Timberline Chainsaw Sharpeners???

[benp]

I really like mine ALOT....

But I am having one issue....Wear on the stop....

Anyone else have this? I mentioned it before in one of my posts.

I will send the picture to Timberline and see what they say.

The chunks are bilateral because of me swapping the stop to both sides.

I plan on getting the 13/64 cutter due to the one thread of 13/64 sharpened chain cuts a little better than 7/32. For curiosity's sake.

 

[Sawin]

My pawl is also chewed up. But it still works fine. I was going to grind off some on the pawl, and mentioned this to Rootstock. He sent me another one to play with.:msp_biggrin:

It never did pan out for me, and opens up utter problems.

I just use it and and if I hit it with the carbide, no biggie. I don't foresee the pawl being eaten away enough to warrant replacement...yet(?).

 

[Eric106]

The carbide bit are a off the shelf item, no big deal..

Do you know of another source for the cutters?

They seem very specific to this application.

-Eric

 

[StihlNAlberta]

Timberline

I emailed them to ask about degrees but no reply. They offer an additional piece that can file at 25 and 35 deg. Are these set up for only 30 deg. Without the additional part? Looks like a handy tool but the extras add up. Thx.

 

[user 64030]

I emailed them to ask about degrees but no reply. They offer an additional piece that can file at 25 and 35 deg. Are these set up for only 30 deg. Without the additional part? Looks like a handy tool but the extras add up. Thx.

Yes, out of the box they only do 30 degrees. To get 25 or 35 you must order those specific bushings. They swap easy enough, but you have to buy them separately.


dw

 

[snoozeys]

I like the look of them but I can't justify the price

 

[Natty Bumppo]

I've been using one for over a year now and hae been happy with it. Most of the time I can get a chain sharper with the Timberline than I can hand filing. Once in a while my Timberline mojo leaves me and I can tell when I'm sharpening that the pieces are not falling into place.

The cutters come at the teeth straight on. Some chains, maybe full chisel especially, I thought recommended tilting the file down 5-10 degrees when sharpening. The Timberline jig won't do this. Still, it seems to do a good job with its design.

 

[snoozeys]

If I can find one cheap enough I would get one

 

[MGoBlue]

Be very careful with how much bite you take.

 

[snoozeys]

Ewww that doesn't look good

 

[MGoBlue]

Take very light passes. If you rock a chain, don't use the Timberline. Pretty sure that is what started the issue with that cutter. Then I kept using it as long as I could because they aren't cheap.

 

[fields_mj]

Question, do you need and entirely different devise for different chain sizes, or just different cutters?

FWIW - My dad has a similar device that he bought back in the '70s. He loved using it until he could no longer find the carbide cutters. I drew up one of his worn cutters in Autocad (2D) and contacted a few shops that make carbide burs. They were willing to make some for him, but they needed to make a few dozen to make the cost reasonable. We never pulled the trigger on it. If Timberline does go under, we can collectively pool up an order for some and have one of these shops make them for us for a pretty reasonable cost. I'm going to contact them and see if thier burrs will fit dad's old unit. If so, I'm certainly going to order one for myself, along with a few cutters for him.

 

[nixon]

Question, do you need and entirely different devise for different chain sizes, or just different cutters?.

You can get different cutters . They come in 5/32 ,3/16 ,13/64 ,and 7/32 if memory serves . They are about $20 each .

 

[WS6Man]

I have had mine almost a year and my only problem is I am somehow not getting the sharpener set up correctly on new chains. After the I sharpen the first 3-4 times, I notice that the hook is less pronounced because the bit was not low enough in the gullet. I have solved this by using my hand file the first two times and Going to the timberline after with great results. I recently went back and read the instructions and they do address this issue but I have yet to use another new chain since. It points out some new chains have a pronounced burr at the base of the gullet that may cause the bit from being positioned correctly.

Any one have this issue and if so do you have any tips I can try on my next chain?

 

[Full Chisel]

I use a Granberg File'n'Joint and can't see where spending another $100 on a Timberline would be beneficial. The Granberg sharpens very well and being able to adjust the side and top plate angle is an advantage. Plus, files are cheap and readily available.

It's a bit clanky at first but once you get the hang of it you end up with very consistent and sharp cutters. Not bad for $35...

 

[heyduke]

i've had my timberline for more than two years and i really like it. it makes a sharper chain the either a file or a grinder. i haven't used the grandburg but i have used the oregon version of the same filing jig and it can't come close the the timberline. i use an oregon 510 for friend's chains and a tractor supply clone for depth guages. i also use the 510 for repairing damaged chain, which isn't fun with the timberline, but for my fleet of 3/8" and low-pro equipped saws (don't ask me how many, i'm worse than imelda and her shoes) i use the timberline. i don't miss the lack of the legendary 10 deg. it doesn't seem to matter. not only are the cutters sharper but the edge lasts longer, maybe because they are much smoother or perhaps due to the the metal staying cool. it's also nice to have something better than a file to use in the field on the tailgate.

there are some downsides. when the top plate gets too short the burr hits the chain stop as noted in previous posts. and it's a good idea to lower the gullets with a file or grinder occasionally. the 5/32" burrs are delicate and easy to break while sharpening. take light cuts! don't ask me how i know. you can tell when you're done by the way the chips accumulate on the edge of the top plate.

over the more than two years i've had it i've worn out one 7/32" burr and broken one 5/32" burr. i usually sharpen my chains after a day's work. so they've had a lot of use. burrs will last a lot longer if you refrain from using them on a damaged or poorly sharpened chain, and, voice of experience, almost any chain that has been filed falls into that category. if you can, use a grinder to true things up, then use the timberline. otherwise just take multiple light cuts until things true up. one more thing, it works great on .404.

timberline's customer service earns a 10.

 

[michael j]

I got one to true up my chains. I chuck the bit in my cordless drill and set it on the lowest speed.

 

[fields_mj]

I typically hand file with the stanard cheap Stihl file gauge set up that mounts to the file, and I do it every time I fill up the tank. So long as I haven't messed up and stuck it in the dirt, it normally only takes a stroke or two on each cutter, and it doesn't take me any longer to do that than it would to swap out chains. Having said that, I also have my bench vise set up so that it will quickly bolt to my tailgate, and that makes all the difference in the world when it comes to hand filing. I've also got the Oregon clone of the Granberg. I started out with it, and it's okay but I just found it to be too clunky and cumbersome to take with me in the woods. Works well for trueing up a chain every once in a while, but I've gotten to where I just never use it. I mainly run .325 chain, and this process has worked well for me on them. However, my big saw runs 404 chain, and I do have problems with it. More steel to take off, so the Timberline looks very appealing for that one.

As I previously mentioned, dad has one of these units that he bought back in the late 70's or early 80's. It looks very similar to the Timberline. It's quick, does a great job, keeps the cutters very consistant, and the bar doesn't have to be nearly as secure as when hand filing. Still good to have it in a stump vise or something, but the unit is a lot more forgiving than when hand fileing. The learning curve is also a lot better.... I think I'm going to have to get one.

 

[fields_mj]

The one my dad bought back in the late 70's was called an Arnold Chain Saw Sharpener and was made by Juncker Products.




Looks like it uses the same cutters. Dad liked it for the same reasons everyone else has mentioned. Easy to use, no heat in the cutter, extremely sharp, and every cutter is exactly the same.

 

[SteveSS]

On Timberline's site they have two different cutter sizes for 3/8 chain, depending on if you're running stihl chain or another brand. The cutter sizes are 1/64 different. Does 1/64 bigger or smaller really make a difference? It could save a guy $20 if he could get away with just buying one of the two. Thoughts?