What's your favorite grinder/sharpener

[Corley5]

I've been looking at grinders to sharpen the chain on my processor and was wondering what the preferred model is.  I like the MAXX and Oregon 511A with the hydraulic clamping.  The MAXX uses a machanical system to clamp the chain.  Does the auto clamping really save much time   Anyone have one of the Harbor Freight models and if so how do they work   They are cheap but.......      

[Kevin]

I have the 511A and it works well.

[jokers]

I`d take the Maxx with it`s mechanical clamp before I would spring for the hydraulic clamp on the Oregon and it`s siblings.

I`ve got a Maxx and like it very well but the 511A is equally as good but different.

I never found the manual locking motion on the 511 to be a problem or inordinately time consuming but if you set your vise so it is only as wide as your drive tangs, you don`t even need to lock it. Just hold the chain in your left hand so that a slight tension is exerted against the stop pawl, which is important for consistency anyway, and grind your heart out.

I`ve had and still have quite a few different grinders of several manufatures and find the cheap grinders to be frustrating and the middle of the road grinders like the Maxx and 511 to have excellent quality and features for the money.

Russ

[Ga_Boy]

I picked up one from Bailey's, this is my first. It has the hyd clamp on it.  As I have nothing to compare it to I can not offer much. I run three saws, this sharpner works well for my needs.

Sorry I could not offer more info.



Mark

[Striker]

I use a Tecomec FL136 (Same as the Oregon 511A). I use the ABN Cyclone wheels from Bailey's on it. Other than the main return spring breaking once a year it, has been a very good grinder.

Jeff

[Corley5]

How do like those ABN wheels  

[Striker]

With the number of chains I grind, I wouldn't be without them. No need to dress the wheels. Reduced chance of burning the the cutter. No need to clean the chains. Consistant grind time after time because the shape of the wheel doesn,t change. I clean them every once in a while with a brass brush.

Jeff

[Captain]

I'm with Striker.  I use CBN wheels.  Wouldn't go back to standard pink wheels ever again.  Another benifit is the abrasive does not impregnate the metal surface.  It does on the standard grinding wheels making it tough to file them after they are ground.

Captain

[Button]

 I have a maxx and have been very happy so far. About 120 chains sharpened. Have almost paid for it sharpening freinds chains. Takes me 6 minutes per chain without rakers. 8 minutes with rakers if I do 5 at a time. I have found it to be quite relaxing too, as long as the kids are quite.

[Quartlow]

I started out with the HF one, it made one sharpening and went back in the box and got returned, bought the 511 and haven't looked back. The hf one I got was mis cast, it would grind one side way shorter than the the other.

[Reddog]

I've got a MAXX and like it. Beats filing.

[Corley5]

I've got a MAXX on the way.  Got it off E-bay for less than I could find it anywhere else.  It should be here any day now   I need it to take the rakers down on my chains.  Dad's been taking them to work and grinding them but they don't have the stone to do the rakers.  Filing them on the processor bar is next impossible for one side anyway   My chain loops came today from Bailey's so I'm still in business   I did an E-bay Buy It Now for a 511 with the hydraulic clamp but the seller never responded.  I was the 14th negative feedback for him in a month.  Some of those had sent money   Glad I didn't

[Corley5]

Here's the E-bay number for the MAXX grinders for anyone that may be interested 7738010329 

[dozerdan]

Hi
 Maxx has a sale going on for that grinder until the end of the month. They can be bought for 310.00 delivered in the lower 48.
Later
Dan

[Flyboy]

   Corley5, You gave a guy on eBay a negative feedback just because he did not respond to your BIN offer? Perhabts you should read the Feedback protocall. I'm not saying HE is a good guy.  Negative ebay feedback is meant to be used in Last case resort. 

[Corley5]

You bet I gave him negative feedback.  He had a Buy It Now and didn't respond to any of a half dozen e-mails over the course of a week and a half.  I waited another week and half before I added my feedback to negatives he'd already recieved.  A Buy It Now is the same as winning bid and is contractual.  I'm glad that his Paypal account wasn't active or I'd have paid him and then had to go through the hassle of getting my money back.  Other buyers sent money the old fashioned way and lost out.  I've read the Feedback Protocol several times over the years and this is only the third time since I registered with E-bay in Nov of 98 that I've felt it necessary to leave Feedback of this sort

[Flyboy]

Now I know the whole story. Don't blame you either. I didn't know by your first post that you went to all that aggravation with the seller.
I do know tho that sometimes people, especally newbees get trigger happy with feedback. I have about 250 sales on eBay with a perfect score. A dud buys an item from me, I send him 5 invoices, 10 emails and get no pay, I do a NPB thing with eBay, still no pay, Finally after exhausting all avenues I post a Neg warning other sellers. Then the low life piece of Sh** gives ME a Neg. Anyone that reads my feedback will soon see what kind of fella I am and no doubt pay little attention to the jerk. eBay, just like the government is full cheats, liers, and other undesireables. In my case, I have bent over backwards MANY times for some trust fund baby that decided he didn't want what he agreed to buy. Thats why I enjoy my time loggin, DEEP in the woods. I scale my own wood, count my logs, and have been known to follow a truck to the mill. Didn't mean to wind you up.

[Corley5]

    The 1st negative feedback I left was for one of the POSs that you describe.  He was the winning bidder on something and I went through all the steps and nothing from him at all for over a month until I left him negative feedback and then he did the same to me   Only negative I've got.   The only other one I ever left besides the most recent I waited til the very last minute of the 90 days you have to leave feedback and hit him.  He was a deadbeat bidder too.