BlackSmith
Uncivil
as long as nobody seen ya...lol
Al Smith
Mac Daddy
I still saw it .Oh just like fat girls and mopeds I suppose .Not a bad ride unless your buddys see you .
BlackSmith
Uncivil
heh
Dave Shepard
Square peg, round world.
Al, I can honestly say I've not put a chain on backwards! (Yet)
I have, on more than one or two occasions, gotten the chain wedged between the sprocket and the drum and not figured it out until I was trying to cut with it.
I have, on more than one or two occasions, gotten the chain wedged between the sprocket and the drum and not figured it out until I was trying to cut with it.
Magnus
TreeHouser
Find out thrue Manufactuers website what it is you have.
Learn how it should look, and try to get it that way.
As Mike said...
Practice, practice, practice, practice...
Get a bunch of old chains and file away.
Do more than one at the time, try to get all teeth sharp and you are well on the way!
Angles comes later! First see to it that they get sharp, if not angle is of little importance!
Study a bit on why it looks like this, the different parts on a chain and what they do. Look over some chain types and most common pitches.
Even though you have a grinder you need to know this to get a decent result of it. All chains are diffrent and need to be set up as good as possible (no matter if it is a grinder or file).
Get a small vice up in chest hight or on a table end so you are comfortable.
Get the chain in a position so you can lock the wrist and keep angle evry stroke. As elbow is were it is, the wrist is what you need to worry about..
Good relaxed position, good light and practice, practice, practice, practice...
Learn how it should look, and try to get it that way.
As Mike said...
Practice, practice, practice, practice...
Get a bunch of old chains and file away.
Do more than one at the time, try to get all teeth sharp and you are well on the way!
Angles comes later! First see to it that they get sharp, if not angle is of little importance!
Study a bit on why it looks like this, the different parts on a chain and what they do. Look over some chain types and most common pitches.
Even though you have a grinder you need to know this to get a decent result of it. All chains are diffrent and need to be set up as good as possible (no matter if it is a grinder or file).
Get a small vice up in chest hight or on a table end so you are comfortable.
Get the chain in a position so you can lock the wrist and keep angle evry stroke. As elbow is were it is, the wrist is what you need to worry about..
Good relaxed position, good light and practice, practice, practice, practice...
thattreeguy
TreeHouser
sounds like youre getting good advice, and a volunteer in town to help guide you,
a file guide should help, take the time to learn how each edge of the cutter cuts, and how to dress the rakers,
it takes years of practice, but you have to know how to do it by hand
grinders if used improperly take the temper off the chain, and are a bugger to do by hand afterwards,
i save the grinder for all my end of life chains
a file guide should help, take the time to learn how each edge of the cutter cuts, and how to dress the rakers,
it takes years of practice, but you have to know how to do it by hand
grinders if used improperly take the temper off the chain, and are a bugger to do by hand afterwards,
i save the grinder for all my end of life chains
SkwerI
Treehouser
I don't necessarily agree with the "every chain is different" theory. I run three different sizes of chain on my collection of saws but they all get filed with the exact same methods and approximate angles. The only difference is the file size. Telling newbies that every chain is different is a sure fire way to discourage them from ever trying to hand file out of fear of doing it wrong.
I'll even go as far as to say that every chain is basically the same and all get filed with almost the same angles. And it isn't exact, most won't notice any difference with a 5 degree variation in angles. But guys on the 'net will argue over a 5 degree difference in angles for days. Who the f*** cares?
Just get them all sharp with the same angles on both the left and right sides. You can interchange the general filing angle guidelines from Stihl, Oregon, Windsor, Carlton or any other chain brand, nobody will be able to eyeball the difference anyway. Just make them consistent and sharp.
I'll even go as far as to say that every chain is basically the same and all get filed with almost the same angles. And it isn't exact, most won't notice any difference with a 5 degree variation in angles. But guys on the 'net will argue over a 5 degree difference in angles for days. Who the f*** cares?
Just get them all sharp with the same angles on both the left and right sides. You can interchange the general filing angle guidelines from Stihl, Oregon, Windsor, Carlton or any other chain brand, nobody will be able to eyeball the difference anyway. Just make them consistent and sharp.
woodworkingboy
TreeHouser
A older retired guy neighbor came by my place two days ago, said that he now has a wood stove, and wants to start cutting his own firewood, could I show him how to sharpen the chain on his newly purchased saw. "OK, tomorrow", I said, "in the PM". On the way to my shop the next morning, I picked up a filing gauge at the Husky dealer, the small kind with rollers. I don't use one, but I figured it would help him out. I get to my shop, and he's been waiting for me, either too keen, or a short memory about the time. I sent him home like a meanie, and told him to come back after lunch. At 1:01 he's back again....
He got the basic hang of it fairly quick, but the biggest problem he had was holding the file against the cutter with even pressure through the entire stroke, without a tendency to wander away so the file wasn't hitting the tooth, and especially wouldn't remove any material from the corner of the cutter. When the saw was turned around so that he had to apply pressure in the opposite direction with his arm, he really spazzed out, but got better as a little time went along. With practice, he should have it working for himself, and the angle gauge was a good idea. Fortunately, his eyesight is pretty good.
I suggested he get himself a pair of chaps, showed him my oldies but goodies, upon which he asked to borrow them for the cutting he planned to do the next day. I guess he saw the mental dilemma in my face, though I agreed, because after walking out the door with them, he did a u turn and brought them back.
He got the basic hang of it fairly quick, but the biggest problem he had was holding the file against the cutter with even pressure through the entire stroke, without a tendency to wander away so the file wasn't hitting the tooth, and especially wouldn't remove any material from the corner of the cutter. When the saw was turned around so that he had to apply pressure in the opposite direction with his arm, he really spazzed out, but got better as a little time went along. With practice, he should have it working for himself, and the angle gauge was a good idea. Fortunately, his eyesight is pretty good.
I suggested he get himself a pair of chaps, showed him my oldies but goodies, upon which he asked to borrow them for the cutting he planned to do the next day. I guess he saw the mental dilemma in my face, though I agreed, because after walking out the door with them, he did a u turn and brought them back.
sotc
Dormant hero!!
hows this going james?
M
Mr. Sir
Guest
Here ya geaux: :roll:
<object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/fJdqIOIxAl0&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/fJdqIOIxAl0&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object>
<object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/fJdqIOIxAl0&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/fJdqIOIxAl0&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object>
BlackSmith
Uncivil
OMFG...
G
Gord
Guest
This is good advice. Grinders and tiny differences in degrees etc don't mean much when the first cut you make hits a nail. I can make a chain cut close to new in a few minutes anywhere with two small files. I tell newbies, 'make it look like a new chain, only shorter and lower.' If they can't understand that...well maybe get the saw shop to do it.
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
That boy's a genie ass.
C
ChuckR
Guest
So is a file a file? I'm looking for the best damn file.
Al Smith
Mac Daddy
Pferd files are good ,probabley one of the best . Oburg is also good but I don't think they are in business any more .
I've heard good reports on a company called save an edge but I've never used them myself .
I've heard good reports on a company called save an edge but I've never used them myself .
J
JamesTX
Guest
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #41
Files are pretty cheap - is there a reason to pay more for higher quality rather than just tossing them when they get old?
woodworkingboy
TreeHouser
That question doesn't make sense 
Burnham
Woods walker
That question doesn't make sense
I've been sorta scratching my head, too.
You are always going to toss the worn ones, no matter what they cost...better quality will cut faster and last longer before they wear out.
SkwerI
Treehouser
And a 'higher quality' file is going to cost about $1-2 more per dozen so it isn't a huge financial investment.
J
JamesTX
Guest
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #45
Al Smith
Mac Daddy
Do as you wish but if you are filing bone fide Stihl chain you had best have a good file because that stuff is as hard as twice hammered hell .We are talking hard chain here .
I'm a tight wad about most things but not files ,buy them several dozen at a wack from Baileys .
I'm a tight wad about most things but not files ,buy them several dozen at a wack from Baileys .
SkwerI
Treehouser
Al, are you whining about that Stihl chain? It's the best stuff made. 
Al Smith
Mac Daddy
I'm not really whining just reiterating it is extremely hard . You don't file out a rocked Stihl chain ,you grind it .
Oh say,I got a dozen of those files Baileys just started selling ,Arbor pro or something like that .Less aggresive than Pferds but it does a-okay on Stihl chains from my limited experiance with them .The verdict is still out though .
Oh say,I got a dozen of those files Baileys just started selling ,Arbor pro or something like that .Less aggresive than Pferds but it does a-okay on Stihl chains from my limited experiance with them .The verdict is still out though .
Al, if you are trying to spell: Öberg, they are still going strong.
They are owned by Bacho today, far as I know.
Al Smith
Mac Daddy
Oberg,okay . They seem to be rather hard to find in this country. What few I have came from E-bay . The last I got was 3 dozen 1/4" for use on 1/2" chain .
