Chain Sharpeners

[Striker]

I need some advise. I realise this has probably been answered ten times already. I'm getting tired of the hack jobs that the local chain sharpeners do on our chains. When a clapped out old husky 50 with a new chain will out saw an 066 with a freshly sharpened chain there has to be a problem. I want to get a sharpener to do our own chains and eventually do chains for others. My question is this: What is going to be my best value in a chain sharpener? Our chains get sharpened alot. The knuckle heads cutting firewood tend to use the saws for trenching. And yes i have caught various objects with the chain that does them in. Any help and advise would be much appreciated.
Jeff

 

[spreaderman]

how much money do you want to spend

if you are going to do alot of sharpening I would go will the electric sharpeners, Madsens1.com has a good supply, In the feild use I would recommend using the Stihl clamp on Sharpener they run about thirty dollars, the electric run into the hundreds. Be careful starting out using one though it is very eazy to burn teeth. ( you might start out with an old chain til you get the hang of it)

 

[Striker]

Burnt teeth is one of the problems we have been having.hopefully i can learn to advoid that.

 

[treeclimber165]

If you are getting burnt teeth every time you sharpen, it is probably because you chew the chain teeth down until there is nothing left resembling an edge before sharpening. Then the person sharpening has to take off 1/4" just to get back to something that can be sharpened. All that grinding creates massive amounts of heat.

Sharpen more often so you take off less metal. I'd hate to see your saws being run through the wringer trying to cut with dull chains. Just the thought is painful for me.

 

[rahtreelimbs]

Try Jeff Sikkema, he has a few different sharpeners available.


http://www.snssawshop.com/

 

[Fish]

Grinding wheels need to be touched up with a dressing brick
when they start burning cutters.
I like my efco grinder with the reversible motor, and tilt
vise{for chisel chain}.

 

[Striker]

Yes T.C. that is part of the problem. But, I have a hard time getting throught to people that Sthil doesn't build a trencher. With a sharp chain, I can do a lot of sawing before I need to tickle the chain. We do a lot of lot clearing and have to deal with muddy and dirty wood.

 

[Striker]

It is just plain painful to try to saw with dull chains.

 

[tony marks]

striker ,u are dealin with what ive been dealin w for several yrs. so ive been trying to get good at sharpening.
man get ready to for a learning process.
im to the point of applying common sense to the knowledge ive gained here and thru experimenting. in other wds
finding what really wks for me to make a chain really drop thru the wood. im gettin better but think ive got a ways to go,to get what i really want.
good luck bud

 

[Striker]

thanks Tony. I figger I have a lot of learning to do. Got lots of chain to learn on.

 

[treeclimber165]

I know nothing about bench chain grinders, others here can give you better info than I. But I would suggest one of those $35 hand held dremel tool- type 12v grinders you can clip to your truck battery and use in the field. I used one many years ago when I still didn't know how to use a hand file and it helped me a lot. It filled the gap between paying to have my chains filed and learning to properly use a hand file.