Warning: This video is LONG (over 22 minutes!) Here's a pretty rough Oregon chain that now has a little life left in it. It does not normally take that long to grind, but doing just 1 chain, taking such a heavy pass, and yakking the whole time slows the process a bit. But it is a nice slow walk-through if you're thinking about buying a grinder. And a good show of how easily a grinder can restore a moderately damaged chain like this one to great performance. Adam/Pete: Feel free to steal it for FHCTV.
How long does a typical chain take, something not in need of rescue? When you grind, does the same amount of material get removed from each cutter? MM, you seem to know what your doing for sure! Thanks for the video...
I can sharpen a 20" loop on my HF grinder in 10 mins or less. Never timed it? Maybe 5? How much you take is based o. New trashed it is. If just barely dull u just kiss it. If chipped you go back to the wear spot to clean it up. You sharpen all teeth to the same length as the worst tooth. so say you have a tooth that hit a rock. Its chipped. You have to go behind that chip. All other teeth are automatically sharpened to that length based o. Your setting. You dont guess or anything.
I am down to about 7-8 minutes to do both sides and the rakers, so that's 3 laps. Chain has to be in good shape for that however and that only happens when doing batches of chain, otherwise setup time gets in the way. The amount removed can vary but it leaves every cutter the same length. So it will fix an uneven filing job or a damaged chain.
Great job on the instructional video ,i have a usg for my milling chain ,you are right about the wheels do not heat the cutters like the oregon ones
I'm not sure I agree with that. If 1 or 2 cutters are pretty messed up I'll let them slide and not hog off a bunch of material on otherwise good cutters and shorten the life of the chain. If the whole chain is jacked up I would agree to finding the shortest one and go from there. That's just me...and my chain. If someone were paying me to sharpen it for them I would make sure they were all equal in size and sharpness.
Luckily have not trashed any so bad that I have to eat off half the chain or anything. But I would agree
Who the heck gets lucky enough to damage one or two cutters? But yes, if the damage is localized like that, you can get away with leaving them, either filing or grinding them like the rest of the chain. If that leaves one or two cutters less than perfect, so be it. As you could see with this chain, a bunch of them on the right side were FUBAR'd and I had to hog a lot of metal off to make things right.
I hit some metal tonight and about 3 cutters are junk. Of I ground the whole chain to match them it would have come from never sharpened to having about 1 more sharpen left in it.
Brian , great video ,thanks . You are correct about the wheels not smoking the cutters. I tried mine on a junk chain to see how ham fisted and greedy I could get before the cutter was burnt . Took more than I would have guessed . Got the two CBN wheels for the grinder about an hour ago . They are very nice ,and made to fit the USG without any alterations . While I'm speaking of good fortune...... Visited the Oncologist this morning . Still in remission ! Might have to stash a few pennies for another saw . Something red and black with a model number ending in 60 might be a good choice !
I would love to hear how you like those CBN wheels once you get a couple chains done with them. Great news on the cancer too John! Must all the ported saws scaring it away for good.
Thanks Brian . Did a couple of chains today . The CBN wheels seem a bit less aggressive than the Stihl wheels . By that I mean less sparking and less heat on the cutter. Not talking a great deal of difference ,but it is noticeable. I think the greatest difference will be in not having to dress them wit a stone . I got mine at Diamond wheel inc . ( www.diamondwheelinc.com. ) And as luck would have it found some at Edge and Engine for less a couple of hours after mine arrived . John
You should have a stone that you can use on the wheel to return it to the proper profile ( basically a 3/16 radius ) . I'd have thought that it would be included with your grinder. If not, maybe baileys or tree stuff ?? Would have them .
When you find one and want to create the proper profile on your wheel , take a piece thin steel ,or aluminum and drill an Eighth inch hole in it ,or three sixteenths hole . Cut the metal so that it leaves half of the hole . You now have a profile gauge . (1/8th for .325 and 3/16ths for .375 chain . John
