Chain Sharpener - Anyone used one of these?? Work good enough??

[BlankBlankBlank]

When I was at Harbor Freight picking up a moisture meter, which by the way works great for $12.99, I bumped into a fella who was purchasing a replacement sharpening wheel for his electric chain sharpener. He has the one in the picture below. He had tons of good stuff to say about it and not a negative thing to say as well. I figured it might be worth a try. Haven't had a chance to try it, yet.

Do you have one? Like/dislike? Why?

Thanks.

 

[smokinj]

Big thing is there cheaply made the good thing is there cheap. Most can make a better chain with that grinder though. Short taps with the stone and your going to produce a good chain. Oh, and save a ton of cash from the dealership.

 

[ISeeDeadBTUs]

I also have an 'off brand' one aka not-OreGUN, and I mostly like it. But it's still good to be able to do a credible hand sharpening, since, even if you take a couple extras into the woods, you may still find the need for a quick touch-up while in a remote location.

 

[smokinj]

I also have an 'off brand' one aka not-OreGUN, and I mostly like it. But it's still good to be able to do a credible hand sharpening, since, even if you take a couple extras into the woods, you may still find the need for a quick touch-up while in a remote location.

You just need to bring more than one saw...Gas is the same way. Prep in the shop where its warm and a fridge. ;-)

 

[ISeeDeadBTUs]

Prep in the shop where its warm and a fridge. ;-)

No need for a fridge during my cutting season. Cupholder on the tractor, WildTurkey Rye in the toolbox in case ya get cold, 6 of Blue Moon white Belgian bungeed under the seat in case you get hot.

 

[smokinj]

Prep in the shop where its warm and a fridge. ;-)

No need for a fridge during my cutting season. Cupholder on the tractor, WildTurkey Rye in the toolbox in case ya get cold, 6 of Blue Moon white Belgian bungeed under the seat in case you get hot.

No heat in the shop?

 

[ISeeDeadBTUs]

Prep in the shop where its warm and a fridge. ;-)

No need for a fridge during my cutting season. Cupholder on the tractor, WildTurkey Rye in the toolbox in case ya get cold, 6 of Blue Moon white Belgian bungeed under the seat in case you get hot.

No heat in the shop?

Heat, yes . But interuptions, yes :-S

The Woods are the last frontier.

 

[smokinj]

Prep in the shop where its warm and a fridge. ;-)

No need for a fridge during my cutting season. Cupholder on the tractor, WildTurkey Rye in the toolbox in case ya get cold, 6 of Blue Moon white Belgian bungeed under the seat in case you get hot.

No heat in the shop?

Heat, yes . But interuptions, yes :-S

The Woods are the last frontier.

I have learned if anyone shows up, I put them to work....Pretty loanly now!

 

[BlankBlankBlank]

Prep in the shop where its warm and a fridge. ;-)

No need for a fridge during my cutting season. Cupholder on the tractor, WildTurkey Rye in the toolbox in case ya get cold, 6 of Blue Moon white Belgian bungeed under the seat in case you get hot.

No heat in the shop?

Heat, yes . But interuptions, yes :-S

The Woods are the last frontier.

I have learned if anyone shows up, I put them to work....Pretty loanly now!

Now, ain't that the truth!! These days it's hard to get good help, even when paying them. Nice to have peace, though.

 

[BlankBlankBlank]

Now, I just need to figure out how to run this thing.

 

[JustWood]

Now, I just need to figure out how to run this thing.

Put a new chain on the rails and set as close as you can. May have to tweak it for better grind/depth as your chains wear down.

 

[BlankBlankBlank]

Now, I just need to figure out how to run this thing.

Put a new chain on the rails and set as close as you can. May have to tweak it for better grind/depth as your chains wear down.

Thanks for the tip. I'll give it a try.

 

[ISeeDeadBTUs]

Now, ain't that the truth!! These days it's hard to get good help, even when paying them. Nice to have peace, though.

Call me insane, but nothing pizzes me off the way someone standing over my shoulder watching me work does. Sometimes, peace is better than a piece . . .

 

[BlankBlankBlank]

Now, ain't that the truth!! These days it's hard to get good help, even when paying them. Nice to have peace, though.

Call me insane, but nothing pizzes me off the way someone standing over my shoulder watching me work does. Sometimes, peace is better than a piece . . .

Definitely peace!! Now, I do need to get these chains sharpened. Maybe tomorrow.

 

[smokinj]

Prep in the shop where its warm and a fridge. ;-)

No need for a fridge during my cutting season. Cupholder on the tractor, WildTurkey Rye in the toolbox in case ya get cold, 6 of Blue Moon white Belgian bungeed under the seat in case you get hot.

No heat in the shop?

Heat, yes . But interuptions, yes :-S

The Woods are the last frontier.

I have learned if anyone shows up, I put them to work....Pretty loanly now!

Now, ain't that the truth!! These days it's hard to get good help, even when paying them. Nice to have peace, though.

Its hard to find bad help! :lol:

 

[smokinj]

Now, I just need to figure out how to run this thing.

Put a new chain on the rails and set as close as you can. May have to tweak it for better grind/depth as your chains wear down.

Thanks for the tip. I'll give it a try.

60 head tilt and 30 rail. Quick smooth light taps.

 

[kenskip1]

Do not expect quality results. I purchased one and it did a fair to poor job. Save your monies and buy something that is quality.Ken

 

[BlankBlankBlank]

Do not expect quality results. I purchased one and it did a fair to poor job. Save your monies and buy something that is quality.Ken

I was "afraid" that I'd hear something like this. Which one did you end up with?

 

[kenskip1]

I purchased this one. Great piece of equipment, Ken watch video

http://www.baileysonline.com/itemdetail.asp?item=45340&catID=9761

 

[BlankBlankBlank]

I purchased this one. Great piece of equipment, Ken watch video

http://www.baileysonline.com/itemdetail.asp?item=45340&catID=9761

Nice machine but out of my price range. I've glanced at this unit sold through Northern Tool+Equipment.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200327449_200327449

 

[DiscoInferno]

If you're looking for production, don't get the HF. But if you just want to fix the occasional rocked chain or even out a chain that's been hand-sharpened unevenly, then the price is right and you can mostly work around its defects. Primary of which are:
1. Plastic flexes a lot (be consistent when pulling the arm down)
2. Clamp doesn't hold chain well (a little tape inside the clamp helps)
3. Cutting depth stop is not consistent between left and right cutters (set it separately, get cheap calipers from HF for precision)
4. Stone isn't actually the right one for 3/8" chain (too narrow, works OK anyway, or get new stone from Baileys)
5. Can only set one of the 3 angles (the other two are probably what you want anyway)
6. The gauge for the angle you can set is pretty imprecise

Early in my sharpening days I used it more as my hand sharpening left a lot to be desired. Now I barely ever use it. Milling has given me a lot of hand-sharpening practice.

 

[BlankBlankBlank]

If you're looking for production, don't get the HF. But if you just want to fix the occasional rocked chain or even out a chain that's been hand-sharpened unevenly, then the price is right and you can mostly work around its defects. Primary of which are:
1. Plastic flexes a lot (be consistent when pulling the arm down)
2. Clamp doesn't hold chain well (a little tape inside the clamp helps)
3. Cutting depth stop is not consistent between left and right cutters (set it separately, get cheap calipers from HF for precision)
4. Stone isn't actually the right one for 3/8" chain (too narrow, works OK anyway, or get new stone from Baileys)
5. Can only set one of the 3 angles (the other two are probably what you want anyway)
6. The gauge for the angle you can set is pretty imprecise

Early in my sharpening days I used it more as my hand sharpening left a lot to be desired. Now I barely ever use it. Milling has given me a lot of hand-sharpening practice.

No production here. I need to sharpen two chains around 6-7 times per year in the pursuit of bucking enough limbs/trunks to get me enough wood to heat my house. I actually wasn't in the market to pick this thing up when I was buying my moisture meter from HF. I just happened upon a fella who was purchasing another stone for his HF unit. He swore up and down that for $40 he had save himself hundreds of dollars in sharpening cost. I know at Blain's Farm and Fleet a 16" or shorter is $6 per chain, though larger is $9 per chain. That adds up very quickly, not to mention if the shop over grinds the chain and the life is cut way down.

 

[DiscoInferno]

I'm always reading about how shops grind off too much chain, maybe more powerful grinders make that easy to do but at least with the HF unit you have to go out of your way to grind too much off. The flex in the plastic actually makes it really easy to give each tooth just a gentle touch.

BTW, if you wait and watch the sharpener is often on sale for $30, and I think sometimes less. (Plus the usual coupons.) In fact, this is in my inbox right now:
http://r.harborfreight22.com/r2/r4.asp?r=19179_450973&i=Q31072B01H080&utm_source=1002&
It's a different model, actually; not sure if it's better or worse.

 

[PA Fire Bug]

I purchased this one. Great piece of equipment, Ken watch video

http://www.baileysonline.com/itemdetail.asp?item=45340&catID=9761

Nice machine but out of my price range. I've glanced at this unit sold through Northern Tool+Equipment.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200327449_200327449

I bought the Northern Tools sharpener last spring and am very happy with it. I have three chains and have sharpened all of them several times since then. It took some practice but it is nice to have sharp chain any time you need it.

 

[BlankBlankBlank]

I purchased this one. Great piece of equipment, Ken watch video

http://www.baileysonline.com/itemdetail.asp?item=45340&catID=9761

Nice machine but out of my price range. I've glanced at this unit sold through Northern Tool+Equipment.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200327449_200327449

I bought the Northern Tools sharpener last spring and am very happy with it. I have three chains and have sharpened all of them several times since then. It took some practice but it is nice to have sharp chain any time you need it.

Nice to hear you're having a good time of it. I bought the HF special but haven't opened it yet. I keep coming back to this unit from Northern Tools for $130. The reviews are very high for this sharpener.