Chrome bits

[bandmiller2]

Are chrome headsaw bits just chrome plated or do they have chromium in them like stainless steel??Can they be swaged, and sharpened with a regular file.Some of the new bits I have for the Diston blade are identical but different manufacturer some have the dull blue afet heat treat look outhers are clean silvery looking and don't look chrome plated.Probibly not a good idea to mix manufacturer but with a diston your lucky to find any bits.Thanks Frank C.

[Ron Wenrich]

Chrome bits are only chrome clad.  They cannot be swaged and they cannot be sharpened with a file until you take off the cladding.  That means a grinder.  After the face is removed, then you can use a hand file, but you'll rip it up.

I only use them on my edger.  They keep a good edge.  I stopped using them on the headsaw.  They don't take a hit very well, and the corners will break off.  Once that happens, you have to do a lot of filing to get back to a square corner or replace the tooth.  I found them not to be cost effective and have gone back to regular steel bits.

I notice that nobody responded to the diamond file thread.  They should be OK on chrome bits.  They sell several different grits on Ebay and a typical file runs about $20, delivered.  I don't know how good they are, and they don't look like they'll fit in the Dexter.  For $20 it might be worth a shot.

[bandmiller2]

Thanks Ron,you always come through.Bruce Dexter sells a double tang diamond file for his tool a tad pricey though at $53.00 says it will even do carbide.My concern is that it may load up with the softer standard bits probibly should ask him have known Bruce for well over 30 yrs. Frank C.

[Ron Wenrich]

It doesn't load up.  His are made different than those on Ebay.  They do last a long time and are pretty cost effective.  They last a lot longer than a regular 10" mill bastard.  They also can be flipped over and that doubles the life on them.  I always wear a groove in the regular files.

[Meadows Miller]

Gday

Frank Dad used them for a couple of years but they would take the head saw of for grinding on the old gulleter then put it back  in 2 blokes 10 to 15 min then they went to carbide bits after that and did the same thing just fitted a diamond wheel to the gulleter  they never had a jocky grinder they reckoned the got a better finnish on the gulleter  as dads brothers had installed and ran 2 meadows mills in PNG 1 for 2 years and 1 for 9 months and they didnt like the jockey grinders

Reguards Chris