Introducing the Chainmeister

[pavement99]

View attachment 294476
Purpose: To make the exercise of hand sharpening a chain much less of an exercise.
The ChainMeister Allows you to mount and tension a chain on any length bar, without the chainsaw.
View attachment 294477
- Made in the USA
- Built to last a lifetime
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- Intuitive and easy-to-use
- Tool-less operation
- For use in the shop, or in the field
- A time saver, and a money saver.
- Zinc-plated ChainMeister $108
- 100% Stainless Steel $137
Available now at TreeStuff.com
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[pavement99]

The best way I can think to introduce you to this product is to let the product do the talking through the experience of some current users.

I have asked 5 or 6 active ChainMeister owners to offer up their report to the public, right here.

The first presenter is Josh Loewen, certified Arborist, owner of Greentree Arbor Care, out of Indianapolis, Indiana.

I have chosen Josh to go first because he was the very first ChainMeister purchaser in the United States. Josh came into our store, saw the device on display and could instantly see the advantages.

Please be patient with our presenters as I have asked them to include numerous pictures and video when possible. This takes time. They will be sharing with you their first-hand experiences using the ChainMeister; the good, the bad, the everything.

Take it away, Mr Loewen!

View attachment 294476
Purpose: To make the exercise of hand sharpening a chain much less of an exercise.
The ChainMeister Allows you to mount and tension a chain on any length bar, without the chainsaw.
View attachment 294477
- Made in the USA
- Built to last a lifetime
View attachment 294479
- Intuitive and easy-to-use
- Tool-less operation
- For use in the shop, or in the field
- A time saver, and a money saver.
- Zinc-plated ChainMeister $108
- 100% Stainless Steel $137
Available now at TreeStuff.com
View attachment 294481

 

[roberte]

it seems interesting enough. I would test drive it first before I decide on weather its $108.00 interesting.

 

[KenJax Tree]

Seems to work well but for $108 i will just sharpen chains still on the power head.

 

[paccity]

an idea , but i just pac fresh loops. pac a file but don't hardly use it.

 

[madhatte]

I see exactly how it works, and approve of the simplicity and robustness of the design. What I don't see is how this is better than just leaving the chain on the saw to sharpen it. A stump vise costs ten bucks.

 

[roberte]

I am assuming (insert joke here) that maybe I have gone thru x # of chains today and I have one on the saw but I don't feel like sharpening and taking it apart and doing that drill, so I can put the other/rest of my dull chains on this device.?

 

[mdavlee]

It would be nice for me sharpening chains for racing. It may be worth the $108 depending on how much your time is worth.

 

[Philbert]

It looks like a well made, and like a well thought out product. I like the clean lines and the large knobs for leverage. It is not for the guy who runs one chain on his saw until it is dead, then thinks about buying another chain.

I prefer to take a few chains per saw, swap them out in the field, then sharpen them back home / at the shop, etc. So mounting, then dismounting each chain on and off the saw is a royal pain in the scrench. Plus, if you have multiple saws, you have to bring each one into the basement, shop, wherever with all of the gas, leaking oil, etc. I also sharpen chains for others, and might not have their saw present. Bottom line, if you do a number of chains, it is nice to have an off-the-saw way to sharpen.

This is not a big deal when I use my grinder - I have to remove the chains anyway. If I file, I like to use the Granberg type file guides mounted on scrap bars that are held in a machinist's vise. The Granberg guide has a dog that positions and holds each cutter steady while filing. I have scrap .050 and .063 bars I use for this (anyone want to donate a .058?). As long as the bar groove is the right gauge, I don't need a different scrap bar for each loop length.

I could see where the Chainmeister would be an attractive device for many hand filers. But I don't know that it offers an advantage over a decent filing vise ( examples: http://www.arboristsite.com/chainsaw/120500.htm ). It also appears that you need to use a bar that is somewhat close in length to the loop that is being filed in order to pull the tension, so if you have several sizes of saws, you will either have to pull those bars to sharpen the chains, or have a variety of spare bars available to use.

Again, looks like a well designed product that could be the cat's meow for some hand filers. It's nice to have a selection of devices to choose from.

Philbert

 

[redprospector]

It would be nice for me sharpening chains for racing. It may be worth the $108 depending on how much your time is worth.

You may be right, but I think I like mine better.



Andy

 

[GTArborcare]

Chainmeister review

It would be nice for me sharpening chains for racing. It may be worth the $108 depending on how much your time is worth.

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I have been using the Chainmeister for several weeks. I picked it up from treestuff.com and it has been a huge time saver for me. I do not sharpen in the field, I keep multiple chains for each saw on the truck. My time in the field is too valuable to be sharpening. I always seem to have 25 chains siting on my work bench. I have used a grinder in the past but I really prefer hand filed chains.

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With the Chainmeister, I can file in the shop, not have to fool with the power head. With the simple tensioner I get consistent results, quickly. It is way more user friendly than the vise I have been using. It is not the cheapest tool, but when it comes to tools that make me money I am looking for quality and efficiency. It has been a huge time saver for me. Nothing beats a well hand filed chain.

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[nelson727]

This is one where I have to admit I was wrong. When I first saw a picture of the Chainmeister I thought it was a good looking tool but, why would I want one? I sharpen all my chains on the saws. I do whatever it takes to keep from rocking a saw and I keep tree saw usage different from ground saw usage. If I can’t get it sharp in three to five strokes I have a new chain for each saw in my toolbox.

Well, that’s my intention anyway, in practice things happen. Over the next day or two I thought about the boxes of partially used chains I have built up and given away over the years. I have a box full of new chains, I never mount a dull chain back on a saw and give it a chance of screwing up the next days work.

So the next order from TreeStuff I asked Luke to put one in. Now I find I’m reaching into that box of used chain and loading the CM with another loop and leaving it sitting there until I have a few minutes to kill while my wife gets ready to go etc.. Wish I would have had this all along.

 

[nelson727]

So here is what I have on hand at this time, about 30 dull chains 12 to 42 inch.

View attachment 295164
And after having put a few sharpened chains in my saw boxes, here is the first visible 'proof' of improvement to me-a new bag started for "sharp" chains.
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[nelson727]

Ha! That was my first ever picture posted.

GTArborcare, welcome to ArboristSite by the way, it is refreshing to hear some of your thoughts. My workdays are long and intense so if my saw chain is a little off my only question is can I sharpen it quick or am I putting on a new chain? What’s going to get me back to what pays? And when I first started my own tree service I bought one of the nicest Silvey chain grinders you could get. Soon after it was for sale. Between not being happy with the results of a grinder sharpened chain and having to plan to “pull” a chain to sharpen it the grinder just wasn’t for me.

In spite of my best intentions to use a chain up on the saw it’s intended for I would inevitably end up taking some off at some points because they hit a nail or nicked a rock etc.. “That’s ok, I’m making money now, I’ll get to that latter.” Latter would never come and when I got tired of looking at the box filling up over the years I would give it to one of my firewood cutting friends who values his time at less $ than I do.

So after facing that I have been lying to myself all these years about how efficiently I use saw chain up I was clear I wanted the Chainmeister. I like filing when I have a little time to kill. For me the CM rounds out how to make that all workable.

 

[nelson727]

My next problem was that this is what my bench has been looking like, with the same down around my feet.

View attachment 295308

And so these new flush mount vises make for a lot more comfortable positioning of the Chainmeister to file.

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And more versatile too. This 3/4 plywood plank is set up to mount all my bars from 12 inches to 64 inches.

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[imagineero]

So if you're not taking the bar off your powerheard you also need to have a spare bar for every size of chain you've got, and swap the do hickey over to the appropriate bar for each chain?

 

[GTArborcare]

So if you're not taking the bar off your powerheard you also need to have a spare bar for every size of chain you've got, and swap the do hickey over to the appropriate bar for each chain?

I just use an old worn bar that I have retired. There always seems to be an adequate supply laying around the shop.

 

[nelson727]

Yeah it takes a bar the correct lenghth for chain. In addition to the fact I have no shortage of old run out bars (I keep the worn ones for when I have to do a job in water/sand or put at risk in some other way) I also have new bars waiting as replacements.

My big saws have a couple different length bars too. So if I do a felling cut with a 60 inch bar and am done with big cuts on that job I pull that bar and chain and put on a 42 in. bar to do bucking and blocking if need be. So I'm excited that now I will be able to touch up my 60 in. chain back at home in down time and have it razer sharp for the next job.

There are some YouTube vids for the Chainmeister that show how quick you can put it on and off. Funny enough I don't need it to be that quick but, it wasn't until I saw those videos and went to work the next day that my mind said, "Oh thats an answer to...."

Last night when I was setting up a plank for the vise and different length bars I deal with I had the CM on three diff. bars and sharpened four chains in just a short time. I like that.

 

[Philbert]

And so these new flush mount vises make for a lot more comfortable positioning of the Chainmeister ...

Are those vices part of the Chainmeister product line?

Thanks.

Philbert

 

[nelson727]

Are those vices part of the Chainmeister product line?

Thanks.

Philbert

Yes I believe they are a part of that product line (from TreeStuff). After I got the Chainmeister I figured out that my vise is too high and was far too messy for enjoyable filing. So as soon as I saw those vices up on the TreeStuff website I ordered a set. They are really well made like the CM and stout.

Had fun setting up a dedicated 'plank' that will fit all of my bars well, and bonus - I cleaned my bench.

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Here is a picture of an easier way to load and unload the Chainmeister off of bars (especially long ones). Hang the bar and chain over the end of the bench and it makes it easy to just slip the CM up into place.

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