Simington / Silvey Square Chain Grinders Tips/Tricks/Secrets

[Bryan Marks]

Ok got her dialed in. I didn’t mention that the machine out of the box was square from side to side. No adjustment needed from left cutter to right. Once you get it adjusted it’s pretty easy to grind some chain and get the angles you want and not hitting the tie straps at all. Thanks for the help guys.

 

[pbillyi69]

if you have a small machinist protractor you can measure the tooth to see what it is acutally at or an angle finder app and use the pictures. i couldnt ever figure out a good place to get a zero reading for using the grinders chasis and then measure the dresser for an acutal degree that it is making on the stone

 

[pbillyi69]

i had a perfect 3° of forward lean and was going to adjust it to 5 to see the difference and have been chasing getting it back there i even used a scribe to mark where it was before i moved it and have put it back to the mark but it is not the same.

 

[RI Chevy]

Perfect looking cutter there Bryan. Nice job. Only real way to know is to put the chain in wood.

 

[Bryan Marks]

I

i had a perfect 3° of forward lean and was going to adjust it to 5 to see the difference and have been chasing getting it back there i even used a scribe to mark where it was before i moved it and have put it back to the mark but it is not the same.

I Make sure everything is tight on the dresser housing. I put the diamond tip in the center of the wheel (on the side plate) then I use a digital angle finder that I zero on a particular table on the same spot. I always go back to that spot and see if the angle finder drifted. Once I’m sure it’s a solid number I write it down. You will get different readings if the dresser is under the wheel or a Above it. That’s why I put the diamond tip in the same spot when I’m measuring. It should change angles if you move the dresser up and down but it does. Or at least mine does. Or you can move the dresser till it has a hard stop in the up position. I reload percision rifle ammo for long range shooting and the littlest things make a big difference measure everything the same way every time. I’m finding that this machine is the same way. I did make a taller stand that’s bolted to the ground.

 

[Wolverine]

Ok got her dialed in. I didn’t mention that the machine out of the box was square from side to side. No adjustment needed from left cutter to right. Once you get it adjusted it’s pretty easy to grind some chain and get the angles you want and not hitting the tie straps at all. Thanks for the help guys.

 

[Bryan Marks]

View attachment 317331 Here is my latest attempt at getting my simington dialed in. For now I have it setup with approx 3 degree forward lean on the side plate…not sure what the angle is on the top plate. On my 550xp I keep the rakers a little higher (0.025”ish). On my bigger saws with a short bar, I will run my rakers closer to 0.040” below the cutter.

I noticed today that the gunk that builds up on the chain stop like in the photo above was throwing me off so I keep it clean. Good looking cutter. What settings are you running on the arm?

 

[Bryan Marks]

Hey everyone. Let’s post some pics of the settings your running on your grinders?? And a pic of the cutter for comparison. Maybe talk about what it’s used for and how it cuts. It would be cool for a comparison.

 

[farminkarman]

I noticed today that the gunk that builds up on the chain stop like in the photo above was throwing me off so I keep it clean. Good looking cutter. What settings are you running on the arm?

I haven’t done a great job of documenting my setup on the arm. I currently have it setup for making a few play chains. Next time I do a work chain, I will try to take some pics of the arm.

 

[Bryan Marks]

Hey everyone. Let’s post some pics of the settings your running on your grinders?? And a pic of the cutter for comparison. Maybe talk about what it’s used for and how it cuts. It would be cool for a comparison.

I’ve posted these pics before but those are my settings. I’m running 25* on the top of the stone and 25* on the side angle of the stone. Running about 80 thousand thickness on my wheel for the side plate. Chain cuts real good in pine and fir. Chain is 36” full skip on a Stihl 661. That’s my stock work grind.

 

[RI Chevy]

Nice!!!

 

[Duane(Pa)]

I’ve posted these pics before but those are my settings. I’m running 25* on the top of the stone and 25* on the side angle of the stone. Running about 80 thousand thickness on my wheel for the side plate. Chain cuts real good in pine and fir. Chain is 36” full skip on a Stihl 661. That’s my stock work grind.

Most that are following this thread will recognize that the tooth you are showing will do just fine in hardwood too. The thing about owning a grinder is being able to revive a chain with much less effort than it would take to file. (even though the chain has to come off the saw). The point being, angles may not be as critical. Forward lean is what makes for a good self feeding chain. That angle is created by, and directly tied to the angle dressed onto the edge of the wheel.

 

[pbillyi69]

here are the settings on my grinder. I have the wheel flatter than the factory setting which changes the top plate angle to be more square which makes it cut really smooth and make the tooth last a little longer. i like to have 3° of forward lean on the side plate which also helps make a smooth cutting chain. my tooth profile cuts hardwood really good and runs through soft wood like butter.

 

[pbillyi69]

the picture of the side plat is more than 3° i have adjusted it since that picture

 

[pbillyi69]

i forgot this picture

 

[huskihl]

Do you guys advance the chain stop or lower the arm as the tooth wears out?

 

[pbillyi69]

i advance the chain stop but when the tooth get close to being worn out you have to change the setting on the arm to get it to make contact with the wheel. as the tooth gets shorter eventually you have to slide the the holder down a little so the cutter will contact the wheel you can get a few more uses out of the chain

 

[Mastermind]

My 450 doesn't have an adjustable arm. I made an adjustable chain holder instead. I'm looking at another way to raise and lower the chain holder aside from what I've done so far.

 

[pbillyi69]

i would add make a mark on the dresser pivot points before you change it so you will have a point of reference, and make small changes it doesnt take much of a change to the stone to make big changes to the cutter. i think i already said that i marked mine where i liked it and changed it to do some testing and even with the marks its pretty difficult to get it back exactly where it was.

 

[pbillyi69]

My 450 doesn't have an adjustable arm. I made an adjustable chain holder instead. I'm looking at another way to raise and lower the chain holder aside from what I've done so far.

you can buy a new arm that is adjustable for about 60 buck i think. there is someone on here that was machining a slot in his.