Chainsaw Sharpener

This month a good amount of time has been spent trimming trees in the vineyard. In doing so I have dulled several chainsaw blades. My local saw shop sharpens blades for about $10 per blade. I wanted to be a little more self sufficient and have the ability to sharpen my own blades. I tried to do it by hand with a file, but did not get good results. So I went on a search for the right saw sharpener. 

With tools I usually buy the best that I can afford, I learned a long time ago that skimping on tools does not work out. However, a good chainsaw sharpener is $200-$300. I just could not justify that much expense for a tool that I rarely use. I could see if I was a professional sawyer, or lumberjack. But I am not. 

After a little research on the internet I found that people were really happy with the Harbor Freight chainsaw sharpener. I usually don't but stuff from Harbor Freight but in this case it was on sale for $29, so I figured that if I can sharpen 3 blades I would break even. 

  I ordered the sharpener and it is pretty nice for a $29 tool, the housing is made of plastic and the little adjustment knobs are cheap plastic. But I think that it will do the job.

 The chain goes into a little track, there is a handle like a bike brake that you squeeze to clamp the chain in place then you bring down the grinding wheel. The placement of the chain, and the cut of the wheel are adjustable. 

 Here is a picture of the handle and the brake/clamp mechanism. 

 Once you have everything adjusted it is just a matter of holding the clamp, bringing down the grinding wheel, bringing the grinding wheel back up, advancing the chain, and repeating.

 It takes me about 10 minuted to sharpen a 80 link chain. So far I have done 2 chains, 1 more and I will have broken even. I have to say that I am very impressed with this little sharpener. I think that it will give me many years of service if I take care of it.