Chain grinding
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o8f150
Tree Freak
use a 3/16 wheel
galde
Addicted to ArboristSite
A thinner wheel can get the tooth sharp enough, but the gullet won't be right. The grinder wheel should be the right size to leave a gullet the same as would be made by the right size file.
Sagetown
Farmer and a STIHL
Yes; you can use a 1/8" dia wheel to grind a 3/8" (.375") chain.
Both 1/8" and 3/16" wheels are recommended.
Both 1/8" and 3/16" wheels are recommended.
Slightly different but similar question;
I recently purchased the Oregon 511ax with three wheels, 1/8 and 3/16 contoured and 5/16 square edged wheels. Can I use the Oregon 3/16 wheel to sharpen the Stihl chains? The Stihl manual shows the wheel should be 5/32 or 13/64, both ever so slightly smaller and larger respectively that the 3/16. Can I use the 3/16 without messing up the chains? Are there any slight adjustments to the grinding angles I should make if I do use the 3/16 wheel?
Brand new to this so any help is a plus.
I recently purchased the Oregon 511ax with three wheels, 1/8 and 3/16 contoured and 5/16 square edged wheels. Can I use the Oregon 3/16 wheel to sharpen the Stihl chains? The Stihl manual shows the wheel should be 5/32 or 13/64, both ever so slightly smaller and larger respectively that the 3/16. Can I use the 3/16 without messing up the chains? Are there any slight adjustments to the grinding angles I should make if I do use the 3/16 wheel?
Brand new to this so any help is a plus.
Sagetown
Farmer and a STIHL
The Oregon Grinder Manual should have a comparison chart showing which wheel should be used for the various chain brands and sizes.
My Northern comparison chart indicates the 1/8" wheel is good for Stihl .325" and the PIRRO or low profile 3/8" chains.
The 3/16" is used for the standard MICRO 3/8" Semi-Chisel chains.
Check your grinders manual and let us know if it makes similar statements.
My Northern comparison chart indicates the 1/8" wheel is good for Stihl .325" and the PIRRO or low profile 3/8" chains.
The 3/16" is used for the standard MICRO 3/8" Semi-Chisel chains.
Check your grinders manual and let us know if it makes similar statements.
The back of the manual only shows Oregon chains and no comparisons to other chain.
Sagetown
Farmer and a STIHL
Sagetown
Farmer and a STIHL
Here is a pic of the pdf file . If it comes out okay, and you need a larger look see, go to the top left of your screen where it says File Edit View Favorites.
click View, scroll down the window to 'Zoom'. Click it and pick out 200% or 400 if needed. After viewing file, zoom back to 100% for normal viewing.
click View, scroll down the window to 'Zoom'. Click it and pick out 200% or 400 if needed. After viewing file, zoom back to 100% for normal viewing.
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Sagetown
Farmer and a STIHL
There it is..... A little fuzzy, but when I zoomed to 400%, I can make it out.
I fixed it. Did a little tweaking on it, and replaced the pic. Looks much better now.
I fixed it. Did a little tweaking on it, and replaced the pic. Looks much better now.
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Thanks for trying but nothing is posted.
lambs
Stihl crazy after all these years
I think as you grind back the cutter, you can switch to the thinner contoured grinding wheel. That is why 2 different ones are listed.
Having said that, I seldom switch. I use 3/16 on all my 3/8 pitch chains. And 1/8 on the .325 pitch.
Having said that, I seldom switch. I use 3/16 on all my 3/8 pitch chains. And 1/8 on the .325 pitch.
Sagetown
Farmer and a STIHL
That's odd. It is up on both my iPhone and PC. I'll check if it's available to all viewers.
Steve NW WI
Unwanted Riff Raff.
Shows fine for me.
Yup, came through this time. Thanks!!
So now I'm all screwed up!!
I'm trying to sharpen these three chain sizes;
61 PMMC3 3/8 pitch
26 RM .325 pitch
33 RMC 3/8 pitch
Checking the chart above against the manual that comes with the Stihl chain;
angles are different. Stihl says 30/75/90 for all of them
chart above says 30/60/10 for 26 RM
35/60/0 for 33 RM
and PPMC# doesn't exist
Then, when looking at wheels for grinding the chains in the above chart, 26RM uses 1/8 wheel but 33RM uses both 1/8 & 3/16 while again, the 61PMMC3 doesn't show on the chart.
After sharpening a couple chains at the manuals settings 30/75/90, I checked some angles against factory edges (new chains) and found the 30/60/90 to be closer to factory than whats in the manual!!:msp_confused:
Any help would be great. Being so late, I haven't tried the chains I sharpened to see if the edges are any good but will in the morning.
I'm trying to sharpen these three chain sizes;
61 PMMC3 3/8 pitch
26 RM .325 pitch
33 RMC 3/8 pitch
Checking the chart above against the manual that comes with the Stihl chain;
angles are different. Stihl says 30/75/90 for all of them
chart above says 30/60/10 for 26 RM
35/60/0 for 33 RM
and PPMC# doesn't exist
Then, when looking at wheels for grinding the chains in the above chart, 26RM uses 1/8 wheel but 33RM uses both 1/8 & 3/16 while again, the 61PMMC3 doesn't show on the chart.
After sharpening a couple chains at the manuals settings 30/75/90, I checked some angles against factory edges (new chains) and found the 30/60/90 to be closer to factory than whats in the manual!!:msp_confused:
Any help would be great. Being so late, I haven't tried the chains I sharpened to see if the edges are any good but will in the morning.
Sagetown
Farmer and a STIHL
Most people work closer to the chart, but they all have their minor preferences and or adjustments.
That being said, if I used the 1/8 wheel for the .325 and the 3/16 for the other two, would that be correct or 1/8 for everything?
And as far as angles, I've seen mentioned elswhere in this site that 30/60/90 is the basic way to go. Is that correct or will it mess up the chains?
And as far as angles, I've seen mentioned elswhere in this site that 30/60/90 is the basic way to go. Is that correct or will it mess up the chains?
OK - The snarky answer is you can do what you want, and you may find that you intentionally choose to do something different than the manufacturer recommends. For starting out, you are probably trying to 'copy' the original cutter profile and angles, right?
Note that common saw chain files come in different sizes (5/32", 3/16", 7/32") than common grinding wheels (1/8", 3/16", 1/4"), so right from the start you know that there will be some variations. And cutter profiles change with wear.
I file some .325 chain with 5/32" files, and some with 3/16" files in order to get the cutter shape I want. On some .325 I start out with 3/16", but switch to the smaller file diameter toward the end of it's life, as the cutter gets smaller. Same thing with grinding wheels. When you dress/profile the edge to a half-round shape, you essentially get the same thing. So I grind some .325 with a 3/16" wheel when it is newer and 1/8" near the end. But using a 1/8" wheel on .375 chain would give you a really small, sharp hook and not sharpen the side plate much, just like using a really small file would.
Note that you want to create a hook similar to what you would do with a file, with approximately 20% of the file diameter above the top plate. You can hold a file of the right size up to your ground hook to visualize that. A lot of guys new to grinding focus more on the shape of the gullet than the cutter tooth, so this is important. After you get all of the Left and Right cutters shaped the you want on the top plate and the side plate, you can go back and clean out the gullet if you want, but don't focus on this up front. A used chain will never look exactly like a new chain, whether it is filed or ground.
Yes - on the .325 and 3/8 pitch chains. Use the 1/8" wheel on the Picco (3/8 low profile) chains. The 1/4" or 5/16" wheel supplied with the Oregon grinders is used either profiled round for 3/4 pitch harvester chain, or, profiled at a flat angle for lowering depth gauges (see the manual for this).
STIHL sells their own grinder and wheels. If you look at their data for their chains, it is based on their USG grinder, and the numbers do not all correspond to other grinders. Sometimes manufacturers also give you additional angle information that you do not need. This leads to a lot of confusion. The simplest solution for the Oregon style grinders is to choose angles based on the chart that Sagetown posted, or angles that you use on similar chain. If you like, you can mount a new chain in your grinder and try to 'copy' the 3 angles you need (vise rotation, grinder head tilt, vise tilt). You can also eyeball how close you selected grinding wheel matches the cutter profile.
***Note that this is also a good way to make sure that the vise on your new grinder is centered: the angle settings and cutter length should remain the same for both right and left hand cutters***
Their recommended angles are starting point for general use. You might vary these if you cut all hardwood, or all softwood; if you like a more aggressive cut; if you want your edges to last longer between sharpenings; etc. Don't worry about being exact: you grinder is not that accurate. So if you grind a chain at 32 or 28 degrees instead of 30, for example, you won't notice a practical difference when cutting, as long as they are all ground the same.
Philbert
You see a lot of A.S. members posting that they they do not bother with the 10 degree tilt on full-chisel chains. That is up to you and will not mess up the chains either way. Do it if you feel that it makes an important difference in cutting.
You can always try certain angles and change them the next time - see what works for you. If you are always changing angles, it will take you longer to sharpen and you will grind away your cutters faster. But no harm in trying.
Some guys will also grind all of their chains the same to keep things simple. Others will follow the manufacturer's angles for each chain size and type, or for different uses (limbing saw versus bucking or felling saw).
Just get started and get your feet wet. Take your time. Use a light 'tap-tap-tap' with the wheel, and get a feel for it. Then you can decide on angles, etc..
Philbert
