my experience with Portek Ultra ChainMaster chain sharpener

[SimonFisher]

I bought a Portek Ultra ChainMaster (http://www.portek.co.uk/UltraChainmaster_Index.html) chain sharpener in February 2012, but for various reasons a year went by before I got it out of the box, only then to discover I needed a different size grinding wheel than that supplied, and it was November 2013 before I eventually got around to setting it up with the correct size wheel and using it for real.

Since starting to use a chainsaw in 2007, I've sharpened using a round file in a guide from an Oregon chain sharpening kit (http://www.frjonesandson.co.uk/products-page/oregon/sharpening-equipment1/oregon-chain-sharpening-kit/). I guess I'd never been that confident that I was keeping the correct angle with the Oregon guide and I thought something like the Portek would give a better, faster and easier sharpening.

The manual that comes with the Portek is a bit of a laugh as it's been poorly translated into English and gave rise to a bit of head scratching in places. In the end I just worked out how it was supposed to work rather than interpreting the instructions. There's a couple of links at the end of this post for anyone that's interested - I've scanned the manual and put it online. There's also a separate copy of the chart which detailes the grinding wheel size and the angles to use for various chains.

The unit isn't freestanding. It needs to be fastened in place. In my case I bolted to a bit of four-by-two and that goes in the vice on my workbench.

Setting about sharpening my first chain it was good to see the cutting edge of each tooth being ground back to a uniform profile and I could see where I'd got the angle incorrect with previous sharpenings using the Oregon guide. They obviously weren't so bad mind that I'd ever experienced any problems actually using the saw! I did three chains in my first session, disappointed to realise though that the Portek doesn't do the height of the rakers and I'd still have to put each chain back on the bar to do those with my flat file and height guide from the Oregon chain sharpening kit.

A few days later in my second session with the Portek I was looking to restore the edge one of those chains and this is where I started to see the failings of the Portek. The two features which determine how much you grind off each tooth are a chain stop designed to ensure that each tooth is held in the same place on the horizontal bed on which the chain sits, and a depth stop which determines how far the grinding wheel can come down. Setting those finely enough so you only touch the tooth for a quick 'brush-up' isn't that easy as there's too much give/flex/spring in the unit. I reckon regular use of the Portek will see me grinding way more off each tooth than is necessary. As you're likely to take more off each tooth than you might with a handheld file, you probably need to check the height of the rakers more often, which as I've already said, the Portek doesn't do.

After one tooth is sharpened, it's necessary to release the clamp which hold the chain stationary, move the tooth forward, hold it against the chain stop while tightening the clamp, before you bring down the grinding wheel. That sounds simple enough but takes longer than moving to the next tooth when using a hand-held guide.

It then didn't help matters that I snapped the plastic handle on the chain clamp (which really ought to be a metal part), and although there's an assembly drawing in the manual showing an exploded and very detailed list of parts, no spares are in fact available from Portek other than grinding wheels. I can probably fashion a replacement handle from some mouldable plastic that I have if I want to keep using it.

I also wonder whether sharpening a chain with a fast moving grinding wheel affects the 'temper' of the metal and the ability of the tooth to hold an edge. I'd appreciate any comments on this from someone who understands how localised heating of the tooth edge by a grinding wheel might change the characteristics of the metal?

I've already decided that for me the Portek is just too much hassle. I've now settled on a Stihl 2-in-1 EasyFile which is quicker, easier, does the raker height at the same time, and which I'll cover in a separate posting (see http://www.swog.org.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1726). For now, the Portek is sitting almost new and unused in my loft. Watch this space if you think you might like it as I'm likely to give it away to anyone who's prepared to collect it or pay the shipping.

Instruction Manual
http://www.simonfisher.org/miscellaneous/Portek%20Ultra%20ChainMaster%20Chain%20Saw%20Sharpener%20Instruction%20Manual.pdf

Chart showing grinding wheel size and angles
http://www.simonfisher.org/miscellaneous/Portek%20Ultra%20ChainMaster%20Chain%20Saw%20Sharpener%20Grinding%20Table.pdf

[Wendelspanswick]

Hi Simon,
I was given one of the original chain grinding/sharpening attachments, this was a drill powered device that you clamped to the bar. I quickly came to the same conclusion as you in that the device flexed too much to just lightly touch-up the teeth, each sharpening session would remove upto 1mm from the tooth. I would have chucked it out but I have hung on to it as it could come in use when converting a cross cutting chain into a ripping chain for a mill.

[Bearwood]

An interesting review Simon, thanks for taking the time to review the product, especially since you've moved on to a different system to sharpen your chains now. Bad reviews often don't come to light because of various reasons, but I dare say it would save money and time if more were published.

You're correct in your assumption that a rapidly moving 'tool' can remove temper. The simple indicator for this is the presence of the oxide colours (akin to a rainbow) on the surface of the metal which you are cutting or sharpening. You can mitigate the loss or reduction of the temper by spraying the suject with water or oil to keep the temperature down during cutting, but generally if you see the colours, you've lost your temper.

When smithing, various grades of steel are tempered to one if the colours of the spectrum depending upon the desired use. For example; a fine cutting tool is generally tempered to a dark straw colour, whereas a stonemasons chisel may be taken to peacock blue. Its likely that each chain manufacturer tempers to a different spec, but id say it may be possible to re-temper a chain again if damage was caused, but I doubt the effort would outweigh the cost, not to mention the compromise of safety.

[oldclaypaws]

Electric sharpeners generally seem to get a thumbs down on other forums. The one I've spotted which I like the look of is the manually 'turned' Timberline. Expensive but looks neat, doesn't need power so can be used in the field, build quality looks good too. I've some confidence in it as Radmores stock it, and they are chosey what they keep. They also have a decent price on it of £108, about £35 cheaper than anyone else. If anyone would care to buy one and post a review, I'd pay careful attention. (But don't feel like blowing that much on a sharpener when my file seems very adequate.)

Video of Timberline in use;

http://www.timberlinesharpener.com/video

[Dexter's Shed]

http://www.timberlinesharpener.com/video

looks a good bit of kit, one of your better finds,

[SimonFisher]

I guess one of the factors that determines how you choose your sharpening method is whether you're confident that you can hold the correct angle yourself just using a round file on its own or with a fairly simple guide, or whether you need/want/prefer something that holds the sharpening tool at the correct angle, be it a file, grinding wheel or carbide bit.

Whenever it's the latter and the tool's going to be held at the correct angle with no scope for operator induced deviation, then there's invariably going to be some jig and clamp arrangement which will add some time to both the initial setup and the step of moving from one tooth to the next. Most of the comments I see elsewhere from professional users are that a hand file does a perfectly good job as well as being low cost. Once you know you can do a good job with a hand file, then any extra time just becomes a nusiance - or at least it does for me.

I looked at the Timberline and I was tempted. It certainly does look a well made bit of kit and has the advantage of being usable anywhere without the need for a vice. For now, I'll stick with the Stihl 2-in-1 EasyFile (http://www.swog.org.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1726) which is for me one of the best 'hand guides' and has the advantage that it does the rakers automatically at the same time. The only custom part appears to be the flat file for doing the rakers. The round files it contains are standard Stihl files. In case I want to look at different brands of files, can anyone tell me what the total length of their chosen brand of 3/16 (4.8mm) files are? The ones from the Stihl 2-in-1 EasyFile I measure at 243mm end-to-end.

[oldclaypaws]

Seeing the Timberline made me think, "Isn't there a basic Diamond / Carbide decent length 4.8mm round file for doing the ultimate manual hand-job in sharpening?"

Found these, which purport to 'extend the life of the chain by better sharpening' (?). Anyone tried one?
Looks a handy size to put in the pocket (and drop out). Fluorescent orange would be better- after an hour searching for my bushknife, I'll never buy 'green' again.

At £30, might be worth a tickle? Maybe we're all trying to invent a better mousetrap, and a file is hard to beat with the right technique. The Raker feature on the Stihl Easy 2 in 1 is hardly critical, I've trimmed my rakers twice in 18 months, and they didn't need much either. The basic Oregon angled-guided file holder is the same thing for £10 without the Raker file, extra plastic and marketing.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DMT-FCS6C-Diamond-Chainsaw-File-4-8mm-Blue-/300767509196?pt=UK_Hand_Tools_Equipment&hash=item460723facc

[Dexter's Shed]

http://www.timberlinesharpener.com/video

looks a good bit of kit, one of your better finds,

oh, that's just been blown out of the water, yesterday I viewed the video's and it looked sound great, today I google prices, and see that each sized chain needs its own unit, yeah ok, I'll stick with my hand file thanks

[SimonFisher]

The Raker feature on the Stihl Easy 2 in 1 is hardly critical, I've trimmed my rakers twice in 18 months, and they didn't need much either

That needs a bit more detail to be useful, twice in 18 months - but how much are you using the saw?

The basic Oregon angled-guided file holder is the same thing for £10 without the Raker file, extra plastic and marketing.

That's what I started with. I just don't find it as easy to keep my eye on the angle marker as I do with the Stihl 2-in-1 EasyFile on which the angle guide is more prominent. By your same argument, even the Oregon guide is superfluous as each tooth has a reference line on it showing the angle which can be used to line up a plain hand file.

[Wendelspanswick]

But the basic Oregon guide also controls the vertical height of the file, maintaining the correct tooth angle when viewed from the side. That is why the guides are sized to the file.