Bob I had a feeling hand filing was going to lead the pack , I got away from it and have been using the dremel tool , its so much faster and you would think it would get the chain just as sharp but I'm starting to wonder if the file gets a sharper edge , I'll have to experiment some , after sharpening with the dremel it seems like the saw is sharp but I don't feel the saw pulling itself through the wood like it should . I thought there would be more dremel users but the poll just got started.
How do you determine sharpness, I hope it is not by feel?
Check out
this post about when a chain feels sharp but it's still not sharp.
If the saw is not self feeding that's because you don't have enough hook. It sounds like the bit is not in the correct position. If it is positioned correctly, try using a slightly larger grinding bit.
I can touch up a chain by hand almost as quickly as with a dremel or 12V sharpener. Do you move the dremel to the cutter, or the cutter to the dremel? Standing in the one place and reaching further and further out along the bar with your arm with a dremel hanging of the end is not ideal. You should pull the cutters towards you so the blunt cutter is in the same position and so you use the same arm/hand position every time, its the same as for hand filing.
If your hand filing is way slower than using a dremel it sounds like you just need to practice your hand filing.
The people that take years to learn how to file are usually those that use and file a CS on a very occasional basis, or the type of person that picks up hammers from either end. My dad could teach pretty well anyone to file a mangled chain completely free hand pretty well over a period of about 3 weeks but they had to practice 2-3 hours a day in their own time. He used to give them mangled chains to take home every night and they had to bring them back the next day. When they bought back perfect chains 3 days in a row they could stop! Most people took between 2 and 3 weeks to get there but some did it in less than a week. Folks like my dad had to really learn how to hand file they were falling 8-10 big (~8-12' diameter) karris a day and had to touch up after every tree They had no grinders back at the mill and had enough to carry around the bush (two big Macs with 42" bars, fuel/oil, and a box of steel wedges and an axe) without carrying extra chains.
What's your sawdust look like? Is it dustier or does it have nice chips in it like it did when you were hand filing? If it's dustier then what depth rakers are you using and do you use progressive raker depths?