Bench top chainsaw chain sharpener?
- Thread starter j-bird
- Start date
ghilliehunter
5 year old buck +
JBird, I'm with you on not wanting to pay. I bought the Stihl sharpening tool and really like it.
Someday isle
5 year old buck +
I'm not an experienced chain saw guy but my brother uses one weekly. He works the grounds for a college campus with plenty of woods. He cuts down and clears lots of trees and cuts several cord of firewood a year. He too really likes the Stihl tool. Those stump vises are great too.
Someday isle
5 year old buck +
I've never used or seen anyone use one of those. They sure do look useful though. Keep us posted on your experiences if you go that route.
Redonthehead
5 year old buck +
I will admit I bought the Harbor Freight sharpener based on a friend with a decent review. ~$24 with the coupon and I have a store about 1.5 miles from the house. I have used it on two chains and only used one, but it seems to work quite a bit better than my hand round file jobs. Takes a bit of care for consistency. But for something from HF , it does actually have pretty good reviews.
http://www.harborfreight.com/electric-chain-saw-sharpener-61613.html
http://www.harborfreight.com/electric-chain-saw-sharpener-61613.html
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Bill
Administrator
I don't personally have one of these yet, but a buddy of mine does.
Carbide bit sharpens with out heating the tooth. It kinda works like a pencil sharpener. I watched him use it and it was pretty slick.
Pricier than harbor frieght though.
http://www.forestry-suppliers.com/product_pages/Products.asp?mi=48570&itemnum=94500&title=TimberLine Saw Sharpener
Carbide bit sharpens with out heating the tooth. It kinda works like a pencil sharpener. I watched him use it and it was pretty slick.
Pricier than harbor frieght though.
http://www.forestry-suppliers.com/product_pages/Products.asp?mi=48570&itemnum=94500&title=TimberLine Saw Sharpener
j-bird
Moderator
I'll look into this one as well, I just tend to see products from HF as a one time use tool, because that seems to be about the level of quality of the stuff they carry......or at least about the amount of times I use their stuff before I reduce it to pieces. I destroyed a socket set once in a weekend......we made a joke out of it just to see how many we could end up breaking in the end.....and yes beer drinking was involved! When the ratchet exploded and hit the guy in the head.....that was well worth the price of the socket set right there!!!! He has a scare from it he tells everyone he got it at HF!:D
j-bird
Moderator
Thanks Bill - thats the second good comment about this I have seen (yes - I posted the same ? on other sites).
John-W-WI
Administrator
I have this one:
https://www.farmandfleet.com/produc...-mount-electric-chainsaw-chain-sharpener.html
It works pretty well, but you need some mechanical ability to really make it work. Not a precision tool, but useful if you pay attention.
-John
https://www.farmandfleet.com/produc...-mount-electric-chainsaw-chain-sharpener.html
It works pretty well, but you need some mechanical ability to really make it work. Not a precision tool, but useful if you pay attention.
-John
Rlsbowhunt
5 year old buck +
Are your chains to far gone to sharpen with a round file? I sharpen with a file and have had people offer to "sharpen" the chain for me with their grinders. I've had to fix everyone with my round file. I have also had many people as how my saws cut so well. With lots of practice I think the ole round file is the way to go.
4wanderingeyes
5 year old buck +
My brother has that one. Works great for him. I have one of the hand Stihl 2 in 1 file, I like it because I can take it in the woods with me and sharpen the chains on the saw as needed.
John-W-WI
Administrator
A round file is likely the way to go.... I don't use my saw enough to get good at it, and when I'm in the field just want to keep cutting. Pop a dull chain off, a sharp one on, and away I go.
If you know what you are doing you can get them as sharp as new with a grinder. I imagine you can make them pretty dull too.
-John
Bowsnbucks
5 year old buck +
I use a Stihl round file with the angle guide attachment. I always have 2 or 3 sharp chains with me when I head to the woods - like John - for speed's sake. But I use the file and get good results when I'm back home.
Wouldn't mind looking into the model in Bill's post #7 though. Easy is good !!
Wouldn't mind looking into the model in Bill's post #7 though. Easy is good !!
I bought the electric sharpener from HF around 4 years ago. Because it was so cheap I thought it would only last one season if I were lucky. Before I bought it I would take my chains to a local shop and paid $6 per chain. That sharpener has paid for itself in the last week alone. As long as you set the machine at the proper angle, it will sharpen almost as good as a new chain. Rods are fine, but the machine does it in half the time. We cut trees for habitat improvement as well as fire wood. I have been considering up-grading to a better sharpener, but I can't justify spending any more cash right now when the HF sharpener that I picked up for $29.99 is still doing a great job.
Big Snow Man
5 year old buck +
Those look cool I just wonder how they work
Bill
Administrator
The one buddy has works great. It makes perfectly matched and sharp teeth.
Bowsnbucks
5 year old buck +
Bill - Thanks for the info. Always room to improve methods / results.
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