square ground chain sharpening questions?

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MR4WD

MR4WD

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Do all grinders, or one such as the oregon 511ax have the ability to sharpen square ground 3/8 chain? Is it just a matter of changing the grinding wheels?

(links if possible)

Thanks,
Chad.
 
joesawer

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Not that I know of, Well there is but it probably costs as much as your new 390. There is a growing niche for an affordable square grinder.
There is some threads on here about file guides but I have never used them.
 
moose42

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I ran into the same problem a few years ago. I was told that I would be looking at around a thousand dollars or more. Chisel bit files are way cheaper than that! I love the binefits of square filed chain, so I practiced with a file and I hand file my chains. They stay sharp a while as long as you keep it out of dirty wood and the ground. Hehe. My advice to you is, if you sharpen a lot of chain, a regular grinder is great. If you get a good grinder you will be very happy with it. If you have the time and patience, doing it by hand isn't that bad. I mainly do it because it is relaxing to me. But to each his own!
 
Tzed250

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Do all grinders, or one such as the oregon 511ax have the ability to sharpen square ground 3/8 chain? Is it just a matter of changing the grinding wheels?

(links if possible)

Thanks,
Chad.

Chad, have you tried square ground? If not then try some off the reel square ground. If you decide you like it then you will need to figure out whether to go the cheap route and hand file, or throw down the big money it costs to get a square grinder.

Square ground will add the same speed as a port job.


.
 
Burvol

Burvol

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Gotcha. Clearly I know nothing about this. Is there such a thing as an entry level square grinder?

Your in BC....gotta have the square bro. I'd look for a used Simington 450. They are a late model and are really good quality for the money. You should be able to get a good used one for 500-700 depending on what miser sell it to you. LOL
 

Evan

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i dont know that square will add the same speed as porting but i do know that ive ran both square and round and dont see the benifit great enough to go square ground.

however i do have a brand new square ground full skipp oregon chain hanging on the wall that fits my 32" bar. i may mount this chain make vid and see. it would have to cut about 10 seconds faster to equal a home brewd port job, maybe 15-20 seconds if a real porter had worked over the saw
 
Burvol

Burvol

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i dont know that square will add the same speed as porting but i do know that ive ran both square and round and dont see the benifit great enough to go square ground.

however i do have a brand new square ground full skipp oregon chain hanging on the wall that fits my 32" bar. i may mount this chain make vid and see. it would have to cut about 10 seconds faster to equal a home brewd port job, maybe 15-20 seconds if a real porter had worked over the saw

Trust me, it's way faster. Throw the skip in the trash and get some full comp if you really want to see how square cuts. And don't buy into the "it's gotta be skip" bull#### for 32" bars. Not true. Clean your gullets and keep those rakers all the same, cut like a whipped Mule.
 

Evan

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i dont like skip, id much rather run full comp but i feel 70cc is better suited to full skip on 32". my saws cut very well with round ground full skip.

maybe i well get a full comp square just to try
 
Burvol

Burvol

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i dont like skip, id much rather run full comp but i feel 70cc is better suited to full skip on 32". my saws cut very well with round ground full skip.

maybe i well get a full comp square just to try

Get a bigger saw, lol.

Your right, but.....keeping your rakers all set right, and the chain nice and sharp, it should actually pull into the cut. Square tracks really hard into the cut when ground properly.
 
matt9923

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Square ground is great, but I already spent a few hundred on grinders for round ground, someday ill get a square grinder. I rarely use a file, i jut keep spare chains but i know how to use one when needed.
 

Evan

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theres no money for 90cc saw right specialy with christmas comeing up and work falling off.

ill killl my 372 running the 32" before i get a new 90cc saw. well i likely big bore it ounce that happends and do it all over again
 
matt9923

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theres no money for 90cc saw right specialy with christmas comeing up and work falling off.

ill killl my 372 running the 32" before i get a new 90cc saw. well i likely big bore it ounce that happends and do it all over again

You should sell some of them smaller saws, an go buy a 90cc saw or a project.

My smallest saw is the 028 and i rarely use it, 660 is so fast i don't put it down.
 

Evan

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i sharpen my square ground chains round. even after going from square to round on the same chain ive noticed no difrence.
 
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