I’ve read through Pallet Pete’s tutorial and some internet surfing and YouTube’s. But I’m still not quite sure I’m doing something wrong. The example here is an old yellow chain .063/.325 on my MS250. I also show a brand new out of the box one also from Stihl. I know the chain is nearing its life end but this is my very first attempt to use a Stihl grinder. This chain has been free hand sharpened and the last year or so been sharpened with a pferd 2n1. 1. I found a tooth that looked the worst and set the depth stop to just let the wheel touch the bottom. 2. I set the angle at 25 degrees. 3. Lightly touching per advice to avoid heating it seemed to take a lot off the top. Like I have been undercutting all these years possibly? 4. Without changing the depth stop, I rotated to the opposite 25 degree setting but it seems to have taken much more while grinding that side. This is possible that I’ve not been doing both sides equal. I’ve heard of that happening. Should I be resetting the depth stop and micro adjustments for each side? I assumed to leave it all alone so every tooth would match. I just finished bucking about a cord of hardwood that was cut in April in logs before sharpening and the saw/chain seemed to run fine with my hand filing I always do. I know this is an old chain. I want to make sure I got the basics of grinder sharpening before I get into my newer chains. Especially with the new 362 which is a different size. Looking for any and all comments, tips, criticism. PS. The rakers were about normal when I used the flat gauge from Oregon I alway use to check them after the electric grind. None were high or low at all. I was worried that I would have cut a lot of height off the teeth but apparently not so. Thanks, Lenny Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Might find some helpful info here: Chainsaw grinder questions, tips, tricks, and pics!!!! I've never owned a round grinder so I'm not able to give much advice. If you hand filed, I'm sure each cutter is going to be different lengths. When you grind, each cutter is being held in place from the back, so if you picked the shorted tooth to set up on, all the long ones are going to have to be ground down to match. Nature of the beast and will be like that till you get all the chains ground at least once. If you want, you can adjust for each to just get them sharp, but that will be a time consuming pain. Then, after you do get everything the same and sharp, check out the progressive "raker" gauges. They maintain the depth gauges in a way that keeps them taking the proper "bite", even when the chain gets near the end of it's life.
Looks ok. I would saw you were doing ok. It takes a while to get so you can make just the chain you want. You'll get there.
Thanks everyone. Can you guys recommend where to order wheels? I destroyed the one that was on it getting the washer off holding it in place. It’s a 12 mm shaft so I’ll have to have that size or one with an adaptor. I don’t think I really need a cbn wheel as it’s only me and 5-10 cords yearly probably across three saws. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I've become a square hand filing snob since I converted. I could file round very well, but square is so much better I'm not looking back.
Here's my .02 after round grinding for years. Set your top plate angle, i.e. 25 deg I run 55 deg on the "tilt" & zero on the down angle simply because my chains didn't cut any faster with the 5 or 10 degree down angle. Make sure the profile of your wheel is good. Start with a newish chain so the cutter length is the same. Adjust the depth so only the round part of the wheel touches the cutter. Set the chain stop so the wheel just touches the cutter. Start the motor & come down easy, you should get just a few sparks, anymore & you're taking too much, any less & you're not sharpening. Examine the cutter for fresh ground surface on all three angles. Especially the top corner. It's easy to see with a magnifying glass. Once you've achieved this, go around the chain, switch to the other side & repeat. You'll get the hang of it quickly. If the gullets need cleaning out, lower the depth & back off on the cut, stay off the cutting edges to clean the gullets. Go real easy when grinding & either go around a couple to three times on a dull chain, or skip badly damaged cutters if there's only a few. Once the chain doesn't pull good after sharpening, I use a 1/4" wheel & set up at zero & zero to do the rakers. I don't measure, just tap them enough to makes sparks. Go real easy on this so you don't get a grabby chain, they suck. If I haven't helped please disregard this entire post & ask a mod to delete it, I won't be offended.
I think you’re right on. A note on the rakers,,,a few light quick taps can be .010”. A few little sparks is .001 - .002”. It’s pretty easy to get the rakers too low
Great advice! Thanks and I’ll be trying this all on the next round. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
In case you are still looking, our Tractor Supply stores carry them or go to Amazon to find one. Good luck. I have two grinders and it can be a challenge sometimes. I have even been to some of the manufacturer's schools and they all have different advice.
I had got one of the timber tuff pink wheels at mine but the arbor on my grinder is only 12mm. I hoped to find a spacer to adapt it but didn’t. So I returned it. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Check out this link. They have 12mm arbor size and different chain options. Good luck. Forester 5 3/4" x 12mm Arbor x 3/16" Saw Chain Grinding Wheel https://forestershop.com › ... › Grinding Stones & Wheels
I have a Stihl USG grinder and found the best place to get a wheel is from a Stihl dealer. this should help you to order the correct wheel. I think they were around $25 last time I got one
Perfect. I’ll head that way. If I can get in and out of the dealership with only spending 25 bucks, it’ll be a great day! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
They didn’t have one. But there was a full wall of saws. Luckily I had to be somewhere so no time for getting myself in trouble! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
