Electric chainsaw sharpener fail

[Islander71]

Its best to sharpen often and little. Dont let them get blunt. A couple of strokes of the file in whatever holder every other fuelling is about right. Obviously if you hit a stone, wire, or a nail thats where the electric grinding jig comes in, I have the Sealey one. Sometimes if you catch the chain on a stone it seems to harden the tooth somehow and a file will not touch it, like filing a glass bottle. Funnily enough I knew a tree feller who said the worst thing he hit deep in a tree was a glass bottle - usually you see sparks and know there is metal or a stone embedded - but with the bottle, no sparks, just a completely blunted chain!

 

[Turbo]

I have one of the lidl sharpeners and I only use it to square up a chain that's been badly damaged. If you use it to sharpen every time your chain will have a very short life as the machine takes off a fair chunk every time.
With a file it often only takes 1 or 2 strokes to bring an edge back on a tooth, so your chain will have a longer life.
I only buy sanvik/bacho files and they last for ages. I was taught to sharpen by a stihl engineer and I can put on a better edge with a file than any machine!

 

[DAPPH]

It's one of these

View attachment 468692

Not much to set up wrong on them? Angle set to 30 degrees and carefully adjusted cut and depth of cut to ensure full grind on the teeth.

Don't think I'm doing anything wrong with it. I know what a sharp chain feels like and this doesn't deliver.

Treat them very gently , just a light kiss on the chain each time, go heavy and you'll discover all the sloppy fits and angles you don't want .

 

[DAPPH]

My two cents worth. Yes you can sharpen a saw with a file and if you can get good quality files they can do several sharpenings. The rotary stone sharpeners out on site can also do a good job. Both of which I take with me out on jobs, however, the best option I found is take several chains with you which match your saws and swap them out. When you return, sharpen all the used chains so they are ready for the next job. My electric sharpener, now that I have used it several times produces a much more consistent, sharper and better cutting edge that with either a file or rotary grinder. Even including setup I can sharpen a chain faster and better using my electric sharpener, not to mention having two three or even four chains to sharpen. If there is no alternative a file will do, but on my return all chains are ground for consistancy. If you sharpen using a grinder and the chain is not sharp, you are doing something wrong, or there is a problem with the grinder.

You hit the nail smack on the head " Consistancy " , with a hand file or hand file holding device every tooth will be a bit different , a machine with little or no play in the pivots and a decent cutting wheel with a reasonable motor bearing set will give a more accurate profile every time .

I noticed in several hand sharpening videos the guy looks like they are trying to play a violin as they see- saw the file across the teeth and sway slightly left & right as their heart beats a pulse.
Even the best time served apprenticed bench fitters using hand files get that effect to a degree .

 

[DAPPH]

I could do a decent job of sharpening with a file but if I'm at home in the shed it's the Lidl sharpener in the vice, just quicker and easier and it works perfectly well for the Rotatech chains I use. Files wear out too quick for me to use them all the time but for touch ups on the job they are handy. I have half a dozen chains on the go at once so plenty of spare to go at if I hit a nail or a stone in a piece of wood which does happen occasionally. I've had the sharpener years and haven't worn a disc out yet.

Do you make your own chains off a bulk chain roll?

 

[8ob]

Chain making is ok if you have lots to make up and you have one person trained to do it, gets very expensive when the guys measure wrong or rivet the joining links in upside down which trashes sprockets. Had to remove all the rolls of chain, chain tapes and links from the saw shed because of this.

Bob

 

[Monkey Harris]

I use a 4mm "tube" stone in a dremmel tool,
to touch up \hone\polish teeth ..
that all most need,

 

[pedrobedro]

Do you make your own chains off a bulk chain roll?

No I buy them from Rotatech on eBay. I don't do enough to warrant buying a reel and my saws use different chains.

 

[MattF]

Chain making is ok if you have lots to make up and you have one person trained to do it, gets very expensive when the guys measure wrong or rivet the joining links in upside down which trashes sprockets. Had to remove all the rolls of chain, chain tapes and links from the saw shed because of this.

Bob

It sounds like you practically have to babysit your blokes.

 

[chunkolini]

I think he is a tree feller...

aye, one of dem tree fellers but where are the other two of them?

 

[DAPPH]

Happened to be food shopping in Lidl yesterday afternoon. lo & behold a band of angels had put an electric chainsaw chain sharpener in front of me at just the right height for me to read the specification printed on the box .
My lass saw me holding it and turning it about to get a better picture of what it was , "Go on , it's you birthday present my love " she giggled. ( roll on 21 st Dec .)

Getting home after reading th manual twice I checked the box contents to see if everything was there and it actually worked .

Even though its made of high impact plastic it is fairly precision but if you're a gorilla with hands like sledge hammers in boxing gloves it's not going to be for you , as all it needs is a gentle finger & thumb grip on the handle to advance the spinning blade into the chain , any force and the pivot points will twist out of alignment giving an inconsistent cut.
The beauty of this sort of sharpener is it can be run off a 1000 watt inverter running off the vehicle battery as it only takes a nominal 85 watts to run .

 

[Pete.]

It sounds like you practically have to babysit your blokes.

Menial tasks are the mainstay of the feckwit. Brain off, hands moving. You could give the same job to someone who could do perfect work unattended but then someone somewhere would eventually have a leg off.

 

[Onoff]

Menial tasks are the mainstay of the feckwit. Brain off, hands moving.

Sounds like bliss to me...

 

[JOEPRO]

Happened to be food shopping in Lidl yesterday afternoon. lo & behold a band of angels had put an electric chainsaw chain sharpener in front of me at just the right height for me to read the specification printed on the box .
My lass saw me holding it and turning it about to get a better picture of what it was , "Go on , it's you birthday present my love " she giggled. ( roll on 21 st Dec .)

Getting home after reading th manual twice I checked the box contents to see if everything was there and it actually worked .

Even though its made of high impact plastic it is fairly precision but if you're a gorilla with hands like sledge hammers in boxing gloves it's not going to be for you , as all it needs is a gentle finger & thumb grip on the handle to advance the spinning blade into the chain , any force and the pivot points will twist out of alignment giving an inconsistent cut.
The beauty of this sort of sharpener is it can be run off a 1000 watt inverter running off the vehicle battery as it only takes a nominal 85 watts to run .

It worked - meaning it's properly sharp?

Show us the chips!

 

[Kram]

The beauty of this sort of sharpener is it can be run off a 1000 watt inverter running off the vehicle battery as it only takes a nominal 85 watts to run .

Or buy the Einhell version which is cordless. I should have, cables are a pain.

Anyway modifications continue. Annoyingly I was going to cut the shape out with plasma, but first I attacked the welding bench, back splatter burnt up the nozzle. Need more practise on thicker stuff! Couldnt find my replacement box so this was done with grinder.

Note my hold up cord as a spring replacement.

Previously replaced adjustment nut.

The step on the plastic. Easily forgotten. I will cut a proper spacer another time. It still needed the reinforcement.

Seems this grinder wheel has expired but it did the job. I never liked these depressed center ones anyway.


Another annoyance is that any sharpening will raise a burr in the chrome plate. The wheel spins clockwise, and on right handed cutters that grinds the burr away. On left handed cutters, the burr is pushed out. I feel its worth looking into having a reversable motor, ofcourse theres a change thenwheel nut may come loose but with a drop of threadlock will be no problem.Universal AC motors lile this are easily reversed however I'd prefer a cordless machine, wil look to see if a 775 motor can be fit in there.

One sharp chain, you can see the burr at bottom. At top I removed it with some ivy.

 

[DAPPH]

It worked - meaning it's properly sharp?

Show us the chips!

No ...........
I was meaning the machine fired up when plugged in & switched on . Always a wise thing to do with new kit that will be hidden away for a while to be given as a present
Not needed to sharpen yet as I have two brand new unused chains plus the day was taken up doing family things from 08.15 hrs. till 18. 30hrs

 

[DAPPH]

Or buy the Einhell version which is cordless. I should have, cables are a pain.

Anyway modifications continue. Annoyingly I was going to cut the shape out with plasma, but first I attacked the welding bench, back splatter burnt up the nozzle. Need more practise on thicker stuff! Couldnt find my replacement box so this was done with grinder.

View attachment 469324
Note my hold up cord as a spring replacement.

View attachment 469325
Previously replaced adjustment nut.

View attachment 469326
The step on the plastic. Easily forgotten. I will cut a proper spacer another time. It still needed the reinforcement.

View attachment 469330Seems this grinder wheel has expired but it did the job. I never liked these depressed center ones anyway.


Another annoyance is that any sharpening will raise a burr in the chrome plate. The wheel spins clockwise, and on right handed cutters that grinds the burr away. On left handed cutters, the burr is pushed out. I feel its worth looking into having a reversable motor, ofcourse theres a change thenwheel nut may come loose but with a drop of threadlock will be no problem.Universal AC motors lile this are easily reversed however I'd prefer a cordless machine, wil look to see if a 775 motor can be fit in there.

One sharp chain, you can see the burr at bottom. At top I removed it with some ivy.
View attachment 469340

The radial lines on the grinding wheel are diametrically opposite on each set ,, could these be the normal state ?
I noticed the wheel on m my machine is a flat red fine stone , think I might end up having a diamond impregnated one handy as a replacement for times future .

 

[JOEPRO]

We have a winner. For me anyway. Dull chain now razor sharp again confirmed with test cuts after.

I bought a genuine Stihl 2 in 1 chain sharpener. Easy to use has little pictures on the guide for use which makes it somewhat foolproof. 4 strokes on each cutter since it was a little dull and that worked great. Good cutting as seen by the filings and it was also taking a little off the rakers as intended.






I'll likely just sell the Oregon chain sharpener on as I don't get on with it. I agree with others here that a file gets you a very sharp chain.

 

[Kram]

File isnt bad but no need to use one of those holders, better without. Looks like that needs two hands and the bar clamped in a vice..? Not something to use with the saw over your knee.

I rarely file but did one yesterday for the fun of it before clearing some more ivy from the old fence and the ground, then hit a hidden brick It was dark, I was working by floodlight.

Then did 3 chains on the grinder. My changes have greatly improved it, it is now precise enough to do the smallest 1/4" pitch chains, every tooth the same angle and length, and I can set it to take off only a hair thickness.

Now I just need to replace the spring and tension the chain with a sprocket, like the automated ones do.
I need to do a few more chains, going to try re wiring to see if I can make motor reversable - to reduce the burr it leaves on left handed cutters.


One problem Im finding with my limited space is how to store and organise my vast collection of new and used chains, its becoming a mess!

 

[JOEPRO]

File isnt bad but no need to use one of those holders, better without. Looks like that needs two hands and the bar clamped in a vice..? Not something to use with the saw over your knee.

To be fair most people don't sharpen a chainsaw unsecured over the their knee either. And this is simple to use IMO.

Not a huge deal either way - sharpen how you wish