Chainsaw grinder questions, tips, tricks, and pics!!!!

[old guy]

You cutter looks pretty good, it does have a little more hook than I like & that may be why it's grabby. soon your gonna have to hit those rakers a couple of licks with a flat file and it will be grabbyer yet.

 

[Philbert]

Looking at the chain pics you guys post tells me there is something wrong with mine. Here is a comparison. See how deep my gullet is compared to Khntr85's chain?

The gullet does not cut anything - it just helps carry / clear chips. All of the cutting is done by the top plate bevel, and the upper part of the side plate bevel. Look at the thickness of your chips, and you can see which parts of your cutters are doing the work.

The angle of these bevels are up to you: narrower (acute) bevels will cut faster, but dull faster; wider (obtuse) angles will cut slower, but last longer.

Some guys like a more aggressive 'hook' profile to let their chains 'self-feed', which is fine if your saw will pull them.

No need to grind / file down to the tie straps, just keep the gullet clean enough to clear chips. Then focus on how it cuts.

If your chain is too 'grabby', try a more conservative grinder head tilt angle (e.g. 60 degrees instead of 55 degrees), and check your depth gauge settings.

Philbert

 

[Philbert]

Here is a sketch that I have posted a few times - note that the position of the profiled grinding wheel can match that of a file. A lot of guys think that they should be grinding with the flat side of the wheel, rather than the profiled edge, and end up diving deep into the gullet.


Philbert

 

[Stump Shot]

Ok guys I need your thoughts/opinions here.....been slow at work, so of course I am on the net looking up ways to get better at grinding(yes I am obsessed).....

Anyway, I have been looking at threads on all the sites about reversing the wheel on my Oregon 520.....I have seen that you can use a drill to start the wheel in the opposite direction, then turn the machine on and it will continue in the reverse direction....

However, if I were to do any of this, I would rather wire a switch on mine.....now to my questions...

1-----Could I find/buy a switch from the older "511" models that has the reverse switch, and just simply wire it into my grinder....

2-----to all of you guys that have done this, what is the easiest/nicest way to put a "new" switch on the machine....

3-------Here is the most important question......does it really matter if you reverse the wheel....I have seen the burrs people are talking about.....now I could be totally wrong guys and please correct me if I am wrong, but does that little burr that I can pop off with my fingernail affect the cut at all.....that burr has to come off as soon as the chain touches the wood....I have looked at a chain after just barely starting a cut, and there were no burrs, they were all knocked off instantly....


As always I am anxious to hear your thought, opinions, concerns, and advice.....thanks a lot Kyle!!!!!

Not sure about the electrical part of your question. As for the burr, does not hurt so much for yourself, but...if yo do this for other people they may think their chain is not so sharp. The advantage of a reversing machine is to not pull the chrome into the tooth being ground. Not sure what the disadvantage is for sure, might be easier on the wheels I'm guessing. Mine has reverse and I've never not used it the other way to say about it. Might be others can help refine this for you.

 

[Khntr85]

Looking at the chain pics you guys post tells me there is something wrong with mine. Here is a comparison. See how deep my gullet is compared to Khntr85's chain?

Hello sir, are you using a Stihl grinder....

I am using an Oregon 520 and my head tilt angle is 55...now I do not have near as much experience as a lot of these guys....but you could try not grinding so deep into the cutter to see if that helps any....

I grind the cutter how I want it, then I make a pass specifically to clean out the gullet some...


What angles are you using.....I do know that Oregon and Stihl use different angles.....55 degrees in my grinder may be 40 on yours.....

 

[Khntr85]

Looking at the chain pics you guys post tells me there is something wrong with mine. Here is a comparison. See how deep my gullet is compared to Khntr85's chain?

Oh and here is a chain I "tested the limits with".....I made a pretty fine point on this chisel chain.....ya it cut great, but you can tell it won't hold up that long....

 

[Khntr85]

Not sure about the electrical part of your question. As for the burr, does not hurt so much for yourself, but...if yo do this for other people they may think their chain is not so sharp. The advantage of a reversing machine is to not pull the chrome into the tooth being ground. Not sure what the disadvantage is for sure, might be easier on the wheels I'm guessing. Mine has reverse and I've never not used it the other way to say about it. Might be others can help refine this for you.

I came to the conclusion, if it ain't broke don't fix it.... I am getting results that work great for me and other people so I see no reason to change....

 

[old guy]

I ran the 5020 bar & chain on a 357 for a while a week ago, properly sharped & rakers cut from the gullet side rather than top down this chain cuts very well.

 

[cowroy]

The pic of the chain is before I took the depth guides down to .025. Unfortunately I cannot change the top plate angle. I'm pretty sure the top plate angle is set at 60 degrees. The chains definitely self feed. I thought my grinder wheel needed dressed. Thought that might be why I was getting a little more hook, but after looking at the photos maybe I am just going too deep and I'll have to file the gullets. I've got tons of chain, so I'll just have to take a few with me to cut cause about all the wood I cut has been drug around and is much dirtier than I prefer to use full chisel chain.

 

[Philbert]

I'm pretty sure the top plate angle is set at 60 degrees. . . . after looking at the photos maybe I am just going too deep . . . I've got tons of chain . . .

Some grinders are fixed at 60°, so that leaves the other things to play with.

One of the under appreciated things about sharpening your own chains is that you can experiment - since you have a bunch of chains, intentionally grind a few of them at different angles, depths, depth gauge settings, etc., and swap them out side-by-side; see what works better for you. Once you determine your 'recipe', start applying it to the rest of your chains as they need sharpening.

Philbert

 

[Khntr85]

The pic of the chain is before I took the depth guides down to .025. Unfortunately I cannot change the top plate angle. I'm pretty sure the top plate angle is set at 60 degrees. The chains definitely self feed. I thought my grinder wheel needed dressed. Thought that might be why I was getting a little more hook, but after looking at the photos maybe I am just going too deep and I'll have to file the gullets. I've got tons of chain, so I'll just have to take a few with me to cut cause about all the wood I cut has been drug around and is much dirtier than I prefer to use full chisel chain.

What kind of grinder do you have....

Do you have any semi-chisel to use, it don't cut as fast, but it does stay sharp a good while!!!

 

[cowroy]

What kind of grinder do you have....

Do you have any semi-chisel to use, it don't cut as fast, but it does stay sharp a good while!!!

It's an old Stihl HOS. No semi unfortunately.

 

[Icepick69]

It's an old Stihl HOS. No semi unfortunately.

All my stuff is old. Doesn't mean it produces poor results tho.
If one is patient, can find old stuff at great prices.
I bought a old Hammond few months ago. Wow, the results are wonderful.

 

[Khntr85]

Here are some pics I forgot to post awhile back....they are not the best, but it's a hard picture to take....I was trying to show that if a person grinds correctly, he can have basically the same profile of a file!!!!

What do you guys think????

 

[Philbert]

File as you grind; grind as you file . . . especially if you want to go back-and-forth (e.g. grind in the shop and file in the field).


Philbert

 

[Khntr85]

File as you grind; grind as you file . . . especially if you want to go back-and-forth (e.g. grind in the shop and file in the field).
View attachment 60692

Philbert

Philbert to some people this picture may not mean much....but to ME and a lot of people that are starting out with their first grinder, this picture is very helpful!!!!!

It really does drive home the point that you can grind chains, and touch them up with a file if/when needed....

Once agian, thanks for all of your continued help to me and everyone else!!!

 

[Khntr85]

I ran the 5020 bar & chain on a 357 for a while a week ago, properly sharped & rakers cut from the gullet side rather than top down this chain cuts very well.

Do you use a grinder, if so what kind do you have????

 

[old guy]

I have a Oregon 511 but I don't use it much. I never have to adjust my files.

 

[Khntr85]

I have a Oregon 511 but I don't use it much. I never have to adjust my files.

Lol, I completely understand!!!!

 

[penzone]

Thanks for all the great info in this thread!

I've now joined the club of owning at least 1 grinder, thanks to @Icepick69 selling me an Oregon 511AX.

I spent the day working on a stand made out of an old axle, drum and small plate. I think I'm going to add a plastic bucket attached with a hose clamp to hold the dressing block, Allen wrench and extra wheels.

My little helper learned what welding is today. Always fun teaching him new things. I even let him hold the handle to grind a few teeth.

The first chain I sharpened was a .325 on my MS260. It cuts really good! The chips on the right are pine and the left is ash.