sharpening with a dremel tool

[Robert R]

Bought a dremel the other to work on dog toe nails.  At the same time, I bought a couple of the little chainsaw sharpening heads.  It doesnt come with any kind of guide so I haven't used it yet.  Can I put my saw on the wagon, mark the straight line of the bar on the wood and then make some marks at the correct angle when I have my hand file with the guide markings on it?  Will that get me close enough.  I've never had much luck the hand file, mostly because I let them get to dull before I work them up and don't have enough patience.  I then started taking them to the hardware store to be sharpened but the last couple of times, I haven't been happy with the results.  Just looking for some advice on using a dremel for sharpening.

[PawNature]

Dremel makes a guide to use for sharpening. I have  a battery and corded dremel and have used the cordless to sharpen my chain with pretty good results. Just have to be carefull and not take to much off. I have since reverted to using a file cause most time it just needs a touch up (couple of strokes) to bring it back to sharpe.

[Dan_Shade]

I don't care for using a dremel to sharpen a chainsaw.  My method is to use a file, and hit each tooth with 3-4 strokes every time I fill up with gas.

lots of folks get by just fine with the dremel.

[scottr]

Robert , if the guy at the hardware store is not lowering the depth gauges after he sharpens your chain then it is not going to cut correctly .

[Jim Spencer]

I have a sharpener I bought from Harbor Freight.  Works good for after sharpening with a dremel about 5 times.  With a Dremel it is easy to maintain the proper angle just by eyballing visually.   Keeping all teeth the same length and re-generating the proper angle after a number of sharpenings is why I touch-up with the Harbor freight grinder.
I have about 30 chains which I have went through in the last 3 years.
I have a Logosol mill and also burn wood in a HeatMore outdoor furnace.  Have 60 cord under a roof at this time. Use a Stihl 066(great saw), Stihl 028(great saw), and a Stihl 029 which is like new(a piece of(Junk).
Jim 72years

[LeeB]

Most of the chains I have bought have a line scribed on the tooth. This line is the correct angle for sharpening and also the cut off line for number of sharpenings.

[Tony_T]

I have a sharpener I bought from Harbor Freight.  Works good for after sharpening with a dremel about 5 times.  With a Dremel it is easy to maintain the proper angle just by eyballing visually.   Keeping all teeth the same length and re-generating the proper angle after a number of sharpenings is why I touch-up with the Harbor freight grinder.
I have about 30 chains which I have went through in the last 3 years.
I have a Logosol mill and also burn wood in a HeatMore outdoor furnace.  Have 60 cord under a roof at this time. Use a Stihl 066(great saw), Stihl 028(great saw), and a Stihl 029 which is like new(a piece of(Junk).
Jim 72years

I use  dremel also with a logosol so I don't have to remove the saw to sharpen and realign the cutter head on the mill.  The attachment I have sets the depth but not the angle from the cutter tooth, I do need to file rakers after every several sharpenings.

+1 on the 028/066 , don't have an 029 and would not buy one................  I'd put my 036 and 038 in the same leauge with the 028/066, great saws!

[Sprucegum]

I can do a better job with a file but if I let the chain get too dull I use the dremel to get it back in shape. Its easy to mess up with a dremel(I have no guide) so I have to pay attention  ;)

[limbrat]

I happly use a file But something just struck me. Can you heat the temper out of the thin cutting edge with them high speed grinders? ???

[Sprucegum]

Yes, I have overheated a couple by trying to hog off too much at once. Y'all gotta have a light touch.

[outdoortype]

I find the dremel or rotary tool very useful for sharpening.  I don't use the dremel guide. If I need to check my angles I use the Stihl depth guage tool $4 on the Stihl chains.  The dremel takes a while to get used to but is much faster and can give a nice clean top plate angle.  It's much easier to get the right top plate angle because you're moving the stone a very short distance slowly so you can watch and adjust(unlike the longer hand filing stroke).You just have to learn to hold down a little to give you the hook or proper side cutter angle.  At first you'll notice the stone wanting to roll up and roll the cutter face back.  I  also like using a rotary tool because you don't need to put the saw in a vice.  I just lay it on any flat surface and use my free hand to hold the bar.

[rebocardo]

I tried the dremel, just wasn't for me. I went back to hand files and then bought an inexpensive sharpner.

[maple flats]

In the Game of Logging we were taught to sharpen, by hand and do it as soon as you perceive the chain is cutting slower. At that point it takes very little time. Find out what your chain needs (Oregon has a chart for angles of each chain #) The main trick is to always have a good file. If you file and it does not remove a good amount of filings use a new file. Follow the angle in the tooth as indicated by a line in the top of the tooth (Oregon).
Files are cheap and you should always buy extras, a dull file just wastes your time and does not sharpen the tooth. You must also follow the tilt on the tooth design, for example a 72LG wants a 10 degree tilt (the chart will five you the tilt) to the file as you file the tooth. For years I was not reel happy with my sharpening and found I was filing level across and not to the tilt. Other chain numbers call for different tilts degrees. After learning how I find I get a sharp chain very quickly with a file. I do carry a bar stump vise with me to hammer into a stump to hold the saw still, available from our sponser, Baileys (and others likely)

[Al_Smith]

  After learning how I find I get a sharp chain very quickly with a file. I do carry a bar stump vise with me to hammer into a stump to hold the saw still, available from our sponser, Baileys (and others likely)

A little trick in the woods.Saw into a round about half the depth of the bar,shut off the saw,file away.Ready made "stump vise",slick as greased lightning,free too.