Years ago, I bought one of those guides, and probably spent close to $30 for it. I was never happy with the results and I still wasted at least an hour on a chain. I think I got $2 for it when I sold it at an auction. Replacement chains are about $18 for my small saw. Hardly worth the cost of the guide, files, and all the time involved. In the time I spend shapening the chain, I can have a whole tree down and cut up. Time is money!
I never found those tiny dremel grinder bits to last long either (on metal). The one thing I did use mine for was grinding a nice (almost square) hole in a door frame for a door-knob striker plate. I'd just drill a 5/8" hole, then use the dremel tool to make a nice hole to fit the striker plate. Much nicer job than a chisel. That's probably the only real useful thing I got from that tool. If I need to cut off a bolt, I use my angle grinder. A $2 wheel will cut 30 bolts, but it would probably take $15 or $20 worth of dremel bits to cut one 3/8" bolt.
Really, I never knew that. How does the sand get into the tree trunk? That's weird!
You should be able to find better quality bits at almost any hardware supplier. HF bits are typically low quality.
Bill
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Huh? My old ranger 33 won't leak gas or oil in any position. I still sharpen it sitting upright.
It gets pulled up with the water. This is not beach sand, it is a very fine grit but it will knock the edge off of chain saw teeth right away. The closer to the ground you get, the more sand so always start cutting up a palm log from the top and when you get about 6-8 feet from the root end, plan on sharpening your saw a couple times before you are done. If I really do not need to cut it off right at the ground, I will take a palm about eye high and leave the rest. After about a year, you can just push it over. The roots rot out pretty fast after it dies. On a sable, shove a bunch of air plants in the boots and it looks like you planned it to be that way.
I keep it upright, just put it down.
Just put the file into the round grove. I realize it's the upper part that needs the sharp edge so I press a little upward.
Yes, I get the same "cuts better" effect from sharpening. After Sandy I had a crew come in with one guy that seemed to really know what he was doing. He sharpened his saw the same way. Just a round file.
This sharpner looks something similar to a small chop saw or miter saw with an abrasive wheel. YOu place the chain in a guide and adjust the wheel to where you want it to cut and how deep to cut. After that all you have to do is just move the wheel down and up and advance the chain to the next position. When all the teeth going one way are sharpened you move it to the new position and sharpen the other teeth. This is done with the chain off the saw so it does pay to have an extra chain with you if away from the house. The saw cuts great after this as all the teeth are the same.
If I did much sharpening I would get one of the beter quality ones, but I thought for less than $ 30 it would be worth a try no more sharpening than I do.
Some seem to have good skills at doing things free hand, but I don't seem to be able to. When I paint I have to tape where I don't want it to go and cover every thing that I don't want painted. The actual paint job looks good, but I make a big mess on the drop cloths. Same with the chain saw. I put mine in a vise in the shop and use file and guide and it just barley cuts beter than before I sharpen it. The HF sharpner works very well for me as after I adjust it, it is just mechanical work and no skill.
Thanks for the info. I learned something new. I have never dealt with palm trees since they dont grow up here in the north. Apparently their wood is very porous. Is there any use for that wood? For lumber or firewood?
I can paint freehand better than I can using tape, because tape often bleeds, or pulls off paint when I remove the tape. I just use a quality angle brush.
But I cant sharpen a chain saw worth shit, freehand or even with a guide. I also cant sharpen drill bits, and I've read articles and did everything I was supposed to.... Some things are best left to the pros, and their top of the line machines.
I received a Drill Doctor machine for Christmas a few years ago. Works well on the bits that I never learned to sharpen. No more than I use a drill I probably would have been beter off if I just buy new drill bits any time I needed a sharp one.
Even with the guide, I have an overwhelming "urge" to move the file lower into the gullet. It is only the guide that prevents me from doing so (I invariably have to examine the guide to see why it won't let me put the file where *I* want it to go!)
Keeping it "on hand" (so there's no disincentive to using it) and not getting carried away (trying to remove too much material) seems to make it easier to keep the saw (chain) operating at its sweet spot.
I've a healthy respect for chainsaws; never want to find myself "forcing it" -- to do ANYTHING! :>
Yes, but most "stores" sell either individual bits (at an ooutrageous price) *or* "864 piece kits" (with 863 of them being little bits of sandpaper!).
I was hoping to find a *kit* of metal bits similar to what I posted (above URLs) -- in a better price than the $6/each (bit!) by way of being part of a larger "collection" (yet better quality than the HF stuff)
Is this a "judgement call"? Or, does the guide effectively *tell* you where to set the adjustment?
I.e., can you screw this up (and ruin your chain)?
Are you entering the cutter from the *side*? I can't see how you can go "up and down" and still keep the cutting corner with that slight "leading overhang"...
I will have to look at it next time at HF. I suspect the fact that it "requires electricity" (meaning it wouldn't be useful outside the house) may work against it.
These appear to be "abrasive" (as in "gritty"). I was hoping for something more along the lines of:
I want to be able to aggressively remove material -- within the constraints of the dinky abilities of such a tool.
In the past, I've used this to:
- "route" channels for wires between dimensioned lumber and drywall
- reshape a weep hole in the bottom (metal) pan of swamp cooler
- shape PVC parts to specific contours
- remove high spots on (installed!) aluminum and copper flashing etc.
I.e., places where "fineness of finish" isn't as important as "(re)moving a lot in a little time"
Not really.
Don Y posted for all of us...
These are burrs or cutters. Made to be used in a router. I doubt a Dremel has enough HP to do the job.
YOu do have to adjust the cutting wheel to where you want it to go. If you do not pay attention on where to set it, you could probably cut all the way through the chain. It comes down with the wheel at an angle, maybe around
30 deg off vertical, what ever the chain needs. That is why I tried to compair it to an electric miter saw, one that is made to cut molding for a room. Then the chain is in a movable bracket that you can turn left and right to match the angle of the cut much as a file would need to be held to match the angle of the cutting part of the chain.You do need to check the settings every time you put another chain on to sharpen.
If you need to cut down the rakes or what ever they are called, you can do that to.
As it does use electricity and requires removing the chain from the saw you would want to carry an extra chain or two with you. Probably quicker to change the chain than to sharpen one in the woods unless you really know what you are doing with the files.
They are usually around $ 40 but often with the coupon from HF you can find them on sale for just under $ 30. There are some comercial duty ones from other companies that start around $ 100 to $ 150. If sharpening lots of chains you would want one of the beter ones, but as I only sharpen a few a year if it does 20 chains for me, it is worth it. I can toss it and buy another. That would get me to an age old enough I should not be fooling with the saws.
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