Problem sharpening a new chain

[RandyT]

I got some highly touted Chinese chain on Amazon recently. The gullets have a noticeably larger radius than the file does. So the first filing will be a lot of work before I even get to making it sharper. Maybe I'll use the grinder first to get closer.

It'll be a while though as the chain does not work in my new bar... the drive links are a little too wide. It fits in the slot but there's too much friction. When the chain's tightened it doesn't turn. I measured and they're a couple thou wider on average than the other new and worn chains I had handy.

Are you sure that you ordered the correct gauge of chain. Received a .063 chain, but have a .050 bar.

 

[beenthere]

View attachment 726034
I use this type of file guide for hand sharpening my chains although mine is Stihl brand. I don’t really want to buy a new system as this normally works fine.

The problem is on a new chain something on the guide hangs up and doesn’t allow me to sharpen the chain with the guide install. Not a big deal I just remove the guide. After I have run a few tanks of fuel on a new chain and sharpened it a few times I can reinstall the guide. What is happening with the guide catching on a new chain? I can’t really see what is hanging up. This is one of those questions I’m more curious of what’s going on than really needing to know.

Just not a good guide.. a "wannabe" guide.

This has proven to me to be the best guide for me.

Amazon.com

 

[beenthere]

New factory chain tends to have a gullet burr left over from the factory grind. That burr will snag a file on the first sharpening resulting in file chatter.

I believe that "burr" you speak of is really the profile of the stone used in the factory that is not round like the file you use. The first filing needs to make that round profile so the file fits. After that first sharpening, the chain will cut better and the filing will be easier.

 

[RandyT]

@beenthere Could also be the fact the even though 3/8 LP uses a 5/32 file and .325 uses a 3/16 file they are both sharpened with a 1/8 grinding wheel. and the large 3/8 and .404 uses a 7/32 file but sharpened with a 3/16 grinding wheel. Which would set up a smaller contour than the respective file.

 

[ericm979]

Are you sure that you ordered the correct gauge of chain. Received a .063 chain, but have a .050 bar.

A .063 chain would not fit at all in a .050 bar, while I described the chain fitting and binding when tightened.

The bad chain measures at .048 to .050. The known good chains I measured were .046 to .048. The variations are likely partially due to manufacturing tolerances and part due to my technique. I measured a number of links on all the chains. There has to be some clearance between the drivers and sides of the bar groove- they can't both be .050 or the chain would not move- but this chain on this bar does not have enough clearance.

 

[RandyT]

A .063 chain would not fit at all in a .050 bar, while I described the chain fitting and binding when tightened.

The bad chain measures at .048 to .050. The known good chains I measured were .046 to .048. The variations are likely partially due to manufacturing tolerances and part due to my technique. I measured a number of links on all the chains. There has to be some clearance between the drivers and sides of the bar groove- they can't both be .050 or the chain would not move- but this chain on this bar does not have enough clearance.

Just got a new battery for my digital caliper so here are my measurements. Oregon 91vxl measured .0485 20lgx measures .0490-.0495 and 72exj measured .0485-.0495 my bar rail gauge strip that I use to check for smashed rails measured .0495 May need to gauge the bar rail groove width.

 

[hslogger]

Stihl chains are the hardest I have ever used, hold and edge unless you hit a rock or nail. HARD to handfile

 

[Garson]

I bought a similar unit a while back, mine ran on 110V, not battery. I think I was halfway thru when the grinding stone broke. It only came with one of each size, so I finished it off with my old clamp on sharpening guide.
Any suggestions for bits for the dremel-style sharpeners that stand up a little better? Reviews were all over the place on any I looked at on Amazon.

As far as the file occasionally catching on a tooth, that happens to me sometimes too. Usually if I'm trying to go too fast or pressing a bit too hard.

Hi Oaktree,
I also had trouble finding good grindstones for the Oregon sharpener. The 3 stones Oregon supplied with their sharpener (3 sizes) worked great, but the Oregon stones purchased later turned shiny on first use because they had no grit, but they would never break. They were too hard.
Then I found great gritty stones at Princess Auto here in Canada and bought a lifetime supply. Unfortunately, they stopped selling them because the gritty texture resulted in a weaker stone that would break when not gently applied. It helps to use the outer tip more on a new stone so the inner section of the stone has full strength. A proper gritty stone should sharpen a chain ~60 times.

A rule of thumb is to cut a cord of wood and saw it into 16" firewood- then sharpen. If nothing damaged the chain, about 3-5 quick strokes on each tooth will bring back sharpness. Sharpening both sides of the chain from the right side of the bar (the Dremel turns clockwise) causes a small burr to form that can be felt with the fingernail or seen with young eyes. Then it's crispy sharp and ready for the woods again. It takes about 4 minutes to bring a chain (on a 16" bar) back to the state where sawing wood is fun.

Sorry I can't offer a present source of gritty stones for a Dremel but surely someone offers them? A good stone needs to be gritty but fairly strong. That's a difficult thing to search out with Google. Perhaps your local chainsaw repair shop has a source for good stones. A good stone should scrape the fingernail similar to a good nail file. I attach a photo of the discontinued good stones from Princess Auto that might help. Princess Auto does sell a similar "looking" stone on their website today. It might be worth a try. Search "princess auto chainsaw sharpening stones".

 

[Oaktree]

I attach a photo of the discontinued good stones from Princess Auto that might help. Princess Auto does sell a similar "looking" stone on their website today. It might be worth a try. Search "princess auto chainsaw sharpening stones".

Thanks for the info. I picked up a 3-pack of similar-looking stones last week at HD, we'll see how they work out next time I need to sharpen. Good idea on using the tip first so if it does break/wear you'll still have some stone left.
I'm sure I need to work on my technique with the dremel too, always used a file before.

 

[turnkey4099]

View attachment 726034
I use this type of file guide for hand sharpening my chains although mine is Stihl brand. I don’t really want to buy a new system as this normally works fine.

The problem is on a new chain something on the guide hangs up and doesn’t allow me to sharpen the chain with the guide install. Not a big deal I just remove the guide. After I have run a few tanks of fuel on a new chain and sharpened it a few times I can reinstall the guide. What is happening with the guide catching on a new chain? I can’t really see what is hanging up. This is one of those questions I’m more curious of what’s going on than really needing to know.

Very late to reply but. I have one of the guides that clamps on the bar and sets all the angles. Most common setting is 35* across and 10 degrees up. At that setting the first and sometimes second filing will hang up on the raker. I decrease the across angle a few degrees and just use that the life of the chain.