File-N-Joint

[wagonwheeler]

Are these old file guides good to use? I've got an old one, box and all, that was my grandfathers. Thought it might work well w/ some new files.

What is the best way to keep the chain from rocking?

It looks like ebay #7726721722

TIA,

Chaser

 

[Bob Wright]

I have that model as well as a new model Oregon. I just tighten the chain a little tighter to keep it from rocking in the bar. They work good, just time consuming...Bob

 

[TimberPig]

Ditto no tightening the chain up a little more than you would use for cutting to help keep it steady. They work well for straightening out a chain that has been hand filed a number of times, and getting it back to the correct angles, but as mentioned are quite slow.

 

[eyolf]

I used a Granberg for years until I quite literally wore it out...the guide rod got sloppy, then the side with the set screw broke. I replaced it with one of the newer ones with the side plates to help keep the chain straight. I've also got a couple of Oregon ones...the first model Oregon was the best one, the later red aluminum one not so good, and now they're mostly plastic.

The best thing to do with them is like others mention...use them to maintain chains that have been hand-filed out of true, or for fixing up rocked out chains. The next thing is to actually watch and learn what you're doing, until you can do the same thing out in the woods without one.

As I said, I used to use one exclusively, never hand-filed. They are slower than a good man at hand-filing, but infinitely faster than a crappy hand-filer like I was...now I'm up to mediocre!

 

[tpyke]

Help please...

OK, I just got one of these, and I don't find the instructions 100% complete.... I have a strong feeling that I am the problem though, as I am not used to owning and caring for a chainsaw....
ANYWHO,
the horizontal degree is obvious so I got that one, but the other dial is the one that concerns me. My chain gives me two different vertical degrees (60 & 10)...60 does not compute with the vertical dial on the sharpener, but 10 does. Before I srap my chain, could someone telll me whether or not they use that other dial and whether 10 (or 60) sounds right for it? I/ll be cutting again tomorrow and would like to get it sharpened up by then.
BTW, I free-handed a sharpening on my chain on it worked as well as when the chain was new! EVEN THOUHG the horizontal angle was NOT correct when I checked with the file-n-joint. Weird, huh?

 

[TimberPig]

OK, I just got one of these, and I don't find the instructions 100% complete.... I have a strong feeling that I am the problem though, as I am not used to owning and caring for a chainsaw....
ANYWHO,
the horizontal degree is obvious so I got that one, but the other dial is the one that concerns me. My chain gives me two different vertical degrees (60 & 10)...60 does not compute with the vertical dial on the sharpener, but 10 does. Before I srap my chain, could someone telll me whether or not they use that other dial and whether 10 (or 60) sounds right for it? I/ll be cutting again tomorrow and would like to get it sharpened up by then.
BTW, I free-handed a sharpening on my chain on it worked as well as when the chain was new! EVEN THOUHG the horizontal angle was NOT correct when I checked with the file-n-joint. Weird, huh?

The horizontal angle you have already figured out, the tilt dial is the one you are having trouble with. It is for giving the proper tilt on the file for chisel chain (file tang 10 degrees down from the tip) . The 60 degrees mentioned is the sideplate angle, which is a function of how high on the tooth you are filing. If the file is at the correct height, that angle will be produced. There is no dial to set it directly, you must use the height adjustment to set the file height correctly to produce it. If I'm not mistaken, it is 1/5 th or 1/10th of the file diameter above the top plate, that gives the correct height. I simply made a little gauge by filing a little piece of steel with a groove at 1/5 th and 1/10 th the file diameter in it, so I can use it to quickly and easily set the height when using mine. As you file back into the tooth, the file must be lowered to maintain the correct height, or you will be filing too high on the tooth.