anymanusa
ArboristSite Guru
If you take your chains to a shop to be sharpened you'll likely get no more than 3 or 4 sharpenings from a chain before it's junk.
Shop Re-Sharpened Chains vs. Factory
- Thread starter John Lyngdal
- Start date
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It's hard to compete financially with mass production; part of the reason we have become a 'throw-away society'. I know of some companies who simply replace chains, rather than sharpen them, after computing their labor rate, overhead, etc. Sometimes the used ones are offered on eBay, Craig'sList, etc.
This almost a separate question from the one asked by the OP; CAN re-sharpened chains cut as well as factory new chains, versus is it COST EFFECTIVE to pay someone to do this.
Philbert
This almost a separate question from the one asked by the OP; CAN re-sharpened chains cut as well as factory new chains, versus is it COST EFFECTIVE to pay someone to do this.
Philbert
Woodblocker55
ArboristSite Operative
It's easy 99 dollar bench sharpener and never pay anyone to sharpen your chains. Chains last longer saw lasts longer . And you'll cancel out a bunch of running around to get them sharpened . And you'll make more chips. Most important part is making more wood chips. [emoji106]
Woodblocker55
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Woodblocker55
Sent from my LG-H900 using Tapatalk
Woodblocker55
ArboristSite Operative
Once you figure it out everyone will want you to sharpen there chains . That's what happens.
Woodblocker55
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Woodblocker55
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ChoppyChoppy
Tree Freak
If you wait until the chain us flat out hammered, I agree. Otherwise no. I have loops I've sharpened easily a dozen times and are still good.
My local saw shop has 3 or 4 grinders setup on their bench. They do everything from .325 to the big BC chains for harvesters. I wont let them touch one of my chains, even tho I do business with them all the time. I let them sharpen a chain once, it came back blue and ground to the limit. I bought one of those yellow grinders a few years back. I had to make a few bushings to tighten the machine up a little and I have pretty good results. Like others have said, If I have a tooth or two that is buggered bad, I dont try to take it all out, I just hit them the same as the other teeth and in one or two sharpening, I'll have the buggered tooth back to sharp. The one thing I noticed with a grinder is that it leaves burrs on one side of the chain. To solve this, I use my drill to start the grinding wheel in reverse before turning the grinder on. The grinder will run backwards just as well as it will forward if you start the wheel turning before turning on the power. Doing so means the grinding wheel is always pulling spent metal to the inside of the tooth instead of leaving a burr on the outside of the tooth. The grinder can also be setup to cut the rakers to the right height. Just set it to lower to the height you need and slide the rakers under the wheel. If you cut every tooth the same length and the rakers to the right height, and make sure the angles are right, it will cut good as new. When setting my grinder up, I found the degree markers where not accurate, about 5degrees off if I remember correctly. I used a new chain to get the angles right and marked the degree indicator so i could repeat the angle.
If you guys like the $99 grinders, you will probably really like the $300 grinders. At least upgrade to the better wheels - BIG difference (unless you file after you grind for a final edge).
Philbert
Philbert
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It depends on the shop and the sharpener. Also whether the user is constantly rocking the chain. I will wear out link pins on my chains before I run the cutters completely down.
JimMorrison
The wind blows em down and I cut em up
I used to have a "pro" sharpen my chains until I realized how bad a job they were doing. I use a Timberline. Very easy, very good, within 99% of new. I would never toss a usable chain and buy new, for any reason.
Woodblocker55
ArboristSite Operative
Week point after 20cord they crack there also. And chain gets alot of slop in the links.[emoji106]
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Wear on the cutter heel may be related to chain tension.
Philbert
Philbert
ChoppyChoppy
Tree Freak
Band Blade sharpener and setter
Bar grinder, .325, depth guages, 3/8 and .404
Bar grinder, .325, depth guages, 3/8 and .404
Woodblocker55
ArboristSite Operative
I will let you know after I cut 20 cord with .404 [emoji106][emoji3]
Woodblocker55
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Woodblocker55
ArboristSite Operative
I have 2 like your green one.. Very nice setup.
Woodblocker55
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I've seen some hack job sharpenings.
My buddy who runs the children's camp where I do volunteer tree work brought a chain to the Stihl dealership near him. No lie, the first sharpening took over 60 percent of the cutter and there was tons of blue flash over the top of the cutter. From now on I take his chains home to sharpen and he has 5 chains in rotation so he always has a few even when I have the dull ones.
My buddy who runs the children's camp where I do volunteer tree work brought a chain to the Stihl dealership near him. No lie, the first sharpening took over 60 percent of the cutter and there was tons of blue flash over the top of the cutter. From now on I take his chains home to sharpen and he has 5 chains in rotation so he always has a few even when I have the dull ones.
This ^ right here.
I let my Stihl dealer "sharpen" exactly ONE chain - "ruin" would be far more accurate. I discovered that they can charge only $7 to sharpen because they do *nothing* between the chain that's been sharpened five times and one that needs its first sharpening. My chain came back with blue teeth and unground rakers. Never again.
Unless you really have found a good shop / old-school guy that sharpens your chain based on the condition of your chain, just do it yourself. Do it right. You'll love the results and will never go back.
JimMorrison
The wind blows em down and I cut em up
I think you are right about the good shop thing. If there was one near me, I would probably use them. That is not the case, so ya just gotta do it yourself.
I totally bought into: "I have a several chains, and my local saw shop expertly sharpens them for me."
Reality was not as kind, however.
GypsyCliff
LOVE WOOD!
Stump vise, sharp file, and hand sharpening guide. Ten minutes and it's throwing chips. When it's not throwing chips it's time for a break anyway, and a few strokes with the sharp file. Bought the files 5 at a time, the chains 2 at a time, and a bar and sprocket. Keeping them in rotation, and they should last a good, long time.
Cliff
Cliff
Little Al
Addicted to ArboristSite
It's one of those things if you are not able for whatever reason to do it yourself & want it done, you have to find someone that can do the job ( if the price is too high for you, & or the sharpening is not good or to your liking ) you do not use that outlet again. The thing to me is if the guy/gal does a good job then they deserve to be paid a saying the guy I served my apprenticeship under had wasif it costs $5 to do a job it's 10cents for hitting it & $4.90 for knowing where to hit it
