I was running a chain with 7 teeth left back in my R/W management days but the foreman told me to keep cutting; he had to go make a phone call. He hadn't gotten one pole toward the truck when the tip blew up... only time that I have ever lost a bar.
IXLR8
Veteran Member
For me, there is NO reason to ever listen to Taylor Swift.
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- Feb 21, 2003
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- 26,417
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- SE Michigan in the middle of nowhere
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- Kubota M9000 HDCC3 M9000 HDC
Who is Taylor Swift?
On the subject of one loop cuts better than another that is equal in sharpness....
Bar rock has a lot to do with how a chain cuts. If the bar lacks sufficient rock, it won't present the cutters (no matter how sharp they are or how the rakers are set) in an aggressive manner so the tooth can cut into the wood. Bar rock diminishes as the bar wears and all bars wear and wear out eventually, fact of life.
On the subject of one loop cuts better than another that is equal in sharpness....
Bar rock has a lot to do with how a chain cuts. If the bar lacks sufficient rock, it won't present the cutters (no matter how sharp they are or how the rakers are set) in an aggressive manner so the tooth can cut into the wood. Bar rock diminishes as the bar wears and all bars wear and wear out eventually, fact of life.
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- Feb 21, 2003
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- SE Michigan in the middle of nowhere
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- Kubota M9000 HDCC3 M9000 HDC
I never hand file any chain, ever, All my loops are machine sharpened. Machine sharpening (if done correctly) yield a very uniform cutter tooth and I machine grind (set) my rakers as well. Only tooth profile you cannot machine grind is a square tooth chipper but I doubt many if anyone on here runs square tooth chipper. I don't, never have. Square tooth chipper is really for hopped up saws anyway as it requires some serious power to run efficiently.
Topzide
Platinum Member
There is a line on the tooth that shows where you can sharpen too. You can go past that line if you wish, but if you are having them sharpened, they won't go past that line.
The nice thing when sharpening by a chain grinding sharpener is that you'll get even tooth grind. That helps make even cuts and prevent drifting cuts. Have sharpened many a loop of chain and always check the makers and file the back for better cut as the chain wears.
airbiscuit
Super Member
- Joined
- Aug 28, 2004
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- 6,310
- Location
- NW Wisconsin
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- New Holland T2310 (40hp), Kubota L3010 GST, New Holland TC21DA *** Previously - Farmall H, 1941 John Deere B, Shibaura SD1500, John Deere 850, Bobcat 642, New Holland 1925
I know that chain was on it's last gasp. That's my trail cutting saw, so I'm often cutting stumps off on the ground. Here's what I use to sharepen my chains in between dealer sharpenings. It keeps my cutters and rakers in fighting trim
Topzide
Platinum Member
For what it's worth, the HF chain sharpener doesn't do a bad job. If you take the time to adjust it properly, you'll get a good sharpening out of it.
I've used the Dremel chain sharpener when we were buried under down trees from a hurricane! Didn't need a large inverter to run it at the truck, and of course, the power was out for a week!
I've used the Dremel chain sharpener when we were buried under down trees from a hurricane! Didn't need a large inverter to run it at the truck, and of course, the power was out for a week!
John_Mc
Elite Member
- Joined
- Aug 11, 2001
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- 4,512
- Location
- Monkton, Vermont
- Tractor
- NH TC33D Modified with belly pan, limb risers & FOPS. Honda Pioneer 520 & antique Coot UTV
I hand-sharpen all of my chains. It's easy to beat the performance of the typical hardware store flunky using the store's chain grinder. I also don't have to deal with the aftermath of a ham-fisted grinder operator who overheated the cutters or depth gauges to the point where they air-hardened, and I destroy files trying to hand file them while working in the woods. (Many of the real chainsaw shops around here - with owners who actually knew how to operate a grinder properly - went out of business years ago.)
With a bit of practice, it's not hard to beat the performance of new chain fresh out of the box. (It's surprising to me how many brand new chains are not sharpened to the manufacturer's own spec.)
I owned an Oregon grinder for about a year (I think it was their model 520?) I eneded up selling it and going back to hand-sharpening. I could get acceptable performance out of chains I sharpened on grinder, and it was certainly faster than hand sharpening, especially if I was cleaning up rock damage or sharpening multiple chains. However, I found I could get better performance out of my hand sharpened chains.
I also appreciate the break that stopping to hand sharpen a chain forces me to take. I find I'll often get caught up in the work when using a chainsaw and not notice how tired/hungry/thirsty I'm getting. However, no matter how involved I am in the work, I'll immediately notice a chain starting to lose it's edge.When I stop to hand-sharpen is when I'll notice tht I'm dehydrated or need to stop of lunch.
I'm not doing this to make a living, and I don't have someone on an expensive piece of equipment following me that I need to worry about keeping productively occupied. So I can afford to stop and take a little time to sharpen, rather than just doing a quick chain swap.
With a bit of practice, it's not hard to beat the performance of new chain fresh out of the box. (It's surprising to me how many brand new chains are not sharpened to the manufacturer's own spec.)
I owned an Oregon grinder for about a year (I think it was their model 520?) I eneded up selling it and going back to hand-sharpening. I could get acceptable performance out of chains I sharpened on grinder, and it was certainly faster than hand sharpening, especially if I was cleaning up rock damage or sharpening multiple chains. However, I found I could get better performance out of my hand sharpened chains.
I also appreciate the break that stopping to hand sharpen a chain forces me to take. I find I'll often get caught up in the work when using a chainsaw and not notice how tired/hungry/thirsty I'm getting. However, no matter how involved I am in the work, I'll immediately notice a chain starting to lose it's edge.When I stop to hand-sharpen is when I'll notice tht I'm dehydrated or need to stop of lunch.
I'm not doing this to make a living, and I don't have someone on an expensive piece of equipment following me that I need to worry about keeping productively occupied. So I can afford to stop and take a little time to sharpen, rather than just doing a quick chain swap.
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The inherent issue with manual sharpening is, being human, you cannot hold the cutting angles and gullet depth consistently across every cutter. You think you can, but in reality you cannot simply because of the human factor.
Far as grinding loops. I never use the red stone wheels, in fact I gave them away a long time ago I use aluminum rimmed CBN Cubic Boron Nitride wheels that never need dressing, just an infrequent cleaning with a soft white carborundum stone so the radius on the wheel is always constant and the radius determines the gullet profile. When machine grinding, gullet depth and profile stays consistent on both the right and left side cutters as well, you cannot obtain that when hand sharpening, it's not possible simply because you cannot exert the same pressure each tooth, don't care what you assume, you cannot. Called the human factor. I grind a ton of chains for others and I don't overheat the cutters ever, in fact, using CBN wheels, it's not almost impossible to overheat the cutters no matter how ham fisted the operator is.
Whatever blows your dress up is fine with me. I know what works in my situation and consequently, I do it.
I always maintain that the difference between a good running saw and one that isn't, lies in the condition of the chain loop and the rock of the bar to a lesser extent.
Far as grinding loops. I never use the red stone wheels, in fact I gave them away a long time ago I use aluminum rimmed CBN Cubic Boron Nitride wheels that never need dressing, just an infrequent cleaning with a soft white carborundum stone so the radius on the wheel is always constant and the radius determines the gullet profile. When machine grinding, gullet depth and profile stays consistent on both the right and left side cutters as well, you cannot obtain that when hand sharpening, it's not possible simply because you cannot exert the same pressure each tooth, don't care what you assume, you cannot. Called the human factor. I grind a ton of chains for others and I don't overheat the cutters ever, in fact, using CBN wheels, it's not almost impossible to overheat the cutters no matter how ham fisted the operator is.
Whatever blows your dress up is fine with me. I know what works in my situation and consequently, I do it.
I always maintain that the difference between a good running saw and one that isn't, lies in the condition of the chain loop and the rock of the bar to a lesser extent.
repete
Veteran Member
A good source of information here:
www.madsens1.com
Chainsaw Tips & Tricks | Madsen's Shop
Madsen's specializes in serving professional chain saw users. If you make your living with a chain saw -- or just want the kind of tools or garments used by some of the hardest working people on the planet, Madsen's is for you.
www.madsens1.com