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

[Khntr85]

Much better approach than ‘one size fits all’, or ‘one best’ chain!

Philbert

I’m also in the process of trying to get tree guys to drop wood off at my lot (I heat with outdoor boiler), so hopefully I will soon have a bunch of logs with many different type of woods…if I do I will take pics of a cutter, then cut with it and report back….

Also I am eventually goin to profile a link grinding wheel to a “square grind” just to see if I can do it……

 

[Wilhelm]

I like that idea….that vanguard is very strange…..I have 2-loops that came in groups of saws I bought….i may have to whack those takers into shape and try it

It takes like 5 minutes for a 72DL loop if You have a bench grinder.
I guess You could utilize Your chain grinder or angle grinder too, but the bench grinder way is just too easy and simple.

After fixing a NEW Vanguard loop it tends to be a little aggressive.
But, if Your saw of choice has the guts to pull the chain it is actually fun.
The bite settles withing a couple touchups after which You set the rakers as You would on any other chain.

 

[Wilhelm]

I got several Vanguard loops from the US gifted by a couple generous members, I hereby thank each and everyone of them!

The biggest thanks goes to Sondre @SOS Ridgerider though.
He handles all the shipping hassle including high shipping expenses!
Thank You my friend

 

[Khntr85]

I got several Vanguard loops from the US gifted by a couple generous members, I hereby thank each and everyone of them!

The biggest thanks goes to Sondre @SOS Ridgerider though.
He handles all the shipping hassle including high shipping expenses!
Thank You my friend

Ya I have so many chains from buying saws and people giving them to me, I can’t remember the last time I bought a new chain!!!

 

[Wilhelm]

I like that idea….that vanguard is very strange…..I have 2-loops that came in groups of saws I bought….i may have to whack those takers into shape and try it

On second thought, don't bother with Vanguard chain - so not worth the trouble!

Even more so, You need to send them to Europe/Croatia for proper disposal.
Those chains are such junk not even scrappers in developed countries want them!

 

[Khntr85]

Ok I like to look at new out of the box chain, keeps the profile on your mind…
Here is brand new RS stihl .325 chain….has what a lot of people freak out about the “beak”….goes to show you that a little bit won’t hurt at all….

 

[Wilhelm]

You can get something close to that on Your generic grinder of choice if it features sufficient tilt.
Grind out gullet deep, then raise the wheel just under the top plate and take a second pass.

These are my grinds, I just try get a nice big C, the shorter the cutter gets the higher I position the wheel.
Dolmar 099 and Oregon

 

[Khntr85]

You can get something close to that on Your generic grinder of choice if it features sufficient tilt.
Grind out gullet deep, then raise the wheel just under the top plate and take a second pass.

These are my grinds, I just try get a nice big C, the shorter the cutter gets the higher I position the wheel.
Dolmar 099 and Oregon

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Can you take a pic of the other side of the cutter???

 

[Wilhelm]

Can you take a pic of the other side of the cutter???

Well, I ain't gonna go outside to take pictures now.
They wouldn't turn out good anyway since it's pitch black dark.

But I can crop out another cutter from the pictures I cropped the above ones out.
This is as good as it gets tonight.

The Dolmar loop


The Oregon loop, I guess I could grind out the gullets a bit on the next touchup.

 

[Khntr85]

Do you think you get a cut with your ground chain as you do with handle??

 

[Wilhelm]

Do you think you get a cut with your ground chain as you do with handle??

Do I get similar cutting performance with my ground chains compared to filed ones?
Yes, I got the hang of my grinder for round grinds!
I get good bite without setting the rakers too low, my chains self feed, my chains hold a good edge.

And I save time as grinding is faster than filing, especially when the chain is very dull or rocked.
I also no longer have to worry about dull round files, a slick wheel just gets dressed to expose clean grit and I have yet to wear down a wheel so that it is no doubt cheaper than buying round files all the time.

 

[Wilhelm]

This is the Vanguard on my PS-6100 MMWS

 

[Wilhelm]

Dolmar PS-6100 MMWS pulling a "play" chain through Turkey Oak.
Same tune, same fuel, same log as in the previous video - different chain.

 

[Khntr85]

Do I get similar cutting performance with my ground chains compared to filed ones?
Yes, I got the hang of my grinder for round grinds!
I get good bite without setting the rakers too low, my chains self feed, my chains hold a good edge.

And I save time as grinding is faster than filing, especially when the chain is very dull or rocked.
I also no longer have to worry about dull round files, a slick wheel just gets dressed to expose clean grit and I have yet to wear down a wheel so that it is no doubt cheaper than buying round files all the time.

Yep I feel the same!!
Do you ever try new angles or just stick to one….i play around with diffrent angles but 80% of the time i stick to the same….i cut hard woods myself..

 

[Wilhelm]

Yep I feel the same!!
Do you ever try new angles or just stick to one….i play around with diffrent angles but 80% of the time i stick to the same….i cut hard woods myself..

55° / 25° / 0° seems to work best for my needs.
I tried messing with angles and concluded it is a waste of time - don't fix what's working.

 

[huskihl]

55° / 25° / 0° seems to work best for my needs.
I tried messing with angles and concluded it is a waste of time - don't fix what's working.

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Same here. It’s just easy

 

[Wilhelm]

Same here. It’s just easy

I would like to try more tilt, but 55° is as far as my grinder will go.
I might mod the grinder to get at least another 5°.

 

[huskihl]

I would like to try more tilt, but 55° is as far as my grinder will go.
I might mod the grinder to get at least another 5°.

I go more on semi chisel in order to create some hook since there isn’t much without the point on the cutter

 

[Khntr85]

55° / 25° / 0° seems to work best for my needs.
I tried messing with angles and concluded it is a waste of time - don't fix what's working.

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I have a basic recipe but I can’t resist to put more aggressive grind sometimes!!

 

[Philbert]

don't fix what's working.

I might mod the grinder to get at least another 5°.

These seem contradictory?

Don’t grind that main casting, and risk breaking it! You won’t be happy.

Maybe a smaller diameter bolt on the grinder head tilt, to gain a few degrees?

Maybe sloped chain vise rails (inspired by the SquareJig design)?

Philbert