Thread: Chainsaw sharpening

Originally Posted by Barry_White

I recently bought a new chain and didn't take much notice of it until I came to sharpen it after cutting up a dirty log. When I went to put the jig on it with the top plate angle set at 35 degrees I realised that the top plate angle on the chain was set at 20 degrees.

Barry are you sure that it's 20 degrees, by memory if it's oregon you will find it's 25 degrees. Don't lose too much sleep over it, the more aggressive the angle (35 degrees)the more edge meeting the wood at once and the better the chip, more aggressive tho and more prone to kickback at low revs. The less angle (25 degrees) the better they "slice" and less kickback. This is why 'ripping chains run at a much lower angle because they don't chip the wood but almost whittle it (for want of a better explanation). Don't forget that ripping vs crosscutting is accross the grain vs with the grain.
Both chains will run well and the average casual user will not notice the difference. Professional users will argue that they find X degrees work best for them. They generally sharpen by hand without a guide and set the chan up to suit their circumstances/preferencecs. Basically manufacturers have subtle differences to be able say (IMHO) that theirs is a superior product, if they all copied one, then it's the same as saying manufacturer X got it right.

Bob K

FWIW I'm waiting on a replacement chainsaw and have been trawling the web for material on sharpening and maintenance.

I expect the old hands know this but it's said that a round file is only good for 4-6 sharpenings. The outside of the cutters are supposed to be chrome which is hard on the files.

And wandering it appears can also be caused by a worn bar.

For relative newbies like me the following might be useful:

tp://www.sawmillchainsaws.com/sawchains.htm
http://www.chainsawspecialists.co.uk/chain_sharpening.htm
http://www.motherearthnews.com/DIY/2002-10-01/Keeping-Your-Chainsaw-Sharp.aspx
http://www.oregonchain.com/tips.htm
http://loghomelinks.com/articles/chainsaw-tips.htm
http://chainsawguide.co.uk/index.htm

Originally Posted by rsser

I expect the old hands know this but it's said that a round file is only good for 4-6 sharpenings. The outside of the cutters are supposed to be chrome which is hard on the files.

That's why Stihl (for one) sell them in packets of 3, although I would say 4-6 sharpenings is a little on the pessimistic side.

I generally get one fire wood season out of mine, but if I do a lot of cutting in the forest (and hit the dirt) I go through them a bit quicker.

That is also the reason I rotate my 4 chains and when I come home I sharpen the ones I used for next trip.

Thanks for the links BTW Ern

Pleasure Fred.

btw, anyone know where I can source a manual clamp-on guide?

Tried two local CS places; they had nothing between a file fitted with a right angle plate and a megabucks electric machine.

Originally Posted by rsser

btw, anyone know where I can source a manual clamp-on guide?

Tried two local CS places; they had nothing between a file fitted with a right angle plate and a megabucks electric machine.

I use the Stihl guide that clamps on the file, I find it is all I need to keep on track. Stihl sell a kit (got mine thrown in with the CS) that has a file, the guide that clamps on the round file, a height gauge (Bazza showed a picture earlier in the thread) and a flat file.

My SIL has a clamp on the bar type arrangement, but I don't think it is needed.

Hmm .. I've been using the same simple setup on the electric chainsaw and not getting brilliant results ... may need higher magnification glasses

Originally Posted by rsser

I expect the old hands know this but it's said that a round file is only good for 4-6 sharpenings.

I believe that when a file will not cut you will know. The current file I am using has been in the sharpener for two years and is still cutting ok. I have also had files that have only lasted a half a dozen times. They vary in the time they will last. I buy my files from a local Rural supplies store who specialize in chainsaws and equipment and only use Oregon branded files.

Originally Posted by rsser

Pleasure Fred.

btw, anyone know where I can source a manual clamp-on guide?

Tried two local CS places; they had nothing between a file fitted with a right angle plate and a megabucks electric machine.

Ern

Here is one on Ebay has three days to go.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/FILING-TOOL-f...QQcmdZViewItem

When I was a lot younger, Dad showed me how to sharpen the chain in a vice manually... now that I have had to use the chainsaw, I stuggled a few times with his (and everyone elses) standard horizontal chain sharpening method.

The problem is that Right handed people are weak from the left side so the reverse angle used for hand sharpening is going to have less edge removed/sharpened and so a chain will pull when cutting, and visa versa for Left handed people.

Here is a simple method for sharpening the chain that is so easy you will harpen the chain 2 times faster and with much better tooth accuracy.

Sharpen the chain vertically away from you rather than accoss your body horizontally in a vice.

I set the top part of the bar in a ply board with a slip cut in. The board sort of stops the teeth from running around the bar. Now the chainsaw and board form a triangular raised rig. I set it up either on the bench or on while kneling on the ground in the field. I face the bar away from me and file the tooth away from my body.

You have better control of the file and guide and also you can do 4-5 teeth (with an 18in bar length) before lifting the tip of the bar up slightly in the slot and pulling more teeth down around the bar. As I do each tooth I 'paint' it with the red permanent marker.
I sharpen one facing set of teeth then the other.

What I have found is that this vertical method of sharpening allows:
1) more even control of file pressure fom either side as you push the file away and through the tooth.
2) it's easier to concentrate on angles as you are now not concentrating on file pressure as much
3) file more teeth per min
4) the board semi locks the chain in place so it does not try and run on the bar when you file

You can make this vertical sharpening 'rig' a bit more fancy by attaching a base plate to it so the chainsaw trigger handle has somewhere to sit in a more fixed position.

I also suggest stocking up on chainsaw chains at you local Ag show.
Motor Mecca at this years AgQuip was selling standard length chains at 4 for $100... I got them to sell me 2 chains for $50 as I only bought 2 chains from them a couple of months ago for $40 each!

Originally Posted by Gigitt

I also suggest stocking up on chainsaw chains at you local Ag show.
Motor Mecca at this years AgQuip was selling standard length chains at 4 for $100... I got them to sell me 2 chains for $50 as I only bought 2 chains from them a couple of months ago for $40 each!

Welcome to the forum Gigitt.

Your obviously getting ripped off on your chains because the last chain I bought I paid less than $25.00 for it from my local rural store co-op who make up their Oregon chains from bulk.

A picture of how you sharpen your chains would be interesting to see also.

I sharpen my chains in a vice where possible, I always sharpen right handed, stroking toward the outside of the chain and only do one side then either turn the machine arround or walk around the other side.

cheers

Hi all

This has been an interesting thread as we have bought an electric chain sharpener

for son in law for xmas. He has a chainsaw and we thought this may be a useful item, and appears are great to straighten up the chain when they become useless.

Regards Mike

I just knocked this picture up for you all to see



I just have a old ply board with a slit in it for the bar which I use on the bench.
The board pushes up against storage cans on the bench and the base of the chansaw handle sits against a large angle iron I have over the front edge of the bench. When in the field I just use the ground or against a sawn log.

You can also frame it so that it is more sturdier and to make it portable use detachable supports and base.

I my defence for chain pricing... cheap chain in Sydney costs the same.
The chain I got was Shtil oilomatic Semi Chisel.

Originally Posted by Gigitt

The problem is that Right handed people are weak from the left side so the reverse angle used for hand sharpening is going to have less edge removed/sharpened and so a chain will pull when cutting, and visa versa for Left handed people.

Very True.
Have often noticed chains that have been sharpened to much to one side, hope to build one of your jigs in the future.