Cut wandering.

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Originally Posted by Redbug

An electric grinder is hard on chainsaw teeth. You will heat the teeth up and discolor them, changing the hardness or temper. A grinder also tends to take off too much metal and reduces the life of a chain. Just my observations.

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Hi Dave,

What you say is true, IF the person running the sharpener doesn't know what they are doing. But in the hands of a skilled operator, these are simply non issues. When first starting to learn, sure I expect most are guilty of some "ruined" chains or teeth while they're learning. But after a few decades of "practice" I'm sticking with my grinder. :thumbsup:

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Originally Posted by Gary Fowler

A file MIGHT be good way to sharpen in the field, but for me, while you are sharpening with a $8 file, I will just change out the chain and be back cutting wood. Back in the shop, I can sharpen a super dull chain that has hit wire, rocks etc in the same time it takes you to "hit it a lick or two per tooth" to bring back the edge. I have a tool box drawer full of files of different diameters, gauges, etc and none of them are as easy as using the electric chain sharpener and it guarantees the same angle on every tooth. I am not using it everyday in a chainsaw sharpening business so why should I spend 5 times as much to get the "more powerful" one when all it needs is a light touch to work anyway. I dont find that there is "slop" in the plastic frame either on the HF unit, at least now when new and for my needs it works fine. If it gets wear in it, I can buy 5 of them for $100 and for darned sure I am not going to wear out one much less 5 as I dont cut wood for a living either.

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Touching up takes me less time than switching out the chain. Either I am faster than you at touching up a chain or you are faster than I am at swapping out a chain. I run both 20" and 28" inch chains and depending on what I am doing either a full chisel or a full skip chisel chain on an older 026 model and a MS460.

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Originally Posted by Redbug

I also touch up my chains every couple tankfuls.

Whenever a kerf wanders to one side while cutting...usually means that the teeth on one side are cutting more wood, (teeth are longer on one side than the other side causing the saw to cut at an angle). That means you need to take your file to the teeth on the side the kerf, (saw bar), is turning towards and file only the teeth on that side. In other words...the teeth on both sides of the bar need to be equal in length when you are done filing.

An electric grinder is hard on chainsaw teeth. You will heat the teeth up and discolor them, changing the hardness or temper. A grinder also tends to take off too much metal and reduces the life of a chain. Just my observations.

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"Teeth equal in lenght" yes, but not obsessively so, eyeball is close enough. I will occasionally mike them just to see if I need to make a correction (one addiiton stroke on one side).

Harry K

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Originally Posted by turnkey4099

"Teeth equal in lenght" yes, but not obsessively so, eyeball is close enough. I will occasionally mike them just to see if I need to make a correction (one addiiton stroke on one side).

Harry K

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Yes, that's the way I do it, too. I always just use the ole eyeball.

all my teeth are not of equal length, but I never mich them :) On time I was eating an apple and I could tell. After one bite I could see I needed to se a dentist.

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Originally Posted by Pa Pa Jack

I have a Husky 455 Rancher. I have been cutting firewood lately and have had no issues until yesterday. I put on a brand new chain when I noticed the saw was really slowing down. With the new chain, the saw will not make a straight cut through a 16 inch log. It wanders to the right as if it wants to cut a circle no matter what I do. I flipped the bar over thinking that maybe it was the problem, but it made no difference. Now the saw revs much higher but cuts much slower. The chain is a H47s Husky brand and is still very sharp. Any ideas?

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Haven't read the whole thread . But is your new chain the same guage as the bar ? A .050 chain in a .063 bar might behave that way regardless of it condition . A worn bar might add to it as well .

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Originally Posted by LD1

In theory, yes the teeth are supposed to be the same lenght. But it certainly isnt a requirement to cut straight. You can simply adjust the rakers (depth gauges) accordingly.

If I hit a nail, or rock, or something that dulls just one side of the chain, and requires a good bit of meat to be removed to sharpen, I do NOT take that much off the other side as well. I just adjust the rakers accordingly to make both sides take the same amount of wood.

That is partly why I like shapening my own chain. Cause the way it is "supposed" to be done, is to find the worst (smallest) tooth, and make them ALL that small. And IMO, that is a waste of chain life

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I have to admit to using this method as well, that is not finding the smallest and making them all that small. Can't bring my self to grind away like that, but then im only cutting for firewood and not competition or dropping timber.

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Originally Posted by Redbug

An electric grinder is hard on chainsaw teeth. You will heat the teeth up and discolor them, Only if you get too agressive and try to take too much off at once changing the hardness or temper. A grinder also tends to take off too much metal Only if not properly adjustedand reduces the life of a chain. Just my observations.

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I edited your post to should my views.

I agree with RandyT. Just bumping the wheel to the tooth instead of flat just grinding it down is better. I try to keep my teeth all the same length if I can. If one or two are shorter because they have hit something it won't be that big of a deal. Then shaving the raker teeth as needed to keep the chain pulling nice chips out is important. Very seldom do I hand file. Thats the reason I take spare chain for all of the saws. Pop a sharp one on and save a stack of dull chains. Go in the shop turn on some good music and sharpen the chains. Makes for a good time to sit around and yack it up with one of my buddies while I am sharpening also.

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Originally Posted by Treemonkey1000

I agree with RandyT. Just bumping the wheel to the tooth instead of flat just grinding it down is better. I try to keep my teeth all the same length if I can. If one or two are shorter because they have hit something it won't be that big of a deal. Then shaving the raker teeth as needed to keep the chain pulling nice chips out is important. Very seldom do I hand file. Thats the reason I take spare chain for all of the saws. Pop a sharp one on and save a stack of dull chains. Go in the shop turn on some good music and sharpen the chains. Makes for a good time to sit around and yack it up with one of my buddies while I am sharpening also.

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That's pretty much my approach but I hand file using one of those "sets all the angles" jigs. Due to the "bump the tooth" to keep it from overheating I find I can handfile a 20" loop faster than I can grind it on my HF grinder. About 10 minutes which includes mounting the saw in the vise, moutning the gauge and giving each tooth 4 or 5 strokes.

Harry K