New Husqvarna 346XP Yikes

[defed]

think i'll try it then. it will cost as much as my cheap grinder, which does a pretty good job for the price, but it's so easy to get a little heavy with it, thus shortening the life of the chain. i figure if i can file most of the time, the amount removed will be very small. it should pay for itself in, oh, 10 yrs :laughing:

 

[defed]

this is the chain that's on it now, i think...all the same markings and same link in the middle that comes up next to the raker...

Bailey's - Husqvarna 16" Chainsaw Chain Loop

i thought i had a narrow kerf chain, but i guess not? i see on bailey's they list narrow kerf and semi chisel as different 'cutter types'. i thought a narrow kerf was just a narrower semi chisel?

EDIT: ok, i mis-read it....H30/95vpx (what i have) is narrow kerf guard link, 20bpx is semi-chisel guard link...question now is, what is the difference?

Husqvarna Chainsaws, Outdoor Power Equipment and Tree Care Supplies from Bailey's

 

[Bluegill2]

Oregon makes Husky chain. The 'guard link' on these is just a small extra hump and doesn't slow down the cutting ability. Not really what I'd call a 'safety chain', but does have some anti kick ability. It's good chain and cuts very smooth.

H30/95VPX is narrow kerf. H22/20BPX is non-narrow kerf. You can run regular non-narrow kerf on your bar, if you want. It takes a bigger bite and might cut a little faster.

If you want a chain with no anti kick back, get Stihl 'RMC' .325 .050...

 

[Car Doc]

think i'll try it then. it will cost as much as my cheap grinder, which does a pretty good job for the price, but it's so easy to get a little heavy with it, thus shortening the life of the chain. i figure if i can file most of the time, the amount removed will be very small. it should pay for itself in, oh, 10 yrs :laughing:

I had a real good Oregon bench grinder and sold it to a guy that needed it worse than me and later bought a Northern Tool clone of it about a hundred bucks or less if you catch it on sale. Money well spent does the same job as the Oregon its not high quality but we are not loggers either at least I am not. good luck

 

[defed]

my grinder does good, but like i said, real easy to take off more than you wanted. if i run the hand file, a cpl strokes more often, i think the chain will last longer in the long run, which over time means i bought a cpl less, which means the granberg paid for itself eventually.

so the narrow kerf is still semi chisel, just narrower? guess the last question is...is there any difference between 95vp and 95vpx or 20bp/20bpx? i'm satisfied w/ that style, so i'm going to stick w/ one of those 2 for now, just whether i want narrow or not.

 

[Car Doc]

Well field dressing chains is not an exact science its a necessity thing with some folks that choose to do things that way.

The amount taken off will inevitably be different from tooth to tooth no way around it. The chain stop on a bench grinder is adjustable for a reason - repeatability.

Set it on the first tooth on each side and each chain correctly and grind the rest to the same as the first that is what saves the chains. None get more ground than necessary if you do them this way every time. hth

I will let Bluegill or someone else answer the chain questions. I dont know off the top of my head I dont use them anyway so have no clue what the "x" means? I do believe they are semi chisel that is a common cutter on most saws fwtw.

 

[Bluegill2]

my grinder does good, but like i said, real easy to take off more than you wanted. if i run the hand file, a cpl strokes more often, i think the chain will last longer in the long run, which over time means i bought a cpl less, which means the granberg paid for itself eventually.

so the narrow kerf is still semi chisel, just narrower? guess the last question is...is there any difference between 95vp and 95vpx or 20bp/20bpx? i'm satisfied w/ that style, so i'm going to stick w/ one of those 2 for now, just whether i want narrow or not.

Yes, narrow kerf has a narrower cutter, to cut a narrower kerf. Supposed to take less power to pull it through the cut. And I do believe all narrow kerf is semi chisel.

Oregon recently added the X to those model numbers. New and improved, but it's basically the same.

 

[LD1]

Well field dressing chains is not an exact science its a necessity thing with some folks that choose to do things that way.

The amount taken off will inevitably be different from tooth to tooth no way around it. The chain stop on a bench grinder is adjustable for a reason - repeatability.

Set it on the first tooth on each side and each chain correctly and grind the rest to the same as the first that is what saves the chains. None get more ground than necessary if you do them this way every time. hth

I will let Bluegill or someone else answer the chain questions. I dont know off the top of my head I dont use them anyway so have no clue what the "x" means? I do believe they are semi chisel that is a common cutter on most saws fwtw.

The way it shortens chain life IMO is that you are sharpening ALL teeth the same amount WETHER THEY NEED IT OR NOT.

Actually, if you read the directions, it states to find the WORST tooth, and grind them all to match. Which may be WAY past sharp, and removing TOO much material on 90% of the teeth.

To each his own. Personally, I like hand filing with a jig. That way, each tooth ONLY has enough material removed to restore the edge and NOTHING more.

 

[defed]

thanks bluegill for the chain info.

as far as repeatability, my cheap grinder doesn't have any anyway. there's a bit of play in all the moving parts, even after some bushing improvements. it still does a fine job, but it's still a lot 'by feel'. you have to work the small amount of play (which goes either direction...too deep on the tooth, or not even touching) the same on each cut. so that's where it is easy to take a bit too much. i know, i could buy a good one too. but i also like LD1's theory on not taking more than necessary, so i'll spend $30 bucks and try some hand filing.

 

[LD1]

thanks bluegill for the chain info.

as far as repeatability, my cheap grinder doesn't have any anyway. there's a bit of play in all the moving parts, even after some bushing improvements. it still does a fine job, but it's still a lot 'by feel'. you have to work the small amount of play (which goes either direction...too deep on the tooth, or not even touching) the same on each cut. so that's where it is easy to take a bit too much. i know, i could buy a good one too. but i also like LD1's theory on not taking more than necessary, so i'll spend $30 bucks and try some hand filing.

The granberg itself is 30 bucks. So you better spend about $36 and get a half-dozen files too:thumbsup:

I personally like save-edge and pferd brands. Both good. But there are other good ones too.

 

[ultraglide62]

I use an Oregon bench grinder and I find it very good and repeatable. The chain is much sharper then when I use to hand file and I thought I was good at it!!
You should set the stop to sharpen the cutter with the shortest top plate length and keep that setting for both the right hand and left hand cutters. That way the chain does not run off one side or the other and also wear the bar rails uniformly.
The key to great chain life is to keep it out of the dirt, use good bar and chain oil, tension properly and never let it get too dull as it overheads and causes the chain to stretch. Good luck be safe.
Ultraglide62

 

[Car Doc]

Hey LD1,

I read you and yes its each his own I am waaay to lazy and not near skilled enough to file or field dress a chain..

However as far as grinders go speaking from my experience anyway seeing several people attempt to sharpen my chains before I bought my own grinder. It completely depends on how aggressive a person gets on a bench grinder as to how much gets taken off. fwtw I adjust mine to just barely touch the cutters thats all it takes just enough to see sparks.

As with all tools it is all operator skill and knowledge even a hammer is a tool that can be used with finesse.

I was paying a small engine shop at one time to sharpen my chains and they were a Stihl dealer (not that makes any difference its just a fact) I was replacing chains after 3 sharpening's average they were hacks selling a lot of chains to unsuspecting folks.

Now days I get years out of my chains easily 3 seasons is my guesstimate and I swap chains before I overheat them normally have at least 2 and mostly 3 sharp chains with me for each saw. I believe in letting the saw do all the work I am lazy or lazy smart or something like that.

 

[defed]

i know enough to stay out of the dirt...or at least try to...inevitably i hit it eventually. i was helping a guy from work cut up some stuff and every cut he was hitting the ground. i told him that that dulls the chain and he looked at me like i was from mars. then he saw how easy mine cut the same stuff (this was even w/ my poulan) and he started to believe me. worst part is, he had using it duller than dull be for wks. apparently didn't know you could sharpen them either.

as far as my cheap grinder, the chain stop has to be readjusted for each side, doesn't auto center. i still do a pretty good job keeping both sides the same. i just figure if i get the file, and it's easy enough, i can take a few minutes after every few tanks of fuel and give them a quick touch up. keep it sharp, take less off at a time, less heat, less stress...etc. usually ready for a break by then anyway.

 

[LD1]

i know enough to stay out of the dirt...or at least try to...inevitably i hit it eventually. i was helping a guy from work cut up some stuff and every cut he was hitting the ground. i told him that that dulls the chain and he looked at me like i was from mars. then he saw how easy mine cut the same stuff (this was even w/ my poulan) and he started to believe me. worst part is, he had using it duller than dull be for wks. apparently didn't know you could sharpen them either.
.

Some people

 

[radioman]

Some people

You might be right about some people. But I blame it all on the dealer. just a couple questions to the customer and they are either well on their way with a new toy or they get some tips first before leaving store.
sadly- these kids of people are rare...:confused3:

 

[LD1]

You might be right about some people. But I blame it all on the dealer. just a couple questions to the customer and they are either well on their way with a new toy or they get some tips first before leaving store.
sadly- these kids of people are rare...:confused3:

Or it could be someone who bought from a box-store:confused3:

 

[defed]

i think he inherited it from his grandfather.

 

[Car Doc]

I dont know about you guys but we have so much sand in the bark chains and bars get a beating whether you are stumping or not. Its a lot worse closer you get to the ground but nonetheless inevitable sand is part of your day here.

 

[defed]

no issues like that here.

i think my 346xp has gotten its power. no problem cutting big stumps or logs. was taking down quite a few stumps and finally got some dirt after about 10. then, after sharpening it from that, i hit a piece of angle iron today, and from the mark it left, i thought for sure the chain was going to be bad...i didn't even see any obvious knicks on it and it was still cutting pretty good, so i finished what i was doing before i resharpened.

 

[Car Doc]

Yeah I hate cutting into fence wire and nails when getting wood around farmsteads.