I put on my steel underwear before I posted this thread...

[jimdad07]

I went and bought a Timber Tuff bare-bones bench sharpener at Tractor Supply today for $51.00. Now before I have hear all of the Chicom garbage banter that is sure to follow, this is my first mechanical chain sharpener, it was what I could afford and to me, it works great for my needs at this time. Hopefully I can afford better in a few years. I have to say that I have been a religious free hand filer over the last few years and I bought this to bring bad loops back from the dead. Hope it will work for this purpose. My only gripe about it is that the part that turns and holds the chain has way too much play in it and you have to screw around with it some to get the exact placement when you change from side of the chain to the other.

 

[hanniedog]

So it requires a little tweaking it gets the job done for you.

 

[Stihlverado]

That dont sound like a bad price! I seen them up to 3500 bucks. I personally havent ever burned a chain on one. If it works for you I belive you made a good purchase.

 

[chopperfreak2k1]

i don't know squat about them so i think you did great, way to go pal!!

 

[jimdad07]

Thanks for the encouragement boys, I'll let you know how it holds up. I do a lot of sharpening between cutting firewood for five families and milling anything I can get my hands on. It will get used a lot. Next on the list is a breaker and spinner.

 

[Stihlverado]

Thanks for the encouragement boys, I'll let you know how it holds up. I do a lot of sharpening between cutting firewood for five families and milling anything I can get my hands on. It will get used a lot. Next on the list is a breaker and spinner.

Those are on my wish list as well! Baileys have the pair (bench mount) for around 50 buck apeice.

 

[jimdad07]

Those are on my wish list as well! Baileys have the pair (bench mount) for around 50 buck apeice.

I was looking at those last night when I was buying a new milling bar and ripping chain, they looked good but I am not sure how well they are made, anyone here used them? On a different note, there is a good close out sale going for some of their Carlton bars. I bought a 30" bar for my milling saw with a replaceable nose tip for $46.00, item# CPT 30 SS50.

 

[MadMax5578]

That dont sound like a bad price! I seen them up to 3500 bucks. I personally havent ever burned a chain on one. If it works for you I belive you made a good purchase.

Couldn't have said it any better!

 

[mtngun]

they looked good but I am not sure how well they are made, anyone here used them?

I've got the Baileys spinner, but haven't got around to using it yet but can say that it is a hefty piece of equipment, beefier than it looks in the pictures.

Only reason I acquired the spinner was so I could make up some .325 milling chain, which is not available in loops from Baileys. For just about any other chain, I can buy loops from Baileys for less than what it would cost me to buy a reel and make my own.

Those closeout Carlton bars are made of good steel. A little on the heavy side, though. I've got three of them.

BTW, you haven't passed the steel underwear test until you have posted some closeup pics of chain that was sharpened with your new grinder.

 

[jimdad07]

I've got the Baileys spinner, but haven't got around to using it yet but can say that it is a hefty piece of equipment, beefier than it looks in the pictures.

Only reason I acquired the spinner was so I could make up some .325 milling chain, which is not available in loops from Baileys. For just about any other chain, I can buy loops from Baileys for less than what it would cost me to buy a reel and make my own.

Those closeout Carlton bars are made of good steel. A little on the heavy side, though. I've got three of them.

BTW, you haven't passed the steel underwear test until you have posted some closeup pics of chain that was sharpened with your new grinder.

Give me a few minutes and it will be done.

 

[alderman]

I thought Baileys would make up a loop of whatever length you wanted.

 

[jimdad07]

I could not seem to zoom in enough to get a good shot of the teeth when sharpened, you can see that my bench is a mini mac graveyard, never again on those little snots.

 

[adkranger]

That doesn't sound like a bad deal to me and from what I can see in your pic it looks like it does a good job. I stihl hand file, just can't seem to make that leap........

Then again I have scores of chains, they last a long time for me by hand filing them and I DON'T cut for five families. You must be a busy man.

 

[alderman]

My first grinder was the HF special. I thought it was just great until I was informed otherwise. I still use it on occasion.

Glad you got a good deal.

 

[mtngun]

Safety chain ? Better put the steel underwear back on !

I like the looks of that grinder design. As cheap plastic grinders go, it looks a little more rigid than the $30 HF unit.

Alderman, I sharpened a lot of chain with an HF grinder and it did better than I could do with a file. Still, after Santa delivered a Jolly Star, the HF doesn't seem good enough. Of course, if Santa were to bring a Silvey, then the Jolly Star wouldn't seem good enough. One learns to make do with what you got.

Baileys will make a loop of the popular chains, but 325 non-safety semi-chisel is the furthest thing from popular.

 

[Gregford]

They're pretty popular over my way...

I don't have time to file for hours on the saws I fix and sell (which never have sharp chains), neither do I believe that hand filing can ever achieve the precision of machine sharpening.

I don't like taking chains to shops, because most of the dealers in my part of the world take too much off, and/or burn the chain.

I like the little Chinese sharpeners - they run a very fine ceramic wheel which in my hands gets a better edge than the bozos with commercial sharpeners at the chainsaw shops.

So it doesn't have all the adjustments for angles like a commercial sharpener. Well, the guys in the shops don't normally change the settings for individual chains from customers, either.

Bang for buck, my sharpener has been some of the best money I've ever spent. I know people who have used them semi-commercially and theirs are still running.

I know what you're saying about the screw to hold the chain tight. Take it completely off and put a wing-nut on instead. You'll never look back.

Good on you for buying one. I'll bet your cutting is better than ever.

 

[Bob Wright]

I bought one too and took it back the next day.
Way too much slop and the chain raises up when the wheel goes in the gullet.
The wheel is too thick for most homeowner chain and a thinner one wasn't avail.
The motor shut off twice on my 24" chain.
I sent an email to the company explaining the problems and they never heard any complaints from anyone else...Bob

 

[nmurph]

that wheel def looks too thick and it needs to be profiled, unless you have discovered the elusive, $50 square-grinder.
good luck with tweaking your grinder. i have a 511 and it does a very nice job. i do occassionally have to adjust the cutter length from side-to-side. i keep a caliper handy just to make sure they are even.

 

[dellwas]

Yup, bought mine at Princess Auto, Canada's clone of Harbor Freight, TSC, what have you, etc. Mind you, it was on sale for $119, down from $189, but that's the cost of living in Canada, everything is higher. Also, mine came with 3 different grind wheels, and looks somewhat different from later pics in the thread, so may not be the same model. Seems to work really well, puts a nice grind on the chains, and they stay sharp. Mine is all metal construction too, no plastic, save for the knobs, and grind wheel shield. So far I'm really happy with it.

I was looking at those last night when I was buying a new milling bar and ripping chain, they looked good but I am not sure how well they are made, anyone here used them? On a different note, there is a good close out sale going for some of their Carlton bars. I bought a 30" bar for my milling saw with a replaceable nose tip for $46.00, item# CPT 30 SS50.

 

[teatersroad]

I put on my steel underwear before I posted this thread...

ahem..psst. it's spelled Stihl, not steel.