thinking of starting a chain sharpening sideline.

   / thinking of starting a chain sharpening sideline. #1  
escavader

escavader

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For those who might have read on the chainsaw section,i was looking for a grinder to sharpen ripping chain,for my boss.Well decided to do it at home on my own machine.Ive had at least a dozen people ask me if i sharpened saws,apparently there arent many saw shops around any more.Thinking about taking it up for a few extra bucks
How would i go about charging by the foot ?by the chain? BY the job?I do a pretty decent job on my own saws with my little cheap hf grinder getting everything to factory specs.I also have a dremal if i chose,and im pretty good at hand filing.Iprefer the bench grinder the best
For those who have a bench grinder im thinking of upgrading .Im thinking of the OREGON 511 X is THIS A GOOD ONE?
alan
 
   / thinking of starting a chain sharpening sideline. #2  
escavader, around here (Central Massachusetts) I only know of two places to get chains sharpened - far less than the number of stores carrying chain saws. It costs about $5 to get a chain sharpened. It is for a 14" bar - I don't know whether they charge more for longer chains or not. I don't need the service anymore since I bought the plastic bodied chain sharpener from Harbor Freight for ~ $30.00 last year. Good luck.
 
   / thinking of starting a chain sharpening sideline. #3  
The only folks around here that I know of that sharpens chains gets about $5.00 per chain; that is for the run of the mill home use chains. That's about 1/3 or less, than the cost of a new chain. You might consider sharpening circle saw blades; I have several dull ones in a box that cost about $30 and would gladly pay about $10 or $15 to have them sharpened. I have two handsaws and a two man crosscut that have never been sharpened; would gladly pay $10 or so to have them sharpened.
 
   / thinking of starting a chain sharpening sideline. #4  
Around here too (before I learned how to sharpen) I was paying 5.oo a chain (18'').
 
   / thinking of starting a chain sharpening sideline.
  • Thread Starter
#5  
WAS the price still 5 dollars if the chain had heavy damage?did the service include maintaining the rakers?I probably could do 4 normal saw chains in an hour .It would take some time to even break even on a new grinder:)I was thinking on that 5 ft ripping chains of charging 25. AM i nuts?Figure hed pay me that easy if i was to do it at work
In addition to a new grinder i am going to make a coolant bath to keep things cool.Ihave some experience with these on my planer knife and sidehead grinders at work.Inespensive yet will keep things cool.
 
   / thinking of starting a chain sharpening sideline. #6  
I wish that I could make money on a sideline that is also my hobby. The cruel end of the chain saw sharpening hobby would be that you require volume. Then it becomes a competive business. What I have done to control the costs of the saws that I use is buy chain in the 50' roll. I am cutting the chain to lenght and hand riveting the joiner link over. The supply houses do sell a riveting spinner but I do not need that . My links do stay together, because some people have heard of home done failures. I did once purchase a chain length made at the local hardware, but the price was (fair ) but not that cheap.
So I found a reliable supply house and I bought my first 50' of chain. Off the top of my head 3/8 LP NONE SAFETY semi chisel 0.50th. I was given another saw with 0.404 chain
and that is in a class of its own. There is age and cost issues to convert this saw to 3/8 semi chisel 0.50th. I have another saw with 0.325 pitch semi chisel 0.62 th ( have a spare chain).
So my hobby has me stocking several chains and files just to play lumber jack.

Craig Clayton
 
   / thinking of starting a chain sharpening sideline. #7  
escavader said:
For those who might have read on the chainsaw section,i was looking for a grinder to sharpen ripping chain,for my boss.Well decided to do it at home on my own machine.Ive had at least a dozen people ask me if i sharpened saws,apparently there arent many saw shops around any more.Thinking about taking it up for a few extra bucks
How would i go about charging by the foot ?by the chain? BY the job?I do a pretty decent job on my own saws with my little cheap hf grinder getting everything to factory specs.I also have a dremal if i chose,and im pretty good at hand filing.Iprefer the bench grinder the best
For those who have a bench grinder im thinking of upgrading .Im thinking of the OREGON 511 X is THIS A GOOD ONE?
alan
Click to expand...

The hardware locally, charges $2 per chain. Not a get rich quick service, however, it is a excellent loss leader for them to bring in store traffic. Ken Sweet
 
   / thinking of starting a chain sharpening sideline. #8  
Our local store is $5 for 16" and under, $6 for up to and including 20", not sure after that
 
   / thinking of starting a chain sharpening sideline. #9  
I got a collapsed lung from breathing "dry" grinding dust several years ago. Be sure to wear a good face shield and dust filter. Ken Sweet
 
   / thinking of starting a chain sharpening sideline. #10  
My local shop charges $14 a chain. (16 or 18" bar)

I usually file them myself, but when I hit a rock or imbedded metal objects (nails, barbed wire etc.) I send them in to be brought back in spec...

Y'all have me thinking I'd be better off to ship them somewhere....
 
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