Tecomec Midi Grinder?s

[Mad Professor]

Been filing chains since I picked up a saw in the 1970s, only used an attachment that came with a dremel tool besides. I think I'm decent with filing. Don't need a grinder.......

Been hitting up auctions and barn sales this month. Last week CAD got me bidding on a 026 that came home with me......last week too, a barn sale Tecomec Midi grinder, older made in Italy not China, has original box no manual, wheel says for 3/8 or .0404 chain, not much use.........seller didn't know how much? Went back to get the pile of stuff this Sat. I'd reserved..... lots of good stuff: orchard ladder good condition/useable, steel and plastic wedges, hand tools ( scythe, wooden D-handle shovels, bedding potato and hay forks, all nice old USA stuff), 2 saw horses, 2 4-lb axes, 1/2 case of isopropyl drygas, 2-gal windex ........That whole pile was $50.

I asked again about the grinder? $10. How'd I do?

Now about the grinder I'd never used........downloaded the manual it's about like teats on a bull...... Not much here or Boobtube on the Midi model grinder.

So look like three adjusts, cutter angle, grinding depth/gullet? and cutter length, can also do rakers or not?. Am I missing anything? Grinder is already mounted on short piece of hardwood that will be easy to mount on one of my workbenches. I have my barns walls adorned with old chains to practice on.

The only wheel that came with it is Tecomec says 3/8 and 0.0404 chains. From what I've read so far, is different thickness wheels for different size chains, some info seems conflicting. I have saws in 3/8 lopro 0.325, and 3/8 , no 0.404. So maybe, if I like the grinder, might need another wheel or two? Also mention of "dressing stones", to true up used wheels. Any info on those and what brand wheels. Prices seem all over........

I've been using Stihl 63PMX/lopro chain on my 066 Stihl powered sawmill, it's about the best for small cuts milling but crazy expensive now, and almost unatainable in USA. Stihl has rolls of 63PM and 63 chisel I could convert to 5 degree milling chain easy with a grinder.......

Let's just get started with the grinder and getting me up to speed. Thanks

 

[Mad Professor]

So no grinder guys out there use/used one of these Jolly Midis?

I've not experienced the joy of turning cutters blue with heat and grinding off 1/2 of cutter life, with one stroke, in the blink of an eye. Will you deny me that?



I'm going back to the woodshed to play with my Stihls and files........

 

[Mad Professor]

Bumping this up again. Anyone use one of these? Thinking of making chain into ripping chains

 

[link]

Looks OK to me, start working on a discarded or worn out chain so you get to learn about what to pay attention to.
There will always be some "dam#n... I should have checked that adjustment first" - in the beginning.
It will heat up your hardened tooth in about 1+ second of continuous grinding and if you overheat you will get folded edges, you can use a kind of tapping motion shown at some Oregon videos, I use a cloth dipped in water to cool off the tooth in a quick motion between every sec. of grinding - no folded edges only long lasting sharpyness on my chains...
If there is somethings to be annoyed about it might be how well it fine adjusts at the vice or the vertical stop at the wheel might just be a tad too soft. Pay attention to how you apply pressure to level/lower the wheel, it can mess up your chain or you can use it to your advantage; a little lighter or heavier or sideways parhaps. Anyway, the tool is only as good as what you can make of it. In the beginning you might think its all just fuzzy time consuming jibberish and want to revert to your quick and easy files, but if you play with it just a little more you might eventually think otherwise.

@Philbert

 

[link]

Not aiming to dis your thread sir., I don't have that sharpener.
But I have some experience in using sharpeners, its a general advice.

 

[link]

So this is sharpening a harvester chain with a cheap copycat sharpener and my own made vice.
A harvester chain is a lot thicker and tougher to grind than a chainsaw chain - have that in mind.

 

[Mad Professor]

Not aiming to dis your thread sir., I don't have that sharpener.
But I have some experience in using sharpeners, its a general advice.

I can make my chains sharper/better using files, done that since Ford was President.

But I got a nearly new, decent quality grinder for $10, about what I spend on 3-4 good files.

How about wheels as to $ vs quality and need for dressing stone?

 

[Mad Professor]

So this is sharpening a harvester chain with a cheap copycat sharpener and my own made vice.
A harvester chain is a lot thicker and tougher to grind than a chainsaw chain - have that in mind.

That there tooth was pretty F@#$@#up if it took that long to fix with a grinder.

But I'd just be doing the same with crosscut chains.

Instead of dabbing water with a cloth how about a spritz bottle spray?

I get great cutting until the teeth start breaking off using files. Even on my sawmall getting great boards

 

[link]

I can make my chains sharper/better using files, done that since Ford was President.

But I got a nearly new, decent quality grinder for $10, about what I spend on 3-4 good files.

How about wheels as to $ vs quality and need for dressing stone?

I don't use diamond wheels but it is definitely a huge advantage.
A diamond wheel for my Stihl USG is about 200 dollas.

 

[link]

I don't ever sharpen my chains at the field, I just grab another chainsaw.
If I don't hit the dirt, my chains lasts the whole season.

 

[Mad Professor]

I don't ever sharpen my chains at the field, I just grab another chainsaw.
If I don't hit the dirt, my chains lasts the whole season.

You must not cut much. I have to resharpen every 4-5 tankfulls.

 

[link]

You must not cut much. I have to resharpen every 4-5 tankfulls.

Depends on how low to the dirt you cut, and how hard is the wood.
No matter what, thats the estimate I get when milling with a bad quality chain.
You use Stihl chains ?

 

[link]

Thats not true, One 13 feet 16" spruce log that's 5 cuts at 2-3 tanks of gas on a cheap chain with a 038 mag.
My Stihl rip chains lasts about 5 to 10 times that.

 

[Mad Professor]

Thats not true, One 13 feet 16" log that's 5 cuts at 2-3 tanks of gas on a cheap chain.
My Stihl chains lasts about 5 to 10 times that.

Lerned a long time ago, maybe before your dad met your mom, don't turf your chains.

Lasts , or lasts before a sharpen? I use Stihl 63PMX for milling, always hand filed. I get several cuts in 20-25" X 12' dry ash before it starts to feed slow.

 

[link]

Lerned a long time ago, maybe before your dad met your mom...

I am 49 years awaiting my death by cancer at 65, don't pull your luck.
I am dependent on firewood to make the winter, that's 5 cubic meters of firewood.
63PMX, is that really the Stihl mill chain at .050? I have no Idea...

 

[Mad Professor]

10 and 12' 5/4 cherry

 

[Mad Professor]

I am 49 years awaiting my death by cancer at 65, don't pull your luck.

If you are diagnosed I'm sorry. I'm old enough to be your Dad, Stihl cutting milling and heating with wood.

Milling I get many BF from one Stihl chain, same with crosscuts in lumber/cordwood.

 

[link]

The only diagnose I have is that I look a lot like my dad and he perished by cancer at 60-64 years.
Anyway, I gave you all that I had. Best regards. Now have fun with it.

 

[link]

10 and 12' 5/4 cherry
View attachment 993564View attachment 993564

I like to cut in 1", 1,5" and 2" so you have a greater virarity to choose from.
Remember, you might want to put some of that through the planer and its gonna take away some...

 

[TRTermite]

So this is sharpening a harvester chain with a cheap copycat sharpener and my own made vice.
A harvester chain is a lot thicker and tougher to grind than a chainsaw chain - have that in mind.

Circular sawmill blades at my mill in the 60s' used a Jockey grinder and we sawed mostly cottonwood, a white stone lasted longer than a ruby stone but would blue the tooth if not careful. This was way before carbide tipped teeth and diamond stones for jockeys were made. The ruby worked better on harder woods like walnut and oak as the medium was softer so more sacrificial and not get plugged with sap then start heating up the tooth tip.
Dad had a belsaw chain grinder we always saw hanging on the wall it was old enough that it was gray instead of the "NEW" green color and it was a JOKE but if you rocked a chain (soft Bricks and limestone were the worst) bad enough it "MIGHT" get used. Yor comment on how one applies pressure when grinding hits home with that Belsaw grinder. Adjustments were bare basic and not anything to write home about. One of my brothers really got away with something when he took that home (CHUCKLE).
I don't have a chain grinder and don't need one but I would have snagged one if I was in the OPs' shoes, Your little chain grinder attachment is an achievement. They make a paste stick you daub on a tooth before you grind that may benefit cooling when you have to grind much to true a chain up. The paste also helps prolong stone life as less frequent dressing is needed. Just an idea and not one I have experience actually doing.