Setup does ***** machine, and the cheapos can do perfectly well with proper technique.
:2cents:: With the motor off/unplugged, adjust the wheel to the bottom of the gullet. Then adjust the 'stop finger' while turning the wheel by hand. You will feel a 'high spot' (inevitable, harmless wobble), that will account for .010-.020" stock removal once you power up. Tighten the finger adjustment and mark your start tooth. You'll
always have to reset the stop when you switch to the other side of the chain.
Beware of side play of the wheel head, esp at the bottom of the stroke, due to hand pressure or wear in the head's pivot. If the wheel contacts the tooth on the upstroke it's easy to round it over, compromising relief angle at the cutting edge/corner. I encourage using a j-shaped stroke that's held away from the tooth going down and slightly wiggling the wheel head for say 3 quick but gentle swipes against each tooth face. Hold the wheel to the away side of play when bringing it back up. Be consistent with each stroke/tooth and with tension held against the stop when clamping for best results. If the side doesn't clean up, adjust the stop screw 1/8 - 1/4 turn and go around again. Don't rush it.
Using a cheapo dial caliper or similar, measuring tooth length is as good as measuring tooth height (for side to side consistency) and is faster/easier. Don't sweat one bad tooth here and there. As with saw blades, only having several bad teeth in a row will noticeably affect cut quality/efficiency. If the wheel 'fans' on a tooth when sharpening it won't be tall enough to cut anyway. Don't readjust for a single tooth. Let it go & hit it on the next sharpening or repeat pass around.
Two things often overlooked are fully cleaning up (grinding back) the shine on (from) top of the teeth right at the front corner of each, and not keeping the height gauges trimmed far enough below the teeth. I'm one to shave them pretty far down, but if going too far the saw can pull in or bog more easily.
If neglected you remove less stock/tooth and cut less wood per sharpening. If ~half your chips look like sawdust, you probably should have changed to a sharp chain already, and you might have to 'peel' quite a bit to 'bring it up sharp' again. (trade lingo
)
The HFT gadget I sharpen with for myself and several others is kind of whomped after the years, but I get good results and do lots of 'return engagements'. As always, it's not what you have, it's what you do with it. (My name says what I do. :laughing
tog
