Just Tried Out The New HF Chicago Electric Chain Sharpener

[woodeneye]

So I got a Harbor Freight electric chainsaw sharpener a few weeks ago. Finally unboxed the thing and bolted it down to my work bench. I'm not gonna say I'll give up hand sharpening for good, but for really boogered up chains it worked wonders. Doesn't get them quite as sharp as a good hand filing does, but doesn't take near the time either. It had my saw spitting big chips with a chains that previously made only dust bunnies. I've heard a few likes and a few dislikes. Must have got a decent unit or something. IMO, it's worth $21.99 I gave for it.

 

[fearofpavement]

I have two HF sharpeners and they are quite different design wise. The older one I have has a manual clamp and the newer one has a bicycle brake type cable operated clamp. The older one is a lot more precise. The newer one has considerably more play in it. (flex). I actually like the older one quite a bit better and get better results with it.

 

[CTYank]

IME, they're not really useful for much but de-boogering badly rocked chains. Having done some side-by-side with a $100 Northern Tool grinder, it was obvious that the HF grinder was a waste of space. Really. That far inferior, and way too many quirks. I think NT is now selling their grinder under a house brand like "timber tuff" in a really zingy yellow decor.

No matter the grinder, I'd still use a file, in a Granberg guide, to make a chain really sharp.

 

[woodeneye]

When I said it got chains sharp, I didn't really quantify how sharp. I mean what I said, it gets chains sharp. My grandfather was a professional lumberjack and he agreed that it got the old chains sharp and serviceable. But when talking sharpness, there is really two ways to put it: sharp and scary sharp. Believe me, I've been making knives for over a decade now and while we can always improve, I've felt scary sharp multiple times. Again, this tool just gets chains sharp nothin that will scare a hair off a frog. But if you value time and have rocked out chains, you can't really go wrong with a Lincoln less in your pocket. I'm happy with it and in my book, that's what counts.

 

[ckelp]

i agree it dose't get it stupid sharp but when you have homeowners coming in with stupid dull chains knowing there going to rock it again
i take my time with the grinder and i get good enough results, it's like useing a handheld knife sharpener vs. a diamond stone

 

[woodeneye]

Totally, besides, it's the indian not the arrow when it comes to most things. A little finesse goes a long way even with a cheapo HF grinder.

 

[workshop]

I like mine. If I've accidently rocked it and dulled it I use it to clean up the top plate, then hand file the gullet. I'm not the best sharpener, but this gets me results I can live with.

 

[woodeneye]

Like most Harbor Freight tools, I did have to modify my sharpener and tweak it a bit to get it to my liking. All it really took was a small washer though. You can read about it in the reviews section of the tool. Turned out quite nice for a firewood gatherer like me. I cleaned a couple of my dad's old chains in diesel and carb cleaner, then sharpened em up real nice this morning. They looked like they had been used on a metal detector of a saw before but came out spitting chunks. Very pleased.

 

[7sleeper]

@woodeneye ,

my words the last few years.

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