Why do square grinders cost so much

[2000ssm6]

Go to Race Saws and you will find threads where people have modified Stihl or Oregon bench mount hand grinders to file square chain. I plan to do it but haven't put the time or effort into it yet.

Which bench mount you got? I have the FG-2 and reading the manual, you just get the Stihl square files, set your angles and sharpen. The only thing that has kept me from trying is you have to buy 12 files at a time in the pack @80.

 

[MS390]

Square grinders i europe?

I have searched for some time,can't find any grinders/files,can you help me?

Square grinders are more expensive because not everybody in the world loves square ground chain opcorn: I don't know one dealer in Australia that has ever even stocked it (I'm sure someone has somewhere though? I tried a loop once but from memory I got it from the US I think? It was blunt in 5 minutes)
Maybe the US and parts of Europe are the only square grinder customers in the world?
Supply and demand and all that jazz...

 

[Philbert]

I have searched for some time,can't find any grinders/files,can you help me?

I can't tell you who the dealers are near you, but many of the site sponsors here sell these items, and many of the files are made in Europe.

I know that some of these are US links, but they might be a start:

Pferd PFERD Chain Saw Files & Accessories - Chisel Bit Files

Vallorbe An essential, basic tool for all chain saw users.

Sandvik Welcome to Sandvik Coromant

SaveEdge Save Edge | Chainsaw Files & Accessories

German Designed ZygMyer chisel chain grinder:

[youtube]MSHiIb2Tgwg[/youtube]

Also lot of good information if you search for square ground chain here on A.S. or on Google.

Philbert

 

[w8ye]

I've been keeping an eye on Google about square grinders since November 2012. I never seen anything in Europe? In fact, the used offerings have been inactive around the USA since the first of the year.

I bought a antique used one last fall and refurbished it. The grinder works real nice for me now.

 

[Philbert]

Silvey is not officially out of business:

http://www.arboristsite.com/chainsaw/223905.htm

and Simington still sells them new:

Simington Chain Grinder | GRIND CHAIN!

But I was assuming that there were other companies in Europe or Japan that at least had made square ground grinders in the past, even if not currently in production.

A couple sold here through A.S. in the last month. Other than eBay, CraigsList, etc., or rooting around old logging companies, I am not sure where to find used ones.

Philbert

 

[Philbert]

Atop filing guide.

Bailey's - Atop Square Filing Guide with 2 Files

Also this thread: http://www.arboristsite.com/chainsaw/69509.htm


Philbert

 

[MS390]

Part number for that file?

Which bench mount you got? I have the FG-2 and reading the manual, you just get the Stihl square files, set your angles and sharpen. The only thing that has kept me from trying is you have to buy 12 files at a time in the pack @80.

 

[Whiskers]

With the faster cutting speed of square, wouldn't it seem logical that the difference in demand is directly attributable to price? Is this not a catch 22?

More like a self fulfilling prophecy

 

[gsg]

With the faster cutting speed of square, wouldn't it seem logical that the difference in demand is directly attributable to price? Is this not a catch 22?

With the faster cutting speed of a hanfab circle saw slasher, why do they cost more then a chainsaw?

 

[Philbert]

Back to Space Mule's original provocation, er, question . . .

I think that there is a market for a quality, square grinder in the $500 to $600 range (Simington is $800 + s/h). While the swing-arm style grinders are 'basic' in their engineering, they have a lot of fussy little parts. I think that someone could engineer a simpler grinder, that perhaps would not offer all of the adjustments of the more expensive ones, but provide a clean grind with a limited amount of variation.

So even if these chains do dull quickly, they would be more popular if they were also easy to sharpen/touch up.

If Silvey does leave the market, it might open up the opportunity for someone to step in.

JMHO.

Philbert

 

[WoodChuck'r]

With the faster cutting speed of square, wouldn't it seem logical that the difference in demand is directly attributable to price? Is this not a catch 22?

Chicken or the egg right there, good point.


I would imagine that the "difference in cutting speed" isn't much unlike having to pay $2000 to squeeze another 16hp out of a drag car - it's always the last little things that cost the most (that or the margin in performance decreases, and the cost to get the difference stays the same). Either way, yer paying out yer ass for something that clearly seems it shouldn't cost so damn much.

To me it makes no sense that square grinders are so pricey in comparison to round grinders - be interesting if the manufactures would shed some light on why, I've always wondered myself....