Thread: Saw chain sharpener ( electric )

Originally Posted by charlsie

i've only quickly looked over this thread but noticed that bobl swore the other thing is a good quality grinder i thought had to go both ways to get the proper grind on the cutters.if i could find a machine that was 10 years old and had reverse,i'd swap it with my one direction machine anyday

To make a 240v ac single phase (I am guessing this is what ur machine runs on) a good sparky (rewind shop) should be able to do some jiggery pokery with the start winding and install a forward reverse switch and there u have a for/rev grinder
Might be worth thinking about

Pete

Originally Posted by charlsie

i've only quickly looked over this thread but noticed that bobl swore the other thing is a good quality grinder i thought had to go both ways to get the proper grind on the cutters.if i could find a machine that was 10 years old and had reverse,i'd swap it with my one direction machine anyday

Yeah, the Oregon units are the duck's guts.

Sounds like you are onto something there Pete...? I remember a motor of some kind I played with when I was younger... if you spun the motor one way, then added power it ran that way, once stopped in you spun it the other way and then switched on it spun the other way...?

might be old age but I thought it went like that?

Originally Posted by pjt

To make a 240v ac single phase (I am guessing this is what ur machine runs on) a good sparky (rewind shop) should be able to do some jiggery pokery with the start winding and install a forward reverse switch and there u have a for/rev grinder
Might be worth thinking about

Pete

Nah mine runs on 2 arm power and I still maintain I can file a chain sharper and faster than I can grind one, unless it has hit something really devastating. With a grinder you have to stop and re index the chain every tooth, with a file and a 100 mm vice you can file 2 teeth on the same side before moving it, in my rise i can file a 20 to 25 inch chain and move it only twice for each side of cutters.

The oregon unit can spin both ways. If you don't let it stop before flicking the switch, it will just keep going the same way.

I always run it so that it's cutting toward the edge, which produces a pretty good "feather" on the edge.

Originally Posted by BobL

BTW What's a "man shop bag"?

little bags with power tool names on them

the pic you posted of the oregon sharpener clamping system is a previous model bobl the new ones are more like the AGR machinery one just a little more refined, I can attest to this as my local stihl dealer has the new model in. They want about $800 dollars for it and honestly i do not think it is as good a grinder as what they were selling for 300 dollars 10 years ago with the reversible motor and cam lock setup you showed there. it is bigger more awkward and does not index any better than the old model.

this said however I still prefer to file. I know a few reckon vallorbe files are better than stihl files, but honestly if they are, it is not by much, they both do an acceptable job for me and seem to last about as long as each other. I would consider nicholson a close third to the aforementioned.

Originally Posted by Travis Edwards

the pic you posted of the oregon sharpener clamping system is a previous model bobl the new ones are more like the AGR machinery one just a little more refined, I can attest to this as my local stihl dealer has the new model in. They want about $800 dollars for it and honestly i do not think it is as good a grinder as what they were selling for 300 dollars 10 years ago with the reversible motor and cam lock setup you showed there. it is bigger more awkward and does not index any better than the old model.

I just asked my supplier mate on the Arboristsite and he says the the original 511 Oregon grinders with the cam locked chain and bigger cooler motors are still being made by the container load in Italy. The Chinese knock off of the 511 Oregon grinder is being marketed in the US as a Carlton Grinder. Baileys have even made review comparing the two and as I suspected there are significant differences - whether they are worth the $ difference is up to the buyer.

The Italian made 511s are readily available eg at Madsens (US$319) up to Baileys US$399, 115V of course
see Bailey's - Oregon 511AX Chain Grinder
Also I see they're also for sale in Oz at Chain Filing Tools & Accessories for $645

Similar to, or maybe better than the Oregon, are the Italian made MAXX units (US$375) with the more accurate indexer and guaranteed left and reproducibility. I might look at getting one in Italy next time I go as there it will be a 230V unit.

this said however I still prefer to file. I know a few reckon vallorbe files are better than stihl files, but honestly if they are, it is not by much, they both do an acceptable job for me and seem to last about as long as each other. I would consider nicholson a close third to the aforementioned.

I do agree about the files Last I heard was the Stihl files are made by Vallorbe.

a stihl file wont finish sharpening one of my slabber chains where a vallorbe will sharpen it 3 or 4 times before it gets dull.

Originally Posted by Sigidi

Sounds like you are onto something there Pete...? I remember a motor of some kind I played with when I was younger... if you spun the motor one way, then added power it ran that way, once stopped in you spun it the other way and then switched on it spun the other way...?

might be old age but I thought it went like that?

That's exactly how it would have been, I had one I pulled out of a washing machine (most likely) when I was a mere lad so without it's original washing machine wiring it just sat there and went hhhhmmmmmmmmm (if left too long they will burnout) until u turned it and away it went and u could get it to spin either way, I didn't know how or y at the time but now I know the direction of rotation for a basic single phase motor is dependant on the direction of the rotating field in the start winding at start

Originally Posted by Exador

The oregon unit can spin both ways. If you don't let it stop before flicking the switch, it will just keep going the same way.

I always run it so that it's cutting toward the edge, which produces a pretty good "feather" on the edge.

Once a 1ph motor has attained about 75% of full rpm the start winding is switched off, (it's only purpose is to start the thing spinning), this is via a centrifugal switch (in a start/run wound motor) it's the click u can hear as it runs up to full speed and the same click as it slows down.

Originally Posted by weisyboy

a stihl file wont finish sharpening one of my slabber chains where a vallorbe will sharpen it 3 or 4 times before it gets dull.

You must be buying those chinese Steeeel files . . . . . or maybe try sticking it your foot first?

Originally Posted by Sigidi

Sounds like you are onto something there Pete...? I remember a motor of some kind I played with when I was younger... if you spun the motor one way, then added power it ran that way, once stopped in you spun it the other way and then switched on it spun the other way...?

might be old age but I thought it went like that?

I remember some of the old shearing shed motors running like that .
Was fun to see the blokes shoving the hand-piece into a woolly and coming up with a tangle

got an ebay sharpener some time ago lot of rubbish in the logs . it sharpens the chain same as factory , new . very happy with it for $50 . not a precision machine , but ok if you know what you are doing . will cut to 10 degrees slabbing chain . cheers bob