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wayne1
Mountain climber
united states
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Topic Author's Original Post - Dec 20, 2018 - 11:41pm PT
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I want a chainsaw sharpener, And i have personaly use oregon 512 and it,s quite good but now i am facing some problems in its working, so suggest some good options so that i can buy .
Thanks!
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Tom
Big Wall climber
San Luis Obispo CA
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Dec 21, 2018 - 12:15am PT
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If nothing else is available, here is the old standby:
A needle file and some meditative raga music to flow the work along.
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Chief
climber
The NW edge of The Hudson Bay
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Dec 21, 2018 - 12:44am PT
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While I would hesitate to call myself an expert, I ran Husqvarna 2100s with a 33” bar for over a decade of coastal high lead logging in wood up to 6’ plus in diameter and can say without hesitation it takes a lot of practice to learn how to file a chain and keep a saw sharp.
Not sure how much experience you have or what kind of a sharpener you’re thinking of but, the simplest set up would include;
A round file appropriate to the chain size.
An angle guide for the file.
A flat file for taking the raker’s down as required.
The hard part is bracing the saw in the field to allow even filing on both right and left sides.
If you don’t already have this figured out, find a pro to show you how.
For the best sharpening, use a spare bar or the one off your saw and secure it in a vice.
Now you can easily stabilize the chain in the bar and be best set up for even file strokes from right and left.
I count my file strokes for even teeth and compensate for the weaker left side filling by adding two extra strokes on that side.
If you don’t keep your teeth even the saw won’t cut straight and will bind in bigger wood.
Keep the raker’s high for harder wood and down more for softer wood.
Be careful not to take your rakers too low or your saw will be prone to kickbacks and difficult to bore with if you’re “beavertailing” straight in with the tip.
Depending on where you live, I recommend finding a professional faller or arborist to help you find the right tools and begin the long journey of developing this difficult skill.
Hope this wandering response helps!
PB
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Bushman
climber
The state of quantum flux
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Dec 21, 2018 - 02:57am PT
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^^^^^
+1 for Chief’s advice...
A Sharpenin’ Time
Down and on your knees
in the deep sawdust
On the tailgate of a pick-up
n’er mind the rust
you’ll be a hand sharpening
yah Tahoe or bust
Throw out the ol’ electric
on this you must trust
So practice makes purr-fect
and don’t ferget to cuss
-the old sawbuck
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norm larson
climber
wilson, wyoming
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Dec 21, 2018 - 04:02am PT
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Chiefs advise is solid. I've never ben able to figure why the left side is harder to file than the right but it is. I like to two extra strokes on that side.
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Tobia
Social climber
Denial
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Dec 21, 2018 - 04:10am PT
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Norm, are you right handed? I am a lefty and I find the right side harder.
As posted above, files are great when used regularly (each refueling or more often depending upon the density of the wood). Once you master the technique (angle and stroke count) you can ditch the guide. I sometimes can keep the chain sharp its entire life with a file. Using a flat file to do away with burs also helps.
There are times when a file won't do the job.
If you hit a piece of metal long embedded in the tree such as an nail, piece of fencing, old eye bolt or whatever and impossible to see or if you still use a bow saw it is inevitable that it will hit the dirt at some point. A bench sharpener pays for itself in less than 15 trips to the saw shop and simple to use.
I replaced 40-50 yr old chain sharpener with an Oregon 410-120 Saw Chain Grinder I bought from Amazon last year for $165. I doubt it will last as long as the old one, but neither will I.
You can invest a lot less and get a decent sharpener from Harbor Freight for $29.99, my buddy has one, it does the job. His is very similar to the one listed below, but came from Harbor Freight 10 years ago.
https://www.harborfreight.com/electric-chain-saw-sharpener-61613.html
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Contractor
Boulder climber
CA
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Dec 21, 2018 - 05:35am PT
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If you follow Chief's advice the saw will grab the wood, do all the work and spew out nice chips and ribbons of wood, not saw dust.
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ionlyski
Trad climber
Polebridge, Montana
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Dec 21, 2018 - 06:36am PT
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I've used all of the inexpensive guide tools designed to supposedly make it easier. Chief is correct though, and I always end up ditching the guides and go completely by hand because its faster. I think its more rewarding anyway as you maintain the craft of sharpening that way.
I bring down rakers everytime I file and yes the one side is harder than the other. One little tool handy for when you are out in the woods is a small little vise sold at saw shops, where you quickly hammer it into a stump if you have on handy, and then it holds your bar for you pretty well.
The key is to KEEP your chain not only sharp but even and your raker height in proper shape. Once you let it get way out of whack you have a hard time correcting it.
Arne
edit-I gotta say if I had to mount my chain into one of those machines everytime my chain needs attention I'd never get my work done.
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JLP
Social climber
The internet
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Dec 21, 2018 - 06:55am PT
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A decent chain isn’t that expensive compared to the time and tools to sharpen, especially if there’s a pile of work to do, not much time to do it and you just realized the chain is dull. I consider them a consumable. They tend to stretch, too. A new chain is so much safer and more efficient. Best case I’d make a pile of dull ones and outsource, otherwise they end up in metal recycling.
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thebravecowboy
climber
The Good Places
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Dec 21, 2018 - 08:15am PT
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tobia has got it
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ontheedgeandscaredtodeath
Social climber
Wilds of New Mexico
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Dec 21, 2018 - 08:28am PT
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I ran saws for about 10 years fighting fires and then 3 years doing tree work during law school. I got to where I could sharpen free hand but it took a lot of practice on government owned chains! Using a raker gauge is a good idea even if you otherwise don't use any sort of guide. Dunno about an electric shop sharpener, I assume they work well.
Treating chains as disposable is probably ok for some weekend type stuff but isn't economical for someone making a living with a saw, or really feasible for someone who works in the woods far from their rig. Plus there is the zen aspect of using the saw correctly and providing for its proper care and feeding.
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Wayno
Big Wall climber
Republic, WA
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Dec 21, 2018 - 09:05am PT
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I recently heard the comment that if you work a lot with wood you better learn how to sharpen. Dull tools mean more effort. I learned sharpening on kitchen knives. It does require practice. There is a feel and even a sound when the angles and amount of force are just right. I'm still learning the chain saw. Knives, wood chisels, and planer blades I have wired. I still need to learn saw blades and drill bits. Flat straight edges are not difficult, the curved ones are the pain. Real flat stones are essential. Angle jigs are very helpful until you get the feel just right.
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FRUMY
Trad climber
Bishop,CA
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Dec 21, 2018 - 09:26am PT
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Drill bits are easy. Grind the end forget about the flutes. If the flutes need resharpening it's way more cost effective to buy a new bit.
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Brian in SLC
Social climber
Salt Lake City, UT
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Dec 21, 2018 - 09:46am PT
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Ditto the Chief's advice.
I ran a saw on a thinning contract for a summer. We sharpened by hand and every other week had our saws professionally serviced.
You might take your saw in for service and ask the person you pay to sharpen it for advice on how to do it by hand yourself. Seeing it done correctly makes a huge difference and it would be worth paying for. I watched a guy who did it for a living and it made a huge difference.
RIP Gene Harris of Gene's Saw Service in White Sulphur Springs Montana who passed away this last June. Great guy. Made my saw sing.
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steveA
Trad climber
Wolfeboro, NH
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Dec 21, 2018 - 10:34am PT
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Chief's advice is sound.
I've spent thousands of hours cutting with large chainsaws and always sharpened the chain with a simple round file held in the basic holder with a wooden handle. You MUST use a sharp file to save time. It generally only took a few minutes to sharpen up the teeth. All the OAK beams shown were made with a chainsaw, using NO guide, but simply following a snapped chalk line. Most of the beams in the photo were 10" square, up to 40 feet long. A few were 14" square, weighing in at over 2400 pounds. Making a beam that large, from the round log, is the equivalent of cutting many cords of wood. You don't need an electric chain sharpener.
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steveA
Trad climber
Wolfeboro, NH
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Dec 21, 2018 - 10:35am PT
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steveA
Trad climber
Wolfeboro, NH
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Dec 21, 2018 - 10:36am PT
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Chief
climber
The NW edge of The Hudson Bay
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Dec 21, 2018 - 11:12am PT
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As a follow up;
Chains are like any other piece of equipment requiring both regular field maintenance and regular "major servicing".
When I was logging I'd take my saws and chains to the faller's shack on Saturday (often with a beer in hand) and use their vice and bar jig to give my saws and chains a weekly tune up; typically with the faller's guidance and support.
The bigger falling operations would have grinder (which I never used) for these major tune ups but the boys had to keep then sharp in the field.
In addition to tuning my chains, the saws would get a major cleanup including compressed air to blow the air filters clean.
I never felt confident at setting my carburetor for optimal performance and would rely on the fallers to get the saw purring nicely.
Trying to keep my chains sharp on the job site was the daily challenge so I had my dedicated sharpening stump and saw storage set up by the yarder or near operations.
It was inevitable that in spite of my best efforts I'd "rock" my chain in the heat of battle and have to grab my spare to finish the round of bucking then, in the lulls between trucks, tune both chains up for the next round.
Although I had mentioned using a guide, this is more of a learning or "registering" tool either for beginners or as part of the "major tune up".
I quit using guides once I got a better handle on my filing technique.
Most chains have a default angle line scribed at the back of the tooth to align your file with and once you get used to that don't need a guide.
Dull chains make you work harder and you end up prying way too hard on your bucking dogs and wearing out the cushions in the saw which in turn creates the jeopardy of RSI from vibration which will lead to a condition know as "white hand".
Keep both hands on your saw and try to work offside a bit so when the saw does kick back (because it will!) you can control it's trajectory away from your body's centreline.
Whether you're a professional or just cutting firewood, running a saw without full length bucking chaps or pants is an unjustifiable risk in my books.
Replacing a dull chain with a new chain is not an economical reality for working professionals.
Thanks for letting me share and; Stay Tuned!
PB
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