Chain sharpening off the bar

Just a quick question for y'all. I tend to sharpen my chains on the saw when I'm actively cutting, but every once in a while I'll hit a rock or dirt and instead of working out the damage in the field, I'll replace the chain. I only hand file, I have no desire to use anything else other than the Stihl or Oregon-type filing guides. I would like to be able to file chains in my shop without having to swap them on and off the saw. Have not found a good solution, other than buying another short bar and clamping it in a vise and filing it that way. That's not even a good thing because the part of the chain that hangs down under the bar, will hit the vise when it's rotated around the bar. I know that the grinders you can buy, have a little chain vise clamp thing that you advance the chain on, but I have never seen that sold as a separate piece. Any ideas?

 

I think its homelite410 that sells a thing you clamp in the vise and holds the chain and will tighten down on it like a grinder chain cradle so that you can file it with it steady. I can't swear thats the guy but he has some cool stuff. He may be a member here...think he is? But he can be found on AS.
DexterDay mdavlee Moparmyway any of you guys know for sure who it is that makes the device I am talking about?

 

Are you wanting to make something or buy something?

 

I'm doing it that way with a worn-out 14" bar for 16" and 18" chains. Use a little clamp on 3" vise to hold the bar and there's room for the chain to loop under the vise. I couldn't do it with a heavy duty 6" vise. Hang a weight on the bottom loop to steady the chain. The old bar is so worn that the links wobble too much for best results but I get by.

Another thing I do is mark out some 25° and 30° lines on a sheet of paper and clamp it under the vise. It helps me holding the correct filing angle and I need all the help I can get.

 

I'll do either one as long as I can come up with a reasonably simple solution. It basically has to be less complicated than swapping chains on and off the saw for sharpening.

Thought I might try a couple of pieces of really hard wood, like hornbeam or purpleheart, with an .050 spacer of aluminum or steel in between them, bolted or rivited together? Then just clamp in the vise and have at it? I could even mark the wood like OldJack says with lines for the correct angle (although I have a file guide so I don't do too bad). Wonder where I could find a spacer?

 

Your right. Here's the link.

I made some chain vises

 

Before I had a grinder I used to just my normal vise with a set of aluminum jaws. Clamped the chain by the drive links, loosened a quarter of a turn, moved chain, and re tightened. Worked pretty well.

 

I just got a chain vise fron Homelite410, and I love it !!

 

I made a vice from some angle iron I had. It works fine.

 

Hi fellas, I just discovered that fhc has joined Tapatalk. Saweeet, another thing to cause me to look at my phone.

Anyway here is the said vise that I produce myself and sell.

 

I'm thinking I may have the predecessor to both of those Mr. Dex...
But I can't find the dang picture of it!

 

Wow, that is a GREAT idea! I want/need one, how much? Will it work with any gauge chain, or is it gage specific?

 

I'm sure it works with any chain as you just tighten out more...not much difference in the sizes. Send Homelite410 a pm

 

Short piece of pipe through a worn rim sprocket and bungee cords for a tensioner might work to keep chain on your sharpening bar

 

I have one ........... it is fantastic and made very well. It works with every type of chain that you can throw at it. You could even install a Timberline on it and sharpen your chain without the bar

 

I have a Homelite410 Gen 4 chain vise also. This thing is the cats azz for holding the chain rock solid, necessary for maintaining consistent sharpening angles. Money well spent on a well engineered and constructed tool.

 

Thank you for the kind words fellas. From the words of the blacksmith John Deere: I will not put my name on a product that does not have in it the best that is in me.

 

That's exactly what I was thinking. I got my Timberline (bday gift from wife), so now I need one of these, would be nice. PM on way homelite!