Philbert's Low Tech Filing Vise

[zogger]

Homemade version on eBay

Not the nicest version I have seen, but from an enterprising manufacturer: $30 + s/h or best offer:

"saw chain sharpener vice, MPN 3200, Model SCS.9000
Brand: D&M Chain Co.
Model: Model T
Grips chain tighter than when on saw bar; for hand filing; 10 teeth at a time are clamped. Enhances professional level sharpening with file and file guide. Single handle unlocks vice, slide chain to left for 10 more teeth. Mounts in regular vice or clamp direct to table top. Pictures show actual chain vice in use in a home shop. If you order, you get a brand new chain vice. These are direct from production line to you, coated with silicone; no expensive finishing operations are performed. This keeps price low. "

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Philbert

Man, what will you do with all that commission money?

HAHAHAHAHAHA

 

[SawTroll]

Nowhere near as nice as Philbert's design, but effective:
View attachment 323316
But that was too wide for my square ground loop, so I made this one (sorry it's blurry):

View attachment 323317

If you take the chain off the bar to file it, that means it takes a lot more time than it mostly needs to - usually it is more effective to file on the bar, provided you know exactly what you do (and what not to do).
If you need a "guide" for anything but the rakers, filing on the bar doesn't work very well though, as the chain always will slop back and forth sideways, messing it up.
Using guides to touch up a chain in the woods is at best a misunderstanding - you need to know what you do then, and any guide messes it up - some of them less than others though, if you know how to use them.

 

[RedneckChainsawRepair]

If you take the chain off the bar to file it, that means it takes a lot more time than it mostly needs to - usually it is more effective to file on the bar, provided you know exactly what you do (and what not to do).
If you need a "guide" for anything but the rakers, filing on the bar doesn't work very well though, as the chain always will slop back and forth sideways, messing it up.
Using guides to touch up a chain in the woods is at best a misunderstanding - you need to know what you do then, and any guide messes it up - some of them less than others though, if you know how to use them.

Niko you are answering a post that was 2 and a half years old.

 

[Philbert]

"Everyone has to find something that works for them" - Philbert

If you take the chain off the bar to file it, that means it takes a lot more time than it mostly needs to . . .

If you have one saw and one chain, you still need to take the bar off occasionally to clean the grooves and flip it for even wear.

If you have more than one chain, you need a way to sharpen them, without having to dismount and mount the guide bar each time.

Using guides to touch up a chain in the woods is at best a misunderstanding - you need to know what you do then, . . .

Guides don't sharpen chains. Neither do files, or grinders. The user sharpens the chains using one or more of these tools. If they 'don't know what to do', then they should not expect good results with any tool, guide, machine, etc.

Good to hear from you Niko!

Philbert

 

[Philbert]

Niko you are answering a post that was 2 and a half years old.

Good posts are timeless . . .

Philbert

 

[RedneckChainsawRepair]

Good posts are timeless . . .

Philbert

I didnt consider Niko's post timeless.
I was giving him a heads up how old the post was he was answering is all.

 

[Philbert]

I didnt consider Niko's post timeless.

But I (humbly) think that this thread is!

Needs a 'bump' now and then,

Philbert

 

[Wood Doctor]

For the record, here is what Philbert and I were talking about back in posts 54-56, etc.:



Simple, but effective. Ideal for file sharpening or servicing the air filter, plug, pull cord, etc.

 

[RedneckChainsawRepair]

But I (humbly) think that this thread is!

Needs a 'bump' now and then,

Philbert

TTT

 

[SawTroll]

"Everyone has to find something that works for them" - Philbert

If you have one saw and one chain, you still need to take the bar off occasionally to clean the grooves and flip it for even wear.

If you have more than one chain, you need a way to sharpen them, without having to dismount and mount the guide bar each time.

Guides don't sharpen chains. Neither do files, or grinders. The user sharpens the chains using one or more of these tools. If they 'don't know what to do', then they should not expect good results with any tool, guide, machine, etc.

Good to hear from you Niko!

Philbert

I agree with most of that, and it always is nice to see you post!

Reading trough this thread now I see that some of what I have posted here is a bit unclear though - I don't attempt to hold the cutters upright with the left hand, I actually use it to hold the chain to the "off" side of the groove, so that it can't rock over any further during the file stroke. The up/down angle does of course need to be adjusted accordingly.

 

[Chris-PA]

If you take the chain off the bar to file it, that means it takes a lot more time than it mostly needs to - usually it is more effective to file on the bar, provided you know exactly what you do (and what not to do).
If you need a "guide" for anything but the rakers, filing on the bar doesn't work very well though, as the chain always will slop back and forth sideways, messing it up.
Using guides to touch up a chain in the woods is at best a misunderstanding - you need to know what you do then, and any guide messes it up - some of them less than others though, if you know how to use them.

Everyone has a different situation - I cut on my own land and usually have a second saw. It's not too far to get back to my barn and I'd rather work on the chain vise. It's just so much easier to see and do a consistent job with the chain clamped more than is possible on a bar. Usually if I dull a chain I'll switch saws and fix the chain later on the workbench - with a cold beer.

I can file on the bar though, and I use no guides other than the angle references scribed on the chain vise or cutter, and a cheap depth gauge guide.

 

[Philbert]

Here’s a link to a nice vise made by @820wards :

https://www.arboristsite.com/threads/chain-sharpening-fixture.362598/
Philbert

 

[Maintenance supervisor]

2 old hardnose bars, 2 2" C clamps ,1 "hobbo" freight vise.
If I have a few wrecked chains I really like to put some pressure on the teeth when straightening them up. This worked well for me,but a its a little big for pole saw chains and such.