This is essential for the consistency needed in a well-sharpened chain.Īll electric sharpeners have two adjustable stops, one that regulates the horizontal, side-to-side position of each cutter relative to the abrasive wheel, and another stop that regulates grinding depth. This part of the sharpener locates each saw chain tool in the same position while grinding. After that you’re ready to slide the chain to the next link, then chop down and make more sparks fly. It takes just a couple of seconds to make one cutter sharp. Place the chain on the sliding track underneath the abrasive wheel, adjust a couple of angle settings and depth stops (more on that later), lock the chain by tightening a handle, then chop the spinning wheel down into the chain so the abrasive contacts the very front edge of a cutter. But before you can develop the touch, you’ve got to understand crucial steps in the sharpening process. Regular dressing of the wheel also keeps the wheel clean and effective, too.Įven with the right equipment, there’s finesse involved in successful machine sharpening. Regular maintenance of the abrasive wheel is vital, and happens by holding an extra-hard dressing stone against the spinning abrasive wheel to work it down to shape. Wheels need to be reshaped after a period of use with a wheel dressing tool.Ībrasive wheels for saw chains need to have a semi-circular profile to work properly, and the sharpeners I’m using here in this post come with a plastic gauge to assess wheel shape. That’s me using the guide to the left. This orange plastic gauge lets you check and see that the grinding wheel has the correct semi-circular shape. They’re way too slow and the cute little abrasives wear out way too fast. Don’t bother with any consumer-grade chainsaw sharpener that use tiny, cylindrical grinding bits in rotary tools. The pink disk in the photos here is what I’m talking about. But instead of spinning a toothed blade, they spin a thin, abrasive wheel about 4” or 5” in diameter. The kind of sharpeners that make sense for serious chainsaw users look like a miniature woodworking chopsaw. Click here for an overview of the different electric saw chain sharpeners from .Ĭlick here to watch an electric saw chain sharpener in action. The instructions here will help you no matter which model you buy. There are many models around, but most work in the same way. This post is all about how to use a standard electric sharpener properly. When you’ve got the ability to resharpen a dead saw chain three or four times faster than with a file (and a whole lot more accurately and sharpener), it makes sense to do this work in-house, rather than farming it out to a sharpening shop or springing for a new $30 chain before you need one. If you cut much wood, electric saw chain technology makes financial sense. The wooden base allows the unit to be gripped in a vise during use, then removed and put away afterwards. This is one of the saw chain sharpeners I use. There are cheaper models out there, and while some of them may be good, I can’t vouch for bargain-basement electric sharpeners. The two models I use in my shop are made by Oregon and cost $320 and $650. Getting this small but crucial detail correct is what a chainsaw sharpener does so well. The difference between a dull chain and a sharp one comes down to the shape of the tiniest tip of each cutter. How to Sharpen a Chainsaw: Why an Electric Sharpener?Ĭhainsaws are completely useless when they’re dull. Anyone who has operated a saw knows this. This is the heart of how electric saw chain sharpeners work. The leading edge of saw chain cutter is getting ground to a sharp profile by the spinning pink wheel. And a chainsaw must be sharp to work properly. All this is why our fleet of chainsaws is pretty important. And it gets pretty cold in the winter here on the island, too. workshop and all the domestic hot water used by a household of people. Here at our country home on Manitoulin Island, Canada, we heat exclusively with wood. Not since I discovered how fast and effective pro-grade electric saw chain sharpeners can be. After 25 years of sharpening chainsaws with a file by hand, I don’t do much of it any more.
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