Grinder vs file

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Joe Buchanan

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so me and my local stihl guy had a difference of opinion the other day. For him he likes to grind all the chains. Which I can understand done faster more you can do. But on a down side less sharpening. I took a chain that hit some imbedded rocks and hit it with a file and now it cuts like a dream. For me I prefer the file how about y’all and why.
 
Both. File several times. But at some point, I swap chains and set them aside...when I accumulate enough I put them on the grinder. It does a slightly better job than I am able to do with a file and also resets any angles that I have mess up over the last few filings. Or, if I really rock one hard, it just gets swapped out.
 
File definitely cuts way better. I do use the grinder to straighten up an older chain and to fix one after hitting metal. Then I have to sharpen with a file to ever get it to cut good again. Most people that aren't "professionals" never get to experience how good a saw can really cut with a correctly sharpened chain. I've had numerous homeowners brag about how good a new chain cuts. They actually don't cut very good. I always go over a new chain. Tooth and rakers. They brag about the saw shop sharpened chains. I want to tell them " if you only knew".
 
I free-handed everything for years. Got to be alright at it in the last couple years too. For cutting firewood and got bars under 28", a guy could easily get away with nothing but the right sized files.

But, I find myself running long bars low to the ground fairly often. A 114dl chain isn't that fun to file and it's really no fun when they want to cut crooked while you're felling a tree or stumping, so I recently picked up a Tecomec Super Jolly to save myself some time on the longer loops.
 
The autogrinder that Stens sells from Sweden is 20 grand. Around 7 grand for the auto grinder that oregon rebranded with there name that Baileys is selling. The one out of AZ is in that bracket as well . This is going to be in $4500-5000 the range. I might be surprised but do not think so. I have auto filers here at my shop. Used for circle saw blades- I can definitely say that you can not set and forget. I do not see much of those type of plate saws any more. But I can say file usage is high and good files are not that inexpensive. That said I do a lot of chains as some may know and wear out the common style grinders with in a year or two Even my old Silvey 310 I would have to replace the pawls at least once a year. ( miss those Silveys)
 
Here's a dummy question, but on the subject. I inadvertently filed my rakers to low and now the chains grabbing. Any fix?.. Live with it? New chain? Tell me new saw so I can tell my wife that's what the pros said
 
It will be too dangerous and too hard on the saw to run that way. When it grabs hard it's very hard on the crank and bearings. The only option is to sharpen the teeth back. As the tooth is sharpened it gets shorter. As it gets shorter it will gradually close the gap between it and the raker. That's where a grinder comes in handy. I take a red magic marker and color the top of a left and a right tooth so I'll know where I'm at. On the grinder, I'll hit each tooth normally. If you try to take too much off all at once you'll burn the tooth. It will turn blue, loose it's hardness and won't stay sharp. Take off a normal amount on one side, stop at the red mark, swap side and do the same. Then adjust the chain forward a tiny bit and go around both sides again. Being careful not to take off too much at once. The teeth will cool off between rounds. I switched to a diamond wheel. It helps keep the teeth cool and it keeps it's shape a lot longer. Definitely worth the investment to buy a good diamond wheel.

Also buy a $5 raker gauge. It will help keep them at the right height. After gradually lowering the teeth it will come back to the correct height. You might loose half of your tooth though. Depending on how low you cut your rakers. Some people may want to just buy a new chain. If you have a grinder and a half an hour you can fix it. You can do it with a file it will just take longer and be more labor intensive.

What seems to work good for me is to hit the rakers a couple of licks every other time I sharpen the chain.
 
It will be too dangerous and too hard on the saw to run that way. When it grabs hard it's very hard on the crank and bearings. The only option is to sharpen the teeth back. As the tooth is sharpened it gets shorter. As it gets shorter it will gradually close the gap between it and the raker. That's where a grinder comes in handy. I take a red magic marker and color the top of a left and a right tooth so I'll know where I'm at. On the grinder, I'll hit each tooth normally. If you try to take too much off all at once you'll burn the tooth. It will turn blue, loose it's hardness and won't stay sharp. Take off a normal amount on one side, stop at the red mark, swap side and do the same. Then adjust the chain forward a tiny bit and go around both sides again. Being careful not to take off too much at once. The teeth will cool off between rounds. I switched to a diamond wheel. It helps keep the teeth cool and it keeps it's shape a lot longer. Definitely worth the investment to buy a good diamond wheel.

Also buy a $5 raker gauge. It will help keep them at the right height. After gradually lowering the teeth it will come back to the correct height. You might loose half of your tooth though. Depending on how low you cut your rakers. Some people may want to just buy a new chain. If you have a grinder and a half an hour you can fix it. You can do it with a file it will just take longer and be more labor intensive.

What seems to work good for me is to hit the rakers a couple of licks every other time I sharpen the chain.
Good advice.. I usually don't even touch the rakers. Was having a blond moment, or brain fart. Same thing. I'd Rechain but it's about 91 DL. Thanks again
 
Some of those channel type depth gauge units are a bit too deep to use on the grinders, impacts on the cam assembly which of course gives a bad reading. That said there some that have 4 different depths on them. these are being shipped with some of the grinders out there and sold separately. maybe I just got some bad ones but all 4 depth sections measured the same and yes I also checked them internally to see if they possibly they were taper ground inside ( nope ).

I have to amend what I posted before The Dina sharperner out of AZ is about $2500.

I came across another auto sharpener From a company called Temco and it looks like timber tuff will have it under that their name also at any rate $299
can only be used with .050 drive links and only full comp chains. iirc Model # ap1000. Hard to tell but looks like it might come with cbn ( borozon) type wheels but do not hold me to that as I am only guessing based on the shape of the wheels cutting area. and it can do depth gauges as well ( marketing depart defect here as they call the depth gauges rakers) Yes, it is a Chicom product, still it looked interesting on my side of things as 90% of the chains coming in the door are .050 gauge items.
Additionally one of my suppliers has a couple new Tecomec grinders under their house name same as the ones on fleabay for $85-95 and the hydro assist unit for about $20 more. vises move front to back, but I can not tell from the pictures if the vise tilts 10degrees fore and aft. These have a 300 watt motor , 3600 rpm. some of fleabay units could have a smaller motor wattage wise. personal use dosen't really matter but for my use it does.
 
Only files for me he last 20 or more years. I get the chain sharper than a grinder and it only takes a few minutes. I save all those sharpening fees, at several dollars a time, it adds up fast.
 
I've been hand filing for about 5 years. It definitely gives you an eye for what works and is a great skill for on the job, but I just started using a grinder. First chain I ever put on the grinder blew my mind. Outperformed a new chain by miles, and really put my hand filing to shame. I have an Oregon 410. I can sharpen a chain close to that sharp but it takes so much longer. Don't think I'll ever hand file again if I can help it. I came on here just to find this thread after my experience with that grinder. On the theoretical side, I can't see how a file with super coarse teeth could ever compare to the fine grit of a stone.
 

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