I pay $5 off the saw for 18" and under loops, $7 on the saw. I touch up my loops by hand every other tank, and pull the loop for the saw shop when it's obvious I'm over my head.
How much do you pay to have chains ground?
- Thread starter CascadeHusky
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CascadeHusky
ArboristSite Operative
Your right...There is no rhyme or reason to the prices we set...it's what sounded good at the time. Before I started at the shop I'm at there wasn't even a price set for 36" chains...so I made one up. I didn't do any math to figure it out...just entered what sounded good. If I'm gonna stand there and sharpen a 36" chain I wanna be paid and if they don't like my price then they're more than welcome to try somewhere else. It's also why I price our labor higher to tube a tire than the shop up the block, I don't want to install tire tubes, takes to much time...In my opinion there's no money in chain sharpening...it's just a service we offer to keep folks coming to the store. Maybe they'll buy oil or files or some other junk we have sittin out at the register that looks appealing. I sold one of those stupidly expensive Stihl splitting wedges to a guy the other day who was in to pick up a chain I sharpened...it was sitting at the register and he was checkin it out while waiting to be rang up for his 7 dollar sharpening. But thanks...now I have to reevaluate our sharpening prices. Hahahaha.
Haha I apologize. I understand, there was a thread a while back about shops needing to tune saws for free. I was of the opinion that no, good shops have too much work to be obligated to give something away at the time expense of a different, paying customer.
Whatever you charge, you charge. If you get to much or too little grinding work you can adjust prices at that time. Until then it is a service you provide to those who walk through the door and/or regulars and not how you butter your bread. Makes sense to me.
big t double
Addicted to ArboristSite
No need to apologize brother
...mileage varies like opinions do. It's all good..were all from different walks of life. I got 30 chains in for sharpening saturday. 5 were 36" and 12 were 24/25"...and a 25" carbide (I charge double for carbide, it's a 200 dollar wheel so anti up )...plus two that needed to be shortened/sharpened...after getting that many chains in at one time I've been considering raising prices. No joke. 
Skeans
Addicted to ArboristSite
Seems like in Longview they are 8 for 32" down and 10 for 34" up. I agree it doesn't take long to pay off a grinder I do all of my own.
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TMFARM 2009
Addicted to ArboristSite
i file by hand. but if i mess up a chain on wire or such, its $7 a loop, no matter what size loop. off saw of course.
reason i file by hand, is i run a more aggressive chain than most. its just what i prefer. i had a grinder and sold it.
i stock up to 12 chains per saw(except the 590). when out cutting, if dull i switch chains. then sharpen at the house on rainy days. gets more wood in the truck. when you have limited access to places due to weather, it saves time.
reason i file by hand, is i run a more aggressive chain than most. its just what i prefer. i had a grinder and sold it.
i stock up to 12 chains per saw(except the 590). when out cutting, if dull i switch chains. then sharpen at the house on rainy days. gets more wood in the truck. when you have limited access to places due to weather, it saves time.
Never pay to have one sharpened, When I get too lazy to sharpen my own i'll give up the cutting. Besides after you learn to do it, their easy and can do one pretty fast. I hand file too, I can do it faster than with a grinder. Now if I had an expensive grinder that might be faster, I don't know. I had a couple sharpened years ago and they cut so crooked the bar hung up in the cut. Back then I think they charged me 4 dollars to screw up my chains.
ChoppyChoppy
Tree Freak
Have enough of those around the shop I could keep you busy sorting and grinding chains 8hrs a day for a few months. 
Have 2 of those white postal plastic bins overflowing... just about takes 2 people to pick them up. (got to be 200+lbs!, plus a ton more hanging in various areas in the shop.
Have 2 of those white postal plastic bins overflowing... just about takes 2 people to pick them up. (got to be 200+lbs!, plus a ton more hanging in various areas in the shop.
dsell
Addicted to ArboristSite
72dl chains sell everyday for $15 so I feel bad asking $5 to sharpen one and can't imagine asking $15. Therefore, I say I don't sharpen chains. I have to force myself to do my own, why would I want to do someone else's? I'm like Philbert, I'm too fuzzy and takes me too long so I'd starve. I had my first 511 when I was a teenager and had a place in town for people to drop chains. I think I charged $3 in 1988. It would be a good business for an eager teen if you could get them trained good.
