the edge of the wheel has breaks in it, it breaks contact with the cutter as it grinds.

Having said that, Molemab is fine, just keep it dressed properly and tap gently on the cutters…...

 

[Philbert]

Molemab is fine, just keep it dressed properly and tap gently on the cutters…...

+1

Patience, light taps, and frequent dressing.

If you really want to keep the heat down, you need a CBN wheel with cutouts in it through to the edge.

Or these:
http://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/resinoid-grinder-wheels.256733/

Philbert

 

[Philbert]

I have the molemab pinkies now. Seem to work OK, . . .

I was just on the Bailey's site looking at the Molemab wheels (on sale now!). They say that the Molemab wheels are 80 grit and the Oregon wheels are 60 grit, so there is a difference. Here's a comment from Grande Dog comparing the two when he worked there:
http://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/molemab-grinding-wheels.179582/

Philbert

 

[redoakneck]

Just ordered the retinoid black wheels!!! Thanks again

 

[Philbert]

Just ordered the retinoid black wheels!!! Thanks again

Great! Please post your comments, impressions, etc., good or bad, in that thread, after you have had a chance to use them for a while.

http://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/resinoid-grinder-wheels.256733/

Philbert