Brush Ape Makes his Stand

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Very nice. Maybe a little more than I need. However, this has been getting me by for now... It's just a couple scrap pieces of aluminum bolted together with nyloc nuts. There's just enough slack there when you loosen the vise a half turn, you can move the chain. I know, it's not a good picture but I think you get the jist.

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Nice. It's something I have thought of trying several times.

Any spacers between the aluminum bars?

Anything to hold the bars in place/ keep them from slipping in the vice (can't tell from the photos if that is flat stock or angles)?

Philbert
 
Nice. It's something I have thought of trying several times.

Any spacers between the aluminum bars?

Anything to hold the bars in place/ keep them from slipping in the vice?

Philbert

If you're asking me... No spacers, the nyloc nuts allow me to keep the bolts a little slack. The bolts are placed at the edges of the vise jaws so it doesn't move when I advance the chain. There's a small lip on the aluminum that keeps it in the vise when I slack it to advance the chain. I usually only do one cutter at a time, advance, then another cutter. The aluminum was just something I had laying around and tried it out. If it worked good, my plan was to make something a little sturdier but it's been a few years now and I'm still using this :laugh:.
 
Nice, simple design. I linked it to this thread: http://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/philberts-low-tech-filing-vise.245004/

Several people have mentioned a similar idea through the years. I have been working on a similar design in my head, off and on, but probably have been 'overthinking it' - trying to add some type of spring opening, similar to these bicycle tools, which sit in a vise to hold axles:

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Philbert
 
I remember your thread. I'm always checking these threads out looking for improvements.

Oh, that is a good idear. I'll get you a few more detailed pics of mine when I get out to the barn this evening.
 
Took me years to get a chain to what i consider sharp ,and am still finding better ways ,main thing to start with is keeping them all the same size ,and not to file too deep into the gullet , .

I dunno what he does besides mill lumber and buff out them powerful saws, work on his house and post all over the chainsaw forum, but this old boy spits wisdom like your Grandad did Redman. Sometime you got to read it twice.

-BA
 
I dunno what he does besides mill lumber and buff out them powerful saws, work on his house and post all over the chainsaw forum, but this old boy spits wisdom like your Grandad did Redman. Sometime you got to read it twice.

-BA

Am just a Junk man ,I like to smash stuff too ,I was actually told those tips by a pacific northwest logger ,Whenever i can learn from someone that knows more than i do i listen.........I am fortunate enough to be in an area that has some of the best loggers in the world ,and if you talk to the right one you learn stuff ,Not all but a few of them loggers know how to sharpen a chain........

Another tip i was told is to think of the cutter as a knife blade ,and sharpen the cutters as such ......
 
I would like to watch someone who really knows how to sharpen. My sharpening I've learned from my own experience and what I've read here on AS. I know my chains are good, but they're only that. From time to time there's pics of chains on here that boggle my mind how good they look.
 
I would like to watch someone who really knows how to sharpen. . . I know my chains are good, but they're only that.

I know that this is going to sound all Mr. Miyagi/Zen-like and all. And I am by no means The Master of sawchain sharpening. But my key thought on the issue now is 'intentional'. In order to get the cutters that you want, you have to start by knowing what you want them to look like. Then figure out how to do that. (OK, light the incense and candles . . . )

We can agree or disagree on 'the best' cutter shape, or 'the right' angles. Whatever. Different people, different wood, different saws, different situations . . . But, once you decide on what it best for you, then you need to figure out how to obtain that.

We can give a file to a monkey (no offense to any monkeys here on A.S.) and he can randomly file, file, file all day - doesn't mean he will end up with a sharp chain. We can give another monkey a grinder, and expect similar results. True with all the jigs, guides, vises, etc. They are tools that can help you, but only if you know what you are trying to achieve.

So, if you look at your cutters and they do not look as smooth (for example) as ones you have seen pictured, how do you make them smoother? Maybe a finer cut file or grinding wheel? Maybe taking more, shallower cuts? Maybe some type of vise to keep the cutters from chattering? Etc. If your angles are not as consistent as other chains, how do you control that? Maybe by focusing on your file stroke, or the way you hold your file, or using some type of guide, etc.? Maybe you just need better lighting to see what you are doing, or need to file at a higher or lower height?

Those are appearance based changes. If you your chains are already 'good', you probably already really know how to sharpen. If you want to improve performance, are you looking for faster cutting, larger chips, more durable/longer lasting edges, etc.? Racing chain or work chain? Look at your chains now: if your edges are all intentionally set (e.g. 30* top plate and 10* 'down' angle) you can intentionally vary them, change one or more of the angles at a time, experiment, etc. If you don't know where you are starting from, it is hard to make an intentional change.

If you can decide what you want, then you can work toward achieving that whether you use a file, or a grinder, or a Dremel or . . . Brush Ape's stand works for him, along with his knowledge and intent.

(Sermon over. Back to our regular programming).

Philbert
 
You can say that again.

Hey you fruit bats should let Brush Ape come back so he can show y'all some pictures of the improvements he's made in the new version of this chain sharpening stand.


Nice try. Skip Klassik is another of BrushApe's user names.
 
This guy unbanned yet ,i liked his threads even if he was hard to deal with some times ,Be nice to see how this ended up turning out .
 
That's actually a really great design. I've heard about this guy but this is the first thread I've seen of his. Some people...
 
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