A chainsaw is almost useless when dull. If you have ever operated on a dull saw, then you will agree with me. The difference between a dull and a sharp chainsaw amounts to the tiniest tip of the chain cutter. Getting this tiny but crucial detail right is what a chain sharpener does best. When you talk of chainsaw sharpeners, most people always think of the Dremel. However, even if you are thinking of how to sharpen a chainsaw blade with a Dremel, it is good to know that other electronic sharpeners deliver outstanding results. If your chainsaw is dull and you are finding it hard to make quality cuts, then read the following tips on how to sharpen a chainsaw with a grinder. Enjoy the read!
Removing the chain
The first thing you need to do is to remove the chain from the saw. Place the chain on the smooth track below the abrasive wheel. Here, adjust a few angle settings and depth stops. After that, lock the chain by tightening the handle. Once you do that, chop the spinning wheel down to the chain to make sure that the abrasives get into contact with the front side of the cutter.
Examine the chain for possible damages
You need to grind all the cutters down to the level of the damaged cutter to make sure the chain is balanced to cut evenly. That is why you need to adjust the cutters to suit the damaged cutter. To do this, you need to make sure that the horizontal stop rests on the back edge of a single cutter. As you do this, make sure you are holding a fixed distance from the wheel side.
Prepare the grinding wheel
With the use of the wheel edge template as the guide, outline the edge of the wheel as you need to. As the sharpener is running, press the wheel-dressing brick gently against the outer edges of the wheel to make sure you round the wheel. The wheel is only ready when it perfectly fits into the template. After, double-check to if the angles are correct.
Set the right depth and then sharpen the plate sides
Place the chain on your sharpener. After that, bring the wheel down and increase the wheel stop adjustment forward, until the chain is in smooth contact with the wheel. After that, rotate the chain mount to the right angle to be able to cut plates found on the right-hand side, commonly known as the cutters. Lock the chain in place and turn the sharpener on. With a gentle touch, sharpen every right-hand cutter.
Once you are done with the right, rotate the chain mount to the corresponding angle to sharpen the left-hand ones. You can use the template to check if the distance between the cutters is equal across the chain.
Set the depth gauges
Remove the grinder and then replace it with a depth gauge wheel. It is good to use the included template for the shape. The reason is that a properly shaped depth gauge makes a chainsaw’s job easier and smoother.
Dress the depth gauge wheel by smoothly curving its outside edges into a round and concave shape. After that, set the head of the wheel to 90 degrees and the chain mount to 0 degrees. With the use of a flat file as well as a depth gauge tool, file every depth gauge to the right level. You can use the depth gauge to set the wheel depth and the chain stop to the right level.
Position the depth gauge directly below the cutting wheel as you set the depth of the wheel. Make sure you use the template to make sure that the electric chainsaw grinder has the correct settings. Once you finish sharpening the depth gauge, your chainsaw is ready for use!
There you have it. Undoubtedly, learning how to sharpen a chainsaw blade with an electric sharpener is a rewarding experience. It is also a valuable part of owning such a saw. Once you successfully sharpen your chainsaw, you will never allow the shop to do the sharpening again!
