Installing the Oregon 511A

[Wood Doctor]

My friend’s Dad used to sharpen all of his chains but his health was failing at age 84 and he asked me to take over using the Oregon 511A that his Dad had bought several years ago. I agreed and he unbolted the machine from his workbench and gave it to me last week along with the three grinding disks and a cleaning brick.

I decided to mount the machine on a portable hardwood assembly so that we could use it in both of our shops. First, I checked the instructions. Oregon says “Mount machine at chest height for best visibility and ease of operation.” I imagine 95% of all of these machines are never mounted that high unless wall mounted, so I decided to compromise with the chains resting at about 46” above the floor and secured inside my bench vise jaws.

The basic design is simply a vertical mounting plate and a cantilever shelf supported on each side. Using oak throughout, I used a 7-1/2” x 15” vertical plate, 3/4” thick, and then switched to 1” thick stock for the shelf and supports.

I plowed out a shallow dado groove into the plate to position the shelf and rabbet cut the side supports to hold the shelf dead flat and rock solid. The outer edge of the shelf stops just short of the tabs under the machine and is square to the vertical plate.

Before assembly, I drilled holes to accept four 5/16” bolts for securing the 511A to the assembly rather than use the two lag screws that came with the unit. I tapped threads into the shelf and counter-bored 1/8”deep recessed holes in the back of the mounting plate for carriage bolt heads. The recessed holes would allow the plate to be wall mounted flush, so I also pre-drilled a pair of mounting holes screws, centered on the plate and about a foot apart. Two coats of varnish completed the woodwork.

To mount the 511A to the assembly, I set the horizontal carriage bolts first using a washer and a nut with each, thus producing studs. I then secured the 511A to the studs with two more nuts and washers.

Finally, I dropped in the vertical bolts into the threaded holes to complete the assembly. Using four fasteners may have been overkill, but it sure seemed to firm it all up.

Now I’m ready to sharpen some chains with this gizmo.

If any of you have any tips for a novice using this machine, I still have a good ear. Thanks for looking.

 

[pioneerguy600]

Real nice mounting idea, can be switched to any bench vise so that is real versatile setup. Clamp a chain in it and give it a whirl, it will all come easy if you already understand how a chain is sharpened. I only hand file my chains, I tried the grinding route but the results never suited my requirements for a sharp chain, others swear you can`t tell the difference. I will state that I can!
Pioneerguy600

 

[blsnelling]

Very nice mount! However, I think you'll find it a lot easier to use with it up closer to eye level.

 

[nmurph]

Very nice mount! However, I think you'll find it a lot easier to use with it up closer to eye level.

:agree2: x's 2

i actually have mine mounted on a stool (it came that way. home fabbed stool) and sit on another stool to sharpen. it is at eye level.

 

[Wood Doctor]

Very nice mount! However, I think you'll find it a lot easier to use with it up closer to eye level.

Thanks, Brad and I also agree. I made a shop stool that I can sit on while using it that will place it just below eye level. The stool is taller than most shop stools because I am 6-2, but it should work OK.

I thought best not to make the vertical mounting plate any taller. However, it could easily have been up at least another 6" with practically no bending, especially if I had made it out of 1" thick oak, similar to the shelf.

 

[mtngun]

If any of you have any tips for a novice using this machine, I still have a good ear.

Your mount was nicely done.

As for grinding tips, grinding is a skill, just like filing. I've been grinding for about 4 years and I'm still learning and still getting better.

The number one "secret" to grinding is to use a light touch. Unless the chain was rocked out, the wheel should only lightly graze the cutter.

 

[alderman]

Excellent job. I went cheap, mounted mine on a piece of plywood and clamp it on to a Black & Decker Workmate when I want to do some sharpening.

Some day I want to have a garage with enough room to mount it permanently.

The best thing about having your own grinder is you can practice and experiment all you want.

 

[Wood Doctor]

Terrific Tool!

Well, I have finished off 10 chains in 5 hours, and this tool is the greatest machine I have added to my shop since I bought the DeWalt thickness planer. I am very impressed with how quiet it is and how smoothly it operates. I oiled all the pivot points and the big spring when it started to squeak a little. That took care of that.

I've also been very careful to check the depth gauge settings for chip removal. I have noticed that chains previously sharpened elsewhere either had nothing removed from the depth gauge (causing powder) or way too much removed (causing rough running). I notified the chain's owner in either case. It appears that a light touch several times is the secret so that the tooth does not overheat.

I usually clean the chains with a solvent before I start sharpening them. I chucked a wire cup brush in my drill press and burnished off all the pitch build-up as well. So, the chains almost looks "out of the box". Whenever the chain is on its last leg, I estimate the total number of sharpenings left (usually when less than three) and tell the owner in a note.

About the only criticism I have of this machine is the requirement to change wheels to sharpen the depth gauge. That's a bit time consuming. I might buy an "el cheapo" grinder from Harbor Freight and use it to do that and nothing else. Then I found an abbreviated set of instructions that says "12 - Rotate the grinding wheel so that the grinding burr is turned toward the outside of the cutters." That's impossible since no motor reversal is possible. I would also advise against doing that anyway because the sparks would fly back toward the operator. I believe that instruction should never have been offered because that small burr will disappear in a jiffy.

Conclusion: The Oregon 511A is a fine piece of equipment and worth every penny of the purchase price and all the time that I took to make the heavy duty vise mount for it as shown in post #1.