Granberg questions

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jetsam

Minister of Fire
Dec 12, 2015
5,337
Long Island, NY
youtu.be
Hi guys:

Last year I went from hand filing to using a Granberg, and it was a great decision. It takes me a lot longer to sharpen a chain... But the chain is actually SHARP when I'm done, and they last a lot longer too, because I'm removing less material from the chain every sharpening.

I have a couple questions for you Granberg file-guide pros out there:

1) I always feel like maybe my file's cut depth has changed a little by the time I get to the end of the end of the chain. The stop gets jiggled a lot, you have to switch directions once, which means loosening the wing nut behind the stop to change angles, and on top of all that the head of the stop gets filed down by the slider. How do you keep your file's cut depth as consistent as possible?

2) I still feel like I am doing raker height adjustment wrong. The book says to set the jig at zero degrees, put in a flat file, set the file to the height of a sharpened tooth, and subtract .025", and file the rakers to that height. I often wind up giving the rakers a lick by hand because I feel like they were set too high once I start cutting. What do you guys do to set raker height?
 
I've seen a video from Wranglerstar on this sharpener and he swears by it. I don't own one yet, just a Harbor Freight one that looks like a mini chop saw.

Popcorn....



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Hi guys:

Last year I went from hand filing to using a Granberg, and it was a great decision. It takes me a lot longer to sharpen a chain... But the chain is actually SHARP when I'm done, and they last a lot longer too, because I'm removing less material from the chain every sharpening.

I have a couple questions for you Granberg file-guide pros out there:

1) I always feel like maybe my file's cut depth has changed a little by the time I get to the end of the end of the chain. The stop gets jiggled a lot, you have to switch directions once, which means loosening the wing nut behind the stop to change angles, and on top of all that the head of the stop gets filed down by the slider. How do you keep your file's cut depth as consistent as possible?

2) I still feel like I am doing raker height adjustment wrong. The book says to set the jig at zero degrees, put in a flat file, set the file to the height of a sharpened tooth, and subtract .025", and file the rakers to that height. I often wind up giving the rakers a lick by hand because I feel like they were set too high once I start cutting. What do you guys do to set raker height?

I saw a video or read where you can drill a very small pilot hole or notch on the bar where the rear wing nut secure point would be made and as long as the unit is parallel with the bar should be consistent in terms of having to adjust height. Also I was wondering as well about inadvertently filing the head stop. Sometimes seems like it is impeding the file stroke to me. The biggest benefit IMO is consistent angle. For the heck of it I field sharpened the other day with my file guide and went very quick. Just made sure my angle matched the existing angle. Much easier than trying to align guide line to tooth.
 
Hi guys:

Last year I went from hand filing to using a Granberg, and it was a great decision. It takes me a lot longer to sharpen a chain... But the chain is actually SHARP when I'm done, and they last a lot longer too, because I'm removing less material from the chain every sharpening.

I have a couple questions for you Granberg file-guide pros out there:

1) I always feel like maybe my file's cut depth has changed a little by the time I get to the end of the end of the chain. The stop gets jiggled a lot, you have to switch directions once, which means loosening the wing nut behind the stop to change angles, and on top of all that the head of the stop gets filed down by the slider. How do you keep your file's cut depth as consistent as possible?

2) I still feel like I am doing raker height adjustment wrong. The book says to set the jig at zero degrees, put in a flat file, set the file to the height of a sharpened tooth, and subtract .025", and file the rakers to that height. I often wind up giving the rakers a lick by hand because I feel like they were set too high once I start cutting. What do you guys do to set raker height?
Depth gauge ( aka raker) I set apx .030- generally .020-.030 area is fine best to do them so they ramp up to the top edge if possible rather than flat across- runs a bit smoother that way. Some of the anti kick back chains area royal pia to adj depth gauge on. Note: have to take in the saw power vs the type of wood a bit also, small cc saw and a big bite in dense wood isn't the best combination. I do not run a 30 deg top angle nor 60 on the vertical ( machIne not hand) I use 25top X 75 vertical. The bulk of what I do is with 6400 and 7900 Dolmars.
 
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By the way I don't use the Granberg to do rakers. Just take a pass from time to time with flat file by hand then check with raker depth gauge. Seems like a lot of trouble to set up on tool IMO.
 
3 grinders ,1 for left ,1 for right, one for depth. With amount of chains I do swinging the vise back and forth wore it out fairly quickly, same with the fancy vice on the Oregons. Went back to the simple cam clamp on those . Those pico and micro chains do not play well with worn vises that will not clamp properly at the top edge, which is the failure that the fancy Oregon vise displayed prior to self destruction of the tensioning shaft. which is not available separately. Not the bushing problem described in another thread some time ago. Its a nice vise but short on the choice of the materials used in its construction- imop.
 
3 grinders ,1 for left ,1 for right, one for depth. With amount of chains I do swinging the vise back and forth wore it out fairly quickly, same with the fancy vice on the Oregons. Went back to the simple cam clamp on those . Those pico and micro chains do not play well with worn vises that will not clamp properly at the top edge, which is the failure that the fancy Oregon vise displayed prior to self destruction of the tensioning shaft. which is not available separately. Not the bushing problem described in another thread some time ago. Its a nice vise but short on the choice of the materials used in its construction- imop.

I like the 3 grinder approach you mention to save wear and tear, and keeping consistent angles. I may have to consider this when my little Harbor Freight unit gives up and dies. Haha!

LG...


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3 grinders ,1 for left ,1 for right
What do you do to keep the tooth length equal between the two separate left and the right grinders? (The distance between the tooth stop and the stone)
Is that pain or not so much?
 
Even with using one grinder and swinging back and forth there is a variance in the cutter length in my experience. I use a simple caliper to check the length of first side and then match it on the second. doesn't take long, simpler than pulling chain off and trying to compare cutters one side to the other.
 
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Of course I've had some practice with Granberg guide, but find that my routine chain touch-ups every other fillup or so, go very quickly. So long as a saw is tossing good-sized chips, the depth gauges are just fine. Now and then, out of curiosity as much as anything, I use an Oregon gauge to check the joing (depth setting) on a few cutters. If they're okay, I'm okay with that. If not, flat file will set them evenly w/guide. Next!
 
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