I tried the bench mount grinder, have an old Foley Belsaw 308 I think. no matter what I couldn't get them consistent left to right and be damned if I could hit the guides right. FORGET trying to set it up for 3 different pitches of chain. A sharp file and a vice is my go to anymore.
Chain sharpening. What's your favorite method?
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Jan-Sietze
ArboristSite Operative
Old grinder. Have instructions? Ask anyone for help? Thousands of those were used successfully.
Philbert
I have an Oregon grinder. I’ve used it. But I am 30 cords into a 35 cord pile this spring and I have not used it once. Saw in the vise (upside down) tension the chain, 2-3 strokes per tooth using a husq roller guide, out of the vise, clean the air filter, fuel up and off to cut wood. 10 -15 mins tops. I sharpen every 2 tanks or sooner if needed. Wood is clean(ish) and I stay out of the dirt.
I started the pile with a new chain. I’ll still have chain left when the pile is gone.
I did notice about half way in that my right teeth were shorter than my lefts. So the lefts get an extra stroke now to even things up.
I started the pile with a new chain. I’ll still have chain left when the pile is gone.
I did notice about half way in that my right teeth were shorter than my lefts. So the lefts get an extra stroke now to even things up.
And every now and then you notice your angles don't exactly match left to right, so you start to fix that up as you go.
I hand file in the woods as needed. Back home I use a Granberg jig or a Stihl FG2 to sharpen chains. Has worked out well for me.
I've got a Northern Tool grinder that I've never tried (yet). Guess i should pull it out and set up one of these days. I rarely rock a chain badly enough that one of the jigs doesn't work well and fairly quickly.
I've got a Northern Tool grinder that I've never tried (yet). Guess i should pull it out and set up one of these days. I rarely rock a chain badly enough that one of the jigs doesn't work well and fairly quickly.
thomasinvancouver
ArboristSite Operative
When hand filing I will occasionally take a pair of calipers and make sure all the cutters are the same length. I just eyeball the angle mark on the round file guide. Maybe I’ll pick up a roller guide.
Ol' Brian
ArboristSite Guru
I use my 10 year old Northern Tool Oregon Clone grinder. It makes my chains sharp enough for me... they cut fast and make big chips. I've found that dressing the wheel and keeping the wheel sharp is the key to getting chains SHARP with the grinder without overheating the cutters. I set up the grinder to just fuzz the cutters, just enough to freshen up the cutting edges, and no more. Chains last a long time, someone said grinders eat up chains. I guess it's all in your technique.
When doing the rakers, I mount an old bar in the vise, and work the rakers on that with a File-O-Plate... well at least I used to... I set my FOP down somewhere, and now it has gone into hiding. So, I've been using the raker gage on the little Husky roller file guide, and it sets them pretty good... not quite as aggressive as the FOP though I don't think. Also recently picked up a Husqvarna raker gauge that I used the last time I did rakers, and it is just a little bit aggressive... but the next sharpening they should be just right. My real complaint with that unit is the metal it is made from is just a little soft... the file slowly wears it down, not like a FOP that is hardened so hard so that a file won't even touch it.
When doing the rakers, I mount an old bar in the vise, and work the rakers on that with a File-O-Plate... well at least I used to... I set my FOP down somewhere, and now it has gone into hiding. So, I've been using the raker gage on the little Husky roller file guide, and it sets them pretty good... not quite as aggressive as the FOP though I don't think. Also recently picked up a Husqvarna raker gauge that I used the last time I did rakers, and it is just a little bit aggressive... but the next sharpening they should be just right. My real complaint with that unit is the metal it is made from is just a little soft... the file slowly wears it down, not like a FOP that is hardened so hard so that a file won't even touch it.
Just a round file for my own chains - no jigs or roller guides. Took some tome to learn but worth every stroke! In the field, I give a quick touch-up every 2 or 3 tanks (takes only a few minutes), or swap to a fresh chain if I rock one.
Use my Oregon 620 grinder for customers' chains, or when I rock mine.
Mike
Use my Oregon 620 grinder for customers' chains, or when I rock mine.
Mike
Who ever said that is full of bs. Steve
saxman
Addicted to ArboristSite
I hand file to touch up a chain but if it needs much more than that I use my 511A Oregon bench grinder I’ve had for 25 years. I can square the cutters up and make them cut with that. I enjoy using it to sharpen with on a rainy day, it’s satisfying.
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You're right, Steve! I can destroy a chain with a file in sort order! Don't need a grinder to do it!
Mike
Skeans
Addicted to ArboristSite
Consistency is worth more then a 15 minute break to sharpen a chain.
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I suppose my favorite method would be to take or send out to get sharpened and evaluate. As to what I do it is more of a chore.
Instructions are available, but I had to disassemble the bench before I got a chance to use them/learn how to use it due to my house remodel.
Who said you could destroy a chain with a file. Used right a grinder only takes off enough to get the cutter sharp, same as a file. Steve
I have seen lots of chains 'destroyed' (or at least severely disfigured) with files. They usually get sent to me, to be 'cleaned up' with my grinder!
(If the individuals know how to file, I usually don’t see those chains).
Philbert
I forgot to add, I'll touch up chains with a file, but if I've hit something and screwed up some cutters onto the grinder it goes! Considering the fact that any given saw will be required to fall, limb, buck, and stump a tree, that happens more than I'd like. Someday, I'll put together a saw like my 1-42 that has a short hardnose bar, .404 chipper chain, and a good amount of torque and that will be my go-to stump saw so the rest of my chains will last longer.
Most common and worst problem I have run into with file-sharpened chains that loggers give me is that one side is always sharpened more than the other. The right-side cutters are never the same size as the left.
That's because only one side gets rocked, so only one side needs to be aggressively filed.
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