BULK chain sharpening options?

[Definitive Dave]

I know three shops with Franzens and all love them.
The Oregon automatic grinder seemed primitive at the expo last fall and the guys trying to impress us with it at the booth really couldn't answer questions.
They were implying that it would be about half the cost of the Franzen.
Couldn't say if there would be a liquid cooling option, or if it would cycle the chain to look for missing/damaged cutters before sharpening.
If you can restore 400 chains to use that are worth 40 bucks apiece that would cover the oregon grinder and be more than half way to a franzen
what do shops charge for sharpening in your area?

 

[Philbert]

If I had a retail location, I would want to set one of those up in a store window, or inside behind a Lexan shield, just to draw in traffic and start conversations. Set up a coffee pot or popcorn machine . . . . I am sure that some people would assume that the sharpening is 'better', because it is done by a robot / computer / etc.

Philbert

 

[Brewz]

I know three shops with Franzens and all love them.
The Oregon automatic grinder seemed primitive at the expo last fall and the guys trying to impress us with it at the booth really couldn't answer questions.
They were implying that it would be about half the cost of the Franzen.
Couldn't say if there would be a liquid cooling option, or if it would cycle the chain to look for missing/damaged cutters before sharpening.
If you can restore 400 chains to use that are worth 40 bucks apiece that would cover the oregon grinder and be more than half way to a franzen
what do shops charge for sharpening in your area?

Usually about $20 to sharpen a chain.
400 chains x $40 is $16000.
Half way t0 a Franzen??????

Are they really $32000?

 

[Definitive Dave]

Depending on extra options and location they are upwards of $26k new.
They set it up onsite and train you so the price varies.
The liquid cooling increases speed quite a bit.
If the customer dropped off his chain and you ask him to have a cuppa coffee while the machine sharpens his chain and rakers that's a pretty great service and makes him kill 6 minutes browsing in your shop looking at other stuff he can buy

 

[Philbert]

If the customer dropped off his chain and you ask him to have a cuppa coffee while the machine sharpens his chain and rakers that's a pretty great service and makes him kill 6 minutes browsing in your shop looking at other stuff he can buy

Especially if you co-locate with a Starbucks and charge him $6 for the coffee, and $10 for the sharpening!

Philbert

 

[Carhartt]

I like to sharpen chains with my Stihl USG. I would not like a 5 gallon bucket of chains or many 5 gallon buckets of chains for that matter. Unfortunately all chains are not exactly the same and require different adjustment to the tool which takes time. Nothing like getting half way through and run into the 3 shortest teeth and have to go back around again. I would safely say 5 min a chain from start to finish if you are making a quality chain with adjustments to the grinder, and the same from side to side plus taking down the rakers. At 1000 chains that's 5000 min or 83.3 hrs. That's if you don't stop for a pee and a bologna samich.
I would love to see the Oregon progressive unit in action and would definitely consider a tool of that nature.

 

[Carhartt]

I looked the Oregon 720-120 auto sharpener is between 6000.00 and 7000.00. I was surprised it was that much. Nice video of it on youtube.

 

[Philbert]

Maybe not an 'impulse' purchase price, but not out of range for the right business.

Philbert

 

[KiwiBro (deleted)]

I haven't looked in a while but isn't the Oregon a rebadged Markusson? When I was last looking semi-seriously for my 'bleeding edge' mobile (scooter) chain grinding service, the Markusson 12v version was about USD2k plus freight.

Another Swedish manufacturer is Anab. Their grinders do the cutters and the rakers, with an interesting grinding wheel.