What's on your bench today?

[maria warwick]

29 minutes ago, AJStrees said:

Nothing too exciting. But I spent the afternnoon sharpening my hedge trimmers. It was good to get an edge back on those teeth, crikey, not sure how they were cutting anything. Disclaimer. These are work hedge trimmers, not personal and thus they get used by a number of people. Therefore I end up maintaining them. 

What’s your method of sharpening ?🤔

[AJStrees]

13 minutes ago, maria warwick said:

What’s your method of sharpening ?🤔

Hedge trimmer in a vice and flat file on each tooth. Potentially not the fastest route, but has always worked well. With these battery trimmers I am also less inclined to want to take them apart/remove the blades from the motor as it were. Obviously you have to turn the machine over in the vice to get to each tooth and each direction, much like sharpening a chainsaw in a vice. With the flat file you need to ensure you are angling the file upwards in the direction of the tooth as it gets narrower at the top. Today I whipped out a new oregon flat file bought from Rob D at chainsawbars, it had Swiss Made marked on it. Worked very well and sped up the process. So I will be buying more of those in the future. 👍

 

[Blackbriarwoods]

Bought a MS660 last week, and I'm spending many a happy hour cleaning, fettling and tinkering. Replaced some parts and done some maintenance. Going to play with it on some larger firewood lumps tomorrow. Had a word with Spud and it'll be having some magic dust sprinkled over it at some time in the future, once I've finished playing.

[pleasant]

On 26/08/2023 at 19:18, AJStrees said:

Hedge trimmer in a vice and flat file on each tooth. Potentially not the fastest route, but has always worked well. With these battery trimmers I am also less inclined to want to take them apart/remove the blades from the motor as it were. Obviously you have to turn the machine over in the vice to get to each tooth and each direction, much like sharpening a chainsaw in a vice. With the flat file you need to ensure you are angling the file upwards in the direction of the tooth as it gets narrower at the top. Today I whipped out a new oregon flat file bought from Rob D at chainsawbars, it had Swiss Made marked on it. Worked very well and sped up the process. So I will be buying more of those in the future. 👍

 

We use dremels with a stone attachment unless theres impact damage to the cutting edges most teeth really just need the gum and varnish build up removed rather than the need to remove too much steel

[Macpherson]

5 hours ago, pleasant said:

We use dremels with a stone attachment unless theres impact damage to the cutting edges most teeth really just need the gum and varnish build up removed rather than the need to remove too much steel

 

I use the same method but with diamond burrs from this company👍

 

Ezelap Sharpening | buy Ezelap tools

WWW.EZELAP.CO.UK

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The most competitive online shop for Ezelap diamond sharpening systems. Ezelap diamond sharpening products offer top quality sharpening for knives and tools. Ezelap offer the...

 

[pleasant]

8 hours ago, Macpherson said:

 

I use the same method but with diamond burrs from this company👍

 

Ezelap Sharpening | buy Ezelap tools

WWW.EZELAP.CO.UK

---

The most competitive online shop for Ezelap diamond sharpening systems. Ezelap diamond sharpening products offer top quality sharpening for knives and tools. Ezelap offer the...

 

Will give them a try.

[Muddy42]

Stihl MS460. The thread has stripped for the bolt holding the chain catcher and spikes.  I suspect a previous owner had used a bolt that was too long for the hole.  I have ordered a Helicoil set but I have not used Helicoil before.  Any tips? I will be careful not too drill too deep to avoid the oil tank.  Should Helicoil be set with epoxy or thread locker? Thanks. 

[ChrisNewport]

Personally i would drill it out 5mm and tap it M6x1 and then open up the hole in the spikes and the chain catcher. Im not a fan of helicoiling into blind holes, i can never get them right.

[spudulike]

I don't think this is a blind hole....can you stick a thin screwdriver in the hole and test it to see if it is through or blind?

I have done a few of these and think it is a through hole from memory. Just tap it out with the M5 helicoil tap (it is probably M6 and then turn in the helicoil.

Use a decent quality tap, lubricate the tap, form a decent receiving hole and the helicoil just needs turning in and will be very strong if done correctly.

 

[Muddy42]

22 hours ago, ChrisNewport said:

Personally i would drill it out 5mm and tap it M6x1 and then open up the hole in the spikes and the chain catcher. Im not a fan of helicoiling into blind holes, i can never get them right.

 

14 hours ago, spudulike said:

I don't think this is a blind hole....can you stick a thin screwdriver in the hole and test it to see if it is through or blind?

I have done a few of these and think it is a through hole from memory. Just tap it out with the M5 helicoil tap (it is probably M6 and then turn in the helicoil.

Use a decent quality tap, lubricate the tap, form a decent receiving hole and the helicoil just needs turning in and will be very strong if done correctly.

 

 

Thanks both.  I'm afraid it is a blind hole that only goes half way through the Aluminum. I'll give the Helicoil a go first. If that fails I might just buy/make the felling type of bumper spikes that hold the chain catcher out of the way (which I prefer) like this (but maybe with less aggressive spikes:

 

Edited September 5, 2023 by Muddy42