Holy Smokes Stihl's prices.

[Hammermechanicman]

Make that 08S a wall hanger.

 

[Hammermechanicman]

I hand sharpen chains for years until I ran into 8 chains took at least 8 new files out and left me with blisters. I now use an Oregon chain grinder but started with what turned out to be a piece of junk chain grinder sold by HFT. Just after a few months it was so sloppy I was having finish the chains by hand. When I got my Oregon grinder, the HFT one went into the trash after I took it apart.

Now using a chain grinder does have a learning curve as manufacture and chain style has different grinding profiles. But most are either 55/30/0 or 55/25/0. Some OEM chain specs wanting a 10 degree down angle but you can use the zero down angle. And depth gauges also need to check after all the cutters are done. Now on a rare occasion I do get rip chains which are usually done 55/10/0.

The main problem with grinder sharpen is the sharper operator tries to go too fast or take off too much at once. When they do they blue the cutters and harden so much that no one can hand sharpen the chains later.

Now the grinder will a slight flake burr on LH cutters which cause by the stone only turning one way. Most of that comes when the chain first touches wood. There are some more expensive units that have reverse grinding mode. About any these grinder can have a reverse added if you know how and don't modifying the electrical as the motor is a DC motor. It more a safety issue as to why most don't have reverse just something breaks off.

Most of the Oregon grinders are made in italy by Tecomec. Most of them are capacitor start motors and if you spin it backwards fast enough then turn it on they will run backwards. I have been looking for a DPDT switch that is the same size as the existing one so i can make it reversing like they used to be before the government made them "better". If you do lots of chains the CBN wheels are great but if you use them on dirty chains they will clog up and leave a big burr. A quick application of brake cleaner on a rag fixes that. You would be suprised how many people hand file their chains but never adjust the rakers.

 

[StarTech]

I not surprised as I have seen a lot of chains that complain about having to bear down on the bars even the chains are sharp. But that just allows me to sell new bars. And lot of those that hand sharpen chains don't know to sharpen chains in the first place. Some think just because they long shavings they got the chain filed right. Once sharpen a chain for one those guys they just quit and bring the chains to me for me to do it.

I just got in a nice looking Poulan 4620 is ruined because the owner was too cheap to replace that Intenz bar, Just keep cranking on the bar nuts. Engine find so I will keep it for parts. Too bad the crankcase is NLA.

Oh I tried the reverse spinning on my Oregon grinder. It worked until the first there was a heavy load then it started going back the other way.

Kinda thought about the CBN wheels but right now the current wheels are holding up very good. Only had to re profile them a few times so far in the last two years. It mainly the 1/4 depth gauge wheel that is wearing the most. Just squared that one back up last week.

Sometimes I see lots of chain then long dry period I don't even see a chainsaw. Kinda depends on the weather. When stormy lots of saws; when quite no saws. Sorta like with mowers no grass cutting, no mowers. Just sending next to last mower this season. It got a large bill at $1077 but one had a new RH transaxle installed. Now I got to get the F525 oil drain replaced then I can plan on doing a physical inventory but I got get in about $500 in storage containers (straight wall for palletizing and for keep the mice out) as I have expanded my inventory size yet again. Not the cheapest container they are what works for me.

What ever happen to reducing it I was at the start of pandemic at 27K, now I at nearly 40K cost but doing inventory will clear out some that as some items are not there due a computer error that I am still recouping from. Some parts are still inbound.

 

[Hammermechanicman]

I bought the flat CBN raker wheel for $100 but i actually like the "pink" raker wheel better which i profiled to round over the front of the depth gauges. Makes the chains run smoother.

 

[bertsmobile1]

Interesting
Like Star I use a single angle for most chains except for arbourist , but I only have 1 of them as they usually hand sharpen because they know how to do it
Because just about all trees down here are hard woods with a capital H I use steeper angles .
Never thought about profiling the raker wheel to cut a curve but I will give it a try.
BEcause people are cheap, stupid & lazy I don't do many chains except after a bushfire when everyone is cutting burned trees and a burn't Iron bark is a tough customer on any chain.
However you can get a 5 pack of garbage Chinese or Indian chain for $ 25 which is $ 5/ chain and as I charge $ 10 to sharpen chains most will happily risk their arms & legs by using the junk chain which seems to wear the side plates faster than the cutters dull .
It gets people off side when I too refuse to sharpen the chain because it is too dangerous to use which is the same as the "thieving" chain saw shop told them who obviously ( in the mind of the fool ) was lieing to them in order to sell more "overpriced" chain

 

[ILENGINE]

I hand sharpen chains for years until I ran into 8 chains took at least 8 new files out and left me with blisters. I now use an Oregon chain grinder but started with what turned out to be a piece of junk chain grinder sold by HFT. Just after a few months it was so sloppy I was having finish the chains by hand. When I got my Oregon grinder, the HFT one went into the trash after I took it apart.

Now using a chain grinder does have a learning curve as manufacture and chain style has different grinding profiles. But most are either 55/30/0 or 55/25/0. Some OEM chain specs wanting a 10 degree down angle but you can use the zero down angle. And depth gauges also need to check after all the cutters are done. Now on a rare occasion I do get rip chains which are usually done 55/10/0.

The main problem with grinder sharpen is the sharper operator tries to go too fast or take off too much at once. When they do they blue the cutters and harden so much that no one can hand sharpen the chains later.

Now the grinder will a slight flake burr on LH cutters which cause by the stone only turning one way. Most of that comes when the chain first touches wood. There are some more expensive units that have reverse grinding mode. About any these grinder can have a reverse added if you know how and don't modifying the electrical as the motor is a DC motor. It more a safety issue as to why most don't have reverse just something breaks off.

I use a Silvey 510 which has the bidirectional motor and the 10 degree down angle built into the system with the CBN wheels. So it sharpens all chains with the 10 degree angle. My first electric sharpener was a Silvey 300. I do semi chisel at 30 degrees and full chisel at 25 degrees. I started with a Sthil fg2 before going to electric sharpeners.

FG 2 filing tool - FG 2 filing tool: Sharpen saw chains precisely and professionally

STIHL FG 2 filing tool for professional saw chain maintenance: On a table or workbench ✓ Good sharpening result ✓ Buy now!

www.stihl.com

 

[Hammermechanicman]

I use a Silvey 510 which has the bidirectional motor and the 10 degree down angle built into the system with the CBN wheels. So it sharpens all chains with the 10 degree angle. My first electric sharpener was a Silvey 300. I do semi chisel at 30 degrees and full chisel at 25 degrees. I started with a Sthil fg2 before going to electric sharpeners.

FG 2 filing tool - FG 2 filing tool: Sharpen saw chains precisely and professionally

STIHL FG 2 filing tool for professional saw chain maintenance: On a table or workbench ✓ Good sharpening result ✓ Buy now!

www.stihl.com

Silvey made a nice machine. Not many of them around me. I have 2 of the oregon 620 hydraulic grinders. One is set up just to do rakers as i am lazy and tired of changing wheels. I may buy a third one to setup for 2 different wheel thicknesses. Most chains are at 55 and 30 with rakers at .020 unless customer wants something different.

 

[StarTech]

That should be .025 for the rakers (depth gauges) on 3/8lp and .325 chains but .030 does better on 3/8 std chains.

 

[Hammermechanicman]

That should be .025 for the rakers (depth gauges) on 3/8lp and .325 chains but .030 does better on 3/8 std chains.

Most of everything my customers are cutting is dead ash and 020 works best fir them. On my personal chains i run rakers at 030. I have 2 saws with 25" bars and i have 12 full chisel chains for bucking lots of big ash. I have a 36" bar but i ain't man enough to lug that around long before my back says "NO".

 

[sgkent]

in my book when one prints 1 zillion dollars and passes it out as freebees, prices on things will go up. One votes in economic idiots, socialists, and communists, and expect prices to go up. That is how it has always worked in countries that take that route. NOTHING is free in life. When we gave up the steel industry we lost the ability to make things here. When the New SF Bay bridge was built 10 years ago, the steel beams HAD to come from China because NO foundry in the USA had the capacity to make them. We shuttered all those plants. That bothers me, it may not bother others. When one pays $$$ for a product made in the USA, it is only because the cost of labor is so much higher in the USA than overseas. That is not a bad thing if that labor cost puts food on one's plate and a roof over their head. And it isn't like the RR workers got what they wanted from the present admin this week. Wait until those costs reaches the goods being sold. Cost of fuel is headed up again too according to industry analysts.

Just thank the former president for adding those European tariffs along with Russia/Ukraine war, Covid 19, and the all the generated inflation. The European tariffs were primarily on Steel and Aluminum products. The current president just ended those tariffs in October and it will take time for things to get back to normal again. Some items of the new agreement will not even take place until January 2023. On top of that Stihl is having find new source for parts that were made in the Ukraine factories; therefore, their production costs will raise.