water cooled chainsaw sharpener

[mango gutierrez]

Years ago I thought it was a good idea to modify my bench top chainsaw sharpener to one that is water cooled. With water running at the point where the chain tooth meets the grinding wheel, there is no chance of the teeth bluing from the heat of friction. This is especially true when the chain needs more than a touch up of the grinding wheel. My set up uses a small inexpensive submersible fountain pump you can buy at Lowe’s or the Home Depot that sits in a Tupperware type of pan of water and pumps this water through a small plastic (aquarium) hose to a (modularhose.com) mounted valve, flexible jointed hose & nozzle to the grinding site. Water volume and nozzle angle are adjustable. The water then returns to the pan. This has worked great for me for many years. I even wired up the pump to go on and off with the grinder.
See my one minute video on youtube.com: "water cooled chainsaw sharpener"

 

[Marine-piper]

Great idea, did you have to do anything with the powered unit to keep it waterproof?
I'm already looking for the pcs to make mine the same.

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[rocketnorton]

stone or diamond wheel?
structions warn bout gettin stones wet.
thought bout it for mine.

 

[mango gutierrez]

Great idea, did you have to do anything with the powered unit to keep it waterproof?
I'm already looking for the pcs to make mine the same.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

The grinding unit is not near water and has never gotten wet.

 

[mango gutierrez]

Great idea, did you have to do anything with the powered unit to keep it waterproof?
I'm already looking for the pcs to make mine the same.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

Power unit is above water works and has never gotten wet.

 

[mango gutierrez]

stone or diamond wheel?
structions warn bout gettin stones wet.
thought bout it for mine.

I believe stone. The water actually just washes over the tooth being ground. The stone gets about as wet as if you were dunking a tool in water that you were sharpening. Even a wet stone I have I don't let sit in water. I've used this set up for about six years with the same stone still fine.

 

[Philbert]

Thanks for sharing this.

Many industrial grinding set up use a water based coolant, but I have some of the same concerns as those mentioned above: water reaching the electrical parts, and degrading the wheel.

I like the splash guard, and use of an inexpensive aquarium or fountain pump, and it has worked out for you - I would still want a water rated grinding wheel, and to be plugged into a GFCI outlet. Maybe you can contact the grinding wheel manufacturers (Oregon, Tecomec, MoleMab, etc.) and find out if these will be OK. The lower parts of the these grinders are usually some type of alloy, but there might be some parts that could rust.

How do you clean your chains afterwards to remove any residual water?

Philbert

 

[Rick Stephens]

I run one of these little inexpensive (~$20) misters on my mill. They will cool a drill bit or an end mill easily and very little water/coolant drips off in use, so little that I don't bother collecting it but just wipe down and let it evaporate. Seems like it would work great on a chain grinder.

 

[pioneer saws]

We use cutting liquid/coolant when sharpening tungstan chains at work

 

[sundance]

I run one of these little inexpensive (~$20) misters on my mill. They will cool a drill bit or an end mill easily and very little water/coolant drips off in use, so little that I don't bother collecting it but just wipe down and let it evaporate. Seems like it would work great on a chain grinder.


View attachment 745718

Source for this mister? Thanks

 

[Rick Stephens]

Source for this mister? Thanks

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071DXGGP4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Justsaws]

There are valid concerns about getting some of the grinding wheels wet depending on the type as not all are created equal.

Not really sure what all types are available anymore, just be careful, if you get one that recommends against using with liquid, wetting or even a damp environment heed the warning. I do not remember if it was the Foley or Bell wheels that warned against using a damp wheel. It was printed on the wheel itself, the only printing on the wheel. You could test it before turning on the grinder by rubbing the wheel between the fingers an thumb, if it smeared it was garbage.

Some will disintegrate or dissolve.

Some use a cardboard “sticker” that is glued on and may separate if it becomes even damp. That sticker provides grip to keep the wheel from slipping and reinforces the mounting area.

 

[mango gutierrez]

Thanks for sharing this.

Many industrial grinding set up use a water based coolant, but I have some of the same concerns as those mentioned above: water reaching the electrical parts, and degrading the wheel.

I like the splash guard, and use of an inexpensive aquarium or fountain pump, and it has worked out for you - I would still want a water rated grinding wheel, and to be plugged into a GFCI outlet. Maybe you can contact the grinding wheel manufacturers (Oregon, Tecomec, MoleMab, etc.) and find out if these will be OK. The lower parts of the these grinders are usually some type of alloy, but there might be some parts that could rust.

How do you clean your chains afterwards to remove any residual water?

Philbert

I just lay chain flat on a rag on the bench and fold rag on top side of chain (chain is sandwiched between rag) and pat dry.

 

[Skeans]

Thanks for sharing this.

Many industrial grinding set up use a water based coolant, but I have some of the same concerns as those mentioned above: water reaching the electrical parts, and degrading the wheel.

I like the splash guard, and use of an inexpensive aquarium or fountain pump, and it has worked out for you - I would still want a water rated grinding wheel, and to be plugged into a GFCI outlet. Maybe you can contact the grinding wheel manufacturers (Oregon, Tecomec, MoleMab, etc.) and find out if these will be OK. The lower parts of the these grinders are usually some type of alloy, but there might be some parts that could rust.

How do you clean your chains afterwards to remove any residual water?

Philbert

Philbert what wheels were used on the Zygmyer I think they were the standard wheels like all the other square grinders correct?


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[Philbert]

I just lay chain flat on a rag on the bench and fold rag on top side of chain (chain is sandwiched between rag) and pat dry.

I would hit them with WD-40 afterwards to help dry out any water that gets between the links, and around the center bearing (enlarged, hardened part of the rivet). I clean chains before sharpening in a water-based degreaser, and usually oven dry them (200°F for 15 mins) to remove any trace moisture. But I hit them with WD-40 afterwards to make sure that there are no 'oil-dry' spots, where it could rust.

Philbert what wheels were used on the Zygmyer I think they were the standard wheels like all the other square grinders correct?

Sorry, don't have that info.

Philbert

 

[Huskybill]

I’m thinking an oil would work better like a cylinder honing oil.? It needs a filter on the suction and return lines. This way you keep the grit off the chain. I don’t care for using water soluble coolant there can be a bacteria problem when it sits idle. We usually add rance rid to the water coolant.

 

[Luke Dogwalker]

Years ago I thought it was a good idea to modify my bench top chainsaw sharpener to one that is water cooled. With water running at the point where the chain tooth meets the grinding wheel, there is no chance of the teeth bluing from the heat of friction. This is especially true when the chain needs more than a touch up of the grinding wheel. My set up uses a small inexpensive submersible fountain pump you can buy at Lowe’s or the Home Depot that sits in a Tupperware type of pan of water and pumps this water through a small plastic (aquarium) hose to a (modularhose.com) mounted valve, flexible jointed hose & nozzle to the grinding site. Water volume and nozzle angle are adjustable. The water then returns to the pan. This has worked great for me for many years. I even wired up the pump to go on and off with the grinder.
See my one minute video on youtube.com: "water cooled chainsaw sharpener"

Would there be anything wrong with just having the water come from a tube connected to a water container located above the sharpener system with it powered by gravity flow?

 

[isaaccarlson]

Would there be anything wrong with just having the water come from a tube connected to a water container located above the sharpener system with it powered by gravity flow?

That's a great idea. I think I'd rather use a thin oil to prevent rust in the chain. Would oil hold chips in the stone? I have had freshly run chains get wet and rust, so water is a soft "no" in my book. Maybe an oil/water mix? I wonder if the mister would work if used with a light oil or oil/water mix?

 

[heimannm]

I have a mister type set up on my chain grinders, it has a magnet in the base so each grinder has a small steel plate attached so I can move it back and forth between the two.

I know it would be 10x more effective if I actually use some water/coolant but I find just having the air jetting on the tooth while I'm sharpening them keeps the heat down. I am using CBN wheels which also helps reduce the heat build up while grinding.



Mark