Northern Hyd grinder, making it work (pics)

**Butch(OH)** · 12-13-2006, 07:54 PM

When I pick up a tool (or anything else) made in China I expect that I will need to do some finish work that really should have been done at the factory. The Northern chain grinder is no exception but was better than most of my other chinatool experiences and I believe it will do the job. In general the tool is much better fit and finish than I expected with the worst problems being burrs and blasting sand in the vise swivels and an under (read non) engineered chain stop. Here is the work I did and it took longer to type this than to do the work.

1. The vise adjustments were very rough and here is the reason for one of them, the base casting. Notice the shiny area where the vise base slides on the casting? It wasn't that way as shipped, very rough. 1 minute and a sheet of 320 backed by a block leveled the paint and rough casting to this condition.

2, Reason number two for vise problems was the aluminum swivel base had been sand blasted. Sand blasted parts dont slide, especially when sand is still on parts. A brushing removed the sand and an old sharpening stone smoothed both the flat and radial surfaces. 320 and an old file would have done the same thing. Again you not after perfection here, just to smooth out the sandblasting a bit.

3. Third reason for vise problems is flip side of same part. Same sand blasted finish and wont slide against top part of vise. Fix is 320 paper and fingers with sanding in the direction of movement.

4. Assembling tip, slightly grease the base before placing on the base casting and note two balls placed in recesses and screwdriver pointed at springs. Grease springs to hold in place while assembling. I greased this just a bit but may regret it later if wheel dust gets in there.

5. Slop in chain stop. There is a step in the shaft under my fingers and the nut is supposed to keep the stop up on the larger part of the shaft but it cant do that because of the step in the thumb nut. The slop created then causes a "spongy" stop. The fix is to get rid of the recess in the nut by filing flat.

6. Another reason for chain stop slop is the cap screw at the bottom of the stop was not tight enough. a quarter turn tightened the stop on mine but with China tollarances may not repair others?

My impressions? The grinder ranks up there with the best of China's knock off tools. I was able to produce a razer sharp chain on my first try and I have never run a grinder before. If you understand what you are doing with a file and how it makes your chains cut then pitch the confusing instructions and you will have the thing adjusted in 2 minutes.

For $100 vs what $300? or so Ill spend 5 minutes with a file and a sheet of 320 paper. I am happy. Didn't have time to measure things up for the Oregon engineer, too late tonight. maybe tomorrow.

**Urbicide** · 12-13-2006, 08:07 PM

Very good post Butch. Excellent pictures and explanations. I wonder how many of these grinders AS members have bought. I am kind of thinking of getting one primarily to do depth gauges.

**RaisedByWolves** · 12-13-2006, 09:03 PM

EXCELLENT post!

You and I could be brothers with the way we treat our newtoys, just gotts take it apart and "Fix" it before using it.

Just as you expected, you will regret greasing the springs. Its a good trick and one I use often, but it will hold the grit in this case.

Are the balls there to indicate center? "0"?

And please tell me the color in your pics is off? If not I may have to buy some orange spray paint!

**Lakeside53** · 12-13-2006, 09:40 PM

Good work Butch!

**RiverRat2** · 12-13-2006, 09:44 PM

Great pics, I need me one of them

**drmiller100** · 12-13-2006, 10:20 PM

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!

mine is supposedly in the mail on its way here!!!!!!!111

**tawilson** · 12-14-2006, 01:28 AM

Good work, Butch. I mentioned in the other thread about the vise being hard to move. I'll give your fix a whirl. I also had to take the locking lever off to give the backer nut a tightening. I lost the spring clip in the process, but it seems to work ok. I also was surprised how well my chain cut for a novice grinder.

**Haywire Haywood** · 12-14-2006, 03:06 AM

Originally Posted by RaisedByWolves

And please tell me the color in your pics is off?

Mine is much darker.

Ian

**314epw** · 12-14-2006, 03:09 AM

greta way to save money and get some quality work done!Good job!
Ed

**ASEMASTER** · 12-14-2006, 05:47 AM

as always were looking for the ultimate tweak to get to perfection.
I prefer a file myself.

**Butch(OH)** · 12-14-2006, 02:02 PM

Originally Posted by RaisedByWolves

EXCELLENT post!

You and I could be brothers with the way we treat our newtoys, just gotts take it apart and "Fix" it before using it.

Just as you expected, you will regret greasing the springs. Its a good trick and one I use often, but it will hold the grit in this case.

Are the balls there to indicate center? "0"?

And please tell me the color in your pics is off? If not I may have to buy some orange spray paint!

OK, I'll clean the grease out

Yes the balls are at zero and the color is off some but not a lot.

**computeruser** · 12-14-2006, 02:16 PM

Looks like you got a good setup going there for your $108!

And I agree with RBW, you did a SUPERB job of documenting the updates/improvements/fixes that you performed on the grinder. I know some folks are on dial-up, but I'm not and I sure do like posts with lots of high-quality pictures to accompany the text. Keep up the good work!!

**danl** · 12-15-2006, 06:09 AM

I went home and sanded on mine, per Butch's instructions. Rotates a whole lot better. My locking lever kept backing off the nut also, so I took it apart and sanded the shaft before I tightened the nut up good. I didn't even lose the retaining spring . I think I'm going to measure that shaft and replace the spring with an e-clip or something.

I sharpened a old chain that didn't need the 10 deg. angle and it seemed to do a good job, didn't turn the chain blue and didn't bog the motor at all. I just bumped it gradually, I didn't just shove down and grind away.

I still aint clear on how to set the 10 deg. angle, could you splain again??????

Thanks
Dan

**Butch(OH)** · 12-15-2006, 08:43 AM

Originally Posted by danl

I went home and sanded on mine, per Butch's instructions. Rotates a whole lot better. My locking lever kept backing off the nut also, so I took it apart and sanded the shaft before I tightened the nut up good. I didn't even lose the retaining spring . I think I'm going to measure that shaft and replace the spring with an e-clip or something.

I sharpened a old chain that didn't need the 10 deg. angle and it seemed to do a good job, didn't turn the chain blue and didn't bog the motor at all. I just bumped it gradually, I didn't just shove down and grind away.

I still aint clear on how to set the 10 deg. angle, could you splain again??????

Thanks
Dan

OK, think about hand filing. Some chain you are supposed to keep the file flat (90 degrees to the bar) Some are at 10 degrees (file handle down). To get the 10 degrees with the grinder requires the third axis movement that is built into the vise itself, see picture #4 above. In other words your 60 degree side angle is set by angling the entire grinder head at the back of the machine. The 30 or 25 degree top angle is with the swiveling vise and the 0 or 10 degree angle is set within the vise itself. You loosen the hand nut under the vise and push or pull it to the stops either side of the zero detent balls. Which way you move it depends on which cutters you are working on, rights or lefts, always tilt it so the leading point of the cutter is tilted down. This is what replicates the lowering of the file handle down 10 degrees when hand filing. Clear as mud yet? sorry, I can post another pic if need be later tonight.

I'm feeling a little stupid here acting like a chain grinder 'spert when I have owned one for three whole days, maybe one of the real sperts could chime in here and explain better??

**tawilson** · 12-15-2006, 02:15 PM

"I'm feeling a little stupid here acting like a chain grinder 'spert when I have owned one for three whole days, maybe one of the real sperts could chime in here and explain better??"
Yeah, you better let me take over. I've had mine nigh on to a week now.