Chain Saw Chain Sharpening

[MountainDon]

Vote once with your most common method. Once submitted you can see the results. No vote changing after submission.

If you have a regimen that uses more than one method, please elaborate.

If you own a power tool, lease describe.

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I have used a round file clipped to one of those guides for years. I sharpen by hand a few times and then have the saw shop run it through their machine.

I am thinking seriously of buying a bench top grinder / sharpener.

[Squirl]

You forgot "buy a new chain every time."

[MountainDon]

There you go Squirl   

I had thought of it, but forgot. Sigh

[MushCreek]

I do them by hand with a proper chainsaw file. I've been a tool maker for 35 years, so I have a pretty good eye and feel for it. Once I move out to my acreage, I'm thinking about buying a power sharpener, since my saw will be seeing a LOT more action.

[ScottA]

I keep 3 chains and take them in to the shop to be sharpened. I can do it by hand but it takes too long and they can get them alot sharper than I can.

[MountainDon]

I'm contemplating the following two units. One an Oregon and the other a Northern Tool house brand. The Oregon will run me $172 delivered and the N-Tool $139.       If I had bought this back when we bought the land it would be paid for by now, especially when I count the time going to and from the saw shop.

http://www.amazon.com/Oregon-108181-Chain-Grinder-Sharpener/dp/B001HK1ZXI/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=IUN49I8HU39V2&colid=2JLC24YAYTMTE



http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200327449_200327449

[bayview]

   I have no idea of the quality of their sharpeners . . . But, Harbor Freight just about always has them on sale for $29.99

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=93213

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[MountainDon]

Depends on how much it is used more then likely. I have not bought very many of their tools, but have been disappointed by a number of them. I've looked at the HF one at the local store and have decided I would rather pay a saw shop than own the HF tool. That's my opinion, and only my opinion, for whatever it is worth.

[diyfrank]

I have a harbor freight and it is cheap but works. I never use it.
90% of the time I free hand with a file.
On a new ground chain I hand file to keep it Sharp with one of the flat files that have the triangle cut side. It will get the chain about as sharp as grinding but takes some time to do and a lot of practice to get the hang of.
Once they get rocked they get the round file from then on.

[ak_rob]

Been luking for a long time, but this is something I know a little about. I cut 30 to 40 cords a year for a little cash and I like doing it . I have sharpend hundreds of chains by hand a couple years ago I got one of the bench type sharpeners from Northern and haven't looked back. I don't even try to do it by hand anymore ,hit a rock swap chains and back at it. Plus you can play with custom grinds that with a big saw will scar most opperators 

[glenn kangiser]

I have a Dremel with a saw sharpening attachment.  Instead of the little sharpening stones, I get diamond cutters from the rock shop or other places in the proper diameter for the saw.  The attachment has lines to align with the bar for proper angle.  I sharpen when dull so  every 1/4th to 1 cord on the average with dry oak.

Just takes about 5 minutes and can be done on the saw.

[desimulacra]

I do like Glenn cept didn't know about the diamond cutters

[Windpower]

My Dad always used the round file method

usually first thing in the morning before starting the job ( no one likes a chain saw at 7 AM in a quiet neighborhood LOL)

I remember 'helping' but he did the sharpening ( I just put in the gas and oil and layed out the ropes, hand saws etc)

The sound of the filing still is like finger nails on a black board to me (I can hear it clearly in my head even today)
ETA maybe that is why I take them to the saw shop

I keep thinking he would have lived longer if he had access to a Stihl and an electric sharpener

that Homelite 7-29 sure kept him in shape though  (7 horsepower and 29 pounds (that's 29 pounds with out the blade and chain IIRC)







a Stihl 440 or 660 weigh in considerably less ~ 16 pounds, about half the 7-29 and 'Stihl' make about 7 HP

from reading the various reviews I think I am going to get the Northern tool (the current price is $119 btw) (another thing to check out on my next trip to Milwaukee) it sounds like the Oregon doesn'tplay well with other brands of chain (Dad never like the Oregon chains but then this was 40+ years ago) -- I have used both but the Stihls are less money and work very well

[Squirl]

I called a place up once to sharpen my chain.  They quoted me $15.  A two pack of new chains costs $24.  Just didn't make sense.  Maybe if I had a machine to do it myself it might.

[Dave Sparks]

You guy's must know that the links between the teeth need to be taken down from time to time to get the right tooth height as the chain wears!

Well that is too much work for me so I hand file with the round file with an angle alignment/file about 15 file cycles or until I get bad results. I then take the blade in to Mr. Barrien on Spring hill and for 6 dollars he gets me back to nice big chunks of oak flying. Sorry for the excessive local color.

[MountainDon]

Yes, every 3 - 5 times the depth should be reset. Doing by hand is a drag, just like sharpening by hand. With one of the wheel grinder types it's also easier. You hand file one using the depth guage. Then you set the grinder (different wheel) to cut to that depth and do the rest with the power tool.


The more I research the more bad reports I find on cheaper tools. Loose wobbly imprecise fits head the list. But there are a whole bunch of folks happy with them. I guess it's partly what is expected. I expect a food tool. I may end up cracking the piggy bank.

This Oregon, model 511AX, seems to be nice and solid and fully adjustable with no bad words.



It seems to be the same as the Jolly Star which is made by Tecomec in Italy. Seems to be the same as one sold under the MAXX brand.



The other Oregon model above seems to be the same as the Jolly mini. Not sure where the NT comes from.

[Dave Sparks]

Yes, every 3 - 5 times the depth should be reset. Doing by hand is a drag, just like sharpening by hand.

Don, I do not find sharpening by hand a drag compared to setting the depth! I am done in less than 5 minutes. How long does it take to get your "gizmo" set-up and working?  Just curious !

[MountainDon]

OK, to be honest and frank about it, hand filing is not all that bad. It's simply that I don't do as good a job as I used to. I used to be able to turn out a chain that was darn good, but something about my ability to do that has decreased in the past couple years.   

It may be eyesight related in part. Shooting, spotting and so on have all gone downhill as my uncorrectable eyesight problems manifest themselves more and more. There may be other things at work as well.

As far as setting up the machine for sharpening, from what I observed at the saw shop, if the chains are the same brand, model, etc. there's much change required from chain to chain.

[Windpower]

stopped by the NT store in Milwaukee today

I ended up getting the NT brand

it has all the features of the high end Oregon model but not built as heavy duty

the $199 oregon model does not have the angle adjust for the grinder head like the top model Oregon

It is also made in Italy ( made in Italy sends shivers down my back)

haven't tried it yet but so far it looks good sitting there

[Windpower]

I set it up and sharpened my first chain with it

Overall I am well satisfied with the unit

it is quiet an runs smoothly

the adjustments work well for the top plate angle, vice angle and it even has a vice tilt angle.

it has the abilty to grind the depth delimiter (or 'raker' as my Dad called them ) I haven't figured this out yet -- I need to blow up that section of the manual before I can read it

overall I am quite pleased so far

a few gripes

the manual is printed in micro print -- really small type -- I will have to get it blown up at the local Kinkos in oder to read it

the plastic knob for the cam that tightens the vice is poorly threaded and I expect it to fall off one day

the shaft the above cam spins on was loose and required a take apart of the vice clamp to fix

the piece that positions the link looks a bit under engineered but in fact it worked just fine and was quite precise in use

this unit is not comercial quality but I doubt if I will ever wear it out in my lifetime

4 out of 5 stars






 

[MountainDon]

You can download the manual of the NT website. Look up the tool and get it up. Somewhere on the page is a D/L link. Then you can print it bigger, or just read it on the computer.

[cmsilvay]

I use a few different methods I touch up free hand in the feild if i nick something. I use a file and guide back in the shop, when its time ti file the guides take them to the Stihl dealer in town. This applies to my stihl saws for the craftsmans I file till I can then dispose and by new the chains for them are cheaper

[ak_rob]

A couple of things on the NT unit for the manual you can download it form NT web site and blow it up that way, or go to the Oregon site download the 511A manual it a clone of it. Also look at the bottom of the base where the where the front to back angle adjuster is there is a casting button there that the big washer hit on stopping it from full travel. A flapper wheel on an angle grinder took care of that.
For the depth file the first one with a gauge in the vice square everything up back the chain stop off till the raker is centered set the stop and go for it.

[Don_P]

I didn't see the boxes to check for "Drop off second story onto concrete" or "Back truck over saw" for sharpening methods 

[dug]

Many years ago I worked in a saw shop. I was just a kid, so ended up with a load of grunt work. Sharpened a lot of chains with mechanical grinder-

    The good: Accurate;  Easy, and much more accurate to adjust raker height (very important)

    The bad: Easy to burn metal, destroying the temper

    Faster? If you cut a lot of wood and have multiple chains, for sure. I cut a fair amount of wood (stihl 260) and keep 2 chains sharp by hand. I use a round file with a guide clamped on it and sharpen every tank full. 3 or 4 strokes on each tooth is all it takes, no more than 10 minutes and it is razor sharp and chips are flying! For my use it seems quicker and simpler to do it by hand, plus you can take it in the field with you (not an issue if you have lots of chains).