Table top & saw vise.

Hard to file a chain with out a vise.
Made a saw vise & mounted it to a piece of plywood for a table top just for working on the chains saws.
Now I can clamp it on the little roll around table & keep the roll around table top clean.

Table top:


Vise: 3 layers of 3/4" plywood, 1/2 all thread, 1/2 NC nut, 1-1/2" square aluminum for the moveable jaw.
/Drilled a 1-1/4" hole in the plywood then cut down to the hole ("off centered" for the stationary jaw) & for chain clearance.
Drilled & tapped the end of the all thread & counter sink screw to hold on the aluminum jaw. Nail for the turning handle.




Table top & saw in vise:

Don't think I've ever used a vise when sharpening. Throw the saw on the tailgate and hold the bar with one hand and file with the other.

I never did either. But after reading some of the guys post who mentioned clamping the bar in a vise for sharpening, I tried it.
Pretty easy & faster with a vise. Live & learn

Now I have a portable one in the shop, which is where I do most of the sharpening.
May make one for the ATV rack, speeds up the sharpening & I think I do a better job filing with it held in place securely .

In the field, I do the same. At home, when I'm sharpening several chains, I prefer the vise. More accurate, less mess.

Worked pretty nice.
Allot quicker & easier to sharpen a chain.
Down side so far, I have filings going into the the threads of the all thread & nut
& need to round (or 45°) the outboard corner of the vise, knuckles hit the corners of the vise filing the small saw.

I have a 6" vise bolted to an oak 2"x10" about 2' long with a double layer of ice/water shield tacked to the bottom to keep it from sliding around. Great for sharpening on the tailgate of the job truck and fixing other stuff on site.

A real good idea.
Sure helps to have that extra hand when out in the field.

Do you use anything on the jaws to protect the bar? That's why I thought of wood & aluminum.
I guess the bar gets thrown away when worn out . Nothing for the vise to damage .

Nothing on the jaws unless you plan on using a 4' cheater pipe on the vise handle!

If you want to protect your bar, these work great: BESSEY Nylon Magnetic Vise Jaw

That's the way I do it, but here is a drive in vise if you really need something to hold it.
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200326334_200326334

I have one for use in the field. I found I do a much better job of sharpening when using that vice rather than just setting my saw(s) on the tailgate and trying to hold them still while sharpening.

Very cool Dave ! I clamp mine into the batch vise with the power head on so I can lock the chain and take my time it works great !

Pete

I use these things. I have one mounted on a 2 by 6 about 2 feet long. I use clamps to hold it down in the shop or in the field.