Chain grinder

[clipperslawnservice]

This will be my second year doing tree work, and i think i need to by a chain grinder. local shop raised there price a buck a chain, to $5.50.WTH. One should pay for its self pretty quick at this rate! My questions, are they hard to learn to operate, what can i expect to pay for a good one, not a top drawer one, but a decent one, and any brand recommendations? Thanks guys for any info.!

[UrbanEarth]

$5.50 a chain? That is cheap! It's $10.00 a chain up here.

I would suggest getting the best that you can afford (as always). I have looked at the Oregon 511A, but just searching now it seems to have been replaced by the 511AX. One site had it for $318.00 (My local shop wants to sell me one for $600!). If you got one of those you could probably hand it down to your grandchildren!

Using them is fairly easy once you have them set up right. They are pretty idiot proof, and as with any sharpening taking small amounts off more frequently is the best. Make sure that you get the right wheel size for the chain you are using.

[WoodsFire]

(Stole this from another discussion)


I use a Speed Sharp (Italian made) that I got from Baileys ($375). The model I have has a auto chain locker that grips the chain when you pull the handle down but unfortunately Bailey's stopped stocking that model. It saves a little time compared to hand tightening on every link. I disagree with everyone above about filing by hand. It's slow and time consuming and in the hands of a rookie can end a chains career in a hurry! It's much faster to have a couple spare chains in the truck you can swap out in a minute rather than taking 5-20 minutes to sharpen by hand. We sharpen on maintenance/rain days. We also make our own chain (bought in 100 or 150 foot rolls) which saves a ton of money! If money isn't an option and you want the Cadillac of sharpeners get a Silvey (made in USA)!! The biggest difference in Silvey vs most other brands is the motor reverses so you grind both sides of the chain in the same direction which gives a more consistent edge. They also use an 8" grinding wheel compared to the 5 3/4" that most other brands use. The bigger wheel is supposed to sharpen with cooler temps to avoid cutter burning. The down side is that they cost $800! Oregon grinders are made in Italy and are probably made by the same company as Speed Sharp and MAXX. The MAXX model that Bailey's carries has the auto chain clamp and the whole head unit tilts left and right to get the same effect as the Silvey's reversing motor. Don't buy a cheap grinder from Harbor Freight or a hardware store for $35 and expect to get a good sharp chain!

[van Oss Tree Care]

What happened to the old fashion file? I just hand sharpen all of my chains, it may take longer but I like the results a lot better. You can pick up a set of 3 files for under $15 and they will last you a while.

[WoodsFire]

(See link in my last post)