Sharpening chainsaws

woodcock

woodcock

New member
I've never worked with chainsaws that much in the past. I have 2 saws, a husky 15" and a still 13". There great to have and come in real handy at times.
In my off season for work, (now) I usually go fishing lobster and crab, but this year I'm trying something different. I got a job clearing land for a guy so he can build a house and a road in to it.
I use my saws every day. Sharpening them with a file is a pain and to do a good job is time consuming. I've heard of the dremil tool attachment in the past but have'nt seen one used. I picked one up at the hardware store and I had a dremil drill kicking around. The directions are simple, just screw the little fixture on and pick out the right grinding bit for the chains teeth.
It takes less than 5 minutes to sharpen the saw and it cuts like a brand new blade. Real professional.
The basic dremil tool is somewhere around $60 (The expensive dremil tool won't take the kit, just the basic or the variable speed basic) and the attachment to sharpen saws is $13. The sharpening job last 3 days in the woods. I bring the file with me but haven't used it sence. If you have'nt tried it, try it you'll like it.
 
I cut wood all summer for extra $$$. Dremel is great for what your doing. I've purchased a professional chain grinder along with chain making tools. There is no comparison to the profeesional sharpener. It makes all your teeth the same pitch and gives you exact angles on all teeth. If you get serious about cutting give it look.
 
No doubt the pro grinder is the way to go for daily use. The average homeowner can get by with the dremel.

I've found that the cutting angle must always be the same in both the angle and the depth of the cut. IF not, your saw will drift. Personaly, I never sharpen the chain on the saw. Take it off and use your vice, you can do a much more accurate job.
 
I carry a cordless rechargable dremel with me while thinning timber,oy takes about 10 min to give it a quik sharpening at lunch break.
 
I worked as a faller for the better part of 15 years. I prefer to use a file and sharpen the teeth by hand. The saws I have now have short bars (24") and I can sharpen usually in less than 5 minutes. But, I have had LOTS of experience. Use my saws now for cutting firewood which is my stress relief. I love the smell of fresh sawdust! The tree huggers don't like guys like me. I've killed thousands upon thousands of trees and am PROUD of it. They grow back. "Cut 'em all, let the log loader sort 'em out". Heh, heh. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Quote:
I worked as a faller for the better part of 15 years. I prefer to use a file and sharpen the teeth by hand. The saws I have now have short bars (24") and I can sharpen usually in less than 5 minutes. But, I have had LOTS of experience. Use my saws now for cutting firewood which is my stress relief. I love the smell of fresh sawdust! The tree huggers don't like guys like me. I've killed thousands upon thousands of trees and am PROUD of it. They grow back. "Cut 'em all, let the log loader sort 'em out". Heh, heh. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif



I agree. Most people who use a Dremel to sharpen a chain are soft palmed, yuppies.
 
I keep about a dozen chains around for my old Husky Pro 222, 30 inch. I find when out cutting wood I can change a chain faster than sharpen it. I drop off the dull ones at the saw shop, $2.00 each to sharp-up. Cut like crazy. I use Oregon skip-tooth chisel bits, round file or dremel tip wont work anyway. New ones throw 1/2" chips in piles!!LOL.
Carl
 
The only chain worth using is the square tooth chains and they are best sharpened with a hand held file. Been there, done that for 40+ years. The newer chains with the anti-kickback links are BS and it takes longer to file down the anti-kickback links than to sharpen the cutting links.

Jack
 
Yep, chisel tooth chain is the only way. When I was loggin' out of Thorne Bay, Alaska we used a 075 Stihls with 48" bars, 090 with six foot bars for the larger timber. We had a logger rodeo in camp each summer and one time I watched a contest between one man with his 075 and three men with a misery whip cut through a 4' spruce log. The third man on the crosscut was the oiler. He gave the saw a shot of kerosene on every stroke. The guys on the whip actually beat the guy with the chain saw. Some of the chips from the whip were curls that were a foot long when stretched out. It was interesting to watch some of those guys sharpen their whips. They used stones. And, NOBODY dared touching their whip or a hooktenders axe. Not because they were sharp, but because its owner would beat the snot out you.
 
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