Is it possible to file the depth gauges on a chainsaw chain with the
handy dandy sharpener Harbor Freight has at the following link?
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=40208
I have this sharpener, but unfortunately it did not come with any
instructions... I also found out by reading many articles on
sharpening that the teeth should be the same size (distance from
cutting edge to back of tooth). Can anyone shed any light on how to
use this sharpener to make sure the teeth are being sharpened to the
exact same size?
Why does the top of the tooth slant downward to the back? If the tooth
didn't slant I wouldn't have to worry about filing the depth gauges...
Do any manufacturers make chains with teeth that don't slant? If so,
is that a good thing or bad thing? Thanks!
Bob Lee wrote:
> Much as I love power tools, if you can manage to keep the chain out of
> the dirt and rocks, hand sharpening is all you'll need and it's better
> for the chain. I use a file guide:
> http://www.mfgsupply.com/m/c/32-4246.html?id=RHEPvXHi
> But it takes a practiced and careful eye to keep the angle constant on
> the tooth. If you're not confident with that, you can get a jig:
> http://www.mfgsupply.com/m/c/G-106.html?id=RHEPvXHi
Here comes trouble.
JP
*******************
Worlds are colliding.
My thought on a chain with a non-slant tooth would be that the cutting
edge would not be able to get a bite on the wood traveling at high
speed. Since the chain is bouncing around a tad, the slant is needed
to help ensure a good bite.
I like your first sentence! However, I don't quite buy your second
sentence. Bread knives are flat, but serrated (the serrated part might
not qualify for the true definition of flat...). Knives in planers and
jointers are flat and cut like a mean son-of-a-gun (got a scar to prove
it-long story, briefly put -> Tormek + planer HSS knife + replacing =
nice clean deep cut).
Bob Lee wrote:
> ...
> Much as I love power tools, if you can manage to keep the chain out of
> the dirt and rocks, hand sharpening is all you'll need and it's better
> for the chain. ...
I ran across one fella' who said he uses a broom to get rid of a lot of
sand and crud on the wood he cuts. I started doing that. I'm sure it
helps...
I felled a big oak today from hurricane Katrina and had dirt, wood, and
crud all over me. I'm sure a lot of that crud made it's way onto my
freshly sharpened chain...
Thanks for the links you mention below!
>From Google groups I see that you set a "no archive bit" somewhere...
I've never seen that before. How did you do that?
> I use a file guide:
> http://www.mfgsupply.com/m/c/32-4246.html?id=RHEPvXHi
>
> But it takes a practiced and careful eye to keep the angle constant on
> the tooth. If you're not confident with that, you can get a jig:
> http://www.mfgsupply.com/m/c/G-106.html?id=RHEPvXHi
>
> Jigs are awesome, because the angles are exact, and you are way less
> likely to take out too much metal from the tooth. Think of it as like
> hand sharpening your wood chisels, rather than putting them on a machine
> - yo get a better edge in the long run.
>
> And as for the depth gauge:
> http://www.mfgsupply.com/m/c/MG-030.html?id=RHEPvXHi
>
> Or a fancier one:
> http://www.mfgsupply.com/m/c/32-4245.html?id=RHEPvXHi
>
> > Why does the top of the tooth slant downward to the back? If the tooth
> > didn't slant I wouldn't have to worry about filing the depth gauges...
> > Do any manufacturers make chains with teeth that don't slant? If so,
> > is that a good thing or bad thing? Thanks!
>
> The chain tooth needs to slant to keep an effective angle of attack.
>
> Bob
Bob Lee <[email protected]> wrote:
>You probably can't see it, but lots of newsreaders can display a little
>image (called X-Face) in my headers. Right now I have the Japanese
>kanji for "mountain" there. Among other newsreader apps, XNews and
>Forte Agent can display X-Face images.
How? When showing headers, I see that header and lots of ascii
characters following it. How do I get Agent to display X-face images?
--
Alex -- Replace "nospam" with "mail" to reply by email. Checked infrequently.
<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
>
> I felled a big oak today from hurricane Katrina and had dirt, wood, and
> crud all over me. I'm sure a lot of that crud made it's way onto my
> freshly sharpened chain...
>
Get used to it. Try as you might, and it's worth trying to keep your chain
away from the dirt and the rocks, you won't avoid it completely. The best
thing you can do is keep a file in your back pocket.
--
-Mike-
[email protected]
<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> My thought on a chain with a non-slant tooth would be that the cutting
> edge would not be able to get a bite on the wood traveling at high
> speed. Since the chain is bouncing around a tad, the slant is needed
> to help ensure a good bite.
>
> I like your first sentence! However, I don't quite buy your second
> sentence. Bread knives are flat,
No, they aren't.
but serrated (the serrated part might
> not qualify for the true definition of flat...). Knives in planers and
> jointers are flat
No, they aren't.
[email protected] wrote:
> Is it possible to file the depth gauges on a chainsaw chain with the
> handy dandy sharpener Harbor Freight has at the following link?
>
> http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=40208
>
> I have this sharpener, but unfortunately it did not come with any
> instructions... I also found out by reading many articles on
> sharpening that the teeth should be the same size (distance from
> cutting edge to back of tooth). Can anyone shed any light on how to
> use this sharpener to make sure the teeth are being sharpened to the
> exact same size?
>
> Why does the top of the tooth slant downward to the back? If the tooth
> didn't slant I wouldn't have to worry about filing the depth gauges...
> Do any manufacturers make chains with teeth that don't slant? If so,
> is that a good thing or bad thing? Thanks!
>
No, you can't use that for the depth gauges. The best thing I
have found for DGs is a 3 corner file.
Perfection is a goal, not a destination. Try to keep them the
same by sharpening each tooth each time you sharpen the blade.
They don't have to be EXACTLY the same, but close.
The tooth slants downward to give it bite into the wood. The
depth gauge keeps it from going too far.
No one makes a nonslanting chain, it wouldn't work.
--
Robert Allison
Rimshot, Inc.
Georgetown, TX
If you find a manufacturer that makes chains that have teeth that don't
slant (clearence), you have found the manufacturer of non cutting chains.
Lay a knife blade flat on a board. Is it going to cut the board in that
position?
<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Is it possible to file the depth gauges on a chainsaw chain with the
> handy dandy sharpener Harbor Freight has at the following link?
>
> http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=40208
>
> I have this sharpener, but unfortunately it did not come with any
> instructions... I also found out by reading many articles on
> sharpening that the teeth should be the same size (distance from
> cutting edge to back of tooth). Can anyone shed any light on how to
> use this sharpener to make sure the teeth are being sharpened to the
> exact same size?
>
> Why does the top of the tooth slant downward to the back? If the tooth
> didn't slant I wouldn't have to worry about filing the depth gauges...
> Do any manufacturers make chains with teeth that don't slant? If so,
> is that a good thing or bad thing? Thanks!
>
[email protected] wrote:
> Bob Lee wrote:
> > ...
> > Much as I love power tools, if you can manage to keep the chain out of
> > the dirt and rocks, hand sharpening is all you'll need and it's better
> > for the chain. ...
>
> I ran across one fella' who said he uses a broom to get rid of a lot of
> sand and crud on the wood he cuts. I started doing that. I'm sure it
> helps...
Absolutely. It's hard to keep a saw sharp when trees are covered with
muck and crud, but it's key to keep the chain out of the ground and away
from rocks. Like Mike Marlow mentioned, if you carry a file with you,
you can touch up a chain before it gets real bad. It's easier to keep
it touched up regularly than to sharpen it when it's gone real dull.
> I felled a big oak today from hurricane Katrina and had dirt, wood, and
> crud all over me. I'm sure a lot of that crud made it's way onto my
> freshly sharpened chain...
Heh. Most of my wood cutting here in the (dry) southern Rockies is
felling and bucking for firewood - not too much mud involved. Good luck
with that hurricane thing.
> Thanks for the links you mention below!
>
> From Google groups I see that you set a "no archive bit" somewhere...
> I've never seen that before. How did you do that?
I read usenet from my ISP's NNTP feed using newsreader software - MT
Newswatcher v3.3(?) in my case. The application allows me to add extra
instructions in the headers, and I've added a line that says
"X-No-Archive: Yes" which is supposed to keep it from being archived.
Doesn't always work. Reading your headers it looks like you are posting
though the web-basedGoogle Groups - I don't use Google Groups so I don't
know if you can add header info when posting there.
You probably can't see it, but lots of newsreaders can display a little
image (called X-Face) in my headers. Right now I have the Japanese
kanji for "mountain" there. Among other newsreader apps, XNews and
Forte Agent can display X-Face images.
Bob
> > I use a file guide:
> > http://www.mfgsupply.com/m/c/32-4246.html?id=RHEPvXHi
> >
> > But it takes a practiced and careful eye to keep the angle constant on
> > the tooth. If you're not confident with that, you can get a jig:
> > http://www.mfgsupply.com/m/c/G-106.html?id=RHEPvXHi
> >
> > Jigs are awesome, because the angles are exact, and you are way less
> > likely to take out too much metal from the tooth. Think of it as like
> > hand sharpening your wood chisels, rather than putting them on a machine
> > - yo get a better edge in the long run.
> >
> > And as for the depth gauge:
> > http://www.mfgsupply.com/m/c/MG-030.html?id=RHEPvXHi
> >
> > Or a fancier one:
> > http://www.mfgsupply.com/m/c/32-4245.html?id=RHEPvXHi
> >
> > > Why does the top of the tooth slant downward to the back? If the tooth
> > > didn't slant I wouldn't have to worry about filing the depth gauges...
> > > Do any manufacturers make chains with teeth that don't slant? If so,
> > > is that a good thing or bad thing? Thanks!
> >
> > The chain tooth needs to slant to keep an effective angle of attack.
> >
> > Bob
[email protected] wrote:
> Is it possible to file the depth gauges on a chainsaw chain with the
> handy dandy sharpener Harbor Freight has at the following link?
>
> http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=40208
>
> I have this sharpener, but unfortunately it did not come with any
> instructions... I also found out by reading many articles on
> sharpening that the teeth should be the same size (distance from
> cutting edge to back of tooth). Can anyone shed any light on how to
> use this sharpener to make sure the teeth are being sharpened to the
> exact same size?
Much as I love power tools, if you can manage to keep the chain out of
the dirt and rocks, hand sharpening is all you'll need and it's better
for the chain. I use a file guide:
http://www.mfgsupply.com/m/c/32-4246.html?id=RHEPvXHi
But it takes a practiced and careful eye to keep the angle constant on
the tooth. If you're not confident with that, you can get a jig:
http://www.mfgsupply.com/m/c/G-106.html?id=RHEPvXHi
Jigs are awesome, because the angles are exact, and you are way less
likely to take out too much metal from the tooth. Think of it as like
hand sharpening your wood chisels, rather than putting them on a machine
- yo get a better edge in the long run.
And as for the depth gauge:
http://www.mfgsupply.com/m/c/MG-030.html?id=RHEPvXHi
Or a fancier one:
http://www.mfgsupply.com/m/c/32-4245.html?id=RHEPvXHi
> Why does the top of the tooth slant downward to the back? If the tooth
> didn't slant I wouldn't have to worry about filing the depth gauges...
> Do any manufacturers make chains with teeth that don't slant? If so,
> is that a good thing or bad thing? Thanks!
The chain tooth needs to slant to keep an effective angle of attack.
Bob
alexy wrote:
> Bob Lee wrote:
>
> >You probably can't see it, but lots of newsreaders can display a little
> >image (called X-Face) in my headers. Right now I have the Japanese
> >kanji for "mountain" there. Among other newsreader apps, XNews and
> >Forte Agent can display X-Face images.
>
> How? When showing headers, I see that header and lots of ascii
> characters following it. How do I get Agent to display X-face images?
Oh, do I have my head stuck somewhere dark? I use a Mac, Agent is
PC-only, and I was going on what I thought I remembered. So if Agent
doesn't display X-Face images then I was wrong.
Sorry for any confusion. A little googling shows that besides XNews,
MesNews, 123NewsZ, and Gravity seem to support X-Face. And there may be
some DLLs that seem to add X-Face support to Agent:
http://home.arcor.de/mschierlm/agttool/
Bob