Oregon PowerSharp

[Philbert]

Fish,

A.S. members have been commenting on your 'ugly mug' for some time now - thanks for finally posting a photo!

(Philbert)

 

[Hddnis]

It may fall flat. It may work.

You can't honestly argue with the convenience aspect. They say they took a look at the old system and worked the bugs out of this one. It would be great if they did.

We all like to complain about jobs going overseas. Well, here is a company that makes chain in the USA and they are developing new technology. Now we mock them and accuse them of running a dishonest scheme to rob people. Now you know why it seems companies are just as happy to move overseas, where they still value innovation.

Guess we'll all know by the end of the year after some people have tried it.

I'm going to set up one of my climbing saws with it and one of my brush saws. The climbing saws rarely hit anything other than clean wood. The brush saws get used to clean fence lines and right of ways and they hit rocks, dirty wood, wire and other junk all the time. It should be a fair look at what I can expect from the chain.

I also wonder about the potential as a racing chain. Have you noticed the similarities it has with a race chain?



Mr. HE

 

[strokersix]

From what I understand from OREGON, is that the kit (bar, chain & sharpener) will be available sometime in March 2010.

They said that it utilizes a 3/8" low-profile chain (smaller saws) and that they are trying to keep the kits under $100, and will be able to be purchased at the box stores. Then when you do need a new chain after you buy the kit, you will be able to purchase a chain/sharpener kit (no bar), for less.

Pretty much designed for the home owner with a smaller saw that uses it once in a great while.

 

[B_Turner]

Mount the diamonds to the sharpener and hook the folks up with some carbide cutters.

I like that idea better, except that carbide is brittle.

 

[PowerSharp Eng]

I’ve been quietly reading threads for many years and know you guys are skeptical with products aimed at the novice to intermediate saw operator. That’s why I joined the site just before the advertisements started. I knew there would be a lot of questions on the technical side. I’m here to address the technical questions and listen to people who use the sharpener.

Bsheldon was not a straw man to start a promotional thread on PowerSharp®, he read the ad on PowerSharp® and came to you for answers. I knew someone would see the ads and bring it to this forum.

Here are some answers to questions I’ve read:

The chain and sharpener is targeted at the novice to intermediate saw operators.

The depth gauge is lowered at the same time as the top plate is lowered. Sharpening on the bar nose and the specialized design of the chain allows this to occur at the same time. The same concept was used on the chains from the 1960’s.

We expect the sharpener to be available to servicing dealers late May or early June. I don’t know the price they will be charging.

Replacement chain will be sold with a stone in the same package. The stone and chain are designed to wear out at the same time. The stone is twice plus thicker and much higher quality than the old stones. The old systems took two or three stones to grind down one chain. The old stones had to be thinner to reduce the poorly shaped groove that is created by the chain. The diamond coated dresser link creates a proper groove shape so the stone is much thicker than the old systems.

Philbert, Yes the top plate has a single angle like shown in the photos.

Fish, field testing was done with a mixture of people who had little to no experience with chain saws. Logs were all on the ground when they were bucked up.

Trigger Man, the chain can only be sharpened with the bar mounted sharpener. We are not offering a file guide for this chain.

Howellhandmade, I see by your list of saws that you’ve spent and spend a lot of time cutting so you’ve learned to file chains properly and keep the chain out of the dirt so you file less. What seems easy to you is impossible for the guy that cuts only 1 or 2 hours a year. Dull chain is the biggest reason saws, yes the entire saw, is returned by the novice users. PowerSharp is designed to help those guys cut with a good cutting chain the whole time.

Nanuk, The rakers are lowered at the same time the cutter height is lowered. The design of the cutter top plate and raker allow them to be at the same height on the bar nose but yet have the rakers lower when on the straight bar rails.

 

[dingeryote]

The only thing missing from the video is Vince the Sham Wow guy in a blue or Red Vest, Holding a Wildthingy and shouting about his nuts...

I can't wait to hear the stories from the saw shops about homeowners that ignorantly shove thier regular chain into the sharpener gizzie.

I hope it's a GREAT Success.


Stay safe!
Dingeryote

 

[Fish]

Watching and quoting Bruce at the moment.....

"boards don't hit back".........

I fully appreciate your stand here, it is a damn good idea.

Well maybe. Your new product sounds expensive, what is the target?

Poulan or Husqvarna?
Will it automatically add $50 to the price of the saw? More?

 

[Urbicide]

The only thing missing from the video is Vince the Sham Wow guy in a blue or Red Vest, Holding a Wildthingy and shouting about his nuts...

I can't wait to hear the stories from the saw shops about homeowners that ignorantly shove their regular chain into the sharpener gizzie.

I hope it's a GREAT Success.


Stay safe!
Dingeryote

Hey, let's leave my nuts out of this discussion. Getting a little too personal around here. Besides , I only own a black vest.:greenchainsaw:


Vince

 

[dingeryote]

Hey, let's leave my nuts out of this discussion. Getting a little too personal around here. Besides , I only own a black vest.:greenchainsaw:


Vince

You're RIGHT!

No vest!:monkey:

LOL!!

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

 

[howellhandmade]

SNIP
Nanuk, The rakers are lowered at the same time the cutter height is lowered. The design of the cutter top plate and raker allow them to be at the same height on the bar nose but yet have the rakers lower when on the straight bar rails.

Trying to visualize this. Let's say the cutter edge is close as possible to the radius of the tip sprocket. The raker is offset from the radius. Now when the link straightens out the raker is lower. I guess. But is not the top "plate" now curved slightly, taking back at least some of that difference? I understand that its performance does not have to be equal to a properly filed conventional chain, only better than a rocked/unsharpened conventional chain, but the video kind of seems to claim it's just as good.

PowerSharp Eng, do us a favor and send one to ModifiedMark. I'll listen to him.

Jack

 

[PowerSharp Eng]

Howellhandmade, I see the skepticism for the effectiveness of the PowerSharp® sharpener revolves around understanding the raker can be at the same height as the cutting edge when going around the bar nose and yet be lower than the cutting edge on the flat of the bar rails.

The best way to understand it is to see it. The figure is from an old patent on top sharp chains that I’ve modified to help explain.

The curved line #171 represents the sharpening stone radius as the cutter is sharpened while is rounds the bar nose.

Notice the top of the cutting edge #130 and the top of the raker #148 are both on the sharpening stone #171. Both get ground down the same amount as the chain is pushed into the stone.

I’ve added a horizontal red line from the top of the raker towards the cutting edge. The horizontal red line shows how much lower the raker is than the cutting edge when the cutter is on the flat of the bar rail. The specialized cutter design allows for this effect. I hope this helps clear up the skepticism about sharpening on the bar nose and having an effective cutting chain.


Dingeryote, Shoving a regular chain into the sharpener was a big concern for us. To reduce that problem we pack the chain and stone together. There is no stone in the sharpener until the user opens the stone and chain pack.


Fish, the product is coming to the OREGON® servicing dealer group first. I don’t know what pricing will be. Nothing has been announced regarding other sales avenues.

 

[B_Turner]

Makes me think for some reason about folks that try to sharpen their bandsaw blades by running them backwards against a stone.

Suffice to say I am skeptical for a number of reasons that it will provide efficient wood cutting but:

1) I applaud Oregon's nerve to try it (who knows, I might be wrong)

2) Some homeowners have absolutely no ability/concept on chain sharpening and it might give them something that at least cuts a little (as compared to what they are actually trying to cut with now)

But I am glad I don't have any part in the customer support effort in regard to the new system. Seems like it will be a real headache for a while.

Edit: In thinking about it, this system might possibly be better suited to cutting a non wood material (non fibrous)

 

[dingeryote]

"Dingeryote, Shoving a regular chain into the sharpener was a big concern for us. To reduce that problem we pack the chain and stone together. There is no stone in the sharpener until the user opens the stone and chain pack. "

PSE,

That's a good thing, and will work for most. But ya just know some guy is GONNA try it. LOL!!

Ya can't stop stupid, as it has it's own momentum.

Any word on if your sales guys have linked up with some of the Saw makers to have the bar and chain installed from the factory on homeowner saws?
It would make sense as a combo.

Good luck with this enterprise!

Who knows what it could lead to.


Stay safe!
Dingeryote

 

[belgian]

[

Dingeryote, Shoving a regular chain into the sharpener was a big concern for us. To reduce that problem we pack the chain and stone together. There is no stone in the sharpener until the user opens the stone and chain pack.

As Dingeryote rightly mentioned, someone is going to make a try, maybe unknowingly. But I suppose you have verified this already...:hmm3grin2orange:

I don't see an immediate safety problem, but the regular chain will probably be ruined (by grinding away the back of the tooth) if you stick in in the sharpener.

I also notice that the tooth cutting edge will be very sharp (looks like a hook), compared to the regular chain. This may reduce cycle time and require sharpening more often... what's the chain lifetime compared to a regular chain, provided the same circumstances ?

 

[PowerSharp Eng]

I also notice that the tooth cutting edge will be very sharp (looks like a hook), compared to the regular chain. This may reduce cycle time and require sharpening more often... what's the chain lifetime compared to a regular chain, provided the same circumstances ?

We placed 91VG and Powersharp chains in the hands of operators with little or no experience in using a chain saw. They were buck cutting with the logs on the ground. We compared the number of cuts they were able to complete with each chain until the chains were filed or ground to end of life. In each case an operator was able to make about the same number of cuts with the 91VG and PowerSharp chains. The total amount varied from operator to operator because of their cutting techniques. Those operators that made a trench in the dirt with each bucking cut did not cut nearly as much as the operators that kept the chain out of the dirt.

But as the product gets into the hands of a large user base, we are wondering if the ease of sharpening will cause some operators to "Fear No Dirt". That attitude will cause them to sharpen more often than they otherwise would.

 

[mtngun]

we are wondering if the ease of sharpening will cause some operators to "Fear No Dirt". That attitude will cause them to sharpen more often than they otherwise would.

"wondering" or "HOPING" they will sharpen more often ?.:hmm3grin2orange:

In any event, thanks for the detailed picture of the cutter and raker. The technology is interesting.

 

[landyboy]

Dont know if there are plans to market it here, but the few people in general who run cheap saws for firewood have absolutely no concept of maintaining a sharp chain. They simply replace it or have a shop do it for 2/3 the cost of a new chain.
Their idea of dull is far more than i would consider dull.

I think it is a good idea for the homeowner who cuts small amounts and will see the simplicity of the system.
I would deffinately recomend it to the couple of guys i know who cut a bit of firewood. It will save me the bother of trying to explain file guides, angles,importance of a sharp chain, and stop me being asked to sharpen chains
Casual users dig trenches regularly. The fact that they can hook up this device easily to get an edge will in their eyes be far superior to replacing a dull chain. So what if they over do it, or only get a few sharpens out of a chain. It will save them money and take away a big unknown to them.

Good idea and i hope it works out.

 

[PowerSharp Eng]

Dont know if there are plans to market it here, .....

Yes, the PowerSharp sharpening system will be in Europe sometime this summer.

 

[kevin j]

Nice diagram. So, with the raker behind the pivot point of the pins, it swings outward more on the curve, sort of like a safety bumper link does. The amount of overhang and the radius of the curve at the nose tip determines how much the depth gauge/raker swing out and thus how far it is cut below the tooth.

Like most here, I wouldn't touch it, but I have several names and faces that I could see applicable. If they only use a chain or two a year, having it sort of sharp is way better then always dull.

One concern I have is safety.
May have been addressed earlier. Does this stay on the bar always, which would be a pain and wipe out a lot of bar length. Or do you stick the bar into a free standing device and spin the chain, then pull the bar out and go back cutting, leaving the device alone?

 

[PowerSharp Eng]

Page one of this thread shows a youtube video and pictures of how the sharpener housing clamps to the bar nose, only when sharpening.

There are two pins on one housing of the sharpener that are inserted into two holes in the bar. The other housing is swung into location and the two housings clamped together with lever. The saw is started and brought to full throttle. The sharpener is pushed against a log or other solid object until sparks are present. Once the sharpening is complete the saw is shut off and the sharpener is removed before cutting.