Tree Machine Filing Clamps

Tree Machine sent me a pair of filing clamps to look at after I commented about them in the Chainmeister thread:

http://www.arboristsite.com/forestry-logging-forum/235996.htm

Since these clamps can work as a stand-along item, it made sense to post these comments in a separate thread.

***Note: photos were deleted from this thread with the change in forum software - I am trying to restore them, but some may be slightly different from the originals posted, and photos from other members' posts may be missing***

On first inspection, these clamps feel well made and well finished. The top opening is approximately 1/2 inch wide, and the vertical opening is approximately 2-1/4 inches, from the bottom of the yoke to the center of the clamping screw.

They are fairly substantial, weighing in at over a pound each. The clamping yoke is mortised and welded into the 3-1/4 x 2-3/4 inch base. One clamp received was powder-coated steel. The other clamp appears to be stainless steel.



There are several, common ways to hold a guide bar when filing a chain: clamping the bar in a large vise works in a shop; stump vises work in the field; a bore cut into a stump has been used more than once. I am sure that there are as many variations on each of these as there are individual filing preferences.

So what purpose might these clamps serve? They certainly could be bolted to a dedicated workstation to secure a bar when filing a chain mounted on a saw, or when used with a device like the companion Chainmeister product.

I don’t have a Chainmeister. And I don’t have the space to dedicate a workbench just for filing chains, although, others, at a saw shop or tree service company for example, might.

The appeal for someone like me is to use them like a stump vise on finished, horizontal surfaces: a workbench, a picnic table, trailer bed, tailgate, etc. For this use, attaching the filing clamps to a board, and attaching the board to the work surface with ‘C’-clamps, etc., creates a portable chain filing workstation.

As noted, this is not the only way to do this. Here is a link to a photo I posted in 2009 using scraps of 2X lumber and woodworking clamps:

http://www.arboristsite.com/chainsaw/107942-2.htm



Other guys here on A.S. have described brazing the backs of ‘C’-clamps to metal plates or threaded screws to clamp a guide bar to various bases. These clamps appear to be another option, especially if they become commercially available.

Once the guide bar is secured, the chain can be filed: free-hand, with any number of file guides, with a Granberg type jig; sharpened with a Dremel or Timberline, etc. Although some sharpening methods may benefit more from a more rigidly secured chain, that choice is really a discussion for other threads.

I have agreed to provide an objective review of these clamps and will post my comments in this thread.

Philbert

Bar clamps

Thank you for opening a thread on these devices, Philbert. Also, thank you for coming at this with curiosity and objectivity. That will foster a lot of useful information in a short span of thread.


There are dozens of ways to clamp a bar firmly so you can sharpen a chain or dress the bar. The jaw vise is a common way of going about this.

View attachment 303903

The stump vise is the classic bar vise, goes way back in time, originated in forestry and logging I imagine, for use out in the bush. The design has not evolved, and that, I imagine is because if you whack one of these into a stump it works pretty well.
Personally, I am an arborist, I don't generally have a stump, and if I do have a stump it means I can sharpen a saw on my knees and out in the full sunlight.

View attachment 303904

I have pounded a stump vise into a plank, but after not so long the points will wiggle out and you have to re-pound it in. They tend to loosen up even faster The bottom line is, the stump vise works, but has limitations. Working past these limitations was a 'hobby interest' of mine 15 years ago and since then has evolved into a lineup of different models that through time and testing has boiled down to a simple, multi-functional design.

Here is the picture of the 15 years ago model, the first one I ever toyed with. Angle brackets welded to a stump vise whose points had been cut off. Now I could screw the stump vise onto a solid surface. Pretty rough model, uglier than before, but functionally better, primarily because the device stays attached firmly to it's surface and does not work itself loose.


View attachment 303905

Over time, though, the gears in my head got whirring and I took another try at improving the improvement. At the time, I just got tired of looking at the hack job of of an effort and thought I could do better.

Well, that last one does look pretty ugly. Functional, but ugly.

Just as an aside: Tree Machine needs to make room in his mailbox.

Philbert

I emptied out my personal messages. Sorry 'bout that!

More images coming. I have about ten variations on this clamp leading up to the current model.
I think you'll be interested in briefly seeing all the versions, it won't take long.
Then I'll share how Philbert's models have a unique design and ability that stump vises can't give you, I mean beyond the fact that you can fasten it to a surface without having to pound it into something.

At first I expected to mount these clamps as a pair, as shown in the Chainmeister thread. This would allow me to use them with a spare bar and a Granberg filing guide. But, since I mostly planned on using the clamps individually, like a stump vise, I made 2 bases out of scrap 3/4 inch plywood, as shown in the photos below (note the inclusion of TM's original, florescent, 'ransom note' to prove that these are the authentic items received!). I mounted them with 'T'-nuts and hex head bolts.



One mounting base extends 2 inches from each side of the clamp base to allow clamping onto a table, bench, etc. If this ends up being too big, I can cut it down later. Shown here with an MS 046 on a picnic table. One TM filing clamp and one Vice-Grip QuickGrip hold the bar rigid enough to file the chain. Note that I blocked the power head up on a scrap of 2X6 to hold the bar approximately level, and to help keep the cutters on the bottom of the bar from hitting the filing clamp when rotating the chain.




The other mounting base has one inch of clearance on each side of the clamp base for stability, and a rotating cleat to let me to clamp it in a woodworking vise on one of my work benches. You can see in the photo how the rotating cleat (attached with another 'T'-nut and a longer bolt) allows the power head to remain on the bench.

Summary

My early impressions of these clamps are very good. They appear to be well made and look like they will hold up - not much to go wrong.

They hold the bar securely when used like a stump vise. The physical size of the clamps does not interfere with filing, or with the ability to clamp on common filing jigs.

The clamps make it pretty easy to set up a temporary filing station on most any flat surface, as shown in the photos above. The stainless steel model might offer an advantage for someone who expects to leave it outside for extended periods.

If used in the same place each time, the user might simply drill mounting holes in that surface and temporarily attach the filing clamps with longer bolts and wing nuts when needed.

*A filing clamp with a single, threaded stem would be a nice design for periodic use on a table, toolbox, tailgate, trailer, etc. (drill a hole, drop it in place, secure with a wing nut, remove it when done!)*

*A hinged version would also be very cool addition for the top of a saw toolbox!*

Improvements? The non-rectangular bases make it a bit harder to line up the mounting holes accurately. This could be an issue when using the clamps in pairs and trying to clamp guide bars square to both faces. It might be easier to do this by clamping a guide bar in both clamps first, before marking the mounting holes.

If used in pairs, the spacing between the clamps will be important, and will vary with the length of the guide bar(s). I was estimating approximately 8 inches apart for a 16 inch guide bar, and about 16 inches apart for a 25 inch bar. Users with multiple length bars might want to drill a series of mounting holes in a board, or use ‘T’-track (used in many woodworking jigs) to let the spacing be infinitely variable.

As noted, these clamps are not the only way to secure a guide bar for filing chain, but could be a good option for a lot of guys.

Thanks Tree Machine!

Philbert

Good Job with the clamps. I dont think people realize how important good lighting is to getting the angles right for a sharp chain.

Does Size Matter?

Just for fun, a side-by-side comparison of TM's clamp and a STIHL stump vise.

Philbert

I like these clamps. I sketched out a version of what I would like to see as a companion model.


As described, this would fit through a hole in a: table, workbench, tool chest, tailgate, bumper, etc., anywhere where it might be used on a regular, but not permanent basis.

Drop it through the hole, add a couple of large washers, and spin a large-eared wing nut up from below. No clamps to carry. Would store flat in a tool box. Could be used with a scrap block of wood to hold it in a bench vise, like the photo above).

Philbert

Philbert's Gen1 Vise

Tree Machine posted a couple of photos of prototypes, which inspired me to do a little tinkering.
I don't have a lot of metal working capabilities, so I had to keep it simple.

Started with a cheap stump vise:


Cut the prongs off with a hack saw (could have used a Dremel).
(Save these prongs !!! They will make great fangs on Halloween!):


Drilled a couple of holes:


Add some angle iron and plywood from the scrap pile, a few fasteners. and Volià!!!



Result? I still had to buy a few things. It took some time. And it's still a cheap vise.
All things equal, I'd rather have the Tree Machine version sold through TreeStuff.com, but this could work.

Philbert

Another Side-by-Side Comparison:



Note that I am still playing around with the best size/shape for the plywood bases:
large enough to securely clamp to a work surface, without being too big/bulky.

Philbert

Took it to the GTG

Pine County Fairgrounds / Redneck Saw Racers Association meet.

Set it up on the saw trailer for others to try. Did not get any feedback, but anyone there can add comments.

Philbert

Not everybody uses clamps or vises

Grabbed this still frame from one of murphy4trees' videos on Tailgate Sharpening:



Reminded me of a guy at a recent GTG who held his bar down against the wooden bed of a trailer to steady it while filing.
These methods obviously work, but they only allow for one-hand control of the file.

Philbert

Hinged Filing Clamp?

I thought that Tree Machine would be adding to this thread but he has not posted in a month (I hope that he is OK and just busy).

Tying up some thoughts I posted earlier, here is a sketch of a hinged version of the filing clamps that could be attached to a bench, or the top of a wooden case or tool box that a lot of guys carry for their saw stuff.

The hinge pivot might be some type of threaded fastener so that it could be adjusted for wear, slop, ease of movement, etc.

I don't have any investment in these clamps, just throwing the idea out for consideration.

Philbert


TOP VIEW

SIDE VIEWS

Tailgate Set-up

(improvised version at a recent RSRA event in Grantsburg, WI)
http://www.arboristsite.com/chainsaw/231075-21.htm

Philbert

Philbert's Gen2 Vise

I want to be clear: all things equal, I would prefer to have the TM filing vise. It is well made and reasonably priced.
However, I started having fun with modifying these cheap filing vises for table-top use. . . .

This version simplifies the the 'mod' I did in post #10, above. I started out thinking, 'Why not just bolt it to a 2X4?'.
But then I got artsy and cut a kerf down the middle with the bandsaw (after drilling the holes) . Looks a little more finished.

Anyway, here is the 'unvarnished' result:

Philbert

Don't cut off the spikes. Use a 4x4 with double drilled holes. It can then be used on a stump or in a clamp mounted base. The extra set of holes could also be used for end mounting on almost anything drilled to match.

Another option on your wood mount is to cut the slot mount off center and just let the spikes hang under off the end of that table. No cutting required there. Just drill the mounting holes.

I had an idea to use a two inch receiver hitch mount. The truck is always with me and the saws. One drawback is when hauling the trailer. My front frame makes a nice clamp mount. I tailgate or ground or table file one hand most of the time when needed on site. Found that it makes me a better filer to keep my selected angles correct. Two handed is just so easy now.

Naked Arborist said:

I had an idea to use a two inch receiver hitch mount. The truck is always with me and the saws.

Click to expand...

Grandpatractor has a mount like that. Really popular at midwest GTGs. So popular, in fact, that this photo shows it on someone else's Jeep while he was away in another state!
Holds the saws solid when secured/guyed with a strap. Allows for some vertical/height adjustment, if I recall.



It's just a whole lot bigger and heavier than the vises in this thread. And, as you noted, you need to have an open receiver.

Good to have lots of options.

Philbert

That's nutz, it's huge.

I was talking about something to bolt on in place of the ball with a step up trailer mount insert.

That is a sweet hitch mount. Good real teaching tool.

At MonkeyFest GTG . . .

Philbert