How do you guys sharpen chains?
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RPrice
ArboristSite Member
+1, Amen!! The above pretty much sums it up IMO!
indiansprings
Firewood Purveyor
I literally have to sharpen chains everyday, every other day at the max, 99% of the time I sharpen with the chain on and do it with hand filing. I put the saw in a good vice with one of the magnify glass lamps over the chain so it is extremely well lit up and I can see the file details of the tooth. I file by eye, no guides.
If one of the guys hits wire, rocks one out bad, it goes on the oregon grinder to get it back into shape quickly and then if in the mood touch it up by hand.
Most people I see or teach to sharpen think it takes a heavy hand and a lot of material removal, with a good sharp file it doesn't take much pressure at all to get a chain sharp. I used to grind quite a bit when I first bought the grinder, but prefer a good hand filing to a grind. The key is keeping them touched up during cutting or switching out chains, don't cut with them until they are rounded off knubs as many people do. Chain is a cheap investment in the life of a saw.
If one of the guys hits wire, rocks one out bad, it goes on the oregon grinder to get it back into shape quickly and then if in the mood touch it up by hand.
Most people I see or teach to sharpen think it takes a heavy hand and a lot of material removal, with a good sharp file it doesn't take much pressure at all to get a chain sharp. I used to grind quite a bit when I first bought the grinder, but prefer a good hand filing to a grind. The key is keeping them touched up during cutting or switching out chains, don't cut with them until they are rounded off knubs as many people do. Chain is a cheap investment in the life of a saw.
I too would love to see a video of the roller guide in use. I have one for .375 chain, but I don't use any .375 chain so I haven't been able to try it out. Maybe I should just look at TSC and see if they still have them for the .325 and give it a whirl. The only reason that I end up using a guide is to help me keep the file at the correct depth. It doesn't add any time to sharpening, so I figure I'm better off using it. I did complete free hand for about a year and a half. Got pretty good at it, but I did notice that the depth of the file was a little more inconsistent than I liked. Thus the guide.
I too have found that I can touch up a chain about as fast as I can swap one out, mostly because of the cleaning that's needed when I pull the chain off. That, and I always have a hard time getting the chain into the rim sprocket for some reason. I love how functional they are, but they do give me a little grief when putting the chain back on. I'd say it takes me about 5 min to do either one if I take my time and don't start dropping stuff. I've never figured out how a bar nut can fit into so many little crevices, and still manage to land and stay on the top of my hitch under the truck....
I too have found that I can touch up a chain about as fast as I can swap one out, mostly because of the cleaning that's needed when I pull the chain off. That, and I always have a hard time getting the chain into the rim sprocket for some reason. I love how functional they are, but they do give me a little grief when putting the chain back on. I'd say it takes me about 5 min to do either one if I take my time and don't start dropping stuff. I've never figured out how a bar nut can fit into so many little crevices, and still manage to land and stay on the top of my hitch under the truck....
Bought a grinder many years ago. Used it all the time. Loaned it to my brother and was forced to sharpen by hand for a while. Bought the cheap Oregon guide and never went back. Haven't used the grinder for the last 10 years. My brother still has it and uses it and thats ok because to me it takes way too much time and I always ground off too much tooth. If I really rock one, which is almost never, I'll just swap it out and take the time to straighten it by hand on the bar in the shop when I have he time. I do like the idea of the lighted magnifier for on the bench. Full skip also speeds up the sharpening process...:msp_wink:
Hmmm... Good grinders only take of as much tooth as you let them take off.
I think your brother got a bargain.
Sagetown
Farmer and a STIHL
indiansprings mentioned using a magnifying glass.... Note my post #32' pic ~ see that magnifying lighted visor behind the Chain Bar ~ Fun 
Yep; the little adjustor jig moves the chain precisely where you want it..
Yep; the little adjustor jig moves the chain precisely where you want it..
J.W Younger
ass kissing impaired
I have a grinder and if theres anyone who hates using it more than Thall its me.When I sharpen a chain for someone else it gets ground tho cause I hate round filing even more than grinding.
Most people don't but I enjoy square filing.
Most people don't but I enjoy square filing.
David (saltas)
Addicted to ArboristSite
lite touch of the file in the field,
I take four chains for the main bar, 2 chains for the spare, shorter bar.
use grinder on chains when I get home, but only a light touch ie the smallest amount to put a new face on the cutter, only a finger or two of pressure on the grinders handle
I take four chains for the main bar, 2 chains for the spare, shorter bar.
use grinder on chains when I get home, but only a light touch ie the smallest amount to put a new face on the cutter, only a finger or two of pressure on the grinders handle
Sagetown
Farmer and a STIHL
Is that because by the time they bring it to you it's in terrible condition ? That's been my experience anyways.
Square Filing ? I don't know anyone that has done it. Isn't that mainly for the milling chains ?
J.W Younger
ass kissing impaired
Yes on the phubar chain they bring me and no square is for cross cutting only.
Extending Chain Life
Sometimes you can extend the life of a chain by not grind sharpening a few teeth that are really rocked hard. All but three or four may be in far better shape that a few sour ones. Leave the sour ones alone and sharpen the rest the same size.
Eventually, you will get to the sour ones two or three sharpenings later, and then all will be the same size thereafter. In between, the cutting may be a little slower, but you may hardly notice that, especially on longer chains with 70 cutters or more.
In short, don't let the tail wag the dog.
Sometimes you can extend the life of a chain by not grind sharpening a few teeth that are really rocked hard. All but three or four may be in far better shape that a few sour ones. Leave the sour ones alone and sharpen the rest the same size.
Eventually, you will get to the sour ones two or three sharpenings later, and then all will be the same size thereafter. In between, the cutting may be a little slower, but you may hardly notice that, especially on longer chains with 70 cutters or more.
In short, don't let the tail wag the dog.
wigglesworth
Booned
Ill try to make a vid today.
All I run is RSC and LGX and it works flawlessly on both.
Again, I was an avid hater of all sharpening jigs, guides and what-not. So much so, I flamed guys for using them, and not learning to hand file, but this thing works, and works well.
Sometimes you can extend the life of a chain by not grind sharpening a few teeth that are really rocked hard. All but three or four may be in far better shape that a few sour ones. Leave the sour ones alone and sharpen the rest the same size.
Eventually, you will get to the sour ones two or three sharpenings later, and then all will be the same size thereafter. In between, the cutting may be a little slower, but you may hardly notice that, especially on longer chains with 70 cutters or more.
In short, don't let the tail wag the dog.
I do something like this. When I hit something, it generally only messes up one or two teeth. In that case, I go a head and sharpen them, but on subsequent sharpenings I may only take one light stroke with the file when I'm taking two light strokes on the others. Eventually the rest of the chain catches up. So long as it's only one or two teeth, I can't tell much of a difference. More than that, and the chain gets set aside until I can get to it to work on it.
zogger
Tree Freak
Please do!
--I'd like to see how they work! domo arigato
Ill try to make a vid today.
All I run is RSC and LGX and it works flawlessly on both.
Again, I was an avid hater of all sharpening jigs, guides and what-not. So much so, I flamed guys for using them, and not learning to hand file, but this thing works, and works well.
--I'd like to see how they work! domo arigato
J.W Younger
ass kissing impaired
70 cutters or more?damn thats one long bar!LOL,guess I just got the short bar syndrome,36 cutters on a 20"seems like a bunch to me.Sometimes you can extend the life of a chain by not grind sharpening a few teeth that are really rocked hard. All but three or four may be in far better shape that a few sour ones. Leave the sour ones alone and sharpen the rest the same size.
Eventually, you will get to the sour ones two or three sharpenings later, and then all will be the same size thereafter. In between, the cutting may be a little slower, but you may hardly notice that, especially on longer chains with 70 cutters or more.
In short, don't let the tail wag the dog.
Hedgerow
HACK
Well I finally went out and did it this weekend... Got my micrometer out and mic'd every cutter on the basket case 24" chain that's been bugging me. Took an hour and a half to fix right, but she's cutting beautiful, and gives the 372 all it wants. Not sayin it's the right way to do it... just sayin sometimes I gotta start from perfection and get worse...:msp_biggrin:
memory
ArboristSite Guru
After looking at some granbergs on ebay, I noticed there are a few different models. Is there any difference in the models?
This is the one I am looking at.
New Granberg G-109 File-N-Guide Chain Saw Filing Jig - eBay (item 230593563862 end time Apr-03-11 21:09:52 PDT)
I went to Granbergs website and they only have one model listed which is the g106b. The one above is a g-109.
The way it sounds, hand filing is the way to go. I am going to try to learn how to do some hand filing. If I were to look at electric grinders, which would be a good brand? I have been looking at some on ebay and wow, some are going for 3 or 400 dollars. I really wouldn't want to spend that much. I also seen some that costs $55, it is the one that Northern Tool carries. I assume those would be junk.
Thanks for all the help.
This is the one I am looking at.
New Granberg G-109 File-N-Guide Chain Saw Filing Jig - eBay (item 230593563862 end time Apr-03-11 21:09:52 PDT)
I went to Granbergs website and they only have one model listed which is the g106b. The one above is a g-109.
The way it sounds, hand filing is the way to go. I am going to try to learn how to do some hand filing. If I were to look at electric grinders, which would be a good brand? I have been looking at some on ebay and wow, some are going for 3 or 400 dollars. I really wouldn't want to spend that much. I also seen some that costs $55, it is the one that Northern Tool carries. I assume those would be junk.
Thanks for all the help.
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Hedgerow
HACK
Looks like all the components are there. The one I got says file-n-joint. But it's a lot older too...
