best bench grinder for sharpening chains?

[hedge hog]

Starting fluid might work better but have never tried it
I know it cuts grease and oil better than brake cleaners


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Johnnybar]

I went with a 410-120 copy for $79 delivered.

 

[Philbert]

If your stone is soaked with chain oil it's game over unless you have a sonic cleaner

I'll try brake parts cleaner

Starting fluid might work better but have never tried it
I know it cuts grease and oil better than brake cleaners

Lots of threads on cleaning chains. Don't need to use nasty or flammable chemicals. Any parts cleaner (solvent or water based) will work. I use 'SuperClean' - water based cleaner with sodium hydroxide. More info in this thread:
http://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/philbert-meets-the-stihl-rs3.202969/

Philbert

 

[Johnnybar]

Starting fluid might work better but have never tried it
I know it cuts grease and oil better than brake cleaners Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Starting fluid is ether and often has a top end lubricant added so be cautious about that aspect. I find that ether(starting fluid) evaporates so quickly that it leaves any dissolved oil behind unless you use a bunch and that better be done outdoors as the vapors are explosive...not just flammable but explosive meaning they burn violently. Brake cleaner is a much better option I find.

 

[tylerbeach3]

Thank you all so much!! Just had a day removing a large black oak that fell on a walkway. Ran three chains that i sharpened on the grinder and they cut like new. Big chips, and stayed fast and sharp through the whole tree! Im still confused about centering though. I put a straight edge in the slot and adjusted it correctly but cant wrap my head around how that adjustment would change, ie the strait edge was in the center of the wheel, the center is the center no matter how much stone you have left...

 

[Philbert]

Im still confused about centering though. I put a straight edge in the slot and adjusted it correctly . . .

The right and left cutters hit the circumference of the grinding wheel at different places since they are offset slightly to each side. The best way is to place a brand new chain in the vice, and center the wheel so that it hits cutters on both sides equally.

I still check, and make small adjustments on each loop.

Philbert

 

[Johnnybar]

Not all models allow wheel centering like the 520's ( my 410-120 does not). So be aware before jumping into the other side...set up to just kiss each side on chains in good shape. Readjusting the stop is so easy a caveman could do it...kinda miss those commercials. lol

 

[hedge hog]

Lots of threads on cleaning chains. Don't need to use nasty or flammable chemicals. Any parts cleaner (solvent or water based) will work. I use 'SuperClean' - water based cleaner with sodium hydroxide. More info in this thread:

phil
we were talking about cleaning the oil that get into the grinding stones
but gasoline is the fastest I have found for cleaning oil off of chains then hitting with compressed air
I have tried PP ,simple green and super clean in a sonic cleaner and they work but not as fast

 

[hedge hog]

Starting fluid is ether and often has a top end lubricant added so be cautious about that aspect. I find that ether(starting fluid) evaporates so quickly that it leaves any dissolved oil behind unless you use a bunch and that better be done outdoors as the vapors are explosive...not just flammable but explosive meaning they burn violently. Brake cleaner is a much better option I find.

yes it evaporates fast so flood it , and it's still cheaper per ounce than any other, but very flammable and will cause freezer burns when sprayed outdoors in cold weather,,,I know

 

[Philbert]

phil
we were talking about cleaning the oil that get into the grinding stones . . .

Got it. I just dress any crud off.

Philbert

 

[Khntr85]

Lots of threads on cleaning chains. Don't need to use nasty or flammable chemicals. Any parts cleaner (solvent or water based) will work. I use 'SuperClean' - water based cleaner with sodium hydroxide. More info in this thread:
http://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/philbert-meets-the-stihl-rs3.202969/

Philbert

That's funny philbert, I use super clean too.... I use it on the saws I rebuild and then sell, we all know how dirty a saw can get.........I started using it for many other things now too....fired up the grill last night and used the super clean seemed to cut grease/grime very well, I love the stuff!!!!!

 

[Johnnybar]

That's funny that's funny philbert, I use super clean to clean the plastics on my saws, and many other things now too....fired up the grill last night and these super clean seemed to cut grease/grime very well, I love the stuff!!!!!

It should clean most things very well...it is the main ingredient in oven cleaners like Easy-Off...eats right through crud that has been baked and charred on. Use eye protection as it can quickly cause permanent blindness through it's aggressive action on proteins in the cornea...think lutefisk fish prepared with sodium hydroxide. Remove all traces of it from any aluminum or magnesium parts it might get on as it will aggressively attack those metals too. 2 Al + 2 NaOH + 6 H2O → 2 NaAl(OH)4 + 3 H2 Sorry fellas, after 30 yrs in Chemistry and Microbiology before retiring, I can't suppress the "Safety Sally" urges.

 

[Khntr85]

It should clean most things very well...it is the main ingredient in oven cleaners like Easy-Off...eats right through crud that has been baked and charred on. Use eye protection as it can quickly cause permanent blindness through it's aggressive action on proteins in the cornea...think lutefisk fish prepared with sodium hydroxide. Remove all traces of it from any aluminum or magnesium parts it might get on as it will aggressively attack those metals too. 2 Al + 2 NaOH + 6 H2O → 2 NaAl(OH)4 + 3 H2 Sorry fellas, after 30 yrs in Chemistry and Microbiology before retiring, I can't suppress the "Safety Sally" urges.

Wow, thanks a lot for that info!!!!

I always wear rubber gloves when working on saws, so I try to never get it on my skin....i know it wouldn't be good to get in your eyes, but blindness, don't get any more serious than that!!!!

I always make sure to wipe the saws off with water after cleaning them with the super clean.....

Does it eat into the magnesium and aluminum???

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

Lots of threads on cleaning chains. Don't need to use nasty or flammable chemicals. Any parts cleaner (solvent or water based) will work. I use 'SuperClean' - water based cleaner with sodium hydroxide. More info in this thread:
http://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/philbert-meets-the-stihl-rs3.202969/

Philbert

Unless the chain is really nasty I don't clean them. A normal residue of bar oil hasn't affected my grinder. I don't usually sharpen a ton of customer chains though, maybe a dozen or two a week at most.

Had a guy drop off ~2 dozen chains last year in a coffee can of some used waste oil that was nearly pavement sealer. Had I been in the shop I wouldn't have taken them. Even a 2 day soak in diesel still required me to spend a good hr with a brush scrubbing them.
The oil was so thick I could turn the can upside down without making a mess!


He whined when I charged him $25 to clean that crap... I said ok... I'll charge you actual labor... so it's $90 now.... he paid the $25.

 

[Johnnybar]

Wow, thanks a lot for that info!!!!

I always wear rubber gloves when working on saws, so I try to never get it on my skin....i know it wouldn't be good to get in your eyes, but blindness, don't get any more serious than that!!!!

I always make sure to wipe the saws off with water after cleaning them with the super clean.....

Does it eat into the magnesium and aluminum???

Aggressively

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

Aggressively

Yup. Had a buddy spray his nearly brand new aluminum wheels with Super Clean to clean them.
It ate the finish bad! I think he ended up painting the wheels as they were ruined.

 

[Johnnybar]

Yup. Had a buddy spray his nearly brand new aluminum wheels with Super Clean to clean them.
It ate the finish bad! I think he ended up painting the wheels as they were ruined.

Bet it happened quick too....a pitted powdery aluminum hydroxide finish on nice alloy wheels would definitely be a bummer.

 

[Khntr85]

Thank you all so much!! Just had a day removing a large black oak that fell on a walkway. Ran three chains that i sharpened on the grinder and they cut like new. Big chips, and stayed fast and sharp through the whole tree! Im still confused about centering though. I put a straight edge in the slot and adjusted it correctly but cant wrap my head around how that adjustment would change, ie the strait edge was in the center of the wheel, the center is the center no matter how much stone you have left...

That's great that the chains cut good for you, and they will only get better.....it's nice to know you can sit down and touch up 4-6 chains in a fairly quick time with the grinder.....don't get me wrong I still sometimes touch up a chain with a hand file, but I honestly use the grinder for 95% of my sharpening....I love just touching up the chains with the CBN wheel!!!!


So what angles are you using....I keep the head-tilt angle at 55 for all chains, but I change the top plate angle according to the chain brand(Stihl or Oregon)....I also have been using the "tilt" feature on the Oregon chisel chains, and although I don't know if helps or not, the Oregon chisel chains I grind cut extremely well!!!!

Do like philbert said and put a new chain on your vise, then try to adjust it to were the wheel will contact the chain on both the left and right hand cutters....

 

[Khntr85]

I went with a 410-120 copy for $79 delivered.

Hey how are you liking your grinder, and how long have you had it?????

 

[Philbert]

It should clean most things very well...it is the main ingredient in oven cleaners like Easy-Off...

Yes, sodium hydroxide (a.k.a. 'lye', or NaOH) is used in oven cleaner, drain cleaner, and for a wide variety of other uses.

As with all chemicals, use with care; read the labels; understand the hazards; wear the personal protective equipment (PPE).

All this also applies to the gasoline, starter fluid, brake cleaner, etc. mentioned earlier.

Philbert