Few sharpening questions (grinder)

Arborist Forum

Help Support Arborist Forum:

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

biggenius29

Addicted to ArboristSite
Joined
Sep 21, 2008
Messages
2,290
Reaction score
277
Location
Hamilton Michigan
I just picked up a grinder last weekend. It is a 511a. I should have thrown the instructions out, they did no good. All the picks looked photocopyed and were unclear, but by trial and error I got it going and figured out how it works.

Except, how do I dress up the wheels with the dressing stone, and how do I know when a stone needs to be dressed up?

Also, I have quite a few people wanting me to do chains for them. Is there some master chart, or something online that has all the mfg of chains, and cross references. Something along the lines, if I have a loop of Stihl RSC chain, I can look to see what is equivalent to that in Oregon, Carlton ect... Then also with each chain it shows how to set the grinder up.

Does something like that exist, or are pretty much all chains besides, square chistle, all set to 60* on the stone, 30* angle and 10* tilt?
 
I use the same grinder at work. I just round the bottom of the wheel when it gets black or when it starts to get flat on one side. I only change the angle that i am grinding at when the tooth is square on the side (like RSC, 25*), and when the tooth is rounded on the side (like Stihl RM, 30*). Thats just how i was taught, so i dont know if this helps at all or not.
 
511A grinder ___Who makes this grinder & did you buy it used?
(Look on the internet.) The 511A manufacture has what you are looking for. If not, www.Foley-Belsaw.com might help. They will mail free sharpening
catalog that might help.
60 deg. tilt stone (wheel) for sharpening (ALL MAKES) chain cutters / 30 deg. on chain vice for sharpening chain cutters.
10 deg. tilt on a 5/16 stone (wheel) that is square on bottom.
You grind down the depth
gages after sharpening all cutters chain.

I sharpen chains on my foley-belsaw grinder. I purchased it used from a co. that I used to work for. F-B is who I order most of my equipment from.





fwilliams979
 
Last edited:
Hey BG29!
The original grinder was supplied with a small, handy, plastic template, which amongst other things, had a radius gauge for the wheels of different thicknesses. It's not a critical radius, but it prevents what would otherwise be a "square" edge of the wheel from grinding into the tie straps, and it helps form a neat gullet to encourage proper chip evacuation.
Hope this helps...
 

Attachments

  • oregon_gauge.jpg
    oregon_gauge.jpg
    6.1 KB · Views: 13
I run an Oregon 511a and a clone of it from Northern Tool. I don't think Oregon makes them anymore but they are good grinders. I use 58 / 30 / 0 on both chisel and semi-chisel. I don't think even Stihl recommends using the 10 degree tilt on the table vise anymore.

I ordered a large dressing brick a few years ago and it came with the profile template. Keep that grinding wheel properly dressed and it should work well for you. Better yet, when you get good at using it order a CBN wheel.

I no longer use a grinder to set depth gauges. Too much variability in the result for me. I check them and file by hand if needed after grinding cutters.

Enjoy your 511a !
 
There is no master chart to cross reference chain manufacturers. They all want to say that there angle is the best. I ran a 30*, 60*, 90* angle set up for all my 3/8 chisel chains for a while. I run Stihl, Oregon, and Carleton. Now I have the print off of the angle charts for each manufacturer and run what they recommend.

I find keeping the depth gauges set to each tooth by use of a file guide and replacing a dull chain with a fresh one when cutting often. Is way better then finding the magic mystery angles that stay razor sharp all day long. I can swap a chain faster then resurrecting a well worn out chain on the grinder.
 
There is no master chart to cross reference chain manufacturers. They all want to say that there angle is the best. I ran a 30*, 60*, 90* angle set up for all my 3/8 chisel chains for a while. I run Stihl, Oregon, and Carleton. Now I have the print off of the angle charts for each manufacturer and run what they recommend.

I find keeping the depth gauges set to each tooth by use of a file guide and replacing a dull chain with a fresh one when cutting often. Is way better then finding the magic mystery angles that stay razor sharp all day long. I can swap a chain faster then resurrecting a well worn out chain on the grinder.

Yep thats me...easier to swap as needed.
 
I run an Oregon 511a and a clone of it from Northern Tool. I don't think Oregon makes them anymore but they are good grinders. I use 58 / 30 / 0 on both chisel and semi-chisel. I don't think even Stihl recommends using the 10 degree tilt on the table vise anymore.

I ordered a large dressing brick a few years ago and it came with the profile template. Keep that grinding wheel properly dressed and it should work well for you. Better yet, when you get good at using it order a CBN wheel.

I no longer use a grinder to set depth gauges. Too much variability in the result for me. I check them and file by hand if needed after grinding cutters.

Enjoy your 511a !

If your getting variations in the rakers it’s from using the wrong size wheel or pushing too hard down on the motor. I use the same grinder for nothing but rakers from 3/4 on down you must use the large 3/4 wheel when doing so.
8acf43321789d6924dcb8693101cce34.jpg
2c894bed6bb32507621325ef6953c455.jpg
b66c60d885cc1d874448b6bb9ee715ca.jpg


A buddy has a CBN wheel we found out on harvester chisel chains it doesn’t work out the best.
eb26d88c6c3b56b6bbb2bc8fc2903888.jpg
39157970b3af4623103b370135f8472f.jpg

With this style of chain you need a square bottom wheel.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Latest posts

Back
Top