Chain Grinder ?????

Well ffinally set up my new grinder and have been playing with it .

I am having problems getting a consistance result in regard to cutter lenght..

Anybody care to share their method of cutter measurement. I am have a tough time getting a consistant measurment. The shape of the tooth made it very difficut to measure accurately, consistantly.

How do you guys assure that your have equal lenght cutters, or do you just set to the shortest cutter and call it good. ...

I am not sure what you mean. What brand/model grinder do you have?

I have one of the Northern Tool knock-offs, works fine, just can't get an even cutter lenght result...

Is this the same grinder discussed here before???

There are many threads about them.....

Yes, same grinder. I have read all those threads, in fact those threads are why I decided to buy one of these grinders.
Even wached the video showing the guy operating the Oregon unit. He just seems to set it and forget it.

I have been checking cutter lenght with a dial caliper due to the shape of the cutters it is diffucl to get a repeatable position on the rear of the cutter to measure from. What do guys consider as an acceptable variation in cutter lenght, cutter to cutter and side to side.

Come on guys I can't be the only one having this problem. How many of you actually measure you cutter lenght with a dial caliper or a Mic of some type????

The whole point of the grinder is to get consistent cutter angles and lengths. If you are getting tooth to tooth variation on the same side of the chain, you are not clamping each tooth tight, or there is slop in the chain stop mechanism (or you have a really sloppy chain).

If you have variation in cutter length side to side, you probably do not have the vice centered. Have not see the Northern manual, but centering is done with an Allen head screw on the Italian grinders.

We know that the angle markings on these grinders is only approximate.

Maybe play around with an old or scrap chain until you get the settings and adjustments down.

Philbert

I just got a grinder last weekend. What I do is pick a tooth and set the grinder to that tooth. Then start grinding, if I come across a tooth that is smaller I mark that tooth, and reset the grinder to that one, then that tooth I consider as my starting point. Then, if I come across smaller tooth yet, then I start over.

I just use a cheapo set of calipers and don't really look at the measurement.

Look the chain over and find the shortest/most damaged cutter and set the grinder to sharpen that cutter, that sets the length for the rest of the cutters on the chain. Without changing the settings grind the rest of the cutters on that side of the chain, don't get to anal about measuring every cutter, the grinder is a heck of a lot more consistent than hand filing. Switch everything over to grind the other side of the chain and grind the first cutter on that side. Use the calipers and set them to the last tooth you ground on the first side (this is why I like the stiff cheapies that don't slide easily) and check it against the cutter you just ground, if the calipers wont fit over the cutter turn the screw and grind more off. If it’s sloppy in the calipers back the screw out and grind the second cutter on that side. Once you get the grinder set up to the same length grind the cutters on that side. Once you get more familiar with your grinder you’ll know pretty close how much to turn the screw from one side to the other and you just use the calipers to fine tune and get it perfect. My grinder is about ¾ of a turn off from side to side so I usually go just a little over a half turn and tune it in with the calipers. Once you get used to it its just second nature to set it up and it takes just a few seconds.

Like I said don't get to anal with it…. if you're measuring the difference in cutters in thousandths you're wasting your time, if however you're differences are measured in tenths then you might take a look at your technique and make sure you're not flexing the grinder from side to side when you pull the arm down.... use smooth consistent light pressure on the grinder and you should be just fine.

Thanks Eric, that's the kinda guidance I was looking for

Tooth length.

I have one of the $30 Harbor Freight grinders. I ended up taking the metal arm that is used for the length adjustment off and grinding a small notch in the end. That way I could be sure that the tooth I was working on was being held the same way every time. I would make sure that the notch was down at the bottom of the cutter. Before I did that I found that the arm might not be always in the same location from tooth to tooth and different length teeth would result.
Hope this helps.

Make sure the chain is sitting flush with the guide rails. I've found that every now and then a link tends to pop up when grinding and can sometimes go un-noticed until later. I occasionally use my verniers to check length but I still don't think its as critical as some make out. Guys with mills and 72" bars yeah but the old Mk I eyeball seems to fare pretty well in my book on bars <44" as long as it's a "good" eyeball
Flex in the cutter length adjustment can also be an issue, it is in my MAXX but even then I haven't noticed a difference in cutting performance.

WidowMaker said:

Well ffinally set up my new grinder and have been playing with it .

I am having problems getting a consistance result in regard to cutter lenght..

Anybody care to share their method of cutter measurement. I am have a tough time getting a consistant measurment. The shape of the tooth made it very difficut to measure accurately, consistantly.

How do you guys assure that your have equal lenght cutters, or do you just set to the shortest cutter and call it good. ...

Click to expand...

HI!! My name is Fred & this may help. I have been sharpening chains blades, table saw, hand saws, knifes,twist bits, sissors, about 22 yr's. The chain cutters are (SHARPENED LIGHTLY!!!) by machine where electricy is avable. (ALLWAYS SHARPEN LIGHTLY!!!) Clamp the dressing tool (DIAMOND POINT)down into grinder vice so the new 3/16" thick wheel bottom is about 1/32" above diamond point & lightly touching right side of wheel. The head (WHEEL)
is always set vertical (0 degree) to shape cutting wheel.(LIGHTLY GINDING) until bottom of wheel is shaped corectly. (TURN MOTER OFF!!) From 0 degree to30 degrees on the scale to the left . The chain is put (SNUGELY DOWN IN VICE)with the cutters facing to the left(wheel nut side) of wheel. Standing on left side of grinder & looking toward the right (Wheel nut side) rotate the vice counter-clockwise(VICE 30 DEGREES FROM O DEGREE)to fit right side cutters(GRIND LIGHTLY!!) ---- (DO NOT GRIND DOWN TO DEEP) ---- (NOW SHARPEN LIGHTLY!!!) all right side cutters (LIGHT--- LLLY!!) Then turn vice
clockwise (VICE 30 DEGREES FROM 0 DEGREE) &(LIGHTLY SHARPEN!!) all left
cutters. Repete (LIGHTLY SHARPENING!!)untill all cutters are sharp
GOOD LUCK Fred
PS: ALLWAYS SHARPENING LIGHTLY!!!! ------TO BE SAFE!!!!

Thanks for the words of wisdom guys, I'll try to put it to good use.

Fred, you don't mention the 10* vice table tilt. Do you grind at 0*??? If so why??

Check to see if there is side-wiggle in the head tilt mechanism. I was doing a whole bunch of searching on how to adjust my grinder, and I believe I read somewhere that someone was having the same problem as you. I think it was due to the bad design of the grinder......and it was one of these newer units....not the old Foley's.

Like everything else, if you do a bunch of searching, you can usually piece something together that will answer your questions.

WidowMaker said:

. . you don't mention the 10* vice table tilt. Do you grind at 0*??? If so why??

Click to expand...

Different chains have different angle requirements. I believe that the 10 degree tilt (chain vice or file) is mostly used on full chisel chain. Semi chisel is usually done at 0 (really 90) degrees.

Philbert

WidowMaker said:

Thanks for the words of wisdom guys, I'll try to put it to good use.

Fred, you don't mention the 10* vice table tilt. Do you grind at 0*??? If so why??

Click to expand...

Philbert said:

Different chains have different angle requirements. I believe that the 10 degree tilt (chain vice or file) is mostly used on full chisel chain. Semi chisel is usually done at 0 (really 90) degrees.

Philbert

Click to expand...

:agree2::agree2::agree2:
Exactly right Philbert

NT has the Oregon 511a clone on sale now

I think it was marked down from $119 to $89.

Philbert said:

Different chains have different angle requirements. I believe that the 10 degree tilt (chain vice or file) is mostly used on full chisel chain. Semi chisel is usually done at 0 (really 90) degrees.

Philbert

Click to expand...

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AHH another good tidbit I didn't pickup on anyplace else..

"What a country"

Sorry, I did not explain very good. Are you are having cutter hight prob when sharpening one side cutters to other side cutters? The head (wheel) degree marker coud be off. This is how I get all cutters on a chain to be
same hight & like new chain. Set head (Wheel) to 30 degrees left & lock.
Machine OFF!! Put a new chain in vice & rotate to 35 degrees to left.
Pull wheel down into cutter gullet to fit. Lock vice & let wheel go up. Rotate
vice to 35 degrees right & pull wheel down into cutter gullet. If it is off do
this: Go up to the head (wheel) that is locked on 30 degrees scale. Unlock it & move 1 degree left & lock it. Then go back down to vice. Rotate vise to other 35 degree mark. Pull wheel down into gullet. If they match all cutters on chain will be the same hight. If not go back up to head (Wheel) & move
1 degree & lock. Repeat this procedure untill the wheel matches the left & right gullets. Lock head (Wheel) tightly. ALL chains can be sharpened the
right way then. PS: 10 degrees left on (wheel scale) is for grinding down
top of (rakers) after chain has been sharpened. Motor, chain, bar & People will do a lot better job if the rakers are kept down. ______ ( Bottom of top of cutters) (THINK ABOUT THIS) _____ .