Chain grinding angles

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Ashful

Minister of Fire
Mar 7, 2012
19,959
Philadelphia
Using a bench mounted chain grinder, I've always done my best to follow the grind angles for any given chain, but it's always been a challenge. Both Oregon and Stihl have conflicting information out there, particularly when it comes to the vise angle (0 vs. 10 degrees) on some of their most popular chains.

It seems a lot of folks sharpen their 33RS and 33RSC's to 60/30/10 degrees, and I'm wondering if maybe I'd just be better off sharpening all of my 3/8" x 0.050" chains to that set of angles, regardless of brand or profile. Thoughts?
 
I usually stick to the OEM spec'd angles for the chain. But I've been hand-filing for the last few years so vise angle is a crap-shoot really. ;)
 
Vise angle is 30* for the chain I run. Stihl RS32 I think.
 
Vise angle is 30* for the chain I run. Stihl RS32 I think.

You're talking top plate angle, which i also keep at 30, not vise angle. I've never seen a vise that tilts beyond 15 degrees.

That said, I've seen literature putting Stihl 33RS at both 25 and 30 degrees. I use 30.
 
My grinder doesn't adjust like that, the vise just spins to around 40* side to side.
 
Using a bench mounted chain grinder, I've always done my best to follow the grind angles for any given chain, but it's always been a challenge. Both Oregon and Stihl have conflicting information out there, particularly when it comes to the vise angle (0 vs. 10 degrees) on some of their most popular chains.

It seems a lot of folks sharpen their 33RS and 33RSC's to 60/30/10 degrees, and I'm wondering if maybe I'd just be better off sharpening all of my 3/8" x 0.050" chains to that set of angles, regardless of brand or profile. Thoughts?
http://www.oregonproducts.com/pdfs/GrindingAngles.pdf
For my chains I use for bucking, A = 30, B=0, C=60.

Zap
 
I set all 3/8 chain to 60/30/0.....Little rooster tail action in a red oak! (Thats a safty cain to);)



10517_103445316332150_100000000464379_94970_6245138_n.jpg
 
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Nate's grinder aside, what's the accepted grind for the 33RSC-3? I've seen published top plate angles of both 25 and 30, and vise angles of both 0 and 10 degrees.

My thinking, since I like these 33RSC-3's so much, was just grind everything to that spec. Not that an Oregon chain ground to the 33RSC-3 spec will perform the same, but just that I'll eventually work my way thru them and replace all with 33RSC-3's.
 
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Nate's grinder aside, what's the accepted grind for the 33RSC-3? I've seen published top plate angles of both 25 and 30, and vise angles of both 0 and 10 degrees.

My thinking, since I like these 33RSC-3's so much, was just grind everything to that spec. Not that an Oregon chain ground to the 33RSC-3 spec will perform the same, but just that I'll eventually work my way thru them and replace all with 33RSC-3's.


I threw out the charts long ago. Micro chains I do 60/20/0-milling chains 60/10/0 everthing else 60/30/0...I can even show you a video of noddles off a shag bark hickory milling! :eek:
 
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Cool. If that works for you, smokinj, I'm inclined to do the same. Big question... what are the pros/cons of the 10 degree vise angle vs. straight up? It seems even the manufacturers keep going back and forth on that.

Thanks!
 
Cool. If that works for you, smokinj, I'm inclined to do the same. Big question... what are the pros/cons of the 10 degree vise angle vs. straight up? It seems even the manufacturers keep going back and forth on that.

Thanks!
It gives you a knife like edge.

zap
 
Cool. If that works for you, smokinj, I'm inclined to do the same. Big question... what are the pros/cons of the 10 degree vise angle vs. straight up? It seems even the manufacturers keep going back and forth on that.

Thanks!
I had saved this, it's from Oregon regarding the same question, I only use it for my milling chains.

The engineers suggest you do include the 10 degree tilt angle on your chain, this angle puts a “knife” edge on the cutter which helps with out of box sharpness and also to get rid of the debris that gathers in the cutter

zap
 
Cool. If that works for you, smokinj, I'm inclined to do the same. Big question... what are the pros/cons of the 10 degree vise angle vs. straight up? It seems even the manufacturers keep going back and forth on that.

Thanks!

I cant tell any diffrance and kinda makes me think why in the heck to they go back and forth on this. If I can throw noodles in a shagbark hickory that set for a year I am good with it.

Watch the last couple seconds that wood was like a rock.

 
60/30/0 here as well. 25 on the top plate angle on 3/8 picco or lo pro chain. A C
 
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Stihl 33RSC or RSF all get 30 degree top plate angle. Nothing else is adjustable on my grinder except for depth of cut so that I don't cut the straps.
 
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