How to Sharpen a Chainsaw with Elegant Efficiency [smoother & straighter cuts]

Up your sharpening game and saw smoother and quicker! I show what I did, and most people, even experienced chainsaw users, do wrong when sharpening chainsaw chain for Alaskan milling.
Having a sharp chain is really important when you come to chainsaw milling, and it can be a bit trickier than sharpening chains for regular cross cutting. If the chain is sharpened unevenly it will cause major problems: an uneven finish on the milled lumber at best, overloading the saw and damaging the guide bar and chain at worst. In this video I share tips on how to sharpen chains to get really nice smooth and flat slabs.
If, like me you ever hit metal or glass or a rock with your chainsaw chain, it is likely only a grinder will save it.
The grinder I use is a much cheaper copy of the Oregon Bench-Mount Chain Sharpener, Model# 520-120. It's called ZF-ES009 230W (though these names do change!) and it too has a cast aluminum chassis, but has some drawbacks over the Oregon, which I go into in the video. It was about $140 from ebay USA: ebay.us/iBLI5h UK ebay: ebay.us/ELJicX
Or check out the Oregon one here: ebay.us/ZNYBdM
The game-changing 5 ¾” CBN grinding wheel we use was from a company called Baltic Abrasives - it was about $90. I have been using it for a good few years now and have been very impressed! After this video had been released about 6 months, Darius from Baltic Abrasives saw it and reached out to me. He offered viewers a 5% discount! All you need to do is mention Flowering Elbow in correspondence, or use the code ‘Floweringelbow’ at checkout. Sounds good to me! They do worldwide delivery and you can find their CBN wheels here lapidarywheels...
In general, I use a standard .404 Still rapid super (RS) 30° crosscut chain (US ebay- ebay.us/qJ1N9B , UK link - ebay.us/QdcmJj ) and slowly grind it to a lower angle, like 10°, over consecutive sharpenings.
I always keep at least one chain at 30° for cross cutting very big logs and making cookies.
Please stay safe friends - it is not be a good idea to use a low top plate angle rip chain with low depth gauges for freehand cross cutting - it will behave unpredictably and kickback will be more severe if you hit something on that part of your chain/bar.
Note, I have no connection with any of the companies in this vid - I bought the tools myself as a regular customer. This video description though contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the e-bay links, and then buy, I’ll receive a small commission at no cost to you. This helps support the channel and allows me to continue to make videos like this. Thank you for the support!

[@FloweringElbow]

Hey friend, thanks for watching. If you are interested in chainsaw milling, check out our new book on the subject "How to make a chainsaw mill and how to use it". It's got a lot of great information and you can earn our undying gratitude by getting it here :D ko-fi.com/s/dd5b46e8a8

[@TheArchBodom]

I was running this saw for about 2 hours at about a 30-50% duty cycle kzbin.infoUgkxfQm1wmg0ItKDLavxj1nXtQY9HP7EF504 and it did a great job. I used the lever for the built in sharpener to clear chip buildup out more than to actually sharpen the chain. It managed to cut some hardwood stumps much larger than it's size without bothering the neighbors with hours of 2 stroke noise.

[@lkallas]

Instead of removing (cutting off) the damaged teeth I would just replace them with a new one and grind them to match others. Takes less time and your chain will not be missing any cutters.

[@scorpnz4433]

Mount a piece of 2x4 or even angle iron or whatever to the bolt holes on the grinder base. You can then mount grinder in a vice. The chain will be easy to slide as you grind as it sits in between the space between the jaws of the vice, or it will hang either side of the vice. This allows easy access to the degree adjustment knob at rear. Carbide chains for pieces of known wood with metal embedded. Carbide chains are also good for pretending your in a virtual video game & rampage through the local town cutting cars up, whether people are in them or not. Sorry lockdown has made me go stir crazy

[@whirled_peas]

Nice tip on the CBN wheels for those grinders, cheers.

[@shawnkellett3003]

hi great video, i do the same thing but have a drip tool coolant line that runs off a aquarium pump . chain stays much cooler, a little messier process though.

[@shorty808100]

They make a gauge for filing your rakers so you don’t get them too short which can cause kickbacks, if I were you I would get a gauge that way it’s like brand new and you don’t have to worry about the chain trying to cut way too aggressively causing kickbacks

[@hiscifi2986]

I use the same grinding machine, but have dressed the stone into a square edge. This produces a square ground chain, that seems to be quicker for sawing timber. I am still adjusting the back-tilt angle, will get it even better soon...

[@alenakurakina832]

In description to the grinder stands that it sharpens chains from 1/4in to 3/8in pitch. And what about .404?

[@FloweringElbow]

Which grinder is it? It is usually a case of having the right size stone or cbn wheel for .404... often grinders will come with a few options 😉

[@AlbrechtRobert]

Заточний камінь теж потрібно відкорегувати шаблоном,радіус заокруглення зміщений від центру.

[@stephendudley4377]

It does sound like you know quite a bit about power saws and sharpening, but check out a KZbinr called bucking Billy Ray of you've a mind to, he's extremely knowledgeable about all things felling and power sawing. Hands down the best man with a saw I've seen, he has quite a few sharpening videos, even does some hand filed square grinds that cut like a knife through butter. Although I must admit you did teach me something of how and why to grind differently for milling which I'm seriously looking into taking up, I just found your content today, I'm highly impressed and extremely thankful for your quality content and in depth explanations, despite my original hesitancy due to the bri'ish thing... Just kidding, I appreciate you and your hard work, truly, thank you good sir.

[@Oldwhiteguy]

Thanks dude, I’ve learned lots watching you. Number one is ya gotta love wood!

[@aspincelaframboise5300]

Aye, nice comment eh... Üö

[@FloweringElbow]

Really heartening to hear that friend :D thanks for the encouragement.

[@djsantiago3904]

The sideways problem you speak of is rarely the angle or length of the tooth. Although they are important, there are 2 main reasons for “sideways” or banana cuts. First is the gullet (bottom section of the tooth) quite often gets ignored which will cause each tooth to cut at different depths. Removing the gullet evenly keeps a nice C shaped tooth for an evenly pulling cut & that nice chunky looking sawdust. But just as important is raker depth. Uneven rakers will pull your cut sideways no matter what type or how sharp your chain is. Also causes saw to chatter, giving your cut the rippled look. A dull chain with correct raker depth will cut better than a sharp chain with uneven rakers

[@FloweringElbow]

Good afternoon D J Santlago. Thanks for the comment friend, and sorry for the late reply. This is really nice info you share here, and I'm sure others will find it useful, thank you. My experience has been a bit different, but the things you mention sure are important! Peace, Bongo.

[@Raul28153]

The Cheapest metal detectors tend to be the Best for your application. Good ones can be tuned to pass over small metal bits but for milling, you want the most sensitive and cheap ones tend to be the most sensitive. I got one of those grinding machines. I hate it. The castings flex it's easy to burn the metal and the stinking chain positioning lock is inconsistent. I was designing a heavier machine, but after watching Bucking Billy Ray Smith freehand filing I gave it a try and It was so easy so fast and so good. I won't ever go back. I'll keep the machine and diamond wheels for my carbide chains.

[@Ithzzz]

I work for a small trefalling company in norway and we started sharpening our own chains last summer and I was tasked with doing it. We got a oregon bench grinder that was actually quite expensive and it had some terrible instructions so we have not used it that much but I think after watching this im really looking forward to giving it another shot. Great video!

[@FloweringElbow]

Hi Ithz, thats really heartening to hear. Best of luck with it, let us know how it goes.

[@thereallevel27]

I run a small business called Really Sharp and just bought the same very expressive grinder. I agree, the instructions are terrible.

[@hubertusthelen8299]

Due to I use a very cheep grinder I have no chance to ajust the angle for the cutting angle. So the sulution was to unscrew one side of the guides and add a piece of sheet metal. The track now is highter on the right than on the left side. The angle increased up to 50 -60 degrees. Now the chain bites much better. Save fuel and time.

[@dcvariousvids8082]

I don’t do much milling and am often cutting dirty or old gnarly wood. I tend to file sharpen and often in the field. I alway have a spare sharp chain but only resort to using it, if I’ve really mash the first one and it would take forever to file sharpen it. I’ll wait till I’ve go 3-4 mashed chains, before the grinder comes out and then they all get done at the same time.

[@kevinbushLTR]

Probably the most informative video on you tube that I've seen so far, , on chainsaw teeth cutters and the variabilty of angles to suit the job.

[@FloweringElbow]

Thanks Kevin, 'preciate that :D

[@LolitasGarden]

This is really helpful and detailed. Have you ever used a winch to chainsaw mill? I started using one late in my milling experience and was surprised at how much it was a back, shoulder and arm saver.

[@FloweringElbow]

Hi Lolita. Thanks. No I haven't tried a winch before... People keep telling me to try, but I am resistant to lug about another bit of kit/ add it to my setup time... Though I think they probably would be really useful when you are having to mill uphill. Good for instances where the log is to big/awkward to arrange so you can mill down a slope... I guess I like feeling that the sharp chain is pulling the saw through the wood - rather than a winch doing the work. Will have to look into it though ;)

[@HondoTrailside]

@@FloweringElbow Big advantage is that you can be 20 feet away from the power head. So that is an advantage relative to noise (defenders are only partially effective), and a safety advantage. I don't use one, but at 60+ I may start. Mainly I found one could get so much wood out of say a 20" black cherry so fast, that I was not inconvenienced often enough to bother making a change. Maloff who devised the system was maybe doing it pro. And he lived on the west coast where he could get imense logs that were very long, so his system allowed him infinite cuts, within the bite of the saw.

[@HondoTrailside]

@@FloweringElbow On the sharp chain thing, I would counter, that if it is really sharp it should not really be pulling on the log. You have adjusted your sharpening geometry so that it will feed for you. Are you sure that is the most efficient use of geometry. Is it just a happy accident that your idealized self-feed is the perfect geometry in every other respect. That would be convenient.

[@allansmith6140]

Years ago when I was working in the industry it was also my job to maintain the saws and sharpen chains and whatnot. As I had quite a few chains to do on the weekends. I would not have been able to do them all by hand in a reasonable time, not to mention the amount of elbow grease involved. So I only used a grinder to do the job. These days I have five chainsaws and I occasionally use them to do smaller jobs for friends free of charge as I love using chainsaws. Even though I have a grinder I do not use it as it is wasteful on the chain compared to using a file, no matter how careful you are and that can get rather time consuming. Back in the day I removed enough material to get the chains sharp but not to the point of being anal about it insofar as saving the most amount of the tooth.If you are like me and not working in a professional capacity where you sharpen lots and lots of chains, just use a file. It is still cheaper to buy files than prematurely be replacing chains.

[@alexlindekugel8727]

knoty white pine offten with push the chain one way or another but i still find the best resalts are with a ripping chain at least speed wize. but also put a 10 degree angle on the teeth instead of 0. for the most part solves the problem.

[@DEtchells]

Great, detailed explanation! I bought a Granville saw attachment years back but never used it. Now I have a couple of stacks of beautiful red oak that we had to cut for the sake of the safety of our house in windstorms. (A huge 120’ oak blew down a couple of years back and took out our back deck, narrowly missing our house, so we’re a little leery of having trees so close to our noise now.) I was going to try putting a really long bar on my little Stihl 291 and just go really slow, but after seeing one of your other vids where you talked about rebuilding an engine 3x, I guess I’m gonna have to find the budget for a much bigger saw :-/ I don’t really have the $1,000+ for a big saw, but there’s a load of potential lumber and beams there; maybe I can convince my wife that I’ll be able to recoup the cost of the saw and accessories by selling the wood… (Unfortunately, she knows me too well, and there’s a higher probability of our boys inheriting a couple thousand board feet of lumber whenever we finally kick the bucket :-/)

[@FloweringElbow]

Haha, Hi Dave. Well, if it's oak it would be worth a penny or two. But yeah, unless you or your boys are into woodworking or diy stuff, you could probably get a bit selling the log to a sawmill. If you do have a woodworking bent though, it's a way to get some prime and unique slabs that would be very hard to get otherwise... Good luck with it all, and thanks for getting in touch.

[@alexlindekugel8727]

anyone hear notice archer chain has a 15 degree on the left side and 10 on the right? it rips amazingly but dk if was saposed to be that way or not?

[@johnprocidano3783]

Having an old bar locked in a vise making it easy to slide the chain over the bar, I use a file. I liked the way you cut off a bad tooth the the chain I had done that same thing, but, did not cut the adjacent side the and it worked nicely.

[@laurencebrill2020]

Excellent Detail‼️ 🖌 🪓 I’ve gone from hand file to Dremel type and will be getting a the wheel sharpener in the next few days. In Australia we have stupid hardwood 🤨 💣💥 AND we have ridiculous amounts of dirt that can also be like it’s nearly crystallised that is from termites 😱 🐜 I have spent WAY too much to time sharpening chains than I have cutting wood 🤨 🪵 SO for just cutting for FireWood 🔥🪵 I should have the top cutter angle at about 20 deg and not 30 deg of which the chain came from the shop❓

[@FloweringElbow]

Hi Laurence. 35 to 20 is fine for firewood. I'd leave it at 30.

[@wacky7945]

Great video, love all your videos on milling, keep them coming need to learn as well as getting out there milling more myself. Thanks for the info on chain sharpening, will look into a purchase for a machined grinder! Thanks

[@Motoko1134]

waste of time unless you plan on sharpening chains all day long as a business. just use a file, it takes 10 minutes.

[@heathenfirewoodservice2021]

For doing fire wood I just vise file mine. I have the combo tool the files the tooth and racker down at the same time. Unless I really mess the chain up a few quick passes sharpens the tooth and lowers the racker just a bit. If it’s bad I’ll do the separate or swap the chain out and fix it at the work bench.

[@FloweringElbow]

Hi there, thanks for commenting - that's actually my strategy for firewood to :)

[@EddieEducation]

Really helpful video, thank you!

[@richpitty]

What’s the full face respirator for? I get ear and eye protection just curious

[@keithbrennan7429]

Thanks. A clear, detailed breakdown of sharpening. Especially appreciated the breakdown on when and when not to use a ripping chain. I'm milling ash, spruce, willow and poplar in Ireland. The landscapes in your videos and on my farms could be twins. You have better weather though. Thanks for the tips, and loving your videos and down to earth but knolwedgeable style.

[@FloweringElbow]

Hey Keith. Thanks so much for the encouraging feedback :) I suspect the weather is quite similar, just I don't do a lot of filming in the wet ;) Maybe one day post lockdowns etc. we'll visit Ireland again. Wanted to do a cycling tour with my wife Sam one day... Peace, Bongo.

[@Stan_in_Shelton_WA]

trick for you - get a large plate magnet and put it in the spark path. While using a CBN wheel it is all metal particle debris and will be caught by the magnet. get one that will cover the majority of the palm of your hand.

[@FloweringElbow]

Nice tip, thank you!

[@estanciaperseverancia5840]

Great. Here in Argentina is not easy yo Buy all that stuff so I mill with out all that equiptment, not with your perfection But still usefull in our farm!😉👍 Were are You from. I would love to learn mill with You.

[@FloweringElbow]

Hey Estancia, I am from Wales. Thanks for watching, hope some of it is interesting 👍 😀

[@MrLaorictexas]

i would love to see Buckin Billy Ray Smith to react to this

[@banksy50]

I had the Oregon grinder and found all the same problems you did - the Oregon cam is no better and there was far too much play in the chain when clamped resulting in uneven grinding. Plus, the design of the grinder means one side is shorter than the other unless you re-adjust the setup when changing sides. Not easy to get a consistent result. I think you can buy grinders where the chain is always centred but the Oregon is not one of them. Also the CBN wheels would easily burn the teeth even with short touches. After much frustration I decided the system wasn't for me and sold it. Now prefer the EasyFile for touch-ups or a Dremel with diamond bit to remove more material when the chain is badly damaged.

[@FloweringElbow]

Thanks for the feedback David! I know what you mean about the difficulties!

[@lovestihlquality1369]

Long bolting on bottom through 2x6 and 4x4 in vise doesn't impair adjuster

[@21simper]

Very interesting... But I'm still not quite sure I understand what is best angle to just cut wood?.. Against cutting a slab

[@FloweringElbow]

30 degrees is nice for most regular cross cutting of hardwood...

[@bunyipdan]

Thanks, that was a really well constructed and delivered guide, don't you just love discovering little treasures, in urban timber recovery you always encounter this. My favorites are star pickets and rail spikes, a cheap metal detector off ebay can help. I have noticed that you don't de-bark much.....with the timbers I have milled (Australian) this can have a huge effect on chain sharpness, that and termites.

[@FloweringElbow]

Hey Bunyip, agree about the little 'treasures'! Normally I blame my dad or the farmers round these parts for using the trees as fence posts, but this time I don't even have anyone to blame but myself :D I may have to invest in a metal detector... do they really work to much depth though? Sometimes I de-bark, depends on the species and how dirty I think the log is. If it has been rolled about in the mud then I will usually de-bark. Often I am using the bark on the slabs for finished furniture (I have noticed it adheres really well to Ash if it is dried without any rain or strong sunlight getting on it).

[@bunyipdan]

@@FloweringElbow In my experience chainsaws appear to be the best way to find metal treasures in trees, but as for metal detectors I have only used friends detectors who used them for prospecting (garret?) It was able to identify 4" nails about 3" under the bark, not sure about anything deeper, guess you get what you pay for. I think there are a lot of variables, but I would be more keen to Id some of the star pickets and rail spikes I have had the pleasure to uncover, they are real killers.

[@FloweringElbow]

@@bunyipdan haha yes the chainsaw is the best detector!

[@MarkVender]

I have the same sharpener. On the chain rest, remove one of the two washers on each side and turn the outside guide around. It will hold the chain much better and the clamp cam will work.

[@FloweringElbow]

Thanks for sharing

[@kimchee94112]

What do you do with the thin slices with that hollow center tree? A metal detector, I have a cheap handheld look like one used in the airports. Would have saved the chain teeth most of the time. Merry Christmas from California.

[@FloweringElbow]

Merry Christmas friend! Good tip on the metal detector. The hollow cookies are still drying, but have thoughts of unusual table tops, and potentially multi layer and elaborate light chandeliers... any other ideas? Thanks for the comment :D

[@randydeskins9359]

FloweringElbow Large photos. Great video.

[@FloweringElbow]

Hi Randy. Nice idea, thank you :)

[@jstodgel]

Love ❤️ this is great. I have a cheap sharpener and I just tried using a dull chain to cut some old and dirty elm and it's not working! Time to sharpen my chains! Cheers from NEW MEXICO!

[@dennisshea7328]

watched your sharpening video - loved it. I'm 70 now and have logged since 1960. Always knew sharpening saw technical but you reinforced what I knew to be important.Now the eyes are not so good and it is harder to see what I'm doing. Now I want to saw lumber and have the use of a LT40 but want to slab with my chain saw to save on blades. You have made that a lot easier with that video. thanks again.

[@FloweringElbow]

Good morning Dennis. Thank you for your encouragement, means a lot to me. I'm surprized you wouldn't rather use the bandmill than the chainsaw? Do you have use of a blade sharpener for the bandsaw? Thanks again, Bongo.

[@stihlnz]

Hey FloweringElbow, Bare with me here. I thought I'd get back to you firstly with some info on grand burg rippling chain kzbin.info/www/bejne/qJzNpIF9jNJ6b9U. I hope this copies. It looks a good product. 2ndly Thanks for your info on the CBN grinding wheel, it does a good job on my Oregon 410. 3rdly I bought a Simington 451C and a whole lot of Oregon square grind chain/ files and after much practice I've got to say for firewood with my MS 460's, 660, 880 I'm a work in progress. However its pretty impressive, more so the smaller saws. I'd offer to send you a chain for free, however, I think the Grandburg is what you need for milling and just 1 chain and file is going to open a whole world of hurt. If you don't have my Simington grinder or access to one, its not going to be that helpful. 4thly I've bought a barker box for my MS's mufflers ... my 880 is an old one with a one piece muffler, I think yours is a new 2 piece which just needs the front taken off. I've had to order a whole new muffler so it will fit. The 460 snd 660 run really really well. Combining the square grind and the box has been a bit of a game changer really. 5thly. Sorry to mention this, but the "gullet" ... this alone has given me a 5%+ improvement. Well I hope this is helpful, thanks for your info way back it really helped out with the 410. Cheers Tom

[@FloweringElbow]

Hi Tom, thanks for this - all good info. I have actually been dabbling with a square grind on my ms440 saw, just for firewood and general use - no milling. Still getting the hang of the process and I am not completely happy with the chain consistency (but I doubt I ever would be with an old hand filed converted to square grind), but I am getting some nice large sawdust chips and quick cuts. Surprisingly so. Also, don't be sorry, if I could go back and modify this video I would certainly mention taking extra material away from the gullet! Cheers for now, Bongo.

[@stihlnz]

I'll send you a chain for your 440 how many links [e-mail] send your address. take the rakers down 10 thou when you get its. It all goes around. You have a good Vallorbe or other square file obviously.

[@shawnfreeoftyranny8849]

Nice to see somebody who knows how to use the electric sharpener. Seem a few that don't know you cannot just run it in, in one shot. It burns and case hardens the tooth. Nice and slow with a few bring downs on each tooth. used them to make 4-8 chains a night for years to do high production firewood. Burrs were no problem at all and I haven't found anyone on utube that could cut as fast as I did on a daily basis.

[@edvinasedvins7966]

Gello from Lithuania :D :)

[@hswing11]

GET ON WITH IT (SHARPENING A CHAIN) BLA BLA BLA BLA

[@stihlnz]

Excellent advice and guidance, especially the CBN grinding wheel. Many thanks for your mentorship on this topic which as we all know is one of the hardest things to get right. Even after 35 years of chainsaw sharpening there are plenty of things to learn. Good luck to you.

[@FloweringElbow]

Good morning Tom, thank you for this, great to hear. You are so right, I certainly have plenty still to learn and refinements to make with this.. I really want to try a grinder with higher build quality - just so I can compare and see if the are worth the extra. Peace, Bongo,

[@stihlnz]

Quite right FE. I've got a real shakey 3rd rate model which I don't use much unless I, as you did put my 880 or other chain through some nails. I've just purchased an Oregon professional 410-230 and will get your CBN disc and a vernier caliper and get some of the old chains out. Thanks for the inspiration.

[@JamminClemmons]

@@stihlnz please HELP---- SATAN, he forever chases my at night!

[@birdhunter2754]

Took you some time playing around with diffrent settings. Me to. Make a chain so. Wild stall tje saw out. Try a thinner grinding wheel on 3/8. Chain at your 15 deg. With a 10 deg set back. Check rakers. To.

[@arthurad2007]

Just the info I was looking for. Awesome video!!! Thank you.

[@dekonfrost7]

Bro, I send them out and they come back like razors. The blade tooth looks like a scalpel

[@FloweringElbow]

where are you sending them?

[@gregkling7742]

Efco,made in Italy makes the best electric sharpener for chains.I have one I bought in 1986 still going strong.The best way to Sharpen is with a file I got in a hurry bought an electric.

[@JRproductionsnz]

Hi, Thanks very much for a very informative video. I have the same type of grinder here in New Zealand. I will look into getting a CBN grinding wheel. Do you ever use skip tooth chain?

[@FloweringElbow]

Thanks, friend. Yes sometimes I use skip tooth on very hard wide logs

[@JRproductionsnz]

@@FloweringElbow Great! thanks for that, I'll try some on the larger logs I cut. I've uploaded a vid I made for modification I did to my grinder you may want to check out. Cheers kzbin.info/www/bejne/i4u4lGCta5xpZtk

[@Andrew-1974]

Hey mate, I use a similar set up for sharpening chains. I have a couple of those CBN discs from the US. I cut various hardwoods here in Australia, very tough stuff some of them indeed. I’ve been using CBN’s on my Carlton grinder for over 7 years now, love them. I have a tip for you. Every time I complete a grind, I get a 6mm hardwood dowel (around 150mm long or so) and I remove all burrs on that particular tooth. The hardwood dowel is a very important process. It’s like stropping a knife once it’s been sharpened. I used the CBN for around a years before I discovered this tip. If you leave burrs on the chain, it will not cut well and dull quickly I noticed. You will notice the difference, if you use this method

[@FloweringElbow]

Hey Andrew- Great tip thanks! I will try this next time I use the sharpener :)

[@EliseandDanchannel]

Andrew 1974, would you expound on how you are using the dowel to deburr after you grind the tooth? Are you just rubbing the dowel across the tooth like a file?

[@Andrew-1974]

EliseandDanchannel... this is going to be a challenge to put it into words, but I’ll give it a go. To answer your question; no, not along the parallel surface as you would with a file (well not in the beginning of this process). I get the timber dowel or maybe better call it a 5mm (in diameter) hardwood timber rod approximately 100-150mm long. Remember that there are two cutting edges, vertical side and horizontal side, left side and right side. The first 3 steps are for the vertical side. This explanation is for all the left side of the cutting teeth. (Step 1) I de-burr it on a approximately 90 degree angle on the inside of the grind, moving the timber towards the leading cutting edge, so any burr are pushed towards to outer side of the leading edge. (Step 2) Then approximately on a 45 degree angle from the outside (flat vertical side of the tooth) with quite a bit of force making a stroke in the direction of the forward chain motion or opposite direction of step 1. (Step 3) Then, get the timber rod, and try to cut the timber or shave the timber moving it in a forward and backward direction. So, basically if you did what I described with a file (in step 3) you would dull the edge, severely. Step 1,2 & 3 are for the vertical cutting face. Step4. (For the horizontal cutting face, the part of the tooth that faces up), I usually push the dowel from the back of the tooth towards the cutting edge, this pushes the burr towards the under side of the horizontal flat surface. Then drag the timber rod along that cutting edge towards myself, cutting a gouge into the timber. (This part basically rackes the burrs off). So from the beginning of the leading edge to the inside of the cutting horizontal edge (widest part to narrow part). Then, as you would file the tooth with this motion, I then start to cut the timber with both cutting edges. This whole process should only take less than 10 seconds per tooth, depending how bad the burr is or how much you have had to grind the tooth back. Once, the left side is done, right side is repeated the opposite way, but same way if you know what I mean. Hope you understood, cos it’s done my head in explaining 😂. I’m better with my hands than words. Good luck

[@EliseandDanchannel]

@@Andrew-1974 Ok. I think I understand. You are basically breaking off the burr by pushing it away from the cutting edge then back again on the vertical cutting edge. You should put a video up of your technique as I'm sure many would be interested. Thank you much for responding.

[@HillbillyRednecking]

A bucket of water with a little lye works really well for cleaning chains too, let soak for 15 minutes then rinse and oil

[@FloweringElbow]

Nice tip, will try next time, thanks 😊

[@ΚΩΣΤΑΣΠΑΠΑΤΡΕΧΑΣ]

Nail in wood pain in the ass any time . special with a brand new chain, i realy hate that. Keep it up my friend .

[@nate2838]

Thank you for this video. While i don't do any milling, i have noticed that my hand filing is more forgiving of inconsistency than my bosses filing. Now i know why. I tend to file the top plate steeper than stock allowing the side plate to cut as well, it just mad sense to me that if all angles of the chain can cut you would have less resistance in the cut, also my chains tend to be better at cleaning out and adjusting notches because the chain doesn't skip away from the wood when contacting at an angle, the corners bite easier.

[@RandallLakedogpix]

Thanks again. About to tackle a Big redwood project and can use all the help I can get. Love your tips, attitude, and style. 🌲

[@FloweringElbow]

Thanks Randall. Good luck with the redwood, let me know how it goes.

[@jollyjumper7261]

Hello my friend. Sorry for my english. Thank you for all your very good videos. I have a special question to you or to the community. What chain or bar is better for chainsaw milling, 3/8 or .404. Both is more or less possible for the ms880. Also is it possible to use smaller chains (at least on with 3/8 bar) . Isnt is good to saw as thin as possible? Do you use the normal size? Thank you for your infornation.

[@FloweringElbow]

Hi there. It's a good question... 3/8 gives a slightly smaller kerf (so is wasting less material) - but only very slightly. When I measured it with callipers in the past the difference was less than 1mm... .404 takes a bigger bite and cuts quite a bit quicker if you have the power to pull it... I go for .404, which as well as adding speed, is less likely to snap.

[@jollyjumper7261]

@@FloweringElbow OMG, is it that simple to ask and even get an answer so quick? Much easier than keeping contact to the neighbour... Thank you! I was just wondering if the ms660 with 3/8 and a small chain like pico chain might be a good/better choice. But it seems to me I am the only desorientated person that way. Again, thanks a lot for your answer and all your videos and inspirations.

[@FloweringElbow]

@@jollyjumper7261 all depends on what wood typw and size you are milling and how much time you can spare...

[@PK-zr9lk]

Beautiful nature. In which region do you live?

[@FloweringElbow]

Wales

[@Monkeysic]

Well I think this is one of the best videos explaining ripping chains.i just built a slab mill and have been told use nothing but ripping chains. I have a bandmill have used chainsaws for over 30 years but never once had any experience with a ripping chain I feel you explained this perfectly and gave me some good knowledge to get started in the world of large slabs my bar mill is 84" !! Thank you!!!

[@FloweringElbow]

Hey Thomas, really good to hear, thanks 😊

[@Lonchpad1]

Quite good! Thank you,

[@billkeith2266]

Would love to know how you modified your cam as i have the same problem with mine

[@FloweringElbow]

I cut the handle off, threw the cam in the scraps pile and welded the handle onto a whole new cam (which I made from a little off-cut of steel I had knocking about). The problem with mine was the hole was too far off centre, so I just drilled one a little bit more towards central for the one I made.... Hope that helps.

[@kademan13]

I sharpen chains like this in a cedar shingle saw mill. I was not trained on how to do it so I appreciate this video. Thanks.

[@gaztipton972]

Hi, great video, I have the same model grinder, Baltic Abrasives have a few to choose from, which CBN wheel did you order? My chains are 3/8 pitch. Thanks.

[@FloweringElbow]

Hi Gaz, good question, off the top of my head I don't remember the dia. of the wheel, so you will have to check that, but I suspect this one would do lapidarywheels.com/chainsaw-sharpening-wheels/158-pitch-38-404-4-18x78-diamond.html Hope that helps, thanks for watching :)

[@gaztipton972]

@@FloweringElbow Thanks for the reply, that link is for the 4-1/4 inch diameter diamond wheel for TCT chains, I think this is the link for the wheel you have, lapidarywheels.com/cbn-wheels-for-steel-chains/150-pitch-38-404-5-34x78-cbn.html Which is for the 5-3/4 inch diameter CBN wheel for normal Carbon steel chains. With your ''FloweringElbow'' discount code the wheel is approx £90 inc delivery as of 20/10/22.

[@FloweringElbow]

@@gaztipton972 thanks for the correction ☺️

[@Northeaster-b3w]

just bought one of the cbn wheels with your promo code. Thanks for all of the great milling videos! keep them coming please!

[@erickalvarez900]

Hey Bongo, I've done some more research on chain sharpening since I commented last. Living up in the pacific northwest of the US, logging softwoods is king and the tree fellers swear by square ground chain- essentially grinding full chisel teeth with a dressed grinding wheel which gives the top plate, top plate bevel and the side plate independent cutting angles and for whatever reason it is much faster cutting through wood. It doesn't quite make sense because the side plates would be cutting to the sides of your direction of travel (down the log) and so their sharpness shouldn't matter but I think you are onto something with the top plate angle affecting the side plate's ability to cut faster. I think if you were able to find someone to square grind your chains with a pointier top plate angle but less bevel, you would end up with a chain that is more durable, yet cuts faster because there is more surface area of the tooth cutting and with a sharp side plate- it would produce a nice finish because it pulls in the opposite direction of the top plate and therefore reduces gouging which I'm guessing is caused by dull top plates resisting the urge to cut and pushing the side plates into the wood. That was alot haha

[@FloweringElbow]

Hi Erick, thanks for sharing! I have played with square grind, with a triangular shaped hand file for my small crosscut saw. It seems to cut quicker, but blunten slightly quicker. I haven't tried it milling as it's basically impossible to do with a regular grinder. I believe there are grinders out there that can do it, but they work a bit differently... All potential experiments for the future... Let me know if you try these things out :) Thanks again, Bongo.

[@tweakerkid]

great video man, thanks

[@fintan2830]

The slice of tree at 0:25 looks like a dog! 🐕

[@julianalderson6996]

yer bro good vid, altho i rekon few fullas out there could get it by hand, not me tho! cheers

[@FloweringElbow]

Thanks! Think you are probably right Julian, but not me either ;) Least not in a sensible time frame.

[@simonmaclean1583]

Great vid and camera work mate, thanks for some good commentary. Great singlet too.

[@FloweringElbow]

Good morning Simon, thank you for the positive feedback, I appreciate that. I must admit, I was a tad confused about what a 'singlet' was - I had to google it. The multi coloured stripey one was a fave, but is a bit too warn out to carry on with now...

[@amwphotos]

Nice video! I recently got an electric grinder for my chains and after hitting some stones in a tree I felled for my sister it made the task a lot more painless, and more accurate! Have you got a metal detector to check for nails?

[@FloweringElbow]

Thanks Alastair. Nope, no detector. You? Any recommendations?

[@amwphotos]

@@FloweringElbow no I don't, will see how it goes and cross my fingers! Good idea to turn damaged chains into skip tooth chains, I did wonder whether it was feasible to replace individual cutters.

[@FloweringElbow]

@@amwphotos There's an interesting idea - didn't even occur to me. I have no experience breaking and re-joining chainsaw chain. I guess it is similar to bicycle chain, albeit more industrial?

[@don1mclean]

As you say, chain link removal / replacement is a more industrial version of a bicycle chain: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oIq8Y5uXbNKAg9U Great video, thank you.

[@nigelsansom2407]

Excellent as usual. Thank you so much for sharing these sharpening tips. I have one of those small Granberg 12v sharpening systems I can use in the field, which I think is kind of ok. It uses a long round stone which fits the main unit like a dremmel bit. What I like about it is the consistency it offers. However, I have to do rakers separately... Anyway, keep it up. I really enjoy your vids. Cheers, Nigel

[@FloweringElbow]

Thanks Nigel. Means a lot :)

[@peterbaehman]

If you were to buy a better grinder what grinder would you buy

[@FloweringElbow]

Hey Peter, thanks for the question, it's a good one. Problem is I am loathed to suggest anything I haven't tried. I'd look for something with more rigidity, and an auto-lock, so that as you move the grinding wheel down it locks the chain in place... Sorry I can't help more...

[@riverbandit4159]

I cut lots of trees in residentual. areas .I use metal detector before i cut.

[@FloweringElbow]

Sensible.

[@kurtsimmons1587]

I just started following you! I liked the one where you cut your own posts and installed them. This is a great video also! I was curious where you are from? I’m from Alliance Ohio in America. It was great that your video came across!

[@FloweringElbow]

Hi Kurt. Based in Wales, UK here. Thanks for watching :D

[@petershupe3460]

Great video. I have a cheap grinder that my father bought for me and thought I'd have to do the rakers by hand. Great tips. Already subscribed. Wish I could subscribe more! ;-) As I have mentioned before I'm buying an MS 880 and will be getting a Stihl two in one manual sharpener for touch ups. I will take a look at my cheap grinder and try and buy one of those better wheels. Thanks again. Cheers Peter.

[@FloweringElbow]

Good morning Peter. Thanks again for watching and commenting :D Let me know how it all goes. I have been tempted by that sharpener myself, so give us an update on how you find it when you get going. Peace, Bongo

[@petershupe3460]

@@FloweringElbow - I have one for my 660 setup and I really like it. Seems to work really well. It's hard to get full comp rip chain where I am and most of the places only stock cross cut chains. They recommend a skip chain, which this sharpener will not work well with because it relies on the tooth on the next drive link to rest the guide bar on to file the depth stops (rakers). I still use it to sharpen my skip chains as I like the chains in the mill to be a little more aggressive than a regular cross cut chain. I'll keep you posted. Cheers Peter.

[@gina4319]

which cuts faster full chisel low profile chain vs standard full chisel

[@FloweringElbow]

Good question - don't know the definitive answer I'm afraid. But recon it will be the sharpest one ;)

[@gina4319]

Good call lol

[@darrensmith9143]

Great video, I too discovered the Lithuanian CBN wheels and can't believe I ever got along without them. I am considering a full face respirator for my chainsaw carving and am concerned about fogging. What kind are you using and does it fog at all? Thanks.

[@FloweringElbow]

Hi Darren. Thanks for getting in touch. It's a copy of the 3m full face that I use.if you check out tip #6 in the description of this video kzbin.info/www/bejne/hmKlYYN5d9mBq6M there is more details and some links to cheap places to get... it basically never fogs unless I am VERY sweaty on a cold day. Hope that helps, Bongo.

[@soil-aint-dirt4903]

Well done and thank you!

[@williamjohnson4963]

Great Video, can I just ask what respirator you use, I need to get one for milling, but it is a bad time to be buying masks of any kind! I'm cutting loads of dry Douglas currently which is very dusty! Thanks.

[@FloweringElbow]

Hi William, thanks friend! I use 3M 6800 full face equivalent - which means it's a cheaper import (only about $30 here: goo.gl/kVGmyk), but I use it with the genuine 3m 6001 vapour filters. (ebay link: goo.gl/PNXNEq) which are great for CS fumes, and I also use the added dust filters (they clip onto the vapour cartridges). Hope that helps, Bongo.

[@williamlewis8741]

quite useful video. simple blown away by your expertise and knowledge thanks

[@chicchoc9]

Really appreciate all of your videos and info. Are you sure that your rakers and only 1mm shorter than the cutters? it really looks like more on camera anyway..

[@FloweringElbow]

Good afternoon Chicchoc, thanks for your nice comment. Am away from the workshop atm so cant check and now you have planted the seed of doubt... I was fairly sure though... Thanks again, Bongo.

[@stihlnz]

Tom back again. I'm not sure how the Simington 451C would work for making milling chain but for square cut it seems to be the real deal. They are US$ 1500ish, so for a 1/3 of that you get an Oregon 520 with a BCN disc. See Bucking Billy Ray use his, good luck to you.

[@FloweringElbow]

Good morning Tom. Thank you for this. The 451C looks good, I just need to persuade them to send me one so I can make a video about it ;) Peace, Bongo.

[@paoemantega8793]

V thorough thank you :)

[@HondoTrailside]

I have been doing this stuff for around 40 years, and take a much more casual approach to it. The pay back from CM is so fast, that in a few outings one can have more wood than one will ever get through. The reason rip saws are filed differently was to reduce the power required to make a cut, or to increase the cutting power of a given saw. Same geometry and reasoning as with hand saws where the difference is immediately evident. With an 090, I mostly don't encounter power problems in the 16-24 inch trees I mill. You are correct to point out that CS saw geometry has some peculiarities, and a lot of cuts are mixed grain directions. Everything I knew came of Maloff's book, which I purchased when it came out, so it is great to hear some modern ideas. Thank you.

[@TELOYSTV]

Greetings from Philippines 🇵🇭.. Nice work brother ❤️👍👍

[@FloweringElbow]

Thanks :D

[@marcosmota1094]

Dude, I clicked because of the smile and because you look so happy. Oh, I also need to sharpen a saw.

[@bortnerfamilyadventures1369]

I am fairly new to this chainsaw milling but I’ve great fun with it so far milling planks out of eastern red cedar for a deck . I’m sure this is common sense but should I wait a certain amount of time before milling a fresh cut tree ?

[@FloweringElbow]

Hi Brortner, good question. You don't really need to wait. Though it depends a little on how thick you're milling. If 2" or more the wetter the better. It helps keep the chain cool and isn't so hard or abrasive on the chains cutting edges... only downside is it's heavier for moving the slabs.

[@mickleblade]

I sharpen the chain with a dremel chain saw kit, it OK, but the variability issue can bite you on the ass

[@FloweringElbow]

Hi Mickleblade, thanks for sharing! Yes, consistency is the key. Peace, Bongo.

[@srugyss1990]

Nice, alot i learn from you my frend thank you

[@FloweringElbow]

Good morning Tylenis. Great to heat! Thanks for watching.

[@johndoe1765]

Can you tell me the type of dust mask your using please I really like your videos thanks.

[@FloweringElbow]

Hi John, It's the 3M 6800 full-face equivalent, meaning it's a cheaper import (only about $35 here: ebay.us/MZpq5T), but I use it with the genuine 3m 6001 vapour filters.

[@johndoe1765]

@@FloweringElbow Thanks You very much.

[@socal33]

As a new subscriber, I can see that I have a steep hill ahead for my new chainsaw mill. Today I cut my first log, freehand, with my 40cc Echo CS-400 chainsaw, just to see if I could. It took about 1/2 an hour, but I had my first 2”x16”x 8’ slab when I was done. The wood was a very hard poplar tulip, cut down a year ago, very dry. Today I ordered my first chainsaw mill. I was afraid that 40cc and an 18” bar wasn’t enough, but I hope not. Most of the boards I want to cut are going to be 6”-8”. I also started sharpening my chain on a relatively cheap Harbor Freight chain sharpener which I spend a great deal of time making sure it is consistent. Your advice on chainsaw mill chain types was very helpful. I may stick with my 30 degree for now. Your advice and tips are a big part of my journey. I like your editing and narration too. Thank you.

[@FloweringElbow]

Welcome friend. Thanks so much for the encouragement. It means a lot. Good luck with the new mill!

[@lovestihlquality1369]

Great video. I started w same clone but then down graded for rakers. I long bolt my grinders 2x6 on top through 4x

[@anzaborrego399]

Holy Mackerel!

[@benhambly5447]

How tight are you looking too have your chain on the bar?

[@FloweringElbow]

Hey Ben, I go for slack enough i can push it around by hand but tight enough that there is not much if any visible gravity slop... HTH

[@johnwayne318]

Excellent video!!! Great

[@superspecialty5169]

Too much drama!

[@MegaDirtyberty]

I have one of those cheap grinders like yours, I mounted it on a big piece of steel angle plate so I could clamp it in the vice, the top pivot had a lot of slop in it so I machined some bushes and pressed them in and greased them, that took care of the pivot slop, the cam lock had a lot of slop so I bored out the hole in the cam to a larger size, remade the pin to suit and fitted thinner washers for the guide rails to bring them closer together. Doing those two things have improved it substantially, I made a bush for the head adjusting pivot as there was too much slop in that. I found the pink grinding wheels wobble so will upgrade to a CBN wheel as funds allow. With those modifications the machine is much better to use now.

[@FloweringElbow]

Good work my friend! :)

[@moisesalmeida7372]

BEAUTIFUL JOB. CONGRATULATIONS! ( I am from Brazi)

[@FloweringElbow]

Hi Friend. Thank you so much for watching, you and your comments keep me motivated to make videos and I really hope you find something useful in them. Question: I keep hearing tantalising roomers of people using carbide tipped chainsaw chains for milling?? They are much more expensive than regular chains, but is it worth it?? Has anyone tried it, and if so with what results? Thanks again for watching friend, see you in the next one :)

[@MatejKesan]

Hi ! Yes I was also wondering about that and I think I will buy at least one ripping chain and one cross-cut for cookies that has carbide teeth, since a lot of times the wood can be "polluted" with metal or even dirt. I have a Lo Pro 48" GB bar on my MS661 and stihl chains for that are a bit cheaper than the bigger one.

[@FloweringElbow]

@@MatejKesan Thanks for the info. Let me know how it goes :)

[@FloweringElbow]

Hey @@MatejKesan. Did you try the carbide chains by chance?