Lubricating a Chain Saw Sharpener

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Geswearf

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I have an Oregon chain saw sharpener (picture below). I've read on arborist type forums that factory and hand sharpened chains last the longest, but once sharpened with a machine, the chain will dull more quickly. Having used this grinder, I've noticed that the heat generated sometimes turns the tips of a tooth blue, indicating that I'm ruining the hardness of the tooth.

A note about sharpening. I try to take off as little metal as possible, but especially with older chains that have been hand filed, the tooth length can vary. It is sometimes necessary to take off more metal from some teeth than others, despite my efforts to remove the least metal possible. Restoring the tooth profile with the grinder also can require removing somewhat more metal than a chain in good condition. The chain's teeth are not very thick - there is not a lot of metal to dissipate heat in any one tooth so it is also possible that using this type of grinder will soften all the teeth that are not bathed in cooling cutting fluid.

I've tried squirting WD40 onto the tooth as the grinding wheel hits it in an effort to keep the temp down, but this is unsatisfactory. I've thought about a flooded lubricant system, in which a small pump bathes the tooth being sharpened in cutting fluid - like some guys have set up for their mills.

What kind of basin can I use to collect and channel the cutting fluid into a reservoir so that it can be recirculated by a small pump? I have to be able to bolt the chain saw sharpener down for stability, and I don't want leaks around bolt holes. Note that the sharpener has a small footprint and must be bolted down. I have it mounted on an old grinder stand. I'll have to mount it on either a block or otherwise elevate it above the floor of the basin. The big red knob under the chain guide/vise loosens the vise to change the grinding angle for the other half of the teeth on the chain.

Is this even a good idea or am I nuts to consider this?
IMG_6994.jpg
 
You are correct that most sharpening can be done by hand with a file for maximum chain life. It takes a little practice but after you get into it, a couple of licks on each tooth only takes a few moments and you don't have to take the chain off the bar. I do that with every gas fill and it keeps the chain sharp.
OF COURSE bad things happen and even good hand filing technique will eventually get a chain to the point that it needs a grinder like this to bring it back to usable shape.
I have a similar grinder and the trick for me is to just take light grinds and go slow. Sometimes you have to make a couple of trips around the chain to get all the teeth to the same length. I've never burned a tooth doing it that way.
 
Sorry, I couldn't resist.

I'm sure you could hook up a coolant system, if you used something like Kool Mist you wouldn't need any kind of recirculation system. Real question is what would you really gain? How many chains are we talking about?

When I ran my shop I found out pretty quickly that hand filing was more efficient for me.

John
 
I have the HF version of this type of chain sharpener. It has just enough flex in the pivot/structure that I can load it to the right on the first plunge, barely touching the tooth. If it needs more, I pull it down without side loading, If it needs still more, I can load to the left for the final plunge. This seems to avoid the heavy, single plunge grind that heats the tooth. Lacking that flexibility, I would make two or even three passes around the chain, taking a light grind with each pass.
 
I am sure most of everyone here can manage a great job on sharpening a chain saw by hand. There is no way I can straighten out the chains mangled by the help on the farm by hand. The only way we can maintain a sharp chain is to have them change out the chain each time there is a dull one. With a pile of chains to sharpen the grinder style is the only way to go. Most chains are over stretched way before running out of metal to sharpen. Yes I still hand file the chain on my chainsaw that I keep for myself.
 
Exactly as Mr Whoopee says. Been using one for years. Sharpened chains seam to last nearly as good as new ones. Use it on my 404 processor chains with the thicker stones, I'd be days filling them on a 48 inch bar.

Greg
 
matthewsx said:
Sorry, I couldn't resist.

I'm sure you could hook up a coolant system, if you used something like Kool Mist you wouldn't need any kind of recirculation system. Real question is what would you really gain? How many chains are we talking about?

When I ran my shop I found out pretty quickly that hand filing was more efficient for me.

John
Click to expand...
Thanks for the suggestion about Kool mist. I'll look into that or similar products and see how that works.

What will I gain? The satisfaction of doing a job well done. If I can do some task better, I will - it is how I am - and won't settle for bad work. The number of chains I sharpen is irrelevant. I'm surprised you even asked this question - isn't this whole website about doing it well yourself? Somebody recently spent around 10K here for a PM lathe - and is is setting about learning how to use it. I think what he is doing is outstanding! Does it make financial sense? I'll let you answer that.

I hand file my chains more than a few times between using the grinder. I've also offered to sharpen chains for some friends and I'd hate to return one with soft teeth (most of them know very little about sharpening). I've watched garden shop guys take a huge bite off the teeth - and Amish small motor shops do the same. I've had chains returned with half of the tooth gone.

Nuff said.
 
Will blowing air with no coolant cool it down?
 
Your commitment to quality and DIY is something I understand. Also, not wasting material is high on my list. Grinding more from a tooth than is needed is wasteful even if it is faster. I know a guy that buys only carbide tooth chains because they last longer. Of course the store told him they can't be sharpened so he just buys a new one when it gets dull. He has more money than I do, for now anyway....

The idea of just an air blast is certainly worth pursuing. No mess except it will send the grinding dust even farther away.

A couple of other things that come to mind. Have you tried different grinding wheels? Have you sharpened more than one brand of chain? I'm thinking perhaps some chains have better steel in the teeth and more resistant to heat built up or that maybe a different brand or grade of grinding wheel may have an effect on how fast the heat builds up.
 
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