thinking of starting a chain sharpening sideline.

[blueriver]

Id just hate to get the guy who liked to do things with a chainsaw it wasnt intended to do,like tearing down houses or something ,and all his chains were wicked bad.Aint no way id ever do 10 an hour ,id say max would be like 4 id think.Yes its quick once your set up,but there might be wheel changes for the different chains,wheel change to grind the rakers etc-id say 4 an hour would be max,but never tried it
ALAN

Alan ... your right some guys think they can cut anything. And I said "I don't know" ... I do know when I take mine in its like a 5 minute job at the Sthil dealer and I wonder how many others are just a touch up?

I think any business will work when you treat it like a business.

 

[forgeblast]

Very good point Alan about dry grinding. I did not see any place around here using any coolant. I sold my little grinder at an auction I just wasnt using it and it took more time to set up then pulling out the file.

 

[kenmac]

I have the oregon sharpener.Bought it 5-6 yrs ago. Not sure of the mod. Around here they get xxx $ for chain off the saw & xxx $ if they have to take the chain off the saw & re install.

 

[escavader]

I ordered an OREGON 311X tonight shopped around and got it for 319 and free shipping.Ialmost bought one with auto clamping ,but i was just afraid it could be something to go wrong,so i decided against it.In reasearching i read you can buy a hedge trimmer sharpening attachment for it.I saw on line a similar grinder the fella was sharpening band saw blades with it. My hf grinder always did a super good job,so ill store it for a backup machine ,or mabey use it just for taking the rakers down.

 

[escavader]

One more note i was told id like any grinder better to put it at eye level rather than on the work bench.I got an old truck bud wheel and some pipe i think ill weld up a nice tall mount ,tall enough so the long havester chains arent on the floor.ill make a nice fluid bath to catch all the coolant .Any ideas for a cheap small pump?Can you slow down the flow of a parts washer pump with out hurting it?

 

[kenmac]

Let us know how it works out using coolant with this type of sharpener. I've never seen 1 set up to be used with coolant. Are you getting a stone or the diamond blade with the sharpener ?

 

[hydro2]

I pay $8.00 for a 16" sharpening at the local place. They have 2 models for sale there, but I'm not sure what brand they are, probably Oregon. One is mid $100, the other is almost $300 I think.
Been waiting to find a Foley sharp-all or even just the 308 saw sharpener at an auction. I've passed up a few that went higher than I wanted to pay.(ie. I'm cheap.)
I believe for "professional" use, Foley would be the coup de grace, especialy if you're thinking of expanding into circ or band blades, drill bits, planer knives, etc.

.02

I have a sharp all and don't like it at all. Ended up getting a Speed Sharp from Baileys. I also thought of starting a sharpening business but worried about the liability.

 

[turnkey4099]

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

I don't make my own but musst have over a dozen chains. I run 4 saws...well 3 now, my hold Husky 51 is semi retired. 16" 18" 20" 25" and a 28" "in case bar". Hand file and have a minimum of 3 chains per length.

Harry K

 

[lockhaven]

good luck with your business, My father had a saw sharpening business but got out of it because hand saws were not used very much and the circular saws either went to low cost steel blades not worth sharpening and the carbide blades need special equipment. We have a chainsaw grinder but have found the chain will last much longer if it is touched up often with a file and never allowed to get dull, as this causes the top of the tooth to wear back. The only time we use the grinder is when I hit a nail or wire fence and in one case a horse shoe buried in the log from long ago. Also make sure that your customers know how to use a saw, My father was told once by a customer that the dirt was softer then steel and it was his poor sharpening not the fact that he was burying the bar into the ground to cut wood that was causing the saw to stop cutting after just one cut.

 

[Depmandog]

I would expect the "established" saw sharpening shops would end up with multiple sharpeners all set for the most common types of chain - eliminating setup time. And / or batch processing "like size" chain, before switching the setup. Of course, this implies business is good, and you have a backlog of sharpening.

I know the local guy that sharpens around here - doesn't know squat. (he does other things - small engine repair, sells mowers, auto oil changes, etc.). He bought a machine and takes him just a few min to sharpen a chain, and I swear it's duller after than when I took it in. I also think the hardware stores do something similar.

If you study your craft, turn out a quality product - I think you will do fine. Might take a while to get established.

Good luck

Dean