Best Chainsaw Sharpener under $300

[5030]

Compared to a more costly grinder with metal parts that fit together well, it is a cheap grinder and I seriously doubt that unless you are a neophyte hand filer, your HF grinder can sharpen a chain as good as a factory ground chain.

I had one and returned it because of the crappy way the parts fit together and the inadequate chain vise. I have the slightly more expensive Oregon but rarely use it, I prefer hand filing.

Not saying they won't (grind a chain) because they will, they are just not accurate enough for me at least and I happen to be an HF junkie.

My go to (in the field) is a Timberline and a stump vise to hold the saw and bar steady.

 

[Cougsfan]

I am amazed at how many people accuse the Harbor Freight sharpener as being a piece of junk. My experience is just the opposite. I cut up about 3 cords of firewood a year on average plus use my saw for general trimming of trees. The HF unit is quick, easy to use, and makes my blades cut like new.

I suppose if you cut wood for a living you might be well advised to spend a lot of money for a brand name, high quality, expensive sharpener. But if you are like most of us who don't, you will be well pleased with an inexpensive HF sharpener. I'd have no justification to replace it.

 

[5030]

I never said they were junk. What I said was the parts tolerances on the plastic stuff is nowhere near as good as the more expensive metal ones.

 

[RandyT]

Depends on who is grinding them. You have them ground, you can bet they will remove a lot of tooth for the reasons I stated in post 45.

Not true for all shops. People believe they do it so the shop can sell more chain. The truth is there is very little profit in selling chainsaw chain, and if the shop does one of those buy one and get the second chain at half price they didn't make a dime on the sale. And sharpening chain is actually a money loosing activity.

 

[5030]

You could be correct and I can see where grinding chains is a no profit deal. I happen to grind wood chipper knives and it's pretty much a no profit deal as well. Keeps my machine oiled and that is about it. Not a lot of people who can grind chipper knives out there today. Takes special jigs and a machine.

 

[stumblinhorse]

Better get those chains sharp! It is getting time to start burning instead of cutting…

 

[5030]

Not here yet but just like the sun rises and sets, it's coming. We heat with 2 bio mass stoves roasting field corn and processed wood pellets (mostly field corn) so any wood on this place, I either roast or give away. I have a guy who cuts and splits it and sells it to the local campground's to supplement his retirement.

We have a propane fired high efficiency furnace as a backup for those really cold, windy days but it rarely gets used and I heat the farm shop with corn as well. Nice thing about corn for me is, while I don't grow it, I still get it for free, farmer down the road has a huge seed corn operation and I get all the off grade seed corn that is rejected which he would have to send to a landfill and pay to have them take it.

Just picking my sweet corn and have to dig potatoes and onions yet.

With inflation and the ever increasing cost of all fuels (including NG and electricity), there are gonna be a lot of people who will be very cold this winter, especially in Europe.

 

[John_Mc]

My go to (in the field) is a Timberline and a stump vise to hold the saw and bar steady.

Since the Timberline clamps to the bar to lock the orientation in, I would have thought the stump vise was unnecessary.

 

[arrow]

The reason my post said ”off the saw” is due to my buddy and I looking at purchasing or building a firewood processor. At 1/2 to 1 cord an hour, I expect we will be going through a number of chains a day.

I have manual sharpeners for my Shindawa and Hsqvarna saws

I can tell you what I got when working as a logger. I used a grinder (Oregon, etc.) type sharpener that I mounted on a post 4' off the ground. Mine was made by Bell industries but Oregon makes some good ones in the $250-$300. You don't need the $400-$500 ones.
The trouble with the cheap grinders is slop in the chain grip mechanism and more importantly, their motors spin too fast to make up for the lack of torque. This speed de-tempers the cutter right quick. Get a grind crayon and the pink colored grinding wheels and you and your cohort will be in fine shape.

I would do all of my sharpening at night and would prepare 6 to 8 chains for the next days work which. It was rather grinding.

 

[5030]

Since the Timberline clamps to the bar to lock the orientation in, I would have thought the stump vise was unnecessary.

It is necessary to hold the saw and bar stationary. Has nothing to do with the sharpener at all. I'll use it when hand filing in the field as well. You don't want the saw moving around.