Atop alternative?

[Haywire Haywood]

I wish that Atop square filing guide wasn't so bleeping expensive. I've wanted one of those for years hoping that the price would either drop to something reasonable or someone would come out with a similar guide for less.

What's out there for a square guide that works well?

 

[XSKIER]

I've tried to free hand file square and failed pretty badly. It would seem that most as members have good results with the silvey or simington square chisel sharpeners.

 

[super3]

You can get bad results with an Atop also, it's not fool proof. Best to just learn to file free hand and keep on the look out for a decent deal on a grinder.

 

[Haywire Haywood]

I got to use one when it was making the rounds and it worked like a champ. I just don't understand the price tag. The Timberline guide, (essentially the same thing for round filing) costs half what it does and it comes with a carbide cutter.

 

[banana boat]

I wish that Atop square filing guide wasn't so bleeping expensive. I've wanted one of those for years

X2

 

[mdavlee]

I never got to try the atop. The best chains I've done were free hand filed. A good grinder is nice if you're doing a lot.

 

[jwade]

i dont know if it was me or not, i bought the atop but i wasnt ver
ry impressed with the results. i borrowed a friends timberline and got much sharper chains. not sure if it was the differences in the round or square techniques.

 

[Jacob J.]

I never got to try the atop. The best chains I've done were free hand filed. A good grinder is nice if you're doing a lot.

A talented filer can make chains that are much sharper than what a grinder will produce.

 

[super3]

I got to use one when it was making the rounds and it worked like a champ. I just don't understand the price tag. The Timberline guide, (essentially the same thing for round filing) costs half what it does and it comes with a carbide cutter.

Then you are already half way to free hand. Atop only holds one angle for you.

Yep they are a little pricey. Come up with a version of your own and sell it cheaper.

 

[Haywire Haywood]

Ok, I guess I've cried on my soap box long enough.

 

[mdavlee]

A talented filer can make chains that are much sharper than what a grinder will produce.

Yes its not that hard to make a faster chain by filing over grinding. The grinder is nice when you're doing 5 chains or a 154 dl chain.

 

[super3]

Ok, I guess I've cried on my soap box long enough.

Just raggin on ya a bit Ian.

You'll never learn to file if ya don't try.

 

[super3]

A talented filer can make chains that are much sharper than what a grinder will produce.

That 2nd word there JJ is the problem for most of us.

 

[RedneckChainsawRepair]

I had good luck with ATOP. I got out of all that square stuff and sold mine.

I had options to me that the sponsor here couldnt get you though. I delt straight with The Man himself.

Then my faster play chain I made with the guide.

 

[Haywire Haywood]

Looks like you had all the nifty rollers to change the angles up. Nice. If I remember correctly, all you had to do was keep the file square to the roller shoulder and watch the corner.

 

[RedneckChainsawRepair]

There is a guy in Sandusky Ohio that could make a better ATOP chain then me. He used normal bevel file instead of the special files.
He used to come down when we were into such stuff and do testing.

Also you can change angles with just using black electrical tape around the rollers.

 

[Stihl 041S]

A talented filer can make chains that are much sharper than what a grinder will produce.

What about a talented grinder using a CBN wheel that he had made?

 

[Haywire Haywood]

There ya go 41, braggin' again.

 

[Stihl 041S]

There ya go 41, braggin' again.

Well it takes trial and error to get the angles for a CBN. I hate to dress wheels.

 

[dbittle]

I wish that Atop square filing guide wasn't so bleeping expensive. I've wanted one of those for years hoping that the price would either drop to something reasonable or someone would come out with a similar guide for less.

What's out there for a square guide that works well?

I modified one of the old Granberg File-n-guides by filing a couple of slots into the file holder ends so a double bevel file will go in there. There are threads on here that show what it is supposed to look like. I converted one of my .325 chains to square with it and it seems to be working as advertised. It cost me about $20 on ebay for the Granberg and about 15 minutes to get the double bevel file to fit into it.