I was wrong...once

Larry · March 31, 2008, 04:46:37 PM

All of my cutting experience has been in the loess hills of north Missouri. Soil 30' deep before you ever found a rock. I had a Oregon grinder but didn't use it...I was thoroughly convinced if you didn't hand file your were a woose...or even worse. Nothing to putting the edge back on the chain if you hit dirt...even frozen dirt. If I hit a piece of fence it only took a few times of filing to work it out...so who needs a grinder. Think I might have even made a remark or two about somebody that could not file on this forum. :

Well...I moved to Arkansas. Arkansas has rocks...lots of rocks...big rocks and little rocks...sometimes rocks are even found inside a tree.

How do they get there? :P My chains started looking like something you would see on a rental saw. I found I could even destroy a chain in a day. >:( You take sharp chains to the woods...and re-sharpen those chains on the grinder at night. The heck with those stupid files...who in there right mind would use one of those things? ;D ;D

Just thought I would own up and admit I was wrong...once. ;D :D ;D

rebocardo · March 31, 2008, 05:22:45 PM

> I found I could even destroy a chain in a day

Or several when you hit concrete heart wood when doing a notch. :D

zopi · March 31, 2008, 07:37:55 PM

Quote from: rebocardo on March 31, 2008, 05:22:45 PM
> I found I could even destroy a chain in a day

Or several when you hit concrete heart wood when doing a notch. :D

at that point black powder seems to be a good bet...

dancan · March 31, 2008, 08:19:24 PM

I have a grinder , good files , lots of spare chains and plenty of rocks and gravel :D
I touch up the dull ones with a file and fix the rock chains on the grinder , both tools are invaluable .

my wife says I'm wrong....alot :(

Nate Surveyor · March 31, 2008, 08:24:54 PM

Larry, you are ok.

I am a purist, and still use the file. And probably wear out 2 files per chain, due to hard spots from hitting rocks, and stuff.

But, Arkesaw is certainly known for it's rocks!

N

thecfarm · March 31, 2008, 08:28:21 PM

I've always done it free hand with a file.Took me a long time to learn it this way.I can even get the chain back pretty good after I hit a rock.About the third sharpening it's cutting just about back where it should be.I would not want to relearn all over again,even if it is better.

Dale Hatfield · March 31, 2008, 10:57:01 PM

Rocks dont bug me near as much as the concrete and the head stone I hit in the Cemetery.
I flie by hand less I hit something that takes the chrome half back then its off to the hook on the wall. Costof doing biz ,

snowman · April 01, 2008, 11:19:40 AM

When I was a kid sawing on the landing there were times I'd go through a chain a day.Kinda cuts into the ole profit margin! I always wondered about those carbide chains Baileys sells but never did try one.I think it's carbide, maybe I have my minerals mixed up.Im sure it wasn't diamonds though :D

sunriseseamless · April 01, 2008, 12:49:11 PM

I'm kind of impatient when it comes to sharpening. Lately i've been sharpening with a 4 1/2" hand grinder - freehand. Takes a lot less time and gives a good edge. The downside is it takes off more than is really needed so the chains don't last as long. Since I don't cut that much it's not as big a deal to me.

little Bark · April 01, 2008, 12:58:47 PM

Quote from: snowman on April 01, 2008, 11:19:40 AM
When I was a kid sawing on the landing there were times I'd go through a chain a day.Kinda cuts into the ole profit margin! I always wondered about those carbide chains Baileys sells but never did try one.I think it's carbide, maybe I have my minerals mixed up.Im sure it wasn't diamonds though :D

Being a machinest by trade carbide is a great material. But it does have its down sides. (1) you are not going to sharpen that chain w/ a file. you will also need special grinding wheels to resharpen with. (2) carbide is very brittal compared to steel. has a tendance to chip or break. So you may have to grind away a lot of the tooth.(3) Likes to have a constance force on the cutting edge. As log as the cutting edge is burried in the cut it will last for a very long time. When it is not feeding fast enougth is when the cutting edge will dull. (heat/friction) Carbid tooling takes more HP to run efficiently.

With all of that I have never used a carbide chainsaw blade. But i'm sure thay have there place in the industry. My thought is if your not going to be doing any gound work w/ the chain you may want to try one. ( if you have a way to sharpen it )

OneWithWood · April 01, 2008, 12:59:16 PM

Larry, I am right there with you. I think I might have made a similar statement about hand filing.

However, we got rocks, assorted bits of metal and other stuff here in southern Indiana and I eventually saw the light. Now I use both files and a grinder.

In this case two wrongs do make a right so you can go back to never being wrong

beenthere · April 01, 2008, 06:31:52 PM

Quote from: sunriseseamless on April 01, 2008, 12:49:11 PM
I'm kind of impatient when it comes to sharpening. Lately i've been sharpening with a 4 1/2" hand grinder - freehand. Takes a lot less time and gives a good edge. The downside is it takes off more than is really needed so the chains don't last as long. Since I don't cut that much it's not as big a deal to me.

sunrise....there has got to be a much better way...that poor chain, and the poor guy trying to cut wood with it.... :

:

;D ;D ;D

But, it is your chain...

sunriseseamless · April 01, 2008, 07:37:32 PM

"the poor guy trying to cut wood with it...."
I'm not sure why you say that, I get a better edge than with a round file. Generally, it feels like a 'fresh from the saw shop' job. What I try to do is mimic a bench grinder, but without having to take the chain off the saw. I just cut up a 30" Hickory the other day with my Stihl .026. Like I said, the only downside is the chain doesn't last as long, but twenty bucks for a new chain is worth a couple of hours ??? saved time.

MikeH · April 01, 2008, 08:31:32 PM

I used to hand file, now I use a $30 Harbour freight chain grinder and absolutely Love it. I had 5 damaged chains beyond filling by hand (unless you spent at least a hour apiece on them :(). Took them through cheap-o grinder and bam just like new

. Paid for itself right there. I dont even look at the files now(unless I am on a road trip), I can have the chain off the saw, resharpened, and back on in less than 5 minutes.

Dale Hatfield · April 01, 2008, 08:55:52 PM

I run some carbide coated chain . I use on the landing . We usually pull stringer length logs. So their is usually 2 cuts to make at each log or more. We get a fair amount sandy gritty rock here in the hills. So before it was make 6 cuts sharpen repeat.
The carbide coated chain has a thin layer of grit on the top plate. Its a round corner chain. It cuts a lot slower. Doesnt bore worth a hoot . It last about 3 times tween sharpening. But for the landing its a great chain. It sharpens pretty easy with a save edge file.

johncinquo · April 07, 2008, 01:37:22 PM

I keep a stack of chains around so I can usually cut for several months before sharpening anything. Then I pull up a chair, set the beer on ice, and sharpen all of em on the grinder at once. Batch processing at its finest. Sharpen all left side cutters on a bunch of chains, switch the guide around, sharpen all the right side cutters, your all set for another couple months. Also makes that spool of chain worth what I paid, as they all match.