Custom bar rail grinder thoughts

Arborist Forum

Help Support Arborist Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Yotaismygame

Juiced Saws #GetJuiced
Joined
Nov 1, 2017
Messages
2,322
Reaction score
2,263
Location
Orgone
A man can never have enough tools!

I borrowed a friends silvey bar rail grinder once and it was a pretty handy tool to have around. I see you can buy copies of that grinder online for $230. Looking at what it is I don't see why I couldn't make one for little money.

Anyone done such a thing? Looks like I would need a 1/2 diameter shaft motor. I don't know about HP or RPM????????????????????????

45101_1_5.jpg grinder.jpg
 
Thanks for the suggestions so far but I really like the design of the silvey grinder. Small, and easy to store when not in use. Just toss it in the vice grind some bars, then put it back on the shelf.
 
3rd HP and 1720 rpm. Probably a good ball park
Doesn't have to be much, I used a small one at my local saw shop of 66" double end milling bar and it didn't have any trouble at all removing that bar material, that's actually when I realized the necessity of having the center cut out lol

Sent from my E6810 using Tapatalk
 
Looks as if the motor is going to be around $100 used. Be nice to score one under $60.
 
Motor, metal, grinding wheel, power source. I have all this stuff except the motor and grinding wheel.
 
Vertical belt sander is the best. Perfect 90 degrees.

Dress the bar with a fine draw file later , sander leaves 90 degree marks depending on grit used.

Check your groove for width and depth. Never had to trash a Stihl ES bar R + R this way. Some of those bars were free, and fugly!!!

A used vertical belt sander, comes up on CL often , for less than other purpose tools and is more useful.
 
I have a baldor motor already but I think its a 1.5hp and probably spins faster than 1700rpm. Well I'm excited about the idea of building my own because building stuff is fun but the vertical belt sander sounds pretty good.
 
Does anyone have a silvey bar rail grinder or the copy they could get some specs off it for me?
 
Just watch out for a worn platen (the backing plate behind the belt) on used belt sanders.
Not uncommon to see a bit of a curve worn into it.
If someone has used the sander for a lot of thin or gritty stuff, you can even see a shallow dimple in the plate.
Cleaning torch cut sheet metal is about the worst thing to cause it.

As you can imagine, this will make it sand your bar rails on a curved angle.
And NO amount of changing the table angle solve that.
You have to replace the plate.
Pretty minor and a very normal wear thing, but just something to be aware of that will cause troubles If you aren't thinking of it.

Don't forget to check the bearings and tracking adjustments for the belt rollers too!
Bad bearings will keep you busy chasing the belt centering and/or replacing torn belts.
 
I wonder if something like this harbor freight grinder could be made into a bar rail grinder. It’s only 30 bucks with their 20% off coupon
4016168C-9BDC-4B0B-8D0F-13C08BD2FEC7.png 2AA6F569-BEF9-42ED-95A2-93D7A7C7DFDF.png
 
I just touch it up every few uses by clamping the bar to a thick steel fab table. Then sticking a pc of DA sand paper to a cold rolled steel bar that is 2”x5”x6”.

Stick the sand paper the the 2” tall side and lay the 5”x6” face down in the fab table. Slide the bar back and forth on the smooth table up against the chainsaw bar. This creates a perfect 90* angle.

It is slow but very square to the bar.

I so this maybe every 3-5 bar uses.


Sent while firmly grasping my redline lubed RAM [emoji231]
 
I just touch it up every few uses by clamping the bar to a thick steel fab table. Then sticking a pc of DA sand paper to a cold rolled steel bar that is 2”x5”x6”.

Stick the sand paper the the 2” tall side and lay the 5”x6” face down in the fab table. Slide the bar back and forth on the smooth table up against the chainsaw bar. This creates a perfect 90* angle.

It is slow but very square to the bar.

I so this maybe every 3-5 bar uses.


Sent while firmly grasping my redline lubed RAM [emoji231]
 
You need to hit the sanding belt while moving the bar on the table. I touch the bar rails just past the sprocket nose and move it to the end of the bar. Usually two light pressure passes trues both rails parallel perfect. Just make sure the adjustable angle table is 90 degrees perfect to the belt. Practice with a old bar helps. Why invest a lot of $$ when this affordable belt sander will work.
I would suggest the finer grit belts for a smoother finish on the rails.
 
Back
Top