TSC Chainsaw Sharpener

[TomSeller]

. I saw several notes that you were using 30 degrees as the sharpening angle. That is correct for chisel chain. For chipper chain, you should be at 35 degrees.
.

I think the Oregon video earlier in the thread lists 25 and 30

 

[avillahdw]

At my hardware store, we use the 25and 30 Oregon recommendation (we are an Oregon dealer also) but if a customer prefers a different angle, we will sharpen to their preferences. Just like so many other things, everyone has an idea of what they think is best. I personally default to the recommendation of a company that sells hundreds of millions of $ of chain every year.

 

[DarkBlack]

I check last night and I do not have a reverse on this grinder.

DarkBlack, I'm not sure I follow what you are saying about the cradle angle being in the neutral position in the picture. I have it at 25*; is there something I am missing?

When I said the cradle angle, I'm talking about what the Oregon refers to as the vice tilt angle. It's either set at neutral ( 90 degrees ), or at 10 degrees. almost all chains ( all mine ) use 10 degrees. It's set by loosing the big knob at the bottom of the grinder. It loosens the 1/8 round cradle piece that is centered with spring loaded ball detents.
The trick ( and a bit of work ) is to religiously change and understand this flops directions for r/l cutters. If you confuse L/R cutters ( you will ) just always leave the tilt with the last cutter angle, that way you wont confuse it.
To get you started: If the main chain jig is close to you on the left side and further from you on the right side, then the cradle should be tilted upward in the front ( toward you 10 degrees).
This is why I do chains a bunch at a time. I do all RH cutter of all chains, then switch to LH settings and run the chains back through.

 

[TomSeller]

So if price* is not an option, what sharpener would you buy?

*Well okay, limit it to anything under $500

 

[eddie48]

Thanks Eddie. I have some machine shop experience from years ago with a lot of grinding but when I get our HF sharpener set up that will be my first go with powered system. I like the air idea. In business did you wash each chain with soap and water before the grind or just wipe off, etc?

Actually, I don't wash the chains at all. I do try to make one last cut in clean wood, bearing down on the chain a little bit to clean the debris off of the chain before I change it. That removes most of the gunk. If there is still a lot of dirt/sawdust on the teeth, I have a small wire brush toothbrush that I clean the tooth before sharpening. I don't think cleaning the chain with solvent or soap and water will help with the life of the chain. Better to leave the oily residue on the chain.

 

[ovrszd]

Actually, I don't wash the chains at all. I do try to make one last cut in clean wood, bearing down on the chain a little bit to clean the debris off of the chain before I change it. That removes most of the gunk. If there is still a lot of dirt/sawdust on the teeth, I have a small wire brush toothbrush that I clean the tooth before sharpening. I don't think cleaning the chain with solvent or soap and water will help with the life of the chain. Better to leave the oily residue on the chain.

This is a good point that I'd like to see discussed. I don't wash my chains either. If I did I'd want to soak them in oil before using again to relubricate the chain before load was applied.

Secondly, I've never had a chain break or wearout the pins before the teeth were worn out from use and sharpening. I'm talking small chains, 16 or 18". All that might change if running a large logger saw??

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Thanks. I had never heard of washing saw chains before sharping until this thread. I guess it is just one of those YouTube myths.

 

[TomSeller]

Washing might be handy if the chain is loaded with pitch

 

[pacerron]

Thanks. I had never heard of washing saw chains before sharping until this thread. I guess it is just one of those YouTube myths.

Not a myth here. I told you earlier that I use a grease remover solvent or usually oven cleaner to clean the chains before sharpening then rinse the chains in water ( not soap and water) and let them dry or use an air hose if I'm in a hurry. And this started way before You-tube or the internet was ever heard of.

Did you ever file a piece of metal through grease? What happens to the abrasive action of the file?
You can soak and clean a file somewhat but you can't clean the little grinding wheels. The only recourse is grinding them down with the shaper stone.
The wheels are not very large in diameter in the first place and the usable diameter distance from wear is very small since the motor head
gets in the way with not much wheel loss. It's like a radial arm saw. You might have a 10" blade but the depth of cut is only from the bottom of the motor to the blade tip.
I also did say that I soak and store my chains in oil afterwards to keep the rivets free and prevent any rust.

Some mechanics are sloppy, use screwdrivers to pound out pins, torque important fasteners by feel, and spend a lot of money replacing tools as a result. You didn't give the impression that you were that way.

With the saw grinder on a greasy/oily gunked up with wood chain you will not only cause burning on the teeth but soon have a black grease impregnated pink stone that is not cheap to replace.

When you spend time and money taking your chains to have them sharpened they don't have time to do it right, just get it done fast and eat a lot of tooth while doing it. They buy grinding wheels by the box, but guess who is paying for them?
Most folks that maintain their own saws, whether by file, machine, or a combination do so to get a chain that cuts extremely well and can be sharpened many times over.

Just like your students, you can tell them the best way without going into great detail as to why, but they will try shortcuts until someday
they will admit to themselves that old Gale wasn't so dumb after all.

 

[Treemonkey1000]

Cleaning the chain is not going to wear them out any faster as long as you don't let them rust up afterwards. That's why I use kerosene or diesel which will lubricate them as well as getting out some of the junk on the chain. The parts washer I use has a basket in it that you can slosh the chains up and down in. Take them out and let them drip dry a little then sharpen them. Or if they are really gummed up use he wire brush to knock down the pitch and stuff on the chain. Cottonwoods and pulpy trees like that can wick up fine dirt into the stump ends which will speed up dulling the chain.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

If a chain is truly dirty I can see cleaning. Maybe I need to set the bar lube flow rate because out chains come off clean especially the cutting teeth. Never saw and file loading up issues so far. We did get the holes drilled in the hard 1/4" steel plate table top for our 5" vice so when we get through or awaiting parts for our two ATV I will look at mounting the HF sharpener on a mount that can be clamped in the vise when its use is required.

I have not issue with the concept of washing a chain. For the 58 years (since age four) I have been around chain saws and in those 58 years I have never seen a saw chain get washed. I still have only seen it done on the web.

If oil messes up a grinder wheel I may just hit the cutting edges with carb cleaner.

Now I like to clean out around the oil jet that keeps the bar oiled.

 

[oldballs]

Ditto Treemonkey1000 here. Most of my sharpening to date is by hand. If the chain is really full of sap I clean (kerosene) it before sharpening, and then again after sharpening, drip dry, remount it and then give each link a shot of 30W for storage. If doing several, I wrap each chain in terry cloth and put it back in the OE box with other saw tools/misc.

 

[pacerron]

If a chain is truly dirty I can see cleaning. Maybe I need to set the bar lube flow rate because out chains come off clean especially the cutting teeth. Never saw and file loading up issues so far. We did get the holes drilled in the hard 1/4" steel plate table top for our 5" vice so when we get through or awaiting parts for our two ATV I will look at mounting the HF sharpener on a mount that can be clamped in the vise when its use is required.

I have not issue with the concept of washing a chain. For the 58 years (since age four) I have been around chain saws and in those 58 years I have never seen a saw chain get washed. I still have only seen it done on the web.

If oil messes up a grinder wheel I may just hit the cutting edges with carb cleaner.

Now I like to clean out around the oil jet that keeps the bar oiled.

Time will tell.
Years ago when I had a job with what some would consider normal hours I set up a little sharpening business, on the side, to do everything from handsaws ( which still got considerable use by builders in places where a power saw is just too big or heavy), circular saws, both steel and carbide tipped, and just about anything else that needed a sharp edge including chainsaw chains as well as my own equipment.
You would not believe the shape some of the chains were in and the folks saying that they kept them sharp with a file but they just didn't cut right. Sharp they were, but at oddball angles, tooth lengths, depth gauges, etc. Many had a burned on roll/hump of crap right behind the sharpened tooth edge on top. Picture cutting a piece of meat with a sharp knife that had a pencil taped to one side.
Chemical cleaning was the only way to dissolve that stuff and it made the chain look like new as well.
I was not shy about charging for good work and charged more than the going rate at other establishments that sold saws, chains, and all the goodies to go with them. I would ask some of the repeat customers why they brought their chains to me since I knew I was higher?
They all said, because the teeth were really sharp, cut straight, weren't reduced in length much, and they were "clean as new"
I even did some competition saws. That is why in one of my bloviations I mentioned staying with the OEM angles. You can make a chain cut super fast or even do rip cuts but the price to pay is very shortened chain life.

I did not come on here to argue about soaking or not soaking chains prior to sharpening, but just to answer the OP's question with some experience behind the answer, of how a chain saw grinder like he recently purchased performs when used properly.
I'm sure there are a lot of guys that have tried them in the past and didn't like them do to something they did or didn't do in the process. So they put them back in the box, go back to filing, or taking the chains to a store to have them done, and blame the machine for their own ineptitude.
Cleaning your bar, oiler, carburetor air cleaner and keeping the correct chain tension are just as important as a sharp chain.
Enough on the subject from me.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

pacerron I better understand where you are coming from and the real need to wash saw chains.

We get the first Polaris (2002 Magnum 325) top end torn down today and got the rod cap off to find very spun bearings but there was still some bearing material between the steel parts. The rain has moved in but we are under a semi dry roof but the temp is nice and tomorrow will be for ATV engine work on this 2002 and perhaps the 2000 as well that was running and just lost down to 35 PSI compression for some reason that is not intake or exhaust valve issue from our testing.

 

[kenmac]

While I don't wash my chains, I do use the bench sharpener. Oregon brand . I've been using mine for about 15 yrs. If the chain is just dull all you want to do is touch it up. No need to grind 1/2 the tooth off. Practice makes perfect. You'll get the hang of it

 

[hunterridgefarm]

Update

I sharpened two chains this weekend and it went faster that I thought it would. I took my time and it really did not take that much material off. I guess the true test will come when I try them out...hopefully this weekend.

I had maybe 3 teeth on each chain that I could tell the angle was a little off from my hand filing. Otherwise they all looked good.

 

[ovrszd]

I had maybe 3 teeth on each chain that I could tell the angle was a little off from my hand filing. Otherwise they all looked good.

Yeah, I'd expect that too.

Anxious to hear your cutting results. I think you and I are similar in our filing expertise. Curious to see if you notice an improved cut and/or durability of the sharpening.

 

[hunterridgefarm]

Yeah, I'd expect that too.

Anxious to hear your cutting results. I think you and I are similar in our filing expertise. Curious to see if you notice an improved cut and/or durability of the sharpening.

Yea, I was kind of proud of my hand filing when I only had 3 teeth where the angle was a little off.

I would have tried it out the past Saturday but I spent the day picking this thing up.

 

[ovrszd]

Yea, I was kind of proud of my hand filing when I only had 3 teeth where the angle was a little off.

I would have tried it out the past Saturday but I spent the day picking this thing up.

Now you've got my attention...... I have no idea..... Maybe an attachment to fill a trench???? The spool would indicate that it lays some kind or cable or wire??? Again,,,,, I have no idea!!!!

 

[TomSeller]

I would have tried it out the past Saturday but I spent the day picking this thing up.

Is that one of those gizmos that lays agricultural fabric down and covers the edges with soil so the wind does not catch it?