Sharpening jig

Eo1n8wrd

Has anyone out there used one of these that can give an opinion on them:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMJm6UNMuik
I'm not keen on the electric sharpeners but a manual file takes a long time depending on the chain.

My big question with this jig is how does it set the angle, it looks like it just sharpens at whatever angle the tooth is at.

gctest50

you can get automatic ones , about 650stg , 12volt so you can use them in the forestry

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RzjskP_AEU

http://www.logosol.co.uk/toolbox/automatic-chain-grinder/

Kevin McCloud

Its a nice piece of kit op, i looked into buying it but between buying the unit and 3 different carbide cutters it was over €200. Said id stick to the file and have improved technique and can sharpen a chain quiet quick now.
To answer your question if im picking you up right is it files at 90 degree to guide bar and you buy the unit at whatever degree suits your chain i.e 30, 25, 35.

Eo1n8wrd

Kevin McCloud wrote: »

Its a nice piece of kit op, i looked into buying it but between buying the unit and 3 different carbide cutters it was over €200. Said id stick to the file and have improved technique and can sharpen a chain quiet quick now.
To answer your question if im picking you up right is it files at 90 degree to guide bar and you buy the unit at whatever degree suits your chain i.e 30, 25, 35.

Cheers, So it can set the degree to file but its different units you have to buy... think i'll just stick to the file for now!

Kevin McCloud

Eo1n8wrd wrote: »

Cheers, So it can set the degree to file but its different units you have to buy... think i'll just stick to the file for now!

It all depends what chains you use, if you have a mix of different brand and size chains you would have to buy all different cutters and units. Gets expensive then.

CJhaughey

Manual filing takes very little time, just a few strokes on each tooth should be enough unless they are damaged from stones or nails.
If they are damaged it can take a lot of work to get back to a good tooth.
I would consider grinding if it is 1.5mm or more.
Stay out of the dirt or naily wood.

Eo1n8wrd

A jig like that would be handy though if it did cost so much, When you have a 30" blade on and a rip chain that needs touching up every cut or two you soon get tired of manual filing.

reason I don't like the grinders is the heat generated can weaken your chain & teeth and you burn through it faster.

Each to their own I suppose, some people swear by the grinders others won't touch them. Bit of a marmite thing.

my3cents

A jig like that will cost you more in chains, put simply you take a lot more off than if you use say 3 wipes of the file on each cutter. Worth using it say twice in the life of a chain to get all the cutters the same length or obviously if you hit something.

If you are need to touch up a the chain on a 30" bar every cut or two you are doing something very wrong.

I'd normally cut for at least a tank of fuel before I touched the chain up and often with softwoods a bit longer.

Kevin McCloud

my3cents wrote: »

A jig like that will cost you more in chains, put simply you take a lot more off than if you use say 3 wipes of the file on each cutter.

Thats not true, you can easily twist away the cutter as much or as little as you want. No more than if you went to town with a file.

my3cents

Kevin McCloud wrote: »

Thats not true, you can easily twist away the cutter as much or as little as you want. No more than if you went to town with a file.

Not in my experience with the bench ones ones I've used, set up cold (off) you find they cut a tad more when running and then and inexperienced user will push on the handle cutting a bit more again. Used to have one (oregon) where I worked and with 6 saws running most days it was rarely used, occasionally on really large trunks we'd do chains from a 36" bar on it but when that happened the chains lasted no time at all.

I'm not sure the one the OP linked to is any better than doing the job right with a file.

Edit sorry I was thinking of a grinder type bench grinder as in the pic in the second post.

Kevin McCloud

my3cents wrote: »

I'm not sure the one the OP linked to is any better than doing the job right with a file.

It would for one who finds it difficult to maintain the correct filing angle and stop under cutting the tooth. I think its a very simple easy to use jig that would give excellent results. It would give accuracy similar to a bench grinder without the negatives of bench grinding.

timfromtang

Eo1n8wrd wrote: »

My big question with this jig is how does it set the angle, it looks like it just sharpens at whatever angle the tooth is at.

Howdy.

On the angle question it appears that the jig is set up for standard cross cut chain sharpening angles, you simply set the height with the carbide cutter before beginning.

It looks a good tool although VERY expensive imho,

Perhaps I'll stick to using my file and simple stihl file guide.
It would appear, that if like me you also sharpen chainsaw chains for ripping, (maing planks and fence posts in our case) that you are scuppered. I sharpen our rip chains at 10 deg for softwood, and about 7deg, 'i just close the angle on the guide a bit' for harder stuff.

Timberline do have some accessory angle guides for sale along with the tool, but the set only allows 25 deg, or 35 deg. the standard guides sharpen at 30 deg.


I would suggest that a little practice with a file and perhaps a bit of guidance from a proficient file user could produce similar results to this expensive tool, there is no sharp like a file sharp on a saw chain (IMHO).

When using the saws all day i'd routinely touch the chain with a file nearly every fill, and just a touch is often sufficient, sharpening the chain at the point when it stops being REALLY SHARP and is simply sharp, certainly when ripping boards with the chainsaw this way rewards you with smoother flatter surfaces on the planks, lower fuel consumption etc. I'd suggest more economical overall, files last longer used lightly and often, chains are consumed at a similar rate to regular sharpening, and bars are easier to maintain. there is a time issue, but with the regular practice that this approach delivers one becomes swift and fluent in the sharpening over time.

just my opinions, please follow your own mind, logic, and reason, and stay safe

tim

Eo1n8wrd

Really appreciate all the posts lads,

Should probably have elaborated that sharpening after each cut is because the cut can potentially take from 10-20 mins so I was just looking for something to speed up the process, although the sharpening can be a welcome break and allow things to cool down a touch.

The cross cut chains aren't such a big deal as that's just for firewood, it's really the ripping chains I was concerned with but as we spotted above you have to buy different adapters for each angle and they seem to just have ones for cross cut.

It's not that I'm doing it professionally either, it's more of a hobby with knocked trees on the land (ash & beech), hopefully see a few nice pieces of furniture out of it in a few years.

I think i'll stick to the file, the technique isn't a problem, but if something was to make it easier and faster to keep a perfectly uniform angle and edge without grinding then I'd be all for it!