Oregon sharpener

[crazyal]

After reading the sharpener threads it's got me thinking about upgrading from a Dremel with a grinding stone to an Oregon sharpener. I rarely take my chain off the saw, occasionally to make sure the bar oil hole in the bar is clear, to occasionally flip the bar, and to replace the chain. That being said I find myself looking at the Oregon clamp on sharpener.

Does anyone own one, if so how do you like it? Nobody around me has one so I'd have to order it sight unseen. Oregon's web site doesn't give any great details and just one picture. In the description it says "Sharpens many 1/4" , .325", and mini 3/8"-pitch chains". What do they call a 3/8" pitch chain? Is it the grinding wheel that limits it and a replacement wheel that does regular 3/8 chain be ordered? Does the bar provide enough resistance to correctly grind the chain? Does it clamp onto the bar with enough force to sharpen the chain?

In a more general question, has anyone used an oil while using an eletric sharpener? I use a cutting oil for threading pipes with the Dremel. Without it I find the teeth get very hot, not enough to discolor the metal but still hot. Plus it throws off sparks. Just wondering if anyone has ever tried using oil with a wheel type sharpener?

 

[Redgoatea]

While I've never tried a clamp on sharpener I do have a benchtop that I use. The wheel grinders can reshape the whole tooth if that's what you want/need to do and for that you use oil but usually you just need to lightly graze it for a second and it's done no oil needed. If you don't get any useful reviews here I know I got some very good ones off amazon when I was looking for my benchtop. 7

 

[dodge man]

I've got a friend who has the a sharpner like the one in your picture. I'm not sure its an Oregon, but it sure looks like it. I have an Oregon dremel type sharpner, and I think it works almost as good as the bench style. The bench style has stops for the chain, so you get a more percise grind and angle, so it does a better job in the long run. It just depends on how much you use your chainsaw, if you use it a lot, I'd get the bench style. Wish I had a little more knowledge on the actual Oregon unit you are looking at.

 

[newbury]

On arboristsite there have been several recent posts about this type of grinder.
Since I'm in my OFGA mood (old flatulence giving advice) mood -
You write like you don't sharpen often. I've seen that grinder going for $200.
From the website:

Comes with one grinding wheel, P/N OR4125-316, 3/16", for
sharpening .325"-pitch and standard 3/8"-pitch (72/73/75
series) chains
Also comes with a wheel-dressing brick, and a
template for: pitch, depth-gauge setting, and wheel contour
Sharpens many 1/4", .325", and mini 3/8"-pitch chains
Sharpens most chains up to .404"-pitch with optional wheels, available
separately
xxx

So it des both plus.

But if a new 20" chain costs $15 is it worth it to pay $200 to sharpen a chain a couple of times a year?

My guidelines are:

If one has to sharpen 3 times a year then I'd advise a Carlton FOP
If one has to sharpen 12 times a year then I'd advise a file n'joint type guide, plus a few FOP's
If one has to sharpen 20 times a year then I'd advise an accurate grinder, plus the other two.

Note TSC and Northern tool also sell similar, much less expensive grinders.

 

[crazyal]

Right now I probably sharpen 5 to 6 times a year (using the dremel), maybe every second or third tank. Is it enough to justify buying a $200? Probably not in the short term but I have 40 acres of hardwoods and heat almost exclusively with wood. I have yet to burn 3 cord of wood a year. I also give my mother another 3 cord. Neither number is going to change in a long time, if ever.

So in the long term I think the time savings of not having to remove the chain and the fact that the way I'm sharpening now is not very accurate in angle and how much gets taken off each tooth would make it possibly worth getting. I'm not much of a HF type of guy if I can avoid it, I'm more of the buy it once, spend the extra money, and never have to worry about it again. Plus what guy doesn't like a new tool. So if I buy a sharpener I would expect to get 20 years of use out of it or more. I would rather not drop $200 on something that in real life doesn't work as well as it looks like it could in pictures or takes more fiddling around with that just swapping chains and using a bench mount to sharpen them when I get free time.

 

[newbury]

Having been a Vermonter from 1957 to 1978 I think I understand the buy it once mentality (and I've about 75 acres near Bakersfield on 108), however I did not mention HF, that one is generally viewed as worthless. The TSC unit seemed to get favorable reviews and is reportedly well built.
BUT if you've 40 acres of hardwood you might think about milling or sawing also. Depending on how much slab to cant you want you'll still have plenty of firewood. AND wood to build stuff with.
You've definitely got the tractor to to move the logs.
Then you'll have an excuse to get more tools

ps: If you want a very accurate grind get a bench grinder.

 

[crazyal]

Everytime I look at a mill my mind starts to wander then I have to remind myself that I already have too many projects. I have had a local with a band mill come up a few times and now have a nice selection of Cherry, Maple, Beech, and Yellow Birch.

I have several new spare chains but have gotten myself into the mentallity that I should use one until it either will not hold an edge or has hit the point where there's not enough left to sharpen then replace it. When I've thought about a bench mounted unit I find myself looking at the 511AX (which I think is over kill for my needs). It usually starts off at $40 for a cheap one, $130~$150 for something like the Northern sharpener (I think the TSC one is about the same price), then looking at another $50 to $70 for a lower model Oregon, then for another $100ish I could get what looks like a very nice sharpener, the 511ax. At that point in time I usually decide to wait a few days/ weeks to try and decide if it's just the want of a nice tool or if I really will take advantage of it.

Bakersfield is on the back side of the ridge from me about 10 minutes away.

 

[Redgoatea]

When I looked into bench tops everything I read said ya get what ya pay for and that the cheap ones were well cheap. Made of plastic, inconsistent, and broke easily. So I went with the NT unit got it for $120-140 can't remember exactly. I've got about 30 acres that are wooded. Fir, cedar, redwood, maple, alder, and some odd kind of cherry I haven't identified yet. We get some pretty strong winds on the coast here so there's a few that come down every storm plus I heat with wood only. I figured I'd be doing a lot of sawing so that's what prompted me to go with the bench top. I didn't even look at the clamp on units but can't miss what I don't know. Good luck with your sharpener. Stay safe. 7

 

[captaincrab55]

So in the long term I think the time savings of not having to remove the chain

If one uses a portable grinder to sharpen a chain on the bar, particles from the stone and chain may end up in the chain and bar.. It may shorten the life of the chain and bar... Directions with my saw are to turn the bar every time the chain is sharpened. I now have several extra chains and a Northern Bench Top Grinder..

 

[Chilly807]

I'm going to throw a wild hair in the soup here and suggest something different. Buy a 3 pack of files and an angle gauge and try using it for a while. Start with an old chain and practice until the chain is gone.

You may not get great results immediately, but it'll come. Sometimes finding an oldtimer that knows how to sharpen a chain can be a help, especially if he knows what he's doing and is willing to show you.

Oregon has some good literature on how to sharpen chains, it really isn't that hard. I've sharpened them freehand all my life, with good results. A vise and a bench works the best for steady, but any flat spot to sit the saw will be ok in the field. Keep a spare sharp chain in the "possibles" pouch in case of major damage (rocks, nails, etc).

An average bench sharpening should take about 10 minutes, allowing time for greasing the nose sprocket and touching up the depth rakers even. I usually touch up a chain once or twice a day unless I hit something I shouldn't.

End of the day 3 files costs about $5, the angle gauge (if you even need it, I just use the "witness mark" on Oregon chains for the angle I need) might be another $5. Far from $200...

I think the best thing about being able to hand file a chain that will cut like the devil is after it, and they really WILL do that, is being able to give folks that squinty-eyed, half-amused look and say "Grinders?? We don't need no stinking grinders, hombre..." Other than saving $200, I mean.


Sean