So close... yet so far to go.

[Rydaddy]

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.

 

[michael j]

I just measure the cutters and adjust the grinder accordingly. Only takes a minute.

Mike

 

[voodoo_machine]

The burr you are refering to is caused by 2 things. 1, your taking too much material at a time when you bring the stone down to the tooth. Try taking a slow light cut and then back up for a just a second and then down. This gives the tooth a second to cool and your not hogging out the material that needs to be removed. 2, your wheel is the wrong grit for what you are trying to sharpen. If a wheel is too coarse it will leave a horrible burr inside and out regardless of what you try or do. Pacific grinding wheels make what they call a "rose" wheel which will give you that nice razor finish ( dont burn the tooth) and cuts well when its in the metal. The only catch is it will burn the tooth quite quickly if you dont know what too look for. Easy strokes coming down and just let the wheel do the work. A stick of cool-grind will also help from burning the tooth. Try it, you will like it


Voodoo

 

[stihlgotwood]

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

 

[poulson01]

I know nothing about sharpening chains so take this for what it's worth.
I use a $30 made in China grinder. All my chains are .325 since I'm down to just my 346xp (back trouble). I use a wheel that's sold for a 3/8" chain, dressed down. I debur with the round file before I cut. The chains don't cut as aggressively but stay sharp on dirty wood. The cutter edge is almost 90deg when done (maybe 80) because of the bigger stone. I sharpen one side of the chain and, instead of flipping the vice, I flip the chain. This keeps the wheel cutting in the same direction. I set the vice at 30deg. I touch each cutter 2 or 3 times max. I use a round file with a little Husky guide to keep the file high every tank of gas. I stroke each cutter about 5-10 times until smooth again. I only grind the chains when I hit something or I start to loose the angles. Most of you guys would probably walk away shaking your heads if you saw what I use for fire wood. This can't be the best way but it's what I've been doing.

Edit:In reading more, I got the angle wrong. I said 80-90. That's 0-10 for normal people.

Edit#2:Sorry guys. I'm ign'ant. On a real grinder, you'd need reverse to do what I do. I expect that's why Rydaddys' cutters are shorter on one side then the other. My neighbor has a brand new Northern Tools grinder. Once he gets it bolted down, I'll have to see if it does the same thing as Rydaddys.

 

[poulson01]

I got the answer. My neighbor gave me his old bench chain grinder so I know what you're talking about now. The reason you get one cutter longer then the other is that you can't adjust the grinder to be closer to you or further away from you as you're looking straight at it, bolted to the table. This means that unless your wheel is perfectly centered in the vice and the vice locates the chain perfectly every time, it's either further forward or further back on the cutter when you flip it 180 to do the other cutters. My new (old) grinder is a total POS and is broken so that it flips all the way open and the spring falls out. But, being a plastic POS, it's very flexible and everything moves around depending on how you push on it. I kinda like it because I can take very small cuts from the side instead of bearing down, just by pushing the grinder where I want it. And it's a waste of time for me to try to get the angles perfect and trust the grinder to cut them. I get right down so I can see what's going on and do it by eye. If I set up the grinder with the depth stop and the cutter jam thing and ground both sides of the chain without bending stuff or eyeballing, I'd have cutters on one side longer then the other.