Now Getting Paid to Sharpen...

[Wood Doctor]

... but not your normal method of payment. I'm using an Oregon 511A grinder and love it. A local logger handed me a 5-gallon bucket full of old dull chain loops and said, "I'm a little short on cash, so if you find a few in here that you like, keep 'em. All I want are the 30" loops and longer. Can you see if you can save any?"

Well, lo and behold, I've found in that bucket three 20" chain loops and six 25" loops that had only been used once and had never been sharpened. They all work on my Stihl MS 361 and Mac 610. Meanwhile, I found seven longer chains for him and have thus far sharpened five of them.

He's satisfied and so am I. Wampum still exists. :greenchainsaw:

 

[bruce6670]

I just set up my new 511 ax. never used one before. Any tips ?

Oh yeah, nice deal on the chains.

 

[mtngun]

I just set up my new 511 ax. never used one before. Any tips ?

Light touch -- the wheel should barely graze the cutter.

Wheel should contact the cutter only one second at a time. The longer the contact, the more apt to overheat cutter.

I grind each cutter 3 times, one second (or a fraction of a second) each time. Bzzz, Bzzz, Bzzz. Like that.

Be gentle with the vise, it is fragile and breaks easily if opened too wide. Only 1/8 turn of the handle is required to open it.

 

[Wood Doctor]

Light touch -- the wheel should barely graze the cutter.

Wheel should contact the cutter only one second at a time. The longer the contact, the more apt to overheat cutter.

I grind each cutter 3 times, one second (or a fraction of a second) each time. Bzzz, Bzzz, Bzzz. Like that.

Be gentle with the vise, it is fragile and breaks easily if opened too wide. Only 1/8 turn of the handle is required to open it.

+1. Fabulous advice. That's how I do it and it works. I have one other step that takes a little time but is worth it. I usually go around the loop twice but only with one or two quick grinds on the second pass. It seems that some cutters need a second touch-up pass.

I also found that if I press the cutter back against the stop with my finger tip before I tighten the cam lock, I get a more consistent grind.

BTW, yesterday I tried one of those 20" chains I salvaged from the bucket. Before I sharpened it, I just gave it a solvent bath to loosen it up a little and get rid of some grime. I honestly thought I was using a brand new chain. It cut like a bandit. :greenchainsaw:

 

[bruce6670]

Thanks for the advice fellas. I definitely don't want to burn up any chain.

 

[madhatte]

I also found that if I press the cutter back against the stop with my finger tip before I tighten the cam lock, I get a more consistent grind.

Yes to that.

 

[hammer0419]

It's nice when you don't have to dig into your pocket and everyone is happy. Nice deal you got.

 

[Wood Doctor]

History Repeats

It's nice when you don't have to dig into your pocket and everyone is happy. Nice deal you got.

The same thing just happened again. This time I picked up two 18" chains for my MS 290 and two more 20" chains for my MS 361. All four had only been used once or twice. In return, I sharpened two 36" chains and two 30" chains for the same logger.

He had no use for the shorter chains, but I use these two saws all the time while cutting firewood.

 

[514mach1]

Sounds like a great deal to me! I'm somewhat close to you... if there's a bunch in a gauge you don't have a use for (like .058) then I'll gladly pay shipping (thinking flat rate USPS box) plus fair price for good condition chain, and I can sharpen it myself!

 

[Wood Doctor]

Happened Again...

Same logger gave me three 36" chains. One had a missing cutter. All had lots of room left on the cutters. I shortened them all to 28" chains that matched my bars. Then I sharpened all three loops. They should cut like bandits--good for at least five more sharpenings apiece. I figure at least $100 left in the bank, maybe more. I bought the logger a few beers.

:msp_biggrin:

 

[KiwiBro]

I bought the logger a few beers.

:msp_biggrin:

Onya.
It strikes me the percentage of life's opportunistic passengers is far less amongst wood choppers than the average for the general public.