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

[redneckhillbilly]

27ish/55/0 is what I came up with for my 1st chain, Im gonna bury it a piece of doug fir in a few hours and test it.

I gotta admit this is the fastest I've ever sharpened a chain, I am liking having a grinder so far.

quick question, do you think leaving the chain oily while grinding will help the steel retain it's temper?

 

[Philbert]

30/55/0 Im setting up to grind my 1st chain ever, been a hand filer my whole life, but I have to many saws and too many chains now to get motivated to hand file. bought a Vevor last week and I think I have it setup properly now. not looking for a race chain, just a modest grind to cut softwood firewood with.

My generic advice to all who are new to grinders:

‘Keep in mind that grinders don’t sharpen the chains: you sharpen the chains.

For guys new to grinding I recommend taking an old or ‘scrap’ chain, and experimenting with it, before you work on your ‘good’ chains:

- ‘play’ with every adjustment on the grinder separately, and see what each does to the cutter profile;

- intentionally try to overheat, or ‘burn’ a cutter, then work backwards to see how to avoid that (lots of small taps, no sustained contact );

- place a sharp chain that you like in the grinder, with the power ‘Off’, and try to ‘copy’ those angles and settings with the grinder adjustment (and write those settings down);

- profile the rim of the grinding wheel, with the dressing brick, then lightly dress the wheel once per chain loop, to continuously expose fresh, sharp, abrasive;

- practice, and don’t worry about speed - that will come with experience.

- grind with the rim of the wheel, not the side!’



Philbert

 

[redneckhillbilly]

i took the time yesterday to read this whole thread and soak up all the info I could, I grabbed my most worn chain this morning and gave it a go, I am pleased with how it looks and feels, but the proof will be when I take it to the woodpile.

I didnt burn any cutters, I took very light swipes and tried to do all cutters equally.

 

[Duane(Pa)]

27ish/55/0 is what I came up with for my 1st chain, Im gonna bury it a piece of doug fir in a few hours and test it.

I gotta admit this is the fastest I've ever sharpened a chain, I am liking having a grinder so far.

quick question, do you think leaving the chain oily while grinding will help the steel retain it's temper?

Oil is the enemy. It will clog the abrasive and next thing you have is heat! Heat is what takes the temper out of teeth.

 

[redneckhillbilly]

ive been cleaning the wheel in between chains, it was just one of those thoughts that roll through your brain as your doing something.

 

[redneckhillbilly]

I'm content with these chips, .325 husky safety chain on a 550XP in a green doug fir that blew over a few days ago.

 

[mrxlh]

CBN wheels will be your friend on clean chains, no dressing, and can be re-coated for about a 1/3 the cost of new wheels.

 

[redneckhillbilly]

anybody have anything good or negative to say about the $69 cheapo CBN wheels on Amazon?

 

[Philbert]

I am not a fan of the CBN wheels. I know that makes me an outlier.

I did not like the finish I got with $100 wheels off Amazon. I could still overheat a cutter, if not careful.

I don’t have a problem with good quality vitrified wheels, *** as long as they are regularly dressed *** (lightly, once per loop).

I can shape them for custom profiles. I can get them for $15 each (or free from guys who buy CBN wheels!).

They do produce more dust, but I try to grind outside.

Some guys report better results with better brands of CBN wheels, but not likely the cheapest ones.

Philbert

 

[redneckhillbilly]

I'm just a firewood hack, I cut about 15 cords a year, I only own a total of about 15 chains for use between my 4 saws.

I tuned in all my .325 stuff today (7 chains), in a few days I will do the 3/8 stuff after I do some cutting.

I'm not sure I really need a CBN wheel, I am happily satisfied with the grinder and wheel that I used so far, I'm not going to be sharpening anyone else's chains and honestly I dont really have a whole lot of chains I use.

I think I'm going to just run this setup and be happy I didnt have to tune in 7 chains today by hand file.

 

[Philbert]

I'm not going to be sharpening anyone else's chains

That’s the place to learn!

Sharpening other folk’s chains for free!

Philbert

 

[lehman live edge slab]

I am not a fan of the CBN wheels. I know that makes me an outlier.

I did not like the finish I got with $100 wheels off Amazon. I could still overheat a cutter, if not careful.

I don’t have a problem with good quality vitrified wheels, *** as long as they are regularly dressed *** (lightly, once per loop).

I can shape them for custom profiles. I can get them for $15 each (or free from guys who buy CBN wheels!).

They do produce more dust, but I try to grind outside.

Some guys report better results with better brands of CBN wheels, but not likely the cheapest ones.

Philbert

So far I’ve had good luck with my cbn wheel I bought from diamond wheel out of southern Minnesota. Probably have sharpened 5-600 chains at least with it.

 

[redneckhillbilly]

So far I’ve had good luck with my cbn wheel I bought from diamond wheel out of southern Minnesota. Probably have sharpened 5-600 chains at least with it.

whats you go to angle settings for a standard work chain?

 

[lehman live edge slab]

I just have the cheap Oregon knock off grinders for now, I go 60 on head tilt 30 on top plate angles with the vice tilt at 0. Big think is making sure vice is centered in on stone so left and right cutters match. For the
1/4” and 3/8” picco micro .043 I move the head angle back to 52-55 degrees with all other the same.

 

[redneckhillbilly]

anyone successfully sharpened a 3/8 chain with an 1/8 inch thick wheel? I noticed on the chart in the back of the manual its lists a few chains that call for the 1/8 wheel.

 

[Philbert]

If you keep repositioning the wheel and cutter, you can get close to a standard profile on full sized 3/8 pirch chain.

Otherwise, people start grinding with the flat side of the grinding wheel, and that’s part of what gives grinding a bad name.

Philbert

 

[Duane(Pa)]

anyone successfully sharpened a 3/8 chain with an 1/8 inch thick wheel? I noticed on the chart in the back of the manual its lists a few chains that call for the 1/8 wheel.

I’m pretty sure those would be 1/4 and 3/8 LP? Might work for 3/8, but not ideal…

 

[Squish9]

Otherwise, people start grinding with the flat side of the grinding wheel, and that’s part of what gives grinding a bad name.

Philbert

Hey look, a person that understands why a wheel is shaped and how to use it!

I'm ashamed to admit, I only learnt this last year

 

[Wilhelm]

I used a 3.2mm wheel in a pinch on a full sized full chisel 3/8" chain not wanting to swap over to the 4.8mm wheel.

The chain did cut, but it didn't hold its edge as long.

 

[president]

If you keep repositioning the wheel and cutter, you can get close to a standard profile on full sized 3/8 pirch chain.

Otherwise, people start grinding with the flat side of the grinding wheel, and that’s part of what gives grinding a bad name.

Philbert

T1, with a 325 wheel ,move the grind forward o the second pass ,to remove the gullet
and achieve a 3/8 grind