Hey y’all, I’m looking to finally start using my Oregon knockoff Timber Tuff chain sharpener. My main saws are a Stihl MS 170 (3/8P) and a Husky 445 (.325”), but I also recently got a hold of a Hart 20v (3/8LP). I know the stated file sizes of each chain pitch, but at quick glance, CBN wheels are seemingly either 1/8” or 3/16” and I’m curious how they match up to what I’m running. Any thoughts, advice, and experience will be appreciated! Amazon.com
I use a 3/16" on my 3/8 pitch chain that I use a 7/32" file on. I'm no help on the smaller sizes, I'm sorry. One word of advice on CBN wheels though. The less expensive ones usually have steel bodies; the one you linked on Amazon does, too. The first one I bought was a less expensive steel one just like that one, and that thing is HEAVY compared to one with an aluminum disk. That extra weight may make the grinder's head sag down closer to your chain due to extra load on the spring; I don't know how sturdy the spring is on that particular machine. The other thing is that it takes much longer to spool up to speed than an aluminum wheel. I don't think it hurts anything unless you cycle your machine on and off repeatedly on short cycles; that may be hard on the capacitor. I tend to turn mine on and do all the teeth on one side of the chain before I turn it off, and I haven't had any problem with mine. Just pointing out a couple of the differences so you will be aware of them ahead of time. Oh, and even my cheap steel CBN wheel is a GREAT improvement over the regular pink abrasives. They really do cut much cooler and easier. You won't be sorry for investing in one if you use your grinder much. Mine is usually reserved for evening out damaged or really out of whack chains, and it works great for that.
You’re certainly welcome. I only have one CBN wheel, and also one diamond wheel for carbide chains. The CBN is labeled as an 80 grit, and although it will leave small burrs on some of the teeth I grind outward on, they don’t seem to hurt anything and the chain seems almost as sharp as hand filed. The diamond wheel is finer, maybe 120 or so, but since it’s not cutting steel it’s not a very useful comparison anyway. Hope that helps a little.
Thanks for the clarification, I had seen a review about the 80 leaving grooves and started to wonder about finer grits and whether or not something like 150 grit would have enough azz to clean up a mildly wrecked tooth… T.Jeff Veal you got a CBN wheel sometime ago- what grit did you get?
I'm following right along as I'm seriously debating pulling the trigger on CBN wheels myself. Dressing stone grinding wheels, getting grit all over my work area and in the air (especially during winter when I can't leave the door to the outside open) is getting really old. I'm just guessing based on my experience in the trade, but I would think 80 grit would be great for roughing down rocked teeth but would leave a relatively rough grind finish. I wouldn't want to have to keep swapping wheels between roughing and finishing so in my mind, going with a finer grit wheel and taking multiple lighter passes makes sense. Once you get the technique down it goes smoothly. As to your original question about 1/8" wheels Eric VW , back when I was still grinding 0.325 chain (round, not square) the 1/8" wheels worked great for that application. You'll have plenty of room to plunge a 1/8" wide full radius wheel into that tooth, and plenty of adjustment with the machine to achieve whatever tooth profile you're after.
Yes, we bought 3 CBN wheels, not sure what grit they are, but they work great. Chainsaw Sharpening Wheels | Super Abrasive CBN Top 2 are what you need for round grind. The raker wheel is nice too. The little bit of grove on the tooth is fine, a file leaves little grooves too. Too fine of a grit will burn the tooth worse. These are more $$ than the Amazon ones, but I believe are a lot better quality. Had these for several years too.
