Finally got a chance to start grinding chains this weekend. With the research I have done here I have a pretty good handle on things. But... I have noticed (tried to take pictures but can't get my camera to focus properly) that the left side cutters are definitely longer than the right side. I ground (3) different chains, on (2) different grinders (a MAXX and a TL136) and got basically the same results. So I am consistently doing something wrong. I realize that there are a # of factors that can come into play here. If anyone has some suggestions I will take all I can get... Don't want to start wasting away on chains if I don't have to...
Thanks!
P.S. There also appears to be a "burr" that is curling over the top of the cutter? I am using the MAXX and an older TL136 that eliminate the burr on the outside edge, but this is something different.
I had the same problem when i first got my Jolly grinder, can't remember which side is always longer but it still is so what i do is start on the side that has the smallest or worse tooth and when i get to the other side i grind 1 to two teeth and check the length and adjust to correct. The other thing that i really watch for is when you move the chain to go to the next cutter and pull it back to the stop then clamp it. That amount of pressure you are putting on the stop (when your pulling it back)-this must be consistant or the tooth will end up longer or shorter. At least thats what i find with my grinder ($400.00) and most of the grinders i've looked at seem to be pretty well the same construction. Maybee some grinders are more rigid with the settings.
The other thing that i have noticed was the 30 deg. angle at which i grind - i started looking at the cutters to see if my angle was lining up with the scribed line on the top of the cutter (magnifying glass) and it wasn't. So to get the 30 deg. angle (or match that line) i find on my left hand cutters the setting is almost 32 deg. and on the right hand it is almost 34 deg. This is by my eye of coarse, but i wonder if there is a tool to accurately measure this angle. I would love to know if other people with different grinders notice the same thing as me - the #'s on the grinder not being very accurate. I would buy a very accurate grinder if i knew there was one out there.(any suggestions-within $6-$800.00)
This was also helpfull to me (i learned somewhere on this site) When i grind my chains i take on average 7-10 (up and down) quick little strokes to sharpen each cutter and find that it works well for me so i don't over heat the cutter.
One more little trick i learned form the saw shop - this really helped me in matching up the cutter lengths. (Since my eye is not really great for detail)
When i want to check the cutters (left and right) i hold them side-by-side by taking the left hand cutter in my right hand and reaching down the loop to grab a right hand cutter with the left hand and bring it up towards yourself and sit it beside the left hand cutter to see how exactly the same the two cutters are in length.
Anyway this might help someone and i don't know if i am a slow learner or what but it seems to be the simplest things that i can't believe i didn't know that help me the most. I would love to hear some more tricks from you guys on these grinders.
Also how deep do you grind - do you grind down as far as you can without hitting the tie straps?
Many thanks