milkie62
ArboristSite Guru
How is everyone filing their spare chains ? I was thinking of using an old bar in a vise so I could tighten down on the groove to keep the teeth from rocking. Anyone with pictures of their setups ?
chain filing setup
- Thread starter milkie62
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parrisw
Tree Freak
Sometimes I just tighten the drivers themselvs in the vise.
Crofter
Addicted to ArboristSite
Here is my setup. Tilted like this for square filing so file can be level while the chain is tilted. Since it is ball mounted it can be set at any angle. The handle is on an eccentric to clamp chain solid and is instant. The two 1/4 bolts are just floating alignment pins
That's exactly what i do. Has worked for years doing it that way. Now there may be a better way of doing it. If so someone here will let you know and me too.
oldsaw
"Been There, Milled That"
I do exactly what 880 does. You can get three teeth at a time. Mark the first one, then rotate until the first one comes around. Once you get into the "groove" it doesn't take that long.
Mark
Mark
Lakeside53
Stihl Wrenching
Off saw? I just close up an old bar and use in a vice. If I'm filing a rocker, I just compensate for the rock with a little forward angle.
glennschumann
ArboristSite Operative
This is a jig I made that worked pretty well. I've since made a few refinements, but I don't have new pictures, so these will have to do for now. The jig sits in your bench vice, and the blocks on either side of the jig hold it just above the vice screw. Just loosen / tighten the vice to hold / release the chain. The lines across top allow you to follow them with the file, keeping the angles even. I drew several angles so that I could file my ripping chains from 30 to 10 degree a few degrees at a time with each sharpening. The slot in the wood goes down to within 1/2" of the bottom of the jig. When I get a chance, I will try to post pictures / sketches of the new jig so that others can replicate it and improve on it. Hope this helps.
Crofter
Addicted to ArboristSite
Those setups clamped in the vise are good for round filed but the vise is in the way for the 35 or so degree down angle you need for square filing.
Hi Crofter, your set up looks like a good rig, and would be ideal for all types of sharpening. Just wondering, on the square filing side of things, is it essential to file the tooth at the 35 degree downstroke? Just lately I've been playing around doing it square to the top of the vice, and still get a good finished tooth, just that it doesn't have the groove cut right down the inside of the cutter on the angle, it doesn't seem to make any difference to cutting speed, just wondering what you thought, Cheers TL
Crofter
Addicted to ArboristSite
Well if it didnt make any difference to cutting speed it is not working! lol! Yes you do need the down and back angle to clean out the efficiency robbing material from inside the corner of top and side cutter intersection. The picture below gives a fair idea of the down and back angle of the file to get a reasonably fast cutting shape to a square filed tooth. I tried to find a clear front view with the file in the tooth but my photo filing system leaves a lot to be desired.
fileing
Yup, that's what I do. Or if the chain is on the saw then I just clamp the bar itself into the vice. I file on the truck tailgate during the day too, just use the vice at night to get them perfect for morning. I don't feel like trying to file at 6-7AM half awake......lol:greenchainsaw:
Yup, that's what I do. Or if the chain is on the saw then I just clamp the bar itself into the vice. I file on the truck tailgate during the day too, just use the vice at night to get them perfect for morning. I don't feel like trying to file at 6-7AM half awake......lol:greenchainsaw:
Thanks for that, maybe in certain types of timber the difference isn't as noticeable. what your saying does make sense, might have to construct a rig like yours, Thanks, TL
Is this the Glenn Schumann that is a Wyoming Cowboy?
milkie62
ArboristSite Guru
I have never seen square chisel just the round chisel from baileys.It looks like in Crofters picture that it is actualy filed to a square corner at the top.Is that the reason for the triangle file ??????
parrisw
Tree Freak
WOW, you got skills!!!
Thanks
The two shinny pieces are cut from plainer blades, so they will never wear out. It works great on any gauge chain. I also made one for Art Martin.
jerry-
parrisw
Tree Freak
Wow Art martin, famous Logger!!!
