is an electric chainsaw sharpener worth buying?

[Tree Machine]

have any of you tried using a dremel to sharpen the chain??? how is it?

The stones clog within 1-2 teeth and then don't work at all. Save yourself the agony. Use sharp files with a handle, secure your saw.

 

[ArborView]

Mostly all I do now is firewood and some logging, but I still think hand filing is the best. If I get into some real dirty wood and mess up a chain, I'll take it into the shop and have them sharpen it. I find it best to have a few chains on hand and switch them as needed. For me to hand file, I need to put the saw in a vise, use a good file, go slow and really watch my angles.
I was cutting for my father-in-law this winter and he said he would sharpen my chains with his old chain sharpener. I was hesitant, but let him give it a shot. He claimed it worked well. Tried to cut into a big maple the next morning. It wasn't happening. I'll stick with my hand filing thanks.

 

[PWB]

Either that or you're sitting hunched over your saw, and if I were to guess, one hand holds the bar and chain steady while the other ONE HAND works the file.

If you're not enjoying it, you're not doing it right... not that sharpening a chain is all pizza and fairy tales, but there's gratification in watching the top plate go straight and your tooth tip come to a wickedly sharp point.

One-handing a file over a wobbly chain saw, I can see, would be enough to make one consider buying an electric grinder. I had a real nice, super accurate Stihl chainsaw grinder with green grinding discs and pink and white ones of differing thicknesses, I had gauges and even a micrometer closeby. After two years and enough use to really get to know the thing, I got rid of it. I found an easier way, that I could do in the field, that didn't heat-treat the teeth and that got the teeth sharper than I could do with the electric grinder. And cheaper.

Stand upright when you sharpen. Use two hands on the file. The rest is about proper angle and the right size file.

YES!!!!!!!!! What HE said!!!! In addition, build a vice mount for the back of your truck at the right hieght to be comfortable, and put the saw in it often, maybe every tank of fuel if you're in dirty stuff. Only time the chains come off the saw to sharpen at home or at work is when they've hit something major and knocked the tips off the cutters. We've got the tecomec grinder at work, and I've got one at home too. I hand file 30" and 36" full house, works a lot better than the machines! If you're having a hard time, buy some new files. Throw them away when they don't work, don't just put them in the toolbox.

 

[Tree Machine]

I make it a habit to snap old files in two so I don't re-use that one and experience the same agony.

I'm like RB Tree, I file those suckers back and squeak out every last bit of use from a chain- not because I'm a cheap-o, but for the exact reason that RB states; the chain seems to cut better when the teeth get smaller. I've never shared that on a forum site, but since RB brought it up..... about a third of the way through the life of a chain, you should switch to the next size smaller file since the cutter tooth is getting smaller, both length-wise and height-wise. Also, this is the time to give the rakers a little reduction. I look forward to this time in the life of a chain, where it absolutely sizzles.

Pdubb gives great advice to build a vise stand and use it. If you find sharpening a chain a major PITA, then you're probably not sharpening it when it needs sharpening. This means you're over-wearing your bar, your saw, using more fuel and oil and getting less work done in the time you're doing it. There is no joy in this. Mount a vise, use both hands on the file and then enjoy a chain so sharp that it sinks into wood with great ease. It is not hard to become a good hand filer, in fact , it's rearkably simple. It just starts with your saw not flopping around.

Here's another picture of a way to secure your saw. I have a vise mounted on the chipper and this thing mounted on my truck. It works marvelously well and is VERY inexpensive, though you have to modify it to work outside it's normal intended purpose, which is you pound it into a stump and it's there to secure your saw while you sharpen it. I don't often have a stump around, so the modification lets you,.... 'diversify'.

 

[Sirpouralot]

perhaps.
i do tend to procrastinate when sharpening the chains. i hate it with a passion. i usually throw away all my 14" chains. too much hassle for a $13 chain.
but the 24" is worth filing.

No don't throw away your chains. The shorter ones are easier to file. It only takes about 5 min for a climber to sharpen his climbing saw. It is the saw with a 28 inch bar or longer that makes you think of buying a sharpener. I rarely ever pull my 091 Stihl off the truck just because it is such a pain to sharpen. I use a powerful midrange saw(stihl 046super) with a 20 inch bar for most things, and only pull the 066 out when falling large trees. The problem with dulling a large saw, is that it takes awhile to sharpen the chain. We go through all our saws once a week on maintence day. One guy is assigned to that job, and I know he would like us to buy a grinder. I would too, but never learned how to use one. I always just used a file.:monkey:

 

[murphy4trees]

this is why

The reason the old chains with the little tiny bits of teeth that are razor sharp cut so fast is cause they are sooooooooooo much lighter than a new chain...

 

[Tree Machine]

And aerodynamical!

 

[stumpy66]

my head is spinning, ther eis some bolloskd out here..hand sharpening is not a chore.......feed the saw into a trunk when you have done it right and what a joy.....never lose the fact that its an art, a skill.....and we should aim to keep and aclaim the skills....

 

[Tree Machine]

.....Embrace the mother buggers.

 

[lookingtoplant]

I've got one just like that.
It sharpens a 20"chain in about 9 minutes,
and a 32 " in less than 15.
However it is a POS !
The lever that tightens down the chain broke the second day.
Now I have to hold the chain still with my hand while sharpening.
I would recommend getting this to use until you can afford a better one.
It has saved me many hours of hand filling.

Does it give a good edge without wearing the edge down that much?

 

[woodchux]

Does it give a good edge without wearing the edge down that much?

Yeah- Its gets em' like factory new.
The first time that you use it you might not get the chain real sharp.
After a couple times you will be a sharpening fool !
This piece of junk has easily sharpened my 20 " chains at least 150 times so far, and still going daily.
The trick is to look at what you are doing to the tooth and not take off too much.
Lightly tapping the tooth a few times each, and the key is the last tap or two on each tooth, very smoothly apply a little pressure sideways...
Gets em' razor sharp,
and it actually can take off less tooth than hand filing because of the exact same angle on every pass !

That reminds me ...I need to go sharpen a couple for tomorrow
My .02