Have been looking around and researching. The HF grinder comes with 1/8" wheel for grinding 1/4, 3/8 lopro and .325 chain. I have been using it on my 3/8 chain for years. There not perfect but sure do seem to throw great chips. Anyone else use it on this size. I want to get the right 3/16 wheel. Anybody swapped theirs out? Its a 7/8" arbor so I guess any wheels will work that size. Any one have a link to a wheel that will work that is 3/16"?
Someone gave me one of the orange and gray Harbor Freight ones. I just use it for the, small tooth, 3/8" low profile, chains that some of my grown kids use . . . They normally use a file but when the kids get in trouble they bring the chains to me. I use my Oregon 511A for the full size 3/8" and big cutter .325" chains. I sold my 084 with the .404 chain.
Well, it's been four hours and meanwhile I have been asleep. Now I cannot add to the previous post. People are always wanting to know about the Harbor freight grinder - how is it? After experiencing my Harbor Freight grinder, I find it perfectly fine for typical homeowner sharpening duty being a casual firewood guy. But if you have a rocked chain or one that hit a nail or something, you may wish for a more substantial grinder - removing the greater amount of metal to get the chain back into serviceable sharpness? And there is no reason why a person can not do it - but, the HF grinder is small and plastic, it has a lot of flexibility (it is not stiff) and the operator has to use feel and self controlled pressure to turn out a decent chain. It takes patience. I came across a nice used Oregon 511A professional grinder but I could have bought four or five new Harbor Freight grinders for what I totally have in it now? So the trade off is money. And that factor you have to decide for yourself. I could have gotten by for half my investment with a new Northern Tool grinder if I had bought one on sale? If you are mechanically inclined and clean up a few burrs and a few adjustments here and there, the Northern Tool grinder is very much like the Oregon 511AX in performance. Enjoy
Nice write up. And I agree. Even using the wrong sheen it sharpened 3/8 pretty good. I am a firewood cutter. I cut about 3 cords for me plus some of the cutting for a buddy. It is flexible and lacks some of the adjustments the more expensive ones have but for $30 its way cheaper than sending them off. You do need to take your time with it. And I have taken a good bit of tooth off, just probably heated the cutter a good bit doing so.
