# Dura Max 511A Chain Grinder Question



## skinnerjason1981 (Nov 5, 2017)

i been looking at a grinder that everything about it says oregon 511a but the box has got dura max high preformance professional user accessories listed on it. oregon is listed near the bottom of the box. it makes me seem to think its a dura max bench model chain grinder. has a box check option on it as well stating its a 511a and not a 511a-bc. box also says its made and printed in italy. 

the grinder itself has a ul plate with italian and english warning lables, and above it a big oregon logo, the plate also listed it as a 511A model and has a serial and such. showing also the 110/125Vac 60Hz 285/300W and 3400/rpm. it also has a tecomec logo on the plate. 

the unit also has a large white rocker power switch

my main concern is whether or not its a true oregon 511a grinder. im looking to buy a grinder and funds are tight, i want to purchase something decent to handle my ms290's chains which im running a stock 18" bar and .325 chains, i cut 14-16 ricks of oak and hickory a winter for myself, and try and cut a extra 10-15 ricks to sell, so total would be no more then 40 ricks a year, but sometimes i get into dirty logs and my chains take a beating, i have a small stack thats been rocked and would like to use them to learn the grinder with and hopefully with it i can straighten them out. all my chains are stihl branded, some full chisel square teeth and some rounded teeth semi chisel.

any help would be great, im new to the grinding idea and have a chance to buy this grinder and it is new and unsed, comes with manual, guage, disks and such just as i have seen with others, just wanna make sure its not a knock off/clone. for the $100 price i hated to walk away, but i still have the option to buy, but might not for long if someone else looking for one finds it, lol


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## skinnerjason1981 (Nov 5, 2017)

Update with Pictures, lol


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## alderman (Nov 5, 2017)

For $100 I don't think you can go wrong. If it doesn't work like you want, you can always resell it. 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## skinnerjason1981 (Nov 5, 2017)

alderman said:


> For $100 I don't think you can go wrong. If it doesn't work like you want, you can always resell it.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


thank you very much for the reply,
thats what i was thinking, just wanted to make sure it was the real deal and not some knockoff, ive been all over the web trying to find out for sure and no luck at all.


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## old guy (Nov 5, 2017)

Sure looks gen u wine to me.


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## blades (Nov 6, 2017)

Tecomec makes these for anybody Oregon included- looks just like a no-name rig I have or the 2 Forester units I have at the house, All I can tell you is that on some the motors are a bit different than the Oregon branded unit- I have only burned out one motor in 20 years and that was on the no-name unit, which around here use wise would be the equivalent of most peoples lifetime of use in about 3 years. Biggest problem I have is I wear out the vises at least once a year per unit ( 5 units here in total) 2 of which were the Oregon 511AX units those ( parallel jaw closing) vises would only last me about 3 months, went back to the style your unit.


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## skinnerjason1981 (Nov 6, 2017)

blades said:


> Tecomec makes these for anybody Oregon included- looks just like a no-name rig I have or the 2 Forester units I have at the house, All I can tell you is that on some the motors are a bit different than the Oregon branded unit- I have only burned out one motor in 20 years and that was on the no-name unit, which around here use wise would be the equivalent of most peoples lifetime of use in about 3 years. Biggest problem I have is I wear out the vises at least once a year per unit ( 5 units here in total) 2 of which were the Oregon 511AX units those ( parallel jaw closing) vises would only last me about 3 months, went back to the style your unit.


thanks for the reply, it has been paid for and awaiting info on shipping so i can track it, hopefully it will come quick, finial price was 127.50 thats including the shipping, seller swears its the real deal and everything is included, (he just never took the time to setup or use and it been on the shelf for several years) we will see when it arrives. Im very anxious to see it, and no doubt if it the real deal, it should with no issue last me forever. I been following and scolling all the treads about the 511A and man o man, it just can't get here fast enough. I gotta cut some extra wood now I imagine, the wife gonna be like "you got that thing now get to cuttin" lol. you guys are great, the site is great. man i'm just happy happy happy. will update soon...


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## skinnerjason1981 (Nov 10, 2017)

well after chewing all my nails off waiting very patiently for the ups man to arrive with my new grinder, it finally came today. i do in fact believe it is the real deal. To my luck as the way it goes, the motor is damaged. i did set the unit unit up, came with 1/8, 3/16, and 1/4 oregon wheels, everthign the manual said it should have, along with a card to call oregon if something wasnt right with the contents, but the darn motor has damage, the bottom side is flat, like it got hit with a brick, the end cap on the motor has a crack too. i dont think the seller did this or was like this when he sent it out from the pictures beforehand cause there is a scuff on the id plate that wasnt on the photos. dont know what happened. id soon keep the unit if i can get a motor cheap enough to replace, but i guess its up to the seller, i did send a message to see what they wanna do, but boy, either way its disappointing to say the least. i set it up, checked everything else out, all the gauges line up great, the unit is nice an tight, i put a wheel on like i was gonna sharpen a chain and man o man. i wish it would run. will update when i hear something.


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## blades (Nov 11, 2017)

Yep that took a pretty good hit. Does the arbor turn by hand with out any rubbing sounds or is it locked up/ - let us know what the out come is from your inquiry. I may be able to come up with an option depending on sellers response.


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## skinnerjason1981 (Nov 13, 2017)

blades said:


> Yep that took a pretty good hit. Does the arbor turn by hand with out any rubbing sounds or is it locked up/ - let us know what the out come is from your inquiry. I may be able to come up with an option depending on sellers response.


well they said i could send it back, and refund would be issued. i have unitl the 20th to get it in the mail. i sure hate to being it was cheap enough, the motor will turn by hand, i can hit the power button and spin it a time to too pretty good and it will start running, i haven't tried to see if the grinding of a chain will stop it or anything as i didn't wanna use it and get any issues with returning. i have thought about just keeping it and buying a motor, or even taking this one apart and see if i can fix it. worse case i could part the whole grinder out and recover most of the investment i think. it doesnt seem to make any noise when i spin by hand without power, its just hard to do. i let it run for maybe a minute tops, the motor was getting pretty warm though. thats all the testing ive done, cheapest motor i have found online was $156 any other ideas or options im definitely open too, especially if i keep the grinder and get it working in the end lol


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## skinnerjason1981 (Nov 14, 2017)

anyone else have any ideas or suggestions while waiting for blades thoughts.


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## blades (Nov 14, 2017)

Hi ,here's the thing the motor is 90% of the price, so on the one's i get it's easier just to buy a new one- the motor will interchange. My cost is $130+s&h which was about $10/unit. That depends on the $ size of the order a bit as well.
A number of years ago i got a replacement Oregon branded motor that thing cost over $200 w/s&h- Jacks small engine lists that motor at $231 currently, Amazon lists the vice assembly at $174. ( jeez talk about overpriced because of a brand name).
Not here to sell anything, just supplying the lay of the land as it were. Currently I do not have a spare motor laying around, that is what I was looking for.


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## skinnerjason1981 (Nov 14, 2017)

well im hoping the part number 537398 is what your showing for the motor, as it sets right now i have a total of $127.50 in the unit. i was looking to buy another, the cheapest i can find the unit is around 250-300. 250 being a used unit and the 300 was a display unit that been on a shelf it whole life. and ebay is the place. as far as a motor, my cheapest i can round up is around $150. will the motor on the knockoff oregon look alike units interchange with the real deal. i can find one of them for around $100 they look just like this unit but im new to the whole thing so have no idea on swapping or whatnot. if i had the funds, id just ship it back and but another whole unit. but its gonna be outa the question anytime soon, and by the time i get where i probably can purchase one, it would more then likely be completely obsolete. if i had hair id pull it out lol


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## backhoelover (Nov 14, 2017)

That’s the sharper I have loveeeeee it


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## backhoelover (Nov 14, 2017)

The Oregon in first pic


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## blades (Nov 14, 2017)

Motor -98% yes- slight differences wattage and perhaps the arbor size


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## skinnerjason1981 (Nov 14, 2017)

backhoelover said:


> That’s the sharper I have loveeeeee it


i fell in love before i even ordered it, lol. once i seen it in person and read all the info and forums and reviews, im half temped just too keep it, and pray a motor falls from the sky, of course without damage. lol


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## skinnerjason1981 (Nov 18, 2017)

well me and the seller finially came to terms with the grinder, i am keeping it. got a partial refund, so i have $70 in the unit, also i noticed something, the flat spot on the motor, it seems a lot of them have the flat spot in the same place, i seen a stock photo and the grinder was tilted up and i noticed it. so the flat spot is original. check yalls 511 and see, its on the bottom side. 

now the little crack in the end cap i cant explain but i dont believe it would affect operation. so onto other thoughts, this motor has a capacitor correct? im fixing to mount the unit back up and troubleshoot further into it. but im wondering if maybe the capacitor could be bad and thats why the motor wont start up, if i spin a time to two by hand when the switch is flipped it will run. does anyone know if you can replace the capacitor or has anyone had a issue with it. hopefully ill have some news by the days end. thanks again for everyones input and its greatly appreciated.


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## skinnerjason1981 (Nov 18, 2017)

well IDK, it works. i took it out of the box, set it up again, took the cover off where the motor wires are and took compasitior out and wiggled swith and wires, put it back together and hit the power button and it started. i let it run for a minute or two without disk and all went well. i put the 3/16 wheel on and set up for a chain and made my setting and went to grinding away, chains look great, machine runs fine. no issues. i have no idea. maybe it was jsut from setting all this time, maybe something was a little loose. IDK but it works. and i couldnt be happier.


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## skinnerjason1981 (Nov 30, 2017)

well all is working good with the grinder guys, been playing around with chains and angles and just wanting to see what happens when you do it wrong, lol. takeing Philberts thoughts and ideas and trying to use them. do have a question though and been looking in older reviews and forums, just wanna make sure im right:
On a .325 pitch, .063, 26RS stihl chain, (full chisel (square edge)) i use the 3/16 wheel. which i am and seems to be great. 
On a .325 pitch, .063, 26RM stilh chain, (semi chisel (rounded edge)) i use the 1/8 wheel???
i only have the one semi chisel chain at the moment and it was for my old bar, i used the 3/16 wheel first to try it out and the teeth are the first in the pictures, then swapped to a 1/8 and got a better hook in the filing and deeper pocket, in the second pics, but both seem to be decent looking edges from my eyes view.

i just ordered me 6 new loops of the 26RM 81 as the wood i cut is usually pretty rough and all hard wood, the dirt has been playing havic on the RS chains, reason i wanted the grinder so bad. i just dont wanna hang a 3/16 wheel into the new loop if the 1/8 is what i really should use. figured id just match up the new chain when it arrives with a wheel and see what it looks like but hoping for a head start idea.
ive read alot about and this is a real close call for me, being some people mistake or think .325 is the 3/8 or something, maybe im confused, being new to it and all, i dont have any of the packets that came with my old chains, and all are stihl and is 26RS except the one carlton semi chisel same pitch and all but is round, dont even know the number for it. just knew it was a good chain and i didnt sharpen as often, but now i know why and understand the diffrence from the two, just wish i knew it long ago before i ordered all the RS and had so much issues and chewed a bar up and everything.

now with a fresh start, two RS chains and 6 new RM coming i should be set for a while with the new bar and sprocket. any help as all will be great, if i need to put in a different section i can do that too. sorry so lengthy. i just get excited with the thought of even having the grinder in the first place. sure wanna keep it and my chains in great shape, even excited about the wood cutting, lol... call me crazy.


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## blades (Nov 30, 2017)

3/16 should be for both a deep hook/pocket is not what you are looking for- only enough pocket to bring out an edge on the top plate and not have the vertical side leading the edge. when you get the new chains you will have a reference. on a couple of the pictures you are grinding down into the tie strap, you do not want that


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## skinnerjason1981 (Nov 30, 2017)

blades said:


> 3/16 should be for both a deep hook/pocket is not what you are looking for- only enough pocket to bring out an edge on the top plate and not have the vertical side leading the edge. when you get the new chains you will have a reference. on a couple of the pictures you are grinding down into the tie strap, you do not want that


cool beans, yeah i was playing with the tilt option on the vice and got into the strap, just wanted to see how different the tilting made the teeth look. that poor chain looks funky with all the playing around ive done. new chains shipped out today, be here by tuesday i hope. i ordered me a oregon gauge for the rakers and a extra wheel for the grinder too. i should be set for a while im assuming. thanks for the info. you have been very helpful.


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## blades (Dec 1, 2017)

You are welcome. I run 25 deg across the top plate and 65deg vertical makes for a stronger cutting edge same reason you do not sharpen a axe like a knife. My customers all seem to like it. Well, off to the the races I have a dozen 7ft loops of . 404 chain to sharpen.


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