Thread: Timberline Chainsaw Sharpener.

That jig would be too slow for me, especially for just touching up the chains on my 60" bars.

Here is how I do mine.


Besides, it only does half the job as it does not do anything about the rakers.

I don't particularly try to get the cutter angles perfect or the cutters the same length etc, provided the cutter has enough hook and the rakers enough depth to self feed the saw at a fair rate.

Most saws that are brought to me because they don't cut, even though the owners say they have followed the sharpening instructions, is because the rakers have not been progressively dropped as the cutter has worn. The raker depths should be nominally 1/10th of the cutter gullet width (maybe 1/8th for soft green wood, and 1/12th for dry hardwood). Folks are amazed when they follow these instructions as they can resurrect very old chains they were just about to throw away. Chain and chainsaw companies won't tell you this because they want to sell you a new chain.

I had a look at the vids the other day , I reckon they look like a good product and you would get a professional finish , all the teeth the same length , really sharp no guess work , or sloppy finish . I asked them about a 10deg sharpener about a week ago , just out of curiosity , they said they had one in the works and will be out this year. I use a grinder , you always get a professional finish , depth gauges same height , teeth same length , all the same angle . Files belong in the bin. Cheers

I'm like Bob, file is great for me, doesn't need time to set it up, can be used on a bunch of chains at various stages of use one after the other, I can be aggressive if the timber allows it or be moderate if it won't and all without any downtime or tool changeover, when out felling I can fit it in my side pocket or in my wedge pouch and rip it out when I need it

and how much does that thing cost? Always a concern when they don't give you a price

Originally Posted by Henrysforest

. . . I use a grinder , you always get a professional finish , depth gauges same height , teeth same length , all the same angle . Files belong in the bin. Cheers

I have ready access to a grinder but now I only use it if the chain is damaged in some way.

I used to use a grinder after every dozen or so file touch ups to get the teeth all the same length but since discovering progressive chain sharpening back in 2009? I've found the cutters do not need to be the same length, and neither do the rakers need to be the same height, all that needs to be similar ( and I don't sweat it if they're not) is the raker angle (angle between the raker top - cutter edge and wood. Not many people know about this).
FOr anyone that does not know about progressive raker setting, have a look at some of these posts
https://www.woodworkforums.com/f132/c...7/#post1615575
https://www.woodworkforums.com/f132/i...0/#post1692379
https://www.woodworkforums.com/f132/h...ml#post1332972
PJT from Rockhampton also has a nice post on raker angles here
https://www.woodworkforums.com/f132/c...rs-etc-107669/

Everyone I know who has switched to using progressive raker setting including a number of chainsaw users around the world that I have convinced to try this method have said they would not go back to constant height raker

Using a grinder and swapping out chains when they get start to get blunt requires not only buying a grinder but an expensive investment in a large number of chains. I can touch up a chain on my 42" bar with the chain on the mill faster than swapping out the chain. If the time taken to sharpen it on a grinder is included then I can touch up chains on my 60" bar faster than the total time for removal and grinder sharpening Grinders can also remove unnecessary amounts of metal whereas a file allows the smallest amount of metal to be removed

Originally Posted by Sigidi

. . . and how much does that thing cost? Always a concern when they don't give you a price

US$125 plus shipping from the US which buys a lot of files.

Some of that is right , as in tooth length is not overly important as long as rakers match the individual tooth , but the reason you end up with odd length teeth too start with , is because no one can sharpen chain by hand accurately , one too many strokes , a little too much pressure , not quite the right angle , bla bla bla and end up with a sloppy job , wasting chain. If you have a half decent grinder , you take a minimal amount off of each tooth and dont end up wasting chain . Cheers

The thing i like about the sharpener is the chain stays on the saw. I touch up with file when still on saw and attached to mill which can be a little fiddly. I clamp a block on bar with angle line to site through too for accuracy of angle. This system looks very accurate and i'd go one for my mill set up if they did 10-15 deg