I have the HF unit its OK for the money and decent for a dew dozen chains a year. It can make you pretty good at sharpening. Key is to TAKE your time and do every thing the SAME every time. Get in a hurry and you will trash the chain. And take small bites or you will just cut your chain life in half! Dang Pete that's a lot o chain!!!
Dex and Pete what degree are you sharpening chains too? I have alwas done everything to 30 degrees but that video says to sharpen chisel to 25 and semi to 30.
MM.. Gotta ask, what does one of those machines cost? Couldn't find a price on the internet.. The one machine I found was 50 hz (european standards).. I'm assuming one can also get it for 60 hz to operate in the US? If I buy one now, it'll pay for itself if I'm still cutting wood when I'm 95....
IF what I hear is correct, the Franzen sells for somewhere between $10-15K US. If Pete keeps going like he is, he'll have one paid off in a month....
Everyone mainly sticks to what the Manufacturer cuts to. I do some at 25°, 30°, and 35°. Depends on what chain? What wood? Cutting cookies (speed)? Head angle mainly stays 60°, but 55° has yielded good results.
I got a cheapie no head angle adjustment here. I cut hardwood, 80% oak. I sharpen to 30 as I thought that was what I was spouse to do. Pine I wasthinking you go to 35. That video had me questioning
The head angle is how the top part comes down. How its cocked to the side. Mine is fixed. Apparently good ones are adjustable. The 25,30,35 is the angle that the chain sits realitive to the top. This angle is seen on the top of the cutter tooth. You have to have this adjustment to change feom left/rt cutters. The 55 angle or what ever is how it angle inward on the cutter tooth as you pull it down. Confused yet? I don't explain things well sometimes.
The 35° is the sharpest angle, but wears the fastest. The 25° isn't the sharpest, but will last the longest, and the 30° is Just Right (Goldilocks). To keep it simple. The other angle the angle in which the stone comes down on the top plate and into the gullet. A 55° makes for a thinner and sharper angle. Running 35° and 55° gives me a pretty nice chain. But it's only good for a fee cuts (cookies)
It's been working really well at 35 and 60 for me and doesn't dull out very fast. The echo on the other hand dulls really quick at 35 so I do that at 30.
Every chain type comes with a spec sheet that gives the mfg recommended angles. These will work best for most cutting conditions. I will take a tad more raker height on personal saws if cutting softwoods or the saw is overkill for the chain/bar type. ie, my 441 can handle a bit more than .023" running 3/8" .050 on a 20" bar.
20" bar is small for a 441. Is that the same chain as a 290? I'm putting a 16" on mine to see how she does
It could be, but most 290's are set up with .325 rather than 3/8". Not too small for a 441 IMO, Just depends on the job. I have an 8 pin rim for it that I will be trying out, I had 20"/8 Pin setups on my 460's and they did extremely well with them.
The 290 could be ordered new either way from Stihl , 3/8" or .325, 16", 18", or 20". I used to order them by the pallet. Dang that saw was easy to sell.