I know there's some experience in this area. What are you doing for sharpeners? Finally gonna get serious about planning out my shop for the new house and I want a sharpener. What ya runnin?
I've got 4 saws and use a dremel and the dremel chainsaw bits to sharpen the chains. I have hand files also and may use them to touch a chain up if I'm back in the woods but real sharpening of chains happens with the dremel.
I have a small hand file set that I've yet to use for anything beyond a quick touch up. I have four different chains that I send out to be professionally sharpened (yes, I know it's expensive...).
$5-10 per depending upon where I take them. It's been a couple of years since I've had to do it but I need to as I dulled all the chains I have cutting down a massive silver maple.
I've seen people use this before: http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200308557_200308557 I never realized it's that inexpensive. Will have to pick one up and save some cash over the long haul
I'd like to pick up a bench version of that. I've seen one in the stihl catalog. I don't really think I need the power version. I'm making a big purchase at my stihl shop in a few weeks and may have to inquire.
You can pick up an electric sharpener at the dealers for about 25 bucks I think it was. It has a angle guage built right in you just keep parallel to the Bar. Or if you already have a Dremel like Bruce said, all you need is the bits. These things work great!
I get mine sharpened by a friend that uses one from Harbor Freight. It does a great job and he has it mounted on the wall of his shop about chest high to make it easy to use. http://www.harborfreight.com/electric-chain-saw-sharpener-93213.html
Dremel has a little chainsaw jig kit that you can buy, and I have, but nowadays I just get the proper size bit in the dremel and hold it at the angle of the tooth and grind away. You can get all kinds of grinders/jigs (see link below) at all kinds of prices but, the fact is, at least for me and what I do, the dremel, dremel chainsaw bits and eyeballing, get my chains good and sharp. I replace chains every so often anyway (see other link below). I cut trees of all sizes and my saws are 35 (small overtop handle for in trees, limbing), 46, 56, 76 cc's and go from a 12" bar to a 24" bar. I also have an electric saw but rarely use it. Chain grinders Chainsaw chain
Here's the Dremel adapter kit: http://www.amazon.com/Dremel-1453-C...02YO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1301765846&sr=8-1 Hmm... Decisions, decisions...
One thing I would like to add is that we use the dremel for other stuff too so that chain sharpening is just one function and not the ONLY function. I try to buy and use tools that can have as many functions as possible. Considering how often I actually need to sharpen chains, and I cut a LOT of wood to heat our house during winter, I can't see buying a tool that ONLY sharpens chains. It would only be used a couple times a year.
I cut more wood then most. Every winter and spring I'll cut down anywhere from 200 to 350 tree's. Time Isn't on my side because of my job so all of my sharpening gets done at a small engine repair place. I get well over 50 chains sharpened a winter and usually buy at least 15 new chains a year. When I do sharpen them my self I use a rat tail file. The file has to be the exact size to fit the groove. They work great!
I think the dremel is the way I want to go, I'm still just having a hard time finding a bench mount jig of sorts. What I think I want looks like this, but can't find a stihl part number for it, but I haven't asked my dealer yet. I actually think this might be all I need for now (this kit) to see how serious I wanna be.
I've got a special wheel on my grinder and an attaching jig to feed the chain (by hand). I can sharpen an 18" chain in 5min. that's as sharp as new.
Lol!! I heat my house, garage, shop with an outdoor wood boiler. I'm a farmers best friend. Allot of the farmers I pick up milk for and other crop farmers In the area usually come to me when they want tree's taken out along their fields or cleaning out their ditches. Most of this will be getting done before the crops go In. I've got 2 different farmers lined up for this spring. 250 tree's to be exact. Wanna help?
I use a guy at work, at $3.00 a chain and the job he does cant be beat,,,he even hands out a band aide with each chain given back
