5030tinkerer
Gold Member
I use the Dremel solution as well. $20 at Home Depot. Works like a charm. I wonder about CT Tree Guy's comments about a grinding wheel touching your chain. Is this what he was referring to?
sharpening the chain
- Thread starter farmerpsv
- Start date
- Views: 2956
PineRidge
Super Member
We use a Oregon Chainsaw Sharpener - Bench Mounted - 511A sharpener
I only take off enough to sharpen the chain no more, no less. The teeth are always the same angle and same length if the sharpener is set up and used properly. Oregon supplies a video with the machine and it's quite easy to properly sharpen a chain if you follow their advice. A raker gauge finishes up a chain so it cuts like new.
We sharpen all the chains on the bench where it can be done correctly and with good lighting conditions, then go to the woods to use the saw. When a chain dulls we simply install a pre-sharpened one and continue working with very little lost time. We have a system for rotating 4 chains so the saw is always cutting smoothly.
I only take off enough to sharpen the chain no more, no less. The teeth are always the same angle and same length if the sharpener is set up and used properly. Oregon supplies a video with the machine and it's quite easy to properly sharpen a chain if you follow their advice. A raker gauge finishes up a chain so it cuts like new.
We sharpen all the chains on the bench where it can be done correctly and with good lighting conditions, then go to the woods to use the saw. When a chain dulls we simply install a pre-sharpened one and continue working with very little lost time. We have a system for rotating 4 chains so the saw is always cutting smoothly.
CT_Tree_Guy
Platinum Member
<font color="blue"> I use the Dremel solution as well. $20 at Home Depot. Works like a charm. I wonder about CT Tree Guy's comments about a grinding wheel touching your chain. Is this what he was referring to? </font>
Hiya Tinkerer -
When I referred to grinding wheels I had in mind the "bench type" that PineRidge uses, but I'd include the Dremel type as well. I have to believe that they are going to heat up the chain a lot more than hand filing.
I had an Oregon 511 at one point in my "career", and ended up selling it for what I paid for it. I bought it from another tree guy who got it as a gift from a well-meaning admirer, but he shared my opinion that hand filing is the way to go.
I was just thinking about this thread yesterday as I put razor-sharp edges on my [Stihl] 191T [climbing saw] and [Stihl] 066 ["The Big Dog"] in about 5 minutes total. The 066 needed about 5 strokes per cutter (it was quite dull), and maybe 4 for the 191. Shortly thereafter, the 191 pieced out a 120-year-old, 44" diameter white oak, and the 66 felled the trunk like nobody's business. Man that saw cuts.
Call me old-fashioned ("You're old-fashioned"!!), but to me, nothing, but nothing cuts like a chain that has been sharpened by hand, with a nice fresh file, using the two VERY simple tools I have described. Plus, you don't have to remove the chain from the saw - a HUGE advantage over a bench grinder. A few strokes with a good file, and you're back in full "samurai" mode. Can't beat it. Pure zen. What more can I say.
I have tried, and own, or have owned, every chain saw sharpening system that there is, or that that has been described in this thread, and in any other thread I have ever read on TBN, or anywhere else. I have used my current method exclusively for the last 6-7 years, and can't see myself ever using any other method ever again.
To paraphrase one of my more frequent statements - "I don't say that this method is the best because it's the one I use ... it's the other way around."
John
Hiya Tinkerer -
When I referred to grinding wheels I had in mind the "bench type" that PineRidge uses, but I'd include the Dremel type as well. I have to believe that they are going to heat up the chain a lot more than hand filing.
I had an Oregon 511 at one point in my "career", and ended up selling it for what I paid for it. I bought it from another tree guy who got it as a gift from a well-meaning admirer, but he shared my opinion that hand filing is the way to go.
I was just thinking about this thread yesterday as I put razor-sharp edges on my [Stihl] 191T [climbing saw] and [Stihl] 066 ["The Big Dog"] in about 5 minutes total. The 066 needed about 5 strokes per cutter (it was quite dull), and maybe 4 for the 191. Shortly thereafter, the 191 pieced out a 120-year-old, 44" diameter white oak, and the 66 felled the trunk like nobody's business. Man that saw cuts.
Call me old-fashioned ("You're old-fashioned"!!), but to me, nothing, but nothing cuts like a chain that has been sharpened by hand, with a nice fresh file, using the two VERY simple tools I have described. Plus, you don't have to remove the chain from the saw - a HUGE advantage over a bench grinder. A few strokes with a good file, and you're back in full "samurai" mode. Can't beat it. Pure zen. What more can I say.
I have tried, and own, or have owned, every chain saw sharpening system that there is, or that that has been described in this thread, and in any other thread I have ever read on TBN, or anywhere else. I have used my current method exclusively for the last 6-7 years, and can't see myself ever using any other method ever again.
To paraphrase one of my more frequent statements - "I don't say that this method is the best because it's the one I use ... it's the other way around."
John
turnkey4099
Elite Member
The various grinding methods all work. Do they work as well as hand filing? Probably not but the difference is too small for me to worry about.
One big problem with grinder is the operator. If he gets too aggressive it heats the tooth up, it air hardens and you aren't going to be able to file it. The shop I use does currently have a good operator. I have only had one tooth out of several chains that hardened when he did the sharping.
Harry K
One big problem with grinder is the operator. If he gets too aggressive it heats the tooth up, it air hardens and you aren't going to be able to file it. The shop I use does currently have a good operator. I have only had one tooth out of several chains that hardened when he did the sharping.
Harry K
CT_Tree_Guy
Platinum Member
When it comes to deciding how "best" to sharpen a chain, there are indeed many factors to take into account. For me, some of the main factors are: quality of the result, expense, convenience, and ease. "Hand" (well, jig-assisted) filing wins on all counts, hands down. Razor-sharp results, economical (restore an edge in 4-5 minutes, versus paying someone to grind it, or finding an outlet for your Dremel), take the rakers down to not only the correct height but also a good sloped angle (that's where the EM raker gauge shines), the ability to sharpen your saw any time, any place, better than it can be done anywhere else, without taking the chain off. I dunno, it works for me. Not saying it has to work for anyone else, but I'll put one of my chains up against any other (except square ground), and none will cut better. Maybe just as well (although probably not), but certainly not better.
And one hardened tooth on a chain is, in my opinion, one too many.
John
And one hardened tooth on a chain is, in my opinion, one too many.
John
Shimon
Platinum Member
I love these chain sharpening posts. You learn so much.
After reading an older post where John recommended hand filing with the Husky file holder and file, I went out and got one. They work well but it still takes practice and a pretty steady hand. I'm pretty ham-fisted (which has doomed me as a woodworker) but I think I'm getting the hang of it. Practice makes perfect, right?
What I would like to see (sorry to put you on the spot) is a video of John sharpening a saw. I think seeing a pro doing it would help all of us young padawans a great deal. I would be happy to host the video on my site and I can digitize and compress it too if you can get some video footage (on VHS or analog or digital tape or CD or DVD or whatever). No pressure here but if you have some spare time and a video camera I think many of us TBNers would be grateful. Thanks!
After reading an older post where John recommended hand filing with the Husky file holder and file, I went out and got one. They work well but it still takes practice and a pretty steady hand. I'm pretty ham-fisted (which has doomed me as a woodworker) but I think I'm getting the hang of it. Practice makes perfect, right?
What I would like to see (sorry to put you on the spot) is a video of John sharpening a saw. I think seeing a pro doing it would help all of us young padawans a great deal. I would be happy to host the video on my site and I can digitize and compress it too if you can get some video footage (on VHS or analog or digital tape or CD or DVD or whatever). No pressure here but if you have some spare time and a video camera I think many of us TBNers would be grateful. Thanks!
CT_Tree_Guy
Platinum Member
Shimon, how are you buddy? I saw you online earlier and was going to message you - please take the thought for the deed. I think of you often and have really enjoyed meeting you, and have enjoyed our (too few) PM's. Does everyone know that Shimon is an ex Naval aviator and Naval Academy graduate, who has spent many an hour patrolling the skies in an EA-6B Prowler to keep our sorry butts safe? Go get em Shimon, good job. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
I really, really want to make a video exactly as you have described. If a picture is worth a thousand words, how many words is a video worth?
I got together with a web designer a couple of weeks ago, and CollinsvilleTree.com will soon be up and running, with videos, pictures and propoganda for all. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif Thanks for the offer of hosting the video (what a guy!), but I should have ample bandwidth to put quite a few videos on my site. I really do think that once folks can see how incredibly simple it is, we can have the whole world cutting like Ninjas in no time. There is NOTHING like a properly sharpened and tuned chain saw to ruin a tree's entire day. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
I'll keep you posted, and probably start a new thread when my site is up and running. I'll check with Mohammed first, just to make sure I don't run afoul of any "commercial interest/free advertising" problems. Lord knows I've already "skated on thin ice" in here enough, in the "getting the boot" department. I honestly don't know what I'd do if I got kicked out of here. Get more work done, I guess. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
Take care, John
I really, really want to make a video exactly as you have described. If a picture is worth a thousand words, how many words is a video worth?
I got together with a web designer a couple of weeks ago, and CollinsvilleTree.com will soon be up and running, with videos, pictures and propoganda for all. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif Thanks for the offer of hosting the video (what a guy!), but I should have ample bandwidth to put quite a few videos on my site. I really do think that once folks can see how incredibly simple it is, we can have the whole world cutting like Ninjas in no time. There is NOTHING like a properly sharpened and tuned chain saw to ruin a tree's entire day. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
I'll keep you posted, and probably start a new thread when my site is up and running. I'll check with Mohammed first, just to make sure I don't run afoul of any "commercial interest/free advertising" problems. Lord knows I've already "skated on thin ice" in here enough, in the "getting the boot" department. I honestly don't know what I'd do if I got kicked out of here. Get more work done, I guess. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
Take care, John
kenmac
Super Member
- Joined
- Feb 13, 2005
- Messages
- 9,839
- Location
- The Heart of Dixie
- Tractor
- McCormick CX105 Kubota MX 5100 HST, Kubota ZD1021, Kawsaki Mule 4010 trans 4x4
I have tried many times to get the hang of sharpening my saw chain.I have friends that are in the tree business like tree guy and can sharpen a saw chain very well with a file. I can't so, I bought this .It works well for those of us that can't master the art with a file.
