chain sharpening

[Kevin]

Not sure what you mean by "holding the target cutter nice and still".
The guide rides the chain same as the Stihl guide.
If the chain moves so does the guide.
I use the roller guides with Oregon chain and I like them but they don't give you the exact top plate angle and the chains require dressing on the grinder or bar mount file system.
The roller guides give you side plate hook and depth for specific chain, you can modify the roller guide but I don't see any advantage unless you get it to match the specific chain.
The 3/8 blue roller guides are designed for 10o side plate hook and 7/32 file.
Stihl uses the 13/64 file without the 10o side plate hook.

 

[glens]

When I'm running the file on a cutter, I hold the chain as still as possible side-to-side. The roller guide gives me much better purchase on it.

I guess I don't know which Stihl guide you're referring to. The only ones I'm aware of are the plate that clamps onto the file and the jig that mounts to the bar. The roller guides are comparable to neither as far as I see it.

In my experience the roller guide, when set up correctly for RS chain, is also set up correctly for RM chain. Setting the depths of the front and rear notches automatically takes care of the file size difference.

It would be impossible for the roller guide to provide a 10° file-down angle on one side without then providing a 10° file-up angle on the other. The file rolls 90° from the drive links.

Also in my experience, minor differences in top plate angle are inconsequential.

I acknowledge that "different strokes for different folks" definitely applies to hand-sharpening chains. I'm merely sharing what it is that I've found to be perhaps the best way for me.

 

[treebear]

Boils down to that the teeth on each side must be of the same size, have the same angle and a line from the top plate to the bottom of the tooth should be 90 degrees on the bar.
Svein
www.hogstogrydding.no

 

[Kevin]

[ QUOTE ]
You can file a chain 'free hand', but my recommendation would be to use a small 'roller guide'. This device is a small aluminum frame with 2 nylon rollers that clips on the chain. If the file is kept at 90 degrees to the rollers you will get your 30 degree angle. With the right file on the rollers you will get your 10% hook on the cutter.

[/ QUOTE ]

http://www.husqvarnachainsaws.co.uk/peter's_useful_tips.htm

What it really boils down to is matching the chain manufacturers recommendation for sharpening their chains.
That's not to say you can't do it any other way assuming you know more than the team of engineers that designed it.

 

[Mark Chisholm]

Re: Stupidity

Of course you can! We should all be students! /forum/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[120770]

As we are all on the subject of chains, saw this a few years back a friend of mine back home in Scotland had an 088, the chain had every second tooth knocked off he said it was better for planking wood. All teeth were at 0 degrees. Is this true, said it was a ripping chain? always wondered about it. Had to slice some peices of elm for him and it did work good.

Dreaming Tree

 

[acushman]

i went to a workshop husky puts on and they turned me on to pferd system. it works like a champ. if you have oregon chain, it is ever easier. all the time i invested in trying to sharpen was a waste until now.
now i know what those grads at harvard feel like.

 

[glens]

The model that files both cutter and depth guide at the same time? The only thing negative about them is that when the round file is more flexible than the flat one you must be extremely attentive to how hard you press down and back as you stroke. The round file will flex with too much pressure and cause the depth guide to be filed too low. Other than that they are a great design.