Chain Saw Sharpening Wheel

[Ben H]

Question for anyone with a grinding wheel type chain saw sharpener. I bought an electric sharpener today that uses wheels. The manual has a chart with setting for different chains. The chart says to use the 1/8" width wheel for my Stihl 26RS chain, problem is that the chain's package insert says to use a 3/16" file. Is the chart wrong or does the width of the wheel not equal the diameter of the file?

 

[cowhunter]

Ben I just wrote u a book on how and why a files better than that contrapition u got. Pushed the wrong button and its no longer in print. Pm me if ur interested and I think I can learn u. When I was young If I wernt workin cattle I was in the login woods or around a old frick sawmill. I was in the sawmill business for 25 years.

 

[gcreekrch]

Ben I just wrote u a book on how and why a files better than that contrapition u got. Pushed the wrong button and its no longer in print. Pm me if ur interested and I think I can learn u. When I was young If I wernt workin cattle I was in the login woods or around a old frick sawmill. I was in the sawmill business for 25 years.

I agree with you cowhunter. Those wheels heat the chain up too much, next thing you are breaking teeth off. File works best for me also.

 

[Ben H]

I have a nice little jig for using a file, been using it for about a year. What really attracted me to this rig was that the chain doesn't need to be on the saw. I run a few chains and change them in the field, sharpen them at home. I can sharpen a saw chain with a file and my guide really well, the idea with this thing was to save some time.

 

[gcreekrch]

The problem Ben is that the wheel sharpener will heat up and temper the teeth while sharpening. IMHO it shortens the life of a chain by a bunch.

 

[Ben H]

Here's a page out of Oregon's manual, with each chains sharpening specs, the file size is not always the same as the wheel size as listed in the tools for filing. I guess that answers my question.

 

[cowhunter]

The machine also takes more metal off and wears out the cutter tooth quicker. If it works for u that's what counts. I'm a file man myself. I like the ideay of takein one chain and gettin al the goody out of it on the bar. I got a break n mend link breaker by vice grip that let's u shortin your chain on the bar. Its a handy tool.

 

[Silver]

I like a file too, for the same reason as gcreek. The file also gives you a nice little break during the work day. If you're not cutting in the dirt, I find it works well to just give each tooth 2 or 3 strokes with every refueling and the saw will stay sharp in perpetuity.
I've always sharpened free-hand, and always sharpen a new chain before I use it too. Just my two cents FWIW

 

[burnt]

I like a file too, for the same reason as gcreek. The file also gives you a nice little break during the work day. If you're not cutting in the dirt, I find it works well to just give each tooth 2 or 3 strokes with every refueling and the saw will stay sharp in perpetuity.
I've always sharpened free-hand, and always sharpen a new chain before I use it too. Just my two cents FWIW

:agree:

A wheel is good for taking a lot off at one time if you hit something hard and seriously damage the cutting edge but it takes a mighty good hand to sharpen a saw with a grinder wheel and not take too much off at once or turn your chain hard by overheating it.

 

[cowhunter]

Ur right. It gives u a little break and also let's ur saw cool down a bit. I gas up, tightin the chain, then get the saw in front of me and start sharpinin. 2 licks per cutter. I free hand also and u got to be careful or u can sure get cut.

 

[Texan]

I can sharpen a saw chain with a file and my guide really well, the idea with this thing was to save some time.

I watched a guy use a grinder one time on some big harvester chain. I suppose if you used the grinder on a regular basis it might save some time. But unless a chain is rocked pretty bad I think it would take me longer using the grinder than a file.

Just like everybody else has posted, if I touch it up with a file before it really gets dull it seems quicker to me. Every other tank works good enough for me - about three strokes on the cutters and a couple on the rakers with a flat file and it's good to go.

 

[VLS_GUY]

An experienced swayer can always do a better job sharpening the cutters on chain with a file rather than a grinding wheel. Plus he can sharpen the chasin where ever he wants. A frequently over looked aspect is keeping the raker height compared to the cutters right. I knew a logger from Barriere that was amagician on this stuff. For people like me I have to use a chain saw sharpening kit from Oregon Cutting Systems to help me out when setting the cutting angle and raker height.

 

[Ben H]

I took a really good class from a guy who's a a rep for Jonsered, which is what I had purchased prior. Part of the class was on how a chain works and therefore how to properly sharpen. After that I had stopped using the dremel type sharpener I had been using and switched to a file with the following:

[edit] not sure why this doesn't work, copied and pasted link twice, works fine in browser by itself.

http://www.husqvarna.com/us/forest/...cessories/filing-equipment/combination-gauge/

It helps with the correct angles and also includes a tool for the depth gauges. I have tried a few different things, but this is the best thing I've found.

As I mentioned before, I generally don't sharpen in the field. As suggested in the class I took, it's best to purchase three chains and a sprocket, and rotate between them. I bring the extra chains to the field and swap them out. I leave the sharpening to be done down in my basement with the vise. One of the main reasons for the grinder was the idea of doing chains without having to swap them out on the saw. The chain doesn't need to be on the saw for this rig.

One problem with the grinder is that it's designed to do all the teeth the same. I was taught to sharpen on a per-tooth basis. If one hit a rock that another didn't, they will be fild down beyond the damage more then the unaffected tooth. The key to being able to do this is the depth gauge tool as seen above. It fits from the leading edge of the tooth to the base of the next tooth, you file down the depth gauge that comes up through the slot. You don't put it across two teeth like most of them out there.