Need chain grinder advice

[WV_hillbilly]

    I am wanting to buy a chain grinder for my .325 and 3/8 " chains . I  don't need some thing like a Silvey cause I probably wouldn't sharpen more than 75 to 100 chains a year for myself . The guy I used to take them to is getting harder and harder to get them back in a timely manner  so I need to start doing them myself .

   I was looking at a Oregon 511a and  Folley Belsaw 399 . What are the pros and cons of these models .  Is anyone currently or previously using one of these .

Hillbilly

[Stan]

Is this the one you're looking at?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=42290&item=4304429572&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

[Kevin]

I have the 511A and I'm happy with it.
A search will bring up more grinder info previously discussed.

[WV_hillbilly]

  Stan that woud be one that I was wondering about. The Oregon was in CCD 's  catolog .  

[Mark M]

I used one along time ago and it would grind the rakers and worked really well. Apparently not all of the grinders do this nowadays. Does anyone know which of the better quality grinders can be used to set the rakers?

Thanks

[jokers]

Hi Mark,

Any grinder with a wide enough stone can do rakers but the question is, how accurately? There`s enough flex in the typical grinder head pivot to easily vary by several thousandths from raker to raker if your hand pressure isn`t extremely even, and if the grinder only grinds in one direction like most of the latest models, the depth gauges will vary from side to side.

Since the depth gauges only need attention every third or fourth sharpening, I prefer to manual lower them with a file and a good raker gauge like the File-O-Plate or the similar tool fro Husky.

Hillbilly,

I think that there are currently somewhat better grinders than the 511A available but on the other hand, the 511A is probably the most popular grinder out there, by a wide margin. Just accept that you will have to learn how to use the grinder, it`s not quite as simple as slapping a chain in the vise and pulling the head down, but it is simple enough for anyone who is interested to learn.

Russ

[WV_hillbilly]

  Jokers

  I am leanin real hard towards the 511a . Being a mechanically able person I don't think it  shopuld be that hard to learn  . I'll start out with my stump cuttin chains  cause they're  about wore out any ways . ;D

[Ol_Hickory]

I bought a MAXX chain grinder a couple of months ago and am very pleased with it.  I bought it for the same reason you have.  I wasn't getting good local service.  Also, I live 20 miles from town, and it's easier to go to the barn than to town.

[WV_hillbilly]

 Ol Hickory    

   I' ve never heard of that one . Where did you get it at ?  Do they have a website .

[Mark M]

Here is a link: http://www.snssawshop.com/

I think he sells them on eBay.

How are they built OH - pretty solid?

[WV_hillbilly]

 Thanks for the link Mark . I 'm goin to call and find out the price .

[Duane_Moore]

WV-hillbilly     I have ran the 511a for a number of years, and get along with it well, and it will grind the rakers, the stones come with it. after you learn the machine it is fine.  Duh---Duane

[iain]

i got  a woodmizer sharpener for my bands its a 1989 model with instructions for chain sharpening any one ever used it for this? i seam to be doing a lot of fileing at the moment :(