Simington / Silvey Square Chain Grinders Tips/Tricks/Secrets

[Mastermind]

I've been goofy filing a lot, but I'm missing my Simington. We'll be getting it set back up asap.

 

[junkman]

Here is some .404 i have been playing with ,just ground ,no gullet cleaning ,after using 3/8 for so long the .404 looks massive and fat

 

[junkman]

Here is some 3/8 semi skip

 

[junkman]

Couple more ,these angles seem to do ok for longevity ,notice the top plate is more strait across than a round chain normally is at say 30 degrees for round off the roll ,going closer to 20 makes the outer corner stronger ,and the steep angles take over from there for speed ,if your chain goes dull after 15 minutes what good is that ?i go all day with these chains unless i hit rocks or the ground .

 

[Mastermind]

Simington man.

 

[junkman]

Wheel angles i have been trying out

 

[Greenthorn]

OK, nuther dumb question, junkmans wheel looks so clean, crisp and clear, I can't keep mine looking like that, this is another big problem I have, mine is so dirty (usually black) after 2nd or third tooth that I can't keep a good sight definition of my corner, so I have to redress wheel just to see the edge. I am using the salmon wheel, are they prone to blacken up more than the other wheels?

 

[Deets066]

OK, nuther dumb question, junkmans wheel looks so clean, crisp and clear, I can't keep mine looking like that, this is another big problem I have, mine is so dirty (usually black) after 2nd or third tooth that I can't keep a good sight definition of my corner, so I have to redress wheel just to see the edge. I am using the salmon wheel, are they prone to blacken up more than the other wheels?

They are the cheap wheels that come with the grinder, I use mine for changing round to square or the first time I grind a chain. Once I have my angles set on a chain I will use my blue ceramic wheel

 

[mdavlee]

OK, nuther dumb question, junkmans wheel looks so clean, crisp and clear, I can't keep mine looking like that, this is another big problem I have, mine is so dirty (usually black) after 2nd or third tooth that I can't keep a good sight definition of my corner, so I have to redress wheel just to see the edge. I am using the salmon wheel, are they prone to blacken up more than the other wheels?

If the chain is real oily it will do that. The white shows it as bad or worse. The salmon is the 2nd best wheel for finish for me. I tried all of the ones Madsens carries on the swing arms and RS II I had. The blue is fine but you're still eating it up on the swing arm and RS II compared to a SDM 4 or Pro Sharp. The whole top plate feeds into the corner as it swings. Wheel life will never be as good on those style grinders. The blue works great when you're just touching up chains that aren't very dull or beat up. A gray waxed wheel won't burn a tooth but will wear out the fastest. You can take 1/16" or more off each pass with it if needed.

 

[psuiewalsh]

Junkman what model grinder is that? I have recently purchased a silvey swing arm and it looks similar except the arm. Do you know the angles you have the dressers set at?

I have a brown wheel mounted on mine now for converting my round filed chains to square. i have been experimenting with a wax from madsens as well. It seems to help with the amount of material I am removing. I will be switching to the salmon or blue wheel after I get them to shape. Do you dress the side angle first then the top dresser?

Also do you use a socket to change the wheel while the grinder is still mounted? Or have to remove the grinder, saftey plate then the wheel?

Keith

 

[mdavlee]

You should be able to remove the wheel with just taking the safety guard off the bottom. The top first is how I was told on the dressing the wheel.

 

[psuiewalsh]

thanks Mike.

 

[mdavlee]

I would hold the wheel with one hand and a wrench on the nut and be able to break it off. Just start it up and go the opposite direction and it will tighten a little more. Never seen a need to really try to tighten it crazy tight.

 

[junkman]

Simington man.

This is a silver razur2 ,i have not had the honor of trying the Simington yet ,they all do square so the tips should help reguardless of brand i would think .

OK, nuther dumb question, junkmans wheel looks so clean, crisp and clear, I can't keep mine looking like that, this is another big problem I have, mine is so dirty (usually black) after 2nd or third tooth that I can't keep a good sight definition of my corner, so I have to redress wheel just to see the edge. I am using the salmon wheel, are they prone to blacken up more than the other wheels?

If you let the black gunk build up on the wheel ,it will overheat the cutters ,i lightly redress 4-5 times per 105dl chain sometimes ,most of the time i can do one side of the chain off 1 dress ,then clean it for the other side ,i dress the top first ,then i do the side about as tall as the gullet corner ,aprox 3 mm tall ,as for what angles i use ,i could not tell you without an angle finder ,just eyeballed it ,to make the top plate about 20 degrees ,i keep the top slide adjuster bolt as far back as i can get it ,the little 7/16 wrench nut on top ,i have a salmon wheel it stays as clean as the blue ,i think the softwoods i cut keep my cutters clean enough it does not gunk too bad ,if i just buck firewood my chain gets more wet with oil though ,compressed air will usually clean them good enough ,wd40 actually loosens the chain gunk up also ,it is a thin solvent ,then blow off after best you can

 

[junkman]

Junkman what model grinder is that? I have recently purchased a silvey swing arm and it looks similar except the arm. Do you know the angles you have the dressers set at?

I have a brown wheel mounted on mine now for converting my round filed chains to square. i have been experimenting with a wax from madsens as well. It seems to help with the amount of material I am removing. I will be switching to the salmon or blue wheel after I get them to shape. Do you dress the side angle first then the top dresser?

Also do you use a socket to change the wheel while the grinder is still mounted? Or have to remove the grinder, saftey plate then the wheel?

Keith

If i an converting round to square , i like the grey wheel ,it is the softest and coolest running wheel ,good to learn with ,as for angles i do not really know ,i just eyeball till i like the cutter shape ,model is a razur2 silvey ,kind of a low end model of the square grinders .for changing the wheel on mine ,i remove 2 scrws on bottom safty guard ,remove it ,and a crescent wrench fits the nut ,it is not super tight ,just snugged up ,too tight will crack the stone .I have never used the wax so can not give my input on that .

 

[Greenthorn]

I usually let my chains set in gas overnight, in a 5 gallon bucket, then shake the crap out of them in the bucket. I then blow them off with compressor. Is this an ok practice? I'm thinking of getting an ultrasonic cleaner for them maybe.

 

[mdavlee]

I just threw mine in the grinder from the saw. Must be running stihls if the chain is that gunked up

 

[junkman]

I usually let my chains set in gas overnight, in a 5 gallon bucket, then shake the crap out of them in the bucket. I then blow them off with compressor. Is this an ok practice? I'm thinking of getting an ultrasonic cleaner for them maybe.

I am like Mike ,off the saw ,they get hung by the grinder ,when i run out of sharp ones i grind 4-5 of them at a time ,I try not to spend a lot of time on them 5-10 min max per chain ,compressed air is most i do normally ,gas will take the oil from inside the pins of the links so may be bad to do that .

 

[Mastermind]

This is a silver razur2

I realized that when I noticed the bellows.

lol

 

[Greenthorn]

Well I've been searching for the conversion angles, and can't seem to?
What's the best angles to regrind my current chains so I won't have to grind as much off on the square grinder?
I have WoodlandPRO 30RCS-84 that I am going to slowly convert all over to square ground.
These chains previously were sharpened on my Oregon 511a, angles of 60/30/10
I think it was jimmyinNC or Nixon that said they round ground a certain angle before they convert? Any advice?