Cheap chain saw sharpener

[alleyyooper]

I got one from Harbor Freight for my birthday a bit back from my BIL.

Not wanting to have it permently mounted on my work bench in the way till I move it I made a 2x8 and 2x4 T type affair so I can clamp it in my vice.
I have heard and read all the stuff about how cheap they are but My option is if you are just a home owner who may sharpen a half dozen chains a couple dozen times a year they work great.

I had a chain I must of hit some thing with as it wanted to cut circles no matter how many times I hand filed it. Put it on the sharpener and did the total chain once. Put it on the saw and now cuts straight just like a brand new chain.
Nice unit for just $35.00

Al

 

[Dave6390]

I got one from Harbor Freight for my birthday a bit back from my BIL.

Not wanting to have it permently mounted on my work bench in the way till I move it I made a 2x8 and 2x4 T type affair so I can clamp it in my vice.
I have heard and read all the stuff about how cheap they are but My option is if you are just a home owner who may sharpen a half dozen chains a couple dozen times a year they work great.

I had a chain I must of hit some thing with as it wanted to cut circles no matter how many times I hand filed it. Put it on the sharpener and did the total chain once. Put it on the saw and now cuts straight just like a brand new chain.
Nice unit for just $35.00

Al

Al, I bought the same unit and it was definitely worth the price of a new chain! I've sharpened over 250 chains with it and I'm on my 2nd grinding wheel! Sometimes cheap will work just fine!
Dave


Dave6390 in WI

 

[Patrick62]

"It's a tough job, but someone has gotta do it"

I had one like that to start with. My pathetic ability at the time to hand file, the HF grinder was better.
That was then... A year later I went to the Oregon 511, and never looked back. With a little switch to reverse the motor for the left cutters the 511 will produce some very nice cutters with a gentle hand.

One big advantage of a grinder is to get the angles back to where they aught to be. keep the wheel clean, and if you start heating the cutters it is because the wheel is dirty. Don't overheat the cutters!! That does funny things to the metal...

 

[67L36Driver]

I use an old 'Nick the Grinder' donated by a friend to resurrect the crap chains on the turds that come in my garage. It is not perfect but makes a useful chain out of steel scrap.

 

[cat10ken]

Looking at the picture of that Harbor Freight grinder, isn't the chain put in backwards? I'm sure this is confusing to someone new to grinding.

 

[67L36Driver]

Looking at the picture of that Harbor Freight grinder, isn't the chain put in backwards? I'm sure this is confusing to someone new to grinding.

Yes it dose.

Sales/Marketing is often populated by a bunch of do dos[emoji23]

 

[mga]

I bought one from HF about two years ago. I have sharpened hundreds of chains with it and only replaced the wheel once. I have no complaints about it and was thinking of buying the newer style they have out. it's done a fantastic job on every chain I've used it on.

 

[mga]

Looking at the picture of that Harbor Freight grinder, isn't the chain put in backwards? I'm sure this is confusing to someone new to grinding.

good eye. I went to their web site and checked that out...one of the pictures shows the chain in the correct position for sharpening

 

[melloyello]

I have one I use for a chain that someone has abused or gotten the angles out of whack. But, I prefer to use the Stihl 2 in 1 files for my chains. It keeps them sharp with just a couple of strokes every 2-3 tanks of fuel. Plus I don't have to remove the chain to do it. The 2 in 1 also sets your depth in the same stroke. Something the HF sharpener can't do.

 

[muddstopper]

I bought one of the Northern tool Oregon clone grinders. Quality isnt exactly where it should be, but after a few modifications it works pretty dang good. Cutting my 2018 firewood this week, I had the opportunity to use the husquvarnia file sharpening system, http://www.baileysonline.com/shop.a...143736328105&gclid=CKKn_qXHhsoCFdgLgQod9pYGOw. Now my chains where pretty sharp and just needed a touchup, but after using the file system, I couldnt believe the difference in the cut. Lots better than a new chains and better than the grinder. I am looking for the Sthil model with the two files to try out also. My plans are to sharpen on the grinder when the chain gets rocked or really out of wack, but I want one of those file sharpening systems to keep in the truck.

 

[Wood Doctor]

The Harbor Freight sharpener was improved about three years ago. Earlier models were full of problems that they addressed. The newer ones are far better. A friend gave me one of the older ones, and I modified it in my shop as best as possible. However, it still gave me fits, so I replaced it with an Oregon 511a that I picked up for $60 at an estate sale. That was a bargain indeed.

My only major complaints with the newer HF sharpener is that the slant angle cannot be anything other than 60 degrees and the chain vise cannot be tilted.

 

[Wood Doctor]

I bought one of the Northern tool Oregon clone grinders. Quality isnt exactly where it should be, but after a few modifications it works pretty dang good. Cutting my 2018 firewood this week, I had the opportunity to use the husquvarnia file sharpening system, http://www.baileysonline.com/shop.axd/ProductDetails?item_no=HVA 653 00 00 34&utm_source=googlepla&utm_medium=cse&id=143736328105&gclid=CKKn_qXHhsoCFdgLgQod9pYGOw. Now my chains where pretty sharp and just needed a touchup, but after using the file system, I couldnt believe the difference in the cut. Lots better than a new chains and better than the grinder. I am looking for the Sthil model with the two files to try out also. My plans are to sharpen on the grinder when the chain gets rocked or really out of wack, but I want one of those file sharpening systems to keep in the truck.

I have a feeling that the biggest single reason you noticed a difference was that this file guide also takes down the depth gauge (raker) to the correct height. You would be amazed at how many times this is neglected by the guy sharpening a chain, either by a file or a grinder. Eventually sharp cutters will even throw powder because the rakers won't let the cutters bite.

 

[muddstopper]

The Oregon clone I bought is just like the 511a. I had one of the old fixed angle grinders, and it did alright. The problem I had with the clone is the chain rail doesnt hold the chain properly, it looks sort of bent on one end, not to mention being a little flimsy.. I also think the little bushins between the rails is a little long to allow the rails to grip the chain tight. I took a couple of washers and drill them out to fit over the bushings and that helped a lot. Also the angle scale isnt right. The grinder actually has two different scales for setting the 55* angle, one in front and one on the back side. They dont line up. I took a new chain and used it as a guide for setting the proper angle, the back scale was actually pretty close, the front one was off almost 10*. I also had problems with the chin stop, while it is adjustable side to side, it wont stay adjusted. the little adjustment knob would vibrate loose letting the stop slide to one side. Since the stop has a taper on it, if it gets off center the chain starts sliding on the taper, this just messes up trying to get every tooth the same length. I solved this problem with using a nylon lock nut, I centered the stop up in the center of the chain so that now it stops each tooth on either side at the same spot. Most everything wrong with it was minor, but it didnt even come with any instructions in the box for assembly or to tell you how to set it up. Considering it was on sale for $100 and I had a $20 off coupon, and it was to far to take it back, I guess its not to bad of a bargain.

I have a feeling that the biggest single reason you noticed a difference was that this file guide also takes down the depth gauge (raker) to the correct height. You would be amazed at how many times this is neglected by the guy sharpening a chain, either by a file or a grinder. Eventually sharp cutters will even throw powder because the rakers won't let the cutters bite.

the chain on the saw was a new chain that had never been sharpened. And yes you could see where the file system did polish up the rakers and no two seemed the same either. I had noticed that on new chains before when first putting them on a grinder, seems every tooth is s different length when they are new even

 

[Wood Doctor]

The Oregon clone I bought is just like the 511a. I had one of the old fixed angle grinders, and it did alright. The problem I had with the clone is the chain rail doesnt hold the chain properly, it looks sort of bent on one end, not to mention being a little flimsy.. I also think the little bushins between the rails is a little long to allow the rails to grip the chain tight. I took a couple of washers and drill them out to fit over the bushings and that helped a lot. Also the angle scale isnt right. The grinder actually has two different scales for setting the 55* angle, one in front and one on the back side. They dont line up. I took a new chain and used it as a guide for setting the proper angle, the back scale was actually pretty close, the front one was off almost 10*. I also had problems with the chin stop, while it is adjustable side to side, it wont stay adjusted. the little adjustment knob would vibrate loose letting the stop slide to one side. Since the stop has a taper on it, if it gets off center the chain starts sliding on the taper, this just messes up trying to get every tooth the same length. I solved this problem with using a nylon lock nut, I centered the stop up in the center of the chain so that now it stops each tooth on either side at the same spot. Most everything wrong with it was minor, but it didnt even come with any instructions in the box for assembly or to tell you how to set it up. Considering it was on sale for $100 and I had a $20 off coupon, and it was to far to take it back, I guess its not to bad of a bargain.
the chain on the saw was a new chain that had never been sharpened. And yes you could see where the file system did polish up the rakers and no two seemed the same either. I had noticed that on new chains before when first putting them on a grinder, seems every tooth is s different length when they are new even

Sounds like a small disaster. I bought an Oregon 511a clone for $120 delivered that I intended to use outside and at the job site using an AC/DC inverter. Believe me, it works better and was easier to fine tune than whatever muddstopper bought. You win some and you lose some. Sometimes I hate horror stories like his, but they happen.

I think the Chinese are asking buyers of their products with some engineering or mechanical background and a home workshop to help them out. If such buyers can fix whatever they sell to us so that it resembles a much higher-priced alternative, that might be a solution. $100 today is a lot less than the $500 that Oregon sold the 500a sharpener for 10 years ago.

 

[Philbert]

Link to some related comments:

http://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/hf-chain-grinder-thread.268303/

Philbert

 

[muddstopper]

Philbert, thanks for those links. After reading thru them I think even the 511a has some of the same problems I found with my clone. Some of the prescribed fixes where pretty similar to the things I had to do as well. Wish I had of read about them instead of having to figure it out myself. It would have been helpful if I had gotten some factory instructions when I bought mine, and I should have looked for and downloaded the manual for the 511a, but I didnt. I think the best advise I can give someone that buys one of these grinders is buy a new chain for the first setup. Adjust the grinder to fit the new chain and mark the settings on the angle charts on the grinder. My degree indicators where way off and a new chain showed me this pretty quickly. Another piece of advise I should share is to read the back of the box the new chain come in. It gives the proper angles needed for proper sharpening. Not all chains are designed to use the same angles for proper sharpness.

 

[Wood Doctor]

Philbert, thanks for those links. After reading thru them I think even the 511a has some of the same problems I found with my clone. Some of the prescribed fixes where pretty similar to the things I had to do as well. Wish I had of read about them instead of having to figure it out myself. It would have been helpful if I had gotten some factory instructions when I bought mine, and I should have looked for and downloaded the manual for the 511a, but I didnt. I think the best advise I can give someone that buys one of these grinders is buy a new chain for the first setup. Adjust the grinder to fit the new chain and mark the settings on the angle charts on the grinder. My degree indicators where way off and a new chain showed me this pretty quickly. Another piece of advise I should share is to read the back of the box the new chain come in. It gives the proper angles needed for proper sharpening. Not all chains are designed to use the same angles for proper sharpness.

http://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/hf-chain-grinder-thread.268303/

Note my post on about page 10 of Philbert's thread on the Laser Grinder, the Oregon 511a clone. It may be the same one that you bought. I've set it aside for awhile but intend to keep it for onsite or traveling work. It took some engineering to get it in tune, but now it's up and running. Now and then I get some running vibration. A rubber pad on the back side wedged into the pivoting frame solved that. At least you can tilt the vise on this machine and the motor and bearings are excellent.

 

[hayboy]

The 3 saws I use all get dif size files, 7/32, 5/16. and the .325 size skips my mind, what little I have left. How does one wheel work with these or do you have dress it to fit?

 

[muddstopper]

this is the grinder I bought, http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200624012_200624012

 

[Wood Doctor]

The 3 saws I use all get dif size files, 7/32, 5/16. and the .325 size skips my mind, what little I have left. How does one wheel work with these or do you have dress it to fit?

I think you mean 3/16 rather than 5/16. You need two wheels: 3/16" and 1/8" thickness. The old HF grinder only came with one (1/8") and changing wheels was a bear at that.