Decent price for machine sharpening service?

[buttercup]

What would be be a decent price for machine sharpening chains, I'm thinking one price for just sharpening and perhaps another if the depth gauges needs to be adjusted also?

 

[dgr]

$8

 

[Huskybill]

I been thinking about a chain saw maintenance business. Sharpening the saw chains, teeth, rakers and squaring the bar rails and cleaning the bar groove plus greasing the bar sprocket. How are you going to price it? I’m stumped.

Sharpening teeth only,,,,,up to 20” chain
Sharpening teeth only from 22” to 42” chain.
Sharpening teeth and rakers up to 20” chain.
Sharpening teeth and rakers 22” to 42” chain.

Clean bar grooves, grind the rails, grease the bar nose sprocket, clean the air filter.

A complete cleaning of the saw with all of the above? Package deal,,,,price?

Who will pay for a package deal? Our time plus consumables used?

I’ll go broke

 

[Huskybill]

$8

Only $8? I’d use a file to sharpen the chain. Is that $8 plus the file?

A chain saw day of pampering total package $25

 

[buttercup]

I been thinking about a chain saw maintenance business. Sharpening the saw chains, teeth, rakers and squaring the bar rails and cleaning the bar groove plus greasing the bar sprocket. How are you going to price it? I’m stumped.

Sharpening teeth only,,,,,up to 20” chain
Sharpening teeth only from 22” to 42” chain.
Sharpening teeth and rakers up to 20” chain.
Sharpening teeth and rakers 22” to 42” chain.

Clean bar grooves, grind the rails, grease the bar nose sprocket, clean the air filter.

A complete cleaning of the saw with all of the above? Package deal,,,,price?

Who will pay for a package deal? Our time plus consumables used?

I’ll go broke

I was just considering to make a sign by the road with red letters on a slab of spruce "Machine sharping of chainsaw chains".
Most likely the people around here (both permanent residents and summer hut people) would use a 35cc to 50cc saw with a 13" to 15" bar.

If I am to adjust the depth gauges I will need to change the grinding wheel and perhaps do some hand adjusting to round them off so it would be about twice the work compared to just sharpening.

I was thinking like about 6 dollars for just sharpening and perhaps 9 to 12 dollars if the depth gauges needs adjusting as well.

 

[Huskybill]

I was using the file n guide to sharpen chains. But first I open up the gullet. They always come back. Be prepared for a booming business once you start.

I was thinking of getting raffle tickets, after the 4 sharpening number 5 is free.

Free coffee and donuts helps too while they wait.

 

[buttercup]

I was using the file n guide to sharpen chains. But first I open up the gullet. They always come back. Be prepared for a booming business once you start.

Well, I guess most experienced people prefer to sharpen themselves, but people like ordinary Joe these days are busy with other things and this would be considered small change money for them so perhaps someone would drop by...

 

[Huskybill]

The average Joe doesn’t sharpen the chain like we do.

 

[dgr]

Only $8? I’d use a file to sharpen the chain. Is that $8 plus the file?

A chain saw day of pampering total package $25

$8 is what the saw shop charges here to grind your chain. I haven't asked for more details as I file my own.

Tree services hand them a dozen chains at a time. I'd imagine with a good machine that's an hour or two of work.

 

[dgr]

Sharpening teeth only,,,,,

Sharpening teeth and rakers .....

Sharp is sharp only if it cuts. If it doesn't cut because the rakers are high, the customer isn't going to be pleased. If he comes back, he'll have it fixed in his mind the chain isn't sharp. I wouldn't offer to only sharpen the teeth.

 

[Huskybill]

We’re going to have to file the gullet, sharpen the upper tooth and do the rakers. That chain needs to leave your shop in perfect condition. Maybe we should do the first sharpening for free? I know they will be back.

 

[bigbeve]

There is a place here that sharpen them for 6 dollars if you take take the chain off 8 if they have to take it off.

 

[merc_man]

My local saw shop charges 8 bucks. If you bring chain in on saw its an extra 5 bucks to remove sharpen then reinstall. Think that is up to 20 inch. Then price will go up depending on size.

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[Matt93eg]

I can see doing chains. But I dont think most would pay extra to have there saw cleaned and pampered. Most people dont care about the saw, just cut and go. Those that do like to clean and pamper there saw like those of us here on this forum are going to do it ourselves. Maybe I'm wrong though.

 

[user 122190]

Only $8? I’d use a file to sharpen the chain. Is that $8 plus the file?

A chain saw day of pampering total package $25

I know you are joking. But to the OP -- I can buy a new Husky full skip 84dl chain for under $20. Factor that into what you might be able to charge for sharpening.

BTW, I tried this a few years ago. Figured I would charge a low cost, build a clientele, and leverage it into chainsaw maintenance and repair. I had one customer, and several people that said they would use my service, but never heard from them again.

 

[HarleyT]

day of pampering total package $25

 

[svk]

Most places around here it is 5-8 bucks for under 20, 7+ for 20 or more.

I only bring in 3/8" chains that were significantly rocked. The is one older guy here that is slow but does a good job and charged me 5 bucks to do a full comp 24" loop.

 

[HarleyT]

The is one older guy here that is slow but does a good job and charged me 5 bucks to do a full comp 24" loop.

That price would age anyone quickly!!

Does he use a grinder, I hope?

 

[svk]

That price would age anyone quickly!!

Does he use a grinder, I hope?

Yes.

He has health problems off and on. He is trying to sell his sharpening business but nobody young is interested. It could be somewhat of a gold mine as he has deals where several small businesses in the area to collect stuff for him and he picks it up once a week. He is ready and willing to hand off the route to someone with more energy and he said he will train them on how to sharpen anything that needs sharpening. But no takers. So for now he is slow, reasonable, and does a good job.

A new person could easily raise the rates because everyone around here drops stuff off and it is 30 miles to the next nearest town and everyone there charges a lot more and most do not do as good of a job.

 

[Philbert]

If I am to adjust the depth gauges I will need to change the grinding wheel . . .

Have a separate grinder set up for depth gauges.

Philbert