thinking of starting a chain sharpening sideline.

[sweettractors]

I have seen chains showing blued cutting edges after being sharpened with a special tool. File is the best unless you have someone sharpening that knows what they are doing. Ken Sweet

 

[Uncle Doug]

Chain sharping is a little higher in this area. Paid about $9-10 for an 18 inch chain last time.

 

[Nick359]

It costs around $5.00 and up around here to sharpen a chain. I use files to make it cut great and a $29 HF unit to get them close.

I just cut trees on my own property, but my sharpener has earned its worth sharpening my chains. It will not be winning any races though. I do some for neighbors, but you will have to sharpen a ton of chains to pay for a good sharpener. If you have paying customers they will not want something that is good enough. They will want something that is great.

 

[Tony_S]

I pay $8.00 for a 16" sharpening at the local place. They have 2 models for sale there, but I'm not sure what brand they are, probably Oregon. One is mid $100, the other is almost $300 I think.
Been waiting to find a Foley sharp-all or even just the 308 saw sharpener at an auction. I've passed up a few that went higher than I wanted to pay.(ie. I'm cheap.)
I believe for "professional" use, Foley would be the coup de grace, especialy if you're thinking of expanding into circ or band blades, drill bits, planer knives, etc.

.02

 

[PILOON]

One problem with the $40. sharpeners is that they do not have all the required angle adjustments.
Sort of like car alignment, camber caster and toe in.
The HF only do 2 of the 3 angles.
The pro units are indeed pricy.
If you read the spec sheets for chains it looks like a CPA's spread sheet.
Then there are also a variety if stones for the different gauge chains.
Mind U for home consumption the HF units are better than most folks can do with a file.
Myself, a file is my choice My HF is used when my chain met with a disaster to save my wrist from being overworked.
As previously mentioned, paying clients will tend to be picky. Just hope that an engineering type wont take out his calipers etc and verify your angles and measure the raker clearance.
If your client base is strictly weekender hobby farmers they won't complain but then the chains they bring you will probably be ready for the round filing cabinet (AKA trash) or each will cost you a new grinding disc.

 

[escavader]

I went to the only local saw shop i even know of within 100 miles,that sells and sharpens chains.I had them make me up a new chain for my bosses saw ,from the spec sheet with the machine .It turns out it is a havester chain,has 104 drivers ,52 teethNot telling them i was thinking about grinding myself,i asked what their fee was to sharpen this.They said they could do it for 35 -40 dollars depending on condition. They said it would take them at least an hour to do.
Now im really thinking of shelling out fot that grinder.If i were to get say 25 it would satisfy me.Agood project on a nasty weather night or something.As far as regular chains was thinking of a floating price of 5 to 8 depending on work required.If you need to take alot off you need to make extra passes to keep it cool+more work.Like i said before im installing a coolant system to keep it all cool too We have alot of logging in our state and i work for a lumber mill,and know alot of loggers.Ithink i could pick up some havester chains also
Also considering bar maintanance for people also.A perfect chain wont perform on a worn or sloopy bar
Wife is a manager in a local building supply .Contractors and customers ask her all the time for someone who sharpens saw BLADES locally.Apparrently there is no one ,because all the old timers who could do it have died off.Ive seen it done through out my sawmillers career,id need some training[i do know a retired feller who would teach me]the equipment id need is rather pricy
i told my wife.Seems a little bit risky to me.
Reminds me of a story of an old one eyed mill wright i worked for back in the 80s hed lay a warped saw blade on the floor of his shop and know just where and how to hammer it and could make it like new He really knew a lost art!
ALAN

 

[forgeblast]

What I found from using the hf powered sharpeners was that imo that my blade would get dull quicker then from hand sharpening. Not sure if the heat generated does somehting but I stick with hand sharpening it between every gas/oil fill.

 

[blueriver]

I went to the only local saw shop i even know of within 100 miles,that sells and sharpens chains.I had them make me up a new chain for my bosses saw ,from the spec sheet with the machine .It turns out it is a havester chain,has 104 drivers ,52 teethNot telling them i was thinking about grinding myself,i asked what their fee was to sharpen this.They said they could do it for 35 -40 dollars depending on condition. They said it would take them at least an hour to do.
Now im really thinking of shelling out fot that grinder.If i were to get say 25 it would satisfy me.Agood project on a nasty weather night or something.As far as regular chains was thinking of a floating price of 5 to 8 depending on work required.If you need to take alot off you need to make extra passes to keep it cool+more work.Like i said before im installing a coolant system to keep it all cool too We have alot of logging in our state and i work for a lumber mill,and know alot of loggers.Ithink i could pick up some havester chains also
Also considering bar maintanance for people also.A perfect chain wont perform on a worn or sloopy bar
Wife is a manager in a local building supply .Contractors and customers ask her all the time for someone who sharpens saw BLADES locally.Apparrently there is no one ,because all the old timers who could do it have died off.Ive seen it done through out my sawmillers career,id need some training[i do know a retired feller who would teach me]the equipment id need is rather pricy
i told my wife.Seems a little bit risky to me.
Reminds me of a story of an old one eyed mill wright i worked for back in the 80s hed lay a warped saw blade on the floor of his shop and know just where and how to hammer it and could make it like new He really knew a lost art!
ALAN

Let me weigh in ... around here it's $10 no matter what you bring in. I'll bet there is a bunch that only need a "touch" up and you can roll one out in a few minutes or say 6 minutes and do 10 an hr and thats 100 bucks an hour ... okay you get one that needs some extra time and that one take even an hr ... well make it up on the easy ones ... I don't know just saying.

 

[escavader]

Let me weigh in ... around here it's $10 no matter what you bring in. I'll bet there is a bunch that only need a "touch" up and you can roll one out in a few minutes or say 6 minutes and do 10 an hr and thats 100 bucks an hour ... okay you get one that needs some extra time and that one take even an hr ... well make it up on the easy ones ... I don't know just saying.

Id just hate to get the guy who liked to do things with a chainsaw it wasnt intended to do,like tearing down houses or something ,and all his chains were wicked bad.Aint no way id ever do 10 an hour ,id say max would be like 4 id think.Yes its quick once your set up,but there might be wheel changes for the different chains,wheel change to grind the rakers etc-id say 4 an hour would be max,but never tried it
ALAN

 

[escavader]

What I found from using the hf powered sharpeners was that imo that my blade would get dull quicker then from hand sharpening. Not sure if the heat generated does somehting but I stick with hand sharpening it between every gas/oil fill.

You are correct you can overheat,but a proper set up with coolant,would make it like a factory grind.I have no intent on dry grinding.On my hf grinder im using a coolant spray bottle and i see no difference in handfiling,and im pretty good at that too.Ialso touch up in the field by hand,if it wasnt rocked or something.tRY to cool it with a spray bottle and take light passes next time,and see if you see a difference
ALAN