Chainsaw sharpening, hand or grind?!

[Coyote machine]

You really know your stuff Coyote...thx for taking the time to post it

No problem. You're welcome. Hope it's helpful.

Good information. Now a question. If you hit a rock with a chain it is said that you "rocked" the chain. So if you hit a piece of steel does it mean you "stealed" the chain? Just thought I might throw a little humor in here after the bickering that was on the other mentioned thread.

No. It means you stole the chain, now give it back.

I sometime touch up a chain by hand however. We keep our chains accurate , true and factory sharp with a mechanical jig and grinding wheel. It is not humanly possible to maintain cutting efficiency and performance.

What's not humanly possible; accurate hand filing a chain? If so, I beg to differ. At it since 12 years old, now 61. It can be done, like anything else, with practice and patience. I'm not talking speed, but I am talking accuracy. To each his own, but don't try and tell me a grinder is a replacement for work that can be done by hand by someone with skill.

 

[MBTRAC]

Great post Coyote & indicative of your many years of experience - nothing beats a hand filed chain !!:thumbsup:

 

[Egon]

Excellent post Coyote!!:thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

[mountainlake]

The fact is either way works good if your good at it, I use a grinder but I'll give a slight edge in hand filing in cutting a hair faster. I,ve had more than one hand filers ask how I get a chain to cut that good with a grinder. Both way are bad if you not good at it. Steve

 

[Redbug]

Hey Moss...That's a pretty good video. I learned several things! Such as measuring the teeth length with a small adjustable wrench and rounding the edges of the rakers with the file the way he did. I realize I don't know it all...

 

[newbury]

Hand filing is easy cheap and needs to be learned.

I run 6 saws from a Stihl 021 (35CC/2HP) to the big daddy - a Stihl 088 (122CC/8.5HP) and have about 30 or so chains.

I definitely do not agree with the video of "sharpen every tank". I mill trees. They dull chain. About 10' of hardwood and I have to touch up. From my 2010 post.

Seems like a lot of discussion on hand filing. Knowing how to hand file should be mandatory for anyone running a chain saw. But being able to keep all the angles proper and the rakers at the right depth is a difficult feat to master.
As I think I've posted elsewhere here I'm into chain saw milling.

I generally need to either swap or "touch up" chains about every 10' to 15' of 20" hardwood to keep every thing running smoothly. So my process is to hand file while outside, usually with a file and a Carlton File-O-Plate (FOP). That's the $5 solution.

Then when I get them inside (generally after having been "touched up" three times) I use a Granberg File'n Joint (a fancy file guide/jig) which is the $30 solution. This is probably good enough for most firewood cutters, especially if they don't rock the chain.

Then after 3 or so "Granberg" sharpenings (which would include about 9 or 10 FOP filings) I put it on the NT grinder to "true" all the angles up. That's the $100 solution.

One of the problems if you get your angles off is that the cut starts to curve a little, not much of a problem on a 2' crosscut, but a major problem on a 10' rip. Another is if you hit a nail or a rock and damage a few teeth, it's easier to grind them to get back in shape.

So I say learn to do it by hand, but also get a grinder if you do it a lot.

And watch your output. Sawdust is bad, nice big chips are good.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Some have better art skills than others for sure. Having a file for touch up is great. Dad when his entire life doing a lot of sawing only using a file after a shop 'ground' away a good chain on his first saw. Many will not master the file however so $50 more or less for a machine can be a good or bad solution depending on skills. As noted we are talking a 'kiss' of the wheel to a tooth. If you are making the fire fly on the first time to sharpen a new chain with a grinder you should have practiced more on an old chain.

 

[escavader]

I use a grinder now mostly ,in fact I like them so we'll I just ordered a maxx Italian job to replace my worn harbor freight one
As some of you might remember I do it as a sideline to my normal 60 hour a week job(nut ain't I) my boss hires me at home sharpen the chains from a machine we have with a 7 ft bar now that's a lot of filing by hand
I hemmed and hawed for a few years now to upgrade from the harbor freight cheapie but that has put a lot of cash in my pocket since I started my sideline I'm no stranger to grinding cutting tools I've done it as part of my lumber mill career for 30 years you can get good results with a cheap grinder if you have good technique
I've been following these threads and watching them go sour for several years on Tbn I until a few years ago I always hand filed and considered my self very good at it I usually cut 8 to 10 cord of wood a year for my family and relatives
Which is better ? Give me a grinder for rocked tooth if I could a file for touch up WHY ? I'm getting older I've had 2 carpitunel surgerys got arthritis in my hands and i pay for it when I hand file
Mabey I'm the first to admit but the bodys to worn out to hand file a lot

 

[Egon]

Mabey I'm the first to admit but the bodys to worn out to hand file a lot
[/FO

What we need is a file or grinder that tunes up old bodies!

 

[Gale Hawkins]

The body including the eyes was a major reason for getting the HF unit last week for $28. I can teach the kids how to use it faster than a hand file too.