Thinking of starting square filing

[Homelite410]

I know.. they are NICE! Money right now is TIGHT though and other things are top priority.

I totally understand that concept. I want a 2260 but van needs shocks n tie rod ends truck needs tires..... list goes on.

I would entertain some trades

 

[Homelite410]

OK, this is a question I have had for a while: Do square filing and tunneling go together? Or is tunneling normally reserved for round ground race chains?

Thanks.

Philbert

Tunneling is a chip clearance process in any chain. Mostly racing applications.

Correct me if I'm wrong here.

 

[056kid]

The biggest important thing with sharpening square chains is keeping the inside or the corner in line with the outside of the corner.

As long as you keep the corner aligned with no beaks, the chain will cut pretty good.

If you are low with your filing that beak will break off right away.

If you are high with the file, the chain will just not cut.

Look on Madsens site and they explain all this

Never seen a beak break off. A chain with top beak dulls faster, thats about it...

 

[Philbert]

Actually, I am happy if my chains cut at a stock level of performance. A lot of these things, especially for race chains, are new to me and I am just interested to learn about them.

I assumed that tunneling also reduced the weight and cross section of the cutter, but am not familiar enough with square ground chain to understand if this messes with the corner geometry.

Thanks for any input.

Philbert

 

[w8ye]

Never seen a beak break off. A chain with top beak dulls faster, thats about it...

You are correct and the way I expressed it was wrong. I guess I was in a hurry?

 

[SierraWoodsman]

I've never gone to the extent of tunneling. I'm sure it would aid in expelling the chip after being cut, but would
have to be done very carefully as not to go to far or you'll be breaking a lot of teeth off right? Not sure even
how to go about the process. Maybe a bull nose carbide on a Dremel?
Most of the gains to be had are with going square geometry. Things like raker thinning, rivet thinning, and tunneling would be for
"Race" chain only.

 

[mdavlee]

There's a good bit of gains from the tunneling, stoning, and smoothing rivets down.

 

[Homelite410]

There's a good bit of gains from the tunneling, stoning, and smoothing rivets down.

If only I could actually find a time to sit down and make one!

 

[Philbert]

There's a good bit of gains from the tunneling, stoning, and smoothing rivets down.

OK, now explain stoning to me: is it just to take off the burr, or to thin/smooth the side plates, or . . .?

Thanks.

Philbert

 

[mdavlee]

It evens the teeth out so they all cut the same width. When you make a cut with a stoned chain the ends will be smooth with no little rough spots on the log.

 

[Philbert]

It evens the teeth out so they all cut the same width.

Care to start a thread showing how it's done?

Philbert

 

[mdavlee]

Care to start a thread showing how it's done?

Philbert

Not able to do that right now. I'm away from home for a little while. I do it on a bar in a vise. Use a big whetstone and go backwards down the chain 2-3 strokes with it. You can do 3-4 cutters at a time that way.

 

[056kid]

You are correct and the way I expressed it was wrong. I guess I was in a hurry?

Its all good

 

[cutforfun]

Its been shown before but here is an oregon jig fixed for square filling. I am having good luck keeping chains sharp and true after multiple times being sharpened. View attachment 314113View attachment 314114View attachment 314115

 

[CR500]

Its been shown before but here is an oregon jig fixed for square filling. I am having good luck keeping chains sharp and true after multiple times being sharpened. View attachment 314113View attachment 314114View attachment 314115

What angles are you using if you do not mind me asking? I have an old Mcculloch file jig have been having a hard time finding some good angles.

 

[w8ye]

Looks like the guide is working well for you

 

[cutforfun]

What angles are you using if you do not mind me asking? I have an old Mcculloch file jig have been having a hard time finding some good angles.

30 on the side to side and 35 in the front to back if that makes sense. The file is set so i get as close to a 90 degrees angle on the side of the tooth. you can see in the picture that its not perfect. I can get the top corner dialed in but am not matched up on the inside corner like i would like. The chains are cutting good so its close.

 

[mdavlee]

Those sound like good angles. If you can get 2-3 degree forward Kean on the side plate I think they do a little better self feeding.

 

[Homelite410]

Not able to do that right now. I'm away from home for a little while. I do it on a bar in a vise. Use a big whetstone and go backwards down the chain 2-3 strokes with it. You can do 3-4 cutters at a time that way.

Hypothetically speaking could you put the chain on backwards then run the chain past the stone on the east side? Kind of the same principle is making a reamer smaller with a stone??

 

[SierraWoodsman]

There's a good bit of gains from the tunneling, stoning, and smoothing rivets down.

Mabye I'll give it a try then Mike, just for fun. If you get sometime one of these days it would be nice you could post how you go about doing some of these procedures.
the tools/techniques you use. A short video would really help.
I've never even heard of "stoning", Well maybe back in high school.