Sharpening Angles? How critical?

[daviddep]

Hello,

I own a 55 Rancher and love it. No problems for 5 years. the chain is .50 3/8. 7/32 file/stone size.

My chain calls for: 10/25 degrees. I just hand sharpened it at 0/30. Will it make a big difference? I read that my chain/saw combo is a lowkickback, and not following those angels could cause kickback.

Someone please elalborate? I enjoy learing and perfecting the hand file technique. I also jsut bought a small bench grinder for $44.00. Got great reveiews. I still want to hand file as well.


In any case, please discuss these angles and how they affect cutting, ect.. and what happens if they are not followed? Give examples if you could? Like one angle is more aggressive, ect...

Thanks!

 

[kenskip1]

David, I would need to know the brand and if it is a chisel chipper ext. Stihl, Oregon, Carlton? For the wood that is in your area, (maple, beech cherry) I wood use 30-35. However certain Oregon chains use 25. Go to the manufactures site, look at the drive link for a number and you should find the correct angle.Ken


I lived in the city of Rome for over 20 years.Beautiful area especially with the foliage changing color.

 

[DiscoInferno]

There was a discussion earlier on the 10 degree angle. Most people here seem to ignore it and hold the file level. With cheap grinders (or maybe any, mine is cheap) I don't even think it's an option. I try to keep the factory angles with new chains but eventually I think I wind up flat. General consensus also seemed to be that most folks didn't worry too much about having exactly 25 or 30 degrees (or whatever). I suppose the chain designers would be appalled, but there you go.

 

[zzr7ky]

Hi -

I did it close to zero/30 for years and didn't know any better. I 'i about 10/30 now on Oregon LGX (.50 3/8. 7/32 file) and the chips fly.

You can just start filing the new angle and it will straighten up over a couple sharpenings.

I found I liked the saws even better with a loop of Stihl yellow or Oregon LGX on them. Ym buddies put the Wild Things down and start loading the truck ; )

ATB,
Mike

 

[smokinj]

The 10 degrees is your tilt (grinder would be 60) all angle are's Important. Not going to write a book here because there is a lot of thought on evey angle. Carlton has a free book on bailys.com Most aggressive work chain will be square filed angles I work with are 10 tilt 30angle (hand file)




My chain calls for: 10/25 degrees. I just hand sharpened it at 0/30. Will it make a big difference? I read that my chain/saw combo is a lowkickback, and not following those angels could cause kickback.

This all depends on your saw can it handle the more aggresive chain 10/30 would be the corect way!

 

[HittinSteel]

Man Jay, that is like reading chinese. I use a hand file and take 2 or 3 strokes following the angle mark printed on the chain, hit the rakers with a pass or two with a bastard file and I'm done.

 

[smokinj]

Man Jay, that is like reading chinese. I use a hand file and take 2 or 3 strokes following the angle mark printed on the chain, hit the rakers with a pass or two with a bastard file and I'm done.

Read the op question he wants to know Why a chain does this and that.....lol Thats a book thats hard to follow unless you have some serious drive length time.... "Yep your right for work chain" Should I break down a race chain for him? Milling chain? or Homeowner chain? And do not forget proggressive rakers!
http://www.baileysonline.com/itemdetail.asp?item=106971&catID;=

 

[oldspark]

We talked about the 10 degree angle last spring, some chains recomend it and most do not, smoke do you do the 10 degree on all your chains or just the ones that call for it?

 

[smokinj]

We talked about the 10 degree angle last spring, some chains recomend it and most do not, smoke do you do the 10 degree on all your chains or just the ones that call for it?

I am running a Oregon 511a and a cyclone wheel (rakers hand file to shape and depth) so all chains will get both angels. On cross cutting for firewood not a huge deal, money saw its more important and milling it is a "MUST" The more corect the chain is the smoother it will cut and picking up speed in the cross cut.

 

[HittinSteel]

Man Jay, that is like reading chinese. I use a hand file and take 2 or 3 strokes following the angle mark printed on the chain, hit the rakers with a pass or two with a bastard file and I'm done.

Read the op question he wants to know Why a chain does this and that.....lol Thats a book thats hard to follow unless you have some serious drive length time.... "Yep your right for work chain" Should I break down a race chain for him? Milling chain? or Homeowner chain? And do not forget proggressive rakers!
http://www.baileysonline.com/itemdetail.asp?item=106971&catID;=

Just giving you a hard time! I know angles etc. are very important when milling.

BTW Jay, update on my 260, replaced the fuel filter, fuel line and gave the carb a bath in my ultrasonice cleaner....... running like a little animal again.

 

[smokinj]

Man Jay, that is like reading chinese. I use a hand file and take 2 or 3 strokes following the angle mark printed on the chain, hit the rakers with a pass or two with a bastard file and I'm done.

Read the op question he wants to know Why a chain does this and that.....lol Thats a book thats hard to follow unless you have some serious drive length time.... "Yep your right for work chain" Should I break down a race chain for him? Milling chain? or Homeowner chain? And do not forget proggressive rakers!
http://www.baileysonline.com/itemdetail.asp?item=106971&catID;=

Just giving you a hard time! I know angles etc. are very important when milling.

BTW Jay, update on my 260, replaced the fuel filter, fuel line and gave the carb a bath in my ultrasonice cleaner....... running like a little animal again.

lol Had know dought you knew your way around a chain...It can be just that simple though and should be in the feild.....I got to get one of those Cleaners.

 

[oldspark]

The reasoned I asked is when I first bouth my 045 (1979) it called for the 10 degree angle but since then I do not remember ever seeing one of my Stihl chains calling for it.

 

[smokinj]

The reasoned I asked is when I first bouth my 045 (1979) it called for the 10 degree angle but since then I do not remember ever seeing one of my Stihl chains calling for it.

I am sure all chains still call for a 10 degree tilt this helps to clean out the gullets.

You can clearly see the 10 degrees here.

 

[Danno77]

You can clearly see the 10 degrees here.

if you say so, but I think it looks like 11 maybe 12 degrees.
lol.

i hand file and who know what degrees I'm doing.... All I know is that it cuts better right after I've gone through it.

 

[oldspark]

The reasoned I asked is when I first bouth my 045 (1979) it called for the 10 degree angle but since then I do not remember ever seeing one of my Stihl chains calling for it.

I am sure all chains still call for a 10 degree tilt this helps to clean out the gullets.

You can clearly see the 10 degrees here.

Well thats interesting, not doubting you but I have the info for my chains and will look later.

 

[smokinj]

You can clearly see the 10 degrees here.

if you say so, but I think it looks like 11 maybe 12 degrees.
lol.

i hand file and who know what degrees I'm doing.... All I know is that it cuts better right after I've gone through it.

lol the 10degree tilt is the part of the cutter that clears the chips....without it your still going to cut but your cutter will clug up quicker and need to file more offten. Not a big deal for the weekend guy. I just like my chains to be perfect fast and when milling very smooooth. (a lot goes into a great chain)

Oh and 5.00 bucks 16 in. and under 7.50 for 20 and under in. 10.00 for 25in. and under (biggest chain from a customer so far)

 

[oldspark]

This is the point where I got confused last spring, a look at the Stihl site and it shows the file at 90 in relation to the bar, am I missing something?

 

[DiscoInferno]

Some chains call for 90 degrees in that plane, some call for 80 (or 100, depending on your reference) but choose to call it 10 for some reason.

 

[smokinj]

This is the point where I got confused last spring, a look at the Stihl site and it shows the file at 90 in relation to the bar, am I missing something?

Do you still have the paper work that comes with the chain? You can go by that but most stihl chain is 30/10 (grinder 30/60) and a lot of other brands say 35/10 tilt but I cut 3/8 .050 to the 30/10 and the .325 at 25/10 picco or micro chains at 20/10. Its a boarder bush to keep it simpler and not any difference in performance. Milling chain is 10/10....Without the tilt the cutter gets clog much quicker because it will stick to the gullet. I remember that thread most don't under stand this and if your not doing it for money or the 5 cord a year guy your still going to get it done. (just chase your tail a little) When it gets cold out these guys become my customers....lol

 

[smokinj]

"Stihl site and it shows the file at 90 in relation to the bar"......That sound like the relationship's of you standing next to the bar.

 

[oldspark]

Let me explain my self better(I hope) even though it works better with the 10 degree tilt I think my Stihl chain info (and site) call for 90 degrees in relation to bar, so maybe they do this because it is easier to do the 90 degrees. It sounds like you are saying it works better with the 10 degrees even if they call for the 90 degrees. Is that clear. :lol:

 

[oldspark]

"Stihl site and it shows the file at 90 in relation to the bar"......That sound like the relationship's of you standing next to the bar.

I am going to quit now as I am lost for the most part, I can not find any info about the 10 degrees but it was in the info with my chains when I first bouth my saw. Going to look for info when I get the chance.

 

[smokinj]

"Stihl site and it shows the file at 90 in relation to the bar"......That sound like the relationship's of you standing next to the bar.

I am going to quit now as I am lost for the most part, I can not find any info about the 10 degrees but it was in the info with my chains when I first bouth my saw. Going to look for info when I get the chance.

lol there is a top plate and a side plate angle....If you keep it simple 30 degrees with a slight downward slope its all good.

 

[DiscoInferno]

I think I've posted this diagram before, but here it is again:
http://www.opeconsult.com/chainsaw.htm

The "top-plate filing angle" (usually 25-35 degrees) and "file guide angle" (0/90 or 10) are the two you can control by how you hold the file. I'm not sure how the "top-plate cutting angle" and "side-plate angle" differ, but one or both are determined by the diameter of the file and I think are around 60 degrees. On my cheap grinder I can control only the "top-plate filing angle", the top/side-plate angles are fixed and I don't even know what the grinder equivalent of the file-guide angle is. I think someone before said it was how deep you grind, although I don't see how that relates.

 

[smokinj]

I think I've posted this diagram before, but here it is again:
http://www.opeconsult.com/chainsaw.htm

The "top-plate filing angle" (usually 25-35 degrees) and "file guide angle" (0/90 or 10) are the two you can control by how you hold the file. I'm not sure how the "top-plate cutting angle" and "side-plate angle" differ, but one or both are determined by the diameter of the file and I think are around 60 degrees. On my cheap grinder I can control only the "top-plate filing angle", the top/side-plate angles are fixed and I don't even know what the grinder equivalent of the file-guide angle is. I think someone before said it was how deep you grind, although I don't see how that relates.

If the grinder is set at 60 tilt and 30 degree (for most chains) angel stops are all set and working good..It will all come out good...Now on to rakers lol