Uneven Chain Sharpening by Dealer w/pics

[Grace Tree]

When he said chrome plated cutterheads I would have slapped him and made him go to chainsaw jail.
Phil

 

[Jkebxjunke]

I hope youwore hip boots in there cause he was spreading it pretty thick

 

[iowawoodcutter]

Here's a URL:
http://onlinestore.forestindustry.com/scripts/granbergint/subcat?mv_session_id=9vo3akFF&mv_pc=43&area_id=1356&area_name=12%20Volt%20Chainsaw%20Sharpeners

It uses stones the exact diameter of the recommended file size and spins them at about 20,000 RPM. The setup takes a couple of minutes to get the angles and height adjustments on the nose, but it's worth it. Total sharpening time is usually less than ten minutes per chain. You get good at it after a few sharpenings.

One nice feature is that you can use it out in the field on either the truck battery or a jump start power supply. So, I take it with me in the truck toolbox in case I hit the ground with the saw.

For $75 or less, you can't beat it. Payback is 10 sharpenings. Granberg stands behind it. In ten years I have replaced the drive belt once, and that's about all the maintenance it needs. My stones usually last about 15 sharpenings apiece.

One last other nice feature: you leave the chain on the saw while you sharpen.

I was looking on their website and did not see 13/64" stones. That is what the box on my 33RSC 3/8" chain says. Do you buy the stones somewhere else?

 

[SWI Don]

New size for Stihl. I thought they took 3/16 files. I have always used a 7/32 on the odd occasion that I have had to sharpen them (thats what the Oregon takes)

One of our local dealers does the same thing. I cannot say for sure who but 95% chance it was the local Stihl dealer. This chain had one side at ~30% left and the other side was untouched. I have always filed / ground my own. But I have seen the results of professional handywork. There are some good guys out there but my guess it is about a 50/50 chance picking someone out of the blue that you get a good job done.

I know when I grind them I fuss and measure the teeth with a caliper and creep up on second side to get them even. That is usually the main reason for me grinding them - to even them up from that time you found a piece of wire in the tree and had to do some extra time on those 3 teeth.:censored:

I have a MAXX grinder that I bought from a guy that used to hang out on the chainsaw forum. I am happy with it but the Northern one is cheaper.

Don

 

[iowawoodcutter]

New size for Stihl. I thought they took 3/16 files. I have always used a 7/32 on the odd occasion that I have had to sharpen them (thats what the Oregon takes)

One of our local dealers does the same thing. I cannot say for sure who but 95% chance it was the local Stihl dealer. This chain had one side at ~30% left and the other side was untouched. I have always filed / ground my own. But I have seen the results of professional handywork. There are some good guys out there but my guess it is about a 50/50 chance picking someone out of the blue that you get a good job done.

I know when I grind them I fuss and measure the teeth with a caliper and creep up on second side to get them even. That is usually the main reason for me grinding them - to even them up from that time you found a piece of wire in the tree and had to do some extra time on those 3 teeth.:censored:

I have a MAXX grinder that I bought from a guy that used to hang out on the chainsaw forum. I am happy with it but the Northern one is cheaper.

Don

scan of my 33RSC chain box...

Enjoy

 

[SWI Don]

I could just have poor memory

I hope you figure out a better source for getting your chains ground.

Don

 

[iowawoodcutter]

I could just have poor memory

I hope you figure out a better source for getting your chains ground.

Don

I usually do it myself, just did not have time this time....

Iowa

 

[Scootermsp]

I used to hand file my chains, then would pay to have them sharpened every so often. I was paying from $6 to $14 dizzy: ). Then...... reading the great reviews here, i bought this http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200327449_200327449 from Northern Tool and never looked back. You may be thinking..... "a hundred bucks is alot compared to the $14 i just spent", but how many times per year do you pay to have a chain sharpened? You will have this for a long time. Do a search on this site for these..... there are long threads on them. My advice....... buy a Northern chain grinder !!!

I love my Northern (Oregon 511A rip off). For $100 you can't go wrong after doing 3 or four chains I got the hang of it and now have chains that ALL cut like new. I even figured out how to grind my safety chains to cut like regular ones. Go for it, you will not be dissapointed. Just download the instructions from Oregon's web site because the ones that come with it S-CK!

 

[wkpoor]

I had a dealer once grind all the rakers down and didn't sharpen a single cutter tooth. And I didn't even tell him to sharpen the chain at all!!! It was on a saw in for repair. When I went back with a usless chain in hand I got the proverbial thats they way we do them all, they cut better that way. I've sharpened my own for years now and even moved on to square grind. Bought the tools and make up my own chain. I don't use round ground since someone introduced me to square. I still have a roll of .058 Oregon CK. Anyone need a chain?

 

[husky455rancher]

yup thats a sad lookin chain. my dad has a old sharpening machine that does a bunch of different things. he dosent use it anymore so i just use it for my chains. i have maybe 5 or so loops for each saw. when they all get crappy i take em down and do em all at the same time. like most saw after a couple chains its cake. i think next time im gonna have to get into the rakers which i've never done before. but lemme tell you those chains cut so damn good when they come off the machine ill never use a file. plus when you do it yourself you can really only grind off the monimum amount. you know the dealers gonna rip on it hoping to sell you chain

 

[Wet1]

I had a dealer once grind all the rakers down and didn't sharpen a single cutter tooth. And I didn't even tell him to sharpen the chain at all!!! It was on a saw in for repair. When I went back with a usless chain in hand I got the proverbial thats they way we do them all, they cut better that way. I've sharpened my own for years now and even moved on to square grind. Bought the tools and make up my own chain. I don't use round ground since someone introduced me to square. I still have a roll of .058 Oregon CK. Anyone need a chain?

I've heard really good things about square, but I've never tried it... probably for the best as I'm sure it would be costly for me to convert everything.

Oh yeah, if you want to get rid of that 058 I have a home for it.

 

[Wet1]

I even figured out how to grind my safety chains to cut like regular ones.

Same here, one minute with a die grinder does wonders for otherwise useless safety chain!

 

[Wet1]

Sadly, I think I've only been satisfied with a couple of chains that have been sharpened commercial with a grinder. Like the OP, I've found myself $7 lighter and unhappy just about every time I've had one sharpened... excessive tooth removal, blued teeth, burs, poor or no attention to rakers, etc. I've thought about buying a grinder (and I still may at some point), but the piss poor job I've seen from most of the commercial guys has left a bad taste in my mouth. For now I'm content with the speed, cost, and performance I'm getting with a file. I suspect I can probably hand file a chain on the saw just about as fast as I could do it with a grinder when including R&R the chain.

 

[Moss Man]

After reading hundreds of posts on grinders, I believe it to be a sound investment if you do enough chains. I do a couple a day for the firewood processor and the two saws we are using so I think the Northern grinder is in the future for me. I'm not saying I'd use a grinder every time, just to get the chains back in perfect alignment when the hand filing gets off base.

 

[dnf0929]

Through much trial and error using different contraptions I have found I get the best results by just lining up with the angle marks on my Stihl chains and filing freehand. Takes a little longer but I'm pleased with the results and the cost (or lack of).

 

[Wood Doctor]

Through much trial and error using different contraptions I have found I get the best results by just lining up with the angle marks on my Stihl chains and filing freehand. Takes a little longer but I'm pleased with the results and the cost (or lack of).

I have probably sharpened 50 dull chains by filing. It usually works good enough. However, I will also never go back to dealer who ground the chain sharp and swallowed up over half the life of the chain while doing so. ' Nuff said.