Stihl FG2 Bench Mount Filing Guide

[Tzed250]

My CAD has all but been cured and as I sell my saws I am picking up better tooling for my shop. This is a tool that I have wanted for a while and after your pics and review there is no doubt I will have one. I have the granburg and it works very well but it's just not as convenient. Great buy!

My chains have never been in better shape. I know a grinder is faster, and the FG 2 isn't cheap, but the quality of the output is great. One good the about the FG 2 over a grinder is that it still leaves you with a feel of whats happening at the cutter. With a grinder once you touch the tooth that's it. With the file you can still make decisions.

 

[Rudolf73]

Quick question, I may have missed it but how do you go about sharpening the other side of the chain?

 

[FATGUY]

any aspirations of making your own version? Or is it just too good the way it is?

 

[Rudolf73]

any aspirations of making your own version? Or is it just too good the way it is?

I am thinking about modifying an oregon bar mounted guide... the $180 price tag on the stihl fg2 is a bit steep for me.

 

[Philbert]

I started a thread on the Granberg type sharpeners - played around with several different versions, and am able to get very nice, finished cutters with them. Would love to try the bench mounted version, as I tend to do a bunch of chains in a batch.

(Sorry Hedgerow - from your post I thought you had a bench mounted model that you did not want - ignore that message).

Add me to the list of people interested in a good deal on a used one!

Philbert

 

[FATGUY]

I am thinking about modifying an oregon bar mounted guide... the $180 price tag on the stihl fg2 is a bit steep for me.

I've got a Granberg that I've been thinking about repurposing too...

 

[hawkins111]

flat file for rackers

Does anyone have a source for a flat file that will get the rackers? I can't find one thin and long enough to fit the FG2. The three sided ones are all tapered and that makes them off true.

thanks,

Tom

 

[Tzed250]

Quick question, I may have missed it but how do you go about sharpening the other side of the chain?

The whole assembly gets flipped around and the opposite angles set for the other side. Takes about 90 seconds to make it happen.

any aspirations of making your own version? Or is it just too good the way it is?

There is a bit of slop in the vertical pivot. That may get fixed. My main goal is to make an adapter to get the angle to square file.

Does anyone have a source for a flat file that will get the rackers? I can't find one thin and long enough to fit the FG2. The three sided ones are all tapered and that makes them off true.

thanks,

Tom

A 3-corner chisel bit file will work fine.

 

[FATGUY]

how is file height set?

 

[Tzed250]

For those interested, here is a link to the user manual.


http://m.stihlusa.com/WebContent/CMSFileLibrary/instructionmanuals/FG2_Manual.pdf

 

[Tzed250]

how is file height set?

The thumbscrew on the horizontal surface jacks the assembly up and down.

 

[thinktwicez71]

i just bought one of these and set it up tonight. a nice piece of equipment. My question is , can you swing the file up out of the cutter before you move the chain ? it seems like mine can't do that , and i need to move the chain to get the file to swing out , and then when i move to the next cutter i need to make sure the file is in the next cutter before i lock it in place , because it won't go down in there .

can you please explain if i got this right ?

ive read the directions a few times and maybee im missing something .

a video of some1 useing it would help 100000000000000000 % - Art

 

[thinktwicez71]

nevermind .......sorry , long day , i just went out and looked at it some more , its just kinda stiff from being new and i wasn't lifting it up hard enough, thanks anyways ....i got it - Art

 

[Tzed250]

The file will swing up and out of the gullet, but you need to overcome the pressure of the spring that is holding it in place. I swing the file up and out then rotate it up over the top so it will sit there. I unclamp, move to the next cutter of that hand, then tug the chain against the stop with one hand while clamping with the other. Takes longer to type it than do it

 

[Joe Kidd]

Yes, I move the file slightly ahead of the cutter and then lift and swivel up out of the way. Advance my chain, tighten clamp then swivel file back down to the cutter. The square bar can't be too advanced from the round bronze swivel bushing(stop). I don't file to the stop. I count strokes and ck with calipers. Less setup time.

Edit: Sorry John, You're quicker out of the holster!

 

[blsnelling]

I'm not sure how I missed this thread. Very nice tool!

 

[Tzed250]

LOL, we were all typing on top of each other!

 

[LegDeLimber]

Wondered what Tzed was shooting with...
If all that gear on the flicker stream is his, I see why the file marks show up so nicely.
Shame that flicker kills the exif data,
would love to see what was used & the settings on some of those deep DOF shots in buildings, dam, bar and such.

Just finding a nice Manfrotto w/ball head on C'list was a budget push for me.
Damn Canon sx130 just won't get the shots, for me, that the sx120 did.

 

[parrisw]

Nice! That guide looks very nice.

I've been thinking a long time to make a simple set of jaws that go in my vise to clamp down the chain so I can freehand file chains, mainly square, this has givin me a kickstart, so tonight I made up the jaws, now just have to finish them off by bolting together and welding in a seat for the jaws to sit in the vise. I quickly tested it just holding it all together with the chain and it holds it very solid!! Better then doing it on the saw, it helps allot to have it held solid when square filing. I'll post it up when I'm done.

 

[Rudolf73]

Nice! That guide looks very nice.

I've been thinking a long time to make a simple set of jaws that go in my vise to clamp down the chain so I can freehand file chains, mainly square, this has givin me a kickstart, so tonight I made up the jaws, now just have to finish them off by bolting together and welding in a seat for the jaws to sit in the vise. I quickly tested it just holding it all together with the chain and it holds it very solid!! Better then doing it on the saw, it helps allot to have it held solid when square filing. I'll post it up when I'm done.

Did you get any pics of that fancy contraption Will?