Anyone out there had any experience with the powersharp system made by Oregon?
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Oregon Powersharp
th29
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So it requires a new special chain, a new special bar and a special sharpening tool to save at most a few minutes of manually refreshing the edge each time you fill the tank? My guess: learn to sharpen your chain yourself. When you won't have this special tool, you'll be happy about it.
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I like the idea, but using "manual sharpening requires special tools" as a selling point, kind of defeats the purpose of selling a special tool... and bar.... and chain.
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46 Posts
Came across a pretty good review. Think I'll try one out.
Review Part 1
http://www.handymanhowto.com/2010/10/16/oregon-powersharp®-review-part-1/
Review Part 2
http://www.handymanhowto.com/2010/10/16/oregon-powersharp®-review-part-2/
Review Part 1
http://www.handymanhowto.com/2010/10/16/oregon-powersharp®-review-part-1/
Review Part 2
http://www.handymanhowto.com/2010/10/16/oregon-powersharp®-review-part-2/
30 years ago I had a craftsman chainsaw that had a grinding stone built in. It sharpened the chain with the same "over the top" bevel instead of the "under" bevel of a normal chain.
It took me a long time to figure out why a friends saw cut twice as fast. I finally tossed the stone and put a normal chain on and then it cut as fast as his did.
Although the powersharp looks like a more accurate system than I had, I wouldn't buy an "over the top" beveled chain without spending a day cutting firewood side by side with a normal chain to compare cutting speeds.
It took me a long time to figure out why a friends saw cut twice as fast. I finally tossed the stone and put a normal chain on and then it cut as fast as his did.
Although the powersharp looks like a more accurate system than I had, I wouldn't buy an "over the top" beveled chain without spending a day cutting firewood side by side with a normal chain to compare cutting speeds.
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I think this sums it up. From the review:
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I'm skeptical that it'll work for pro use. That said, if it actually works, it would be a lifesaver for using an Alaska mill or doing long rip cuts where you're burning through chains and sharpness is critical.
I definitely won't be the guinea pig on this one, not worth it if it's a big fail.
I definitely won't be the guinea pig on this one, not worth it if it's a big fail.
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46 Posts
Used the powersharp for the first time today.
Cost: $75.00 for the 18" bar, Sharpener, and chain for my Echo CS400. (Replacement chains are 39.00 for an 18")
For comparison, I purchased a new bar and oilomatic chain for my 16" stihl 028 av saw from my local dealer, and paid about $72.00
First thing I noticed when I opened the package was that the "upside-down" cutters will take a piece out of your hand quicker than a standard design.
I made 30 cuts through 15"-20" hardwood, and the chain showed no sign of dulling. My test for a sharp cutter is to lightly rub the surface of a fingernail on the point of the cutter and see if shaves off a bit. Cutting speed was about the same as a standard chain as far as I could tell. Need to get a new standard chain for the Echo, so I can compare apples to apples. (I did notice that the original bar that came on my 2 year old echo cs400 matched up perfectly with the powersharp bar... even the factory holes for mounting the sharpener were the same.)
I haven't had to resharpen yet, so no information on what kind of edge the sharpening system puts on a dull chain, or how long it lasts.
Will post again as I use it more.
Cost: $75.00 for the 18" bar, Sharpener, and chain for my Echo CS400. (Replacement chains are 39.00 for an 18")
For comparison, I purchased a new bar and oilomatic chain for my 16" stihl 028 av saw from my local dealer, and paid about $72.00
First thing I noticed when I opened the package was that the "upside-down" cutters will take a piece out of your hand quicker than a standard design.
I made 30 cuts through 15"-20" hardwood, and the chain showed no sign of dulling. My test for a sharp cutter is to lightly rub the surface of a fingernail on the point of the cutter and see if shaves off a bit. Cutting speed was about the same as a standard chain as far as I could tell. Need to get a new standard chain for the Echo, so I can compare apples to apples. (I did notice that the original bar that came on my 2 year old echo cs400 matched up perfectly with the powersharp bar... even the factory holes for mounting the sharpener were the same.)
I haven't had to resharpen yet, so no information on what kind of edge the sharpening system puts on a dull chain, or how long it lasts.
Will post again as I use it more.
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418 Posts
How's the new chain...
...on plunge cuts?? Over the years I've become hooked on full-chisel chain because its aggressive profile lets me smoothly do plunge cuts, which in turn help me fell with more control. The low-profile chains (whose performance the video uses as reference) generally do a poor job of plunge cutting...
TZ
...on plunge cuts?? Over the years I've become hooked on full-chisel chain because its aggressive profile lets me smoothly do plunge cuts, which in turn help me fell with more control. The low-profile chains (whose performance the video uses as reference) generally do a poor job of plunge cutting...
TZ
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908 Posts
Simington grinder vs. hand filing
as a timber faller in south central Idahoe/eastern Oregon for twenty years, I would spend half a day on my Saturdays grinding anywhere from eight to ten chains razor sharp and precision accurate, only to lose that fine edge after the first tree or two that I worked up. then I was resigned to using it till lunch when I would replace it with a new chain. admittedley, sometimes I worked with a less than sharp chain until lunch just to avoid the change-over in the middle of the morning.
after years of grinding on my Saturdays, I finally said to he11 with it and started hand filing, which I was good at. now I could keep my chain sharp all day and never had to work with a used chain.
on my last job, we had contracted to clear all the hazard trees above and alongside a main USFS road after a big burn. trees were falling from hundreds of feet above the road onto the road, getting covered with decomposed granite on the way down, and after falling two or three trees onto the road, I had to go down and work them up. they were dirty by then and wreaked havoc on saw chains, a little like cutting blow down after Mt. St. Helens. hand filing was the only alternative, filing five/six times a day, and I would often go through a chain a week.
so with this experience behind me, I suggest learning how to hand file and keeping your chain razor sharp. it's a known fact that dull chains cause more injuries as the force used to push a dull chain through wood needs to be accounted for after the cut is made, and people just aren't ready to let up on the saw when they should. consequently, they are caught off guard and will lose balance or shove the bar into their foot/leg or even fall on it.
TrailZen mentioned plunge cuts: very affective in various applications, but difficult to do if the rakers on the chain are filed too far down or if the chain has too much hook on the teeth. I liked some hook on my teeth (aggressive for limbing) but was very careful to file my rakers with a guage and not take them too far down.
not much science to this art of hand filing, just lots of practice, but you should get better with each chain filed.
as a timber faller in south central Idahoe/eastern Oregon for twenty years, I would spend half a day on my Saturdays grinding anywhere from eight to ten chains razor sharp and precision accurate, only to lose that fine edge after the first tree or two that I worked up. then I was resigned to using it till lunch when I would replace it with a new chain. admittedley, sometimes I worked with a less than sharp chain until lunch just to avoid the change-over in the middle of the morning.
after years of grinding on my Saturdays, I finally said to he11 with it and started hand filing, which I was good at. now I could keep my chain sharp all day and never had to work with a used chain.
on my last job, we had contracted to clear all the hazard trees above and alongside a main USFS road after a big burn. trees were falling from hundreds of feet above the road onto the road, getting covered with decomposed granite on the way down, and after falling two or three trees onto the road, I had to go down and work them up. they were dirty by then and wreaked havoc on saw chains, a little like cutting blow down after Mt. St. Helens. hand filing was the only alternative, filing five/six times a day, and I would often go through a chain a week.
so with this experience behind me, I suggest learning how to hand file and keeping your chain razor sharp. it's a known fact that dull chains cause more injuries as the force used to push a dull chain through wood needs to be accounted for after the cut is made, and people just aren't ready to let up on the saw when they should. consequently, they are caught off guard and will lose balance or shove the bar into their foot/leg or even fall on it.
TrailZen mentioned plunge cuts: very affective in various applications, but difficult to do if the rakers on the chain are filed too far down or if the chain has too much hook on the teeth. I liked some hook on my teeth (aggressive for limbing) but was very careful to file my rakers with a guage and not take them too far down.
not much science to this art of hand filing, just lots of practice, but you should get better with each chain filed.
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8 Posts
experienced reading PowerSharp label-easy call.
Good advice from experienced loggers and arbo types.thou I would sure recommend to anybody to try the dual file holder style. Husky for orange or Pferd for blue. Might also add plung cutting the backcut for felling can set up the hinge wood nicely but its for practicing your woods craft not learning it.
Good advice from experienced loggers and arbo types.thou I would sure recommend to anybody to try the dual file holder style. Husky for orange or Pferd for blue. Might also add plung cutting the backcut for felling can set up the hinge wood nicely but its for practicing your woods craft not learning it.
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