5 best machines for sharpening chains of gasoline and electric saws

#9 – Champion C2000

Price - 2400 rubles

The sharpening machine from a famous American brand has earned popularity due to its reliability and ease of operation. The machine is electric; sharpening the chain of a regular household saw will take about 5 minutes; continuous operation time is not recommended to exceed more than 15 minutes. Like most similar instruments, the C2000 is manufactured in China, but its quality does not suffer from this. The machine weighs 2.2 kg, starts up smoothly, but you cannot use it in the field - it is stationary and is mounted on a tabletop or workbench. Abrasive rotation speed - 4800 rpm. Ideal for home use, minimal equipment, 1 year warranty.

Champion C2000

Whirlwind SZTs-200

Main characteristics:

• Grinding wheel rotation speed - 6000 rpm;
• Motor power - 200 W;
• Disc diameter - 100 mm;
• Circle thickness - 3.2 mm;
• The landing diameter is 10 mm.

Design features. The machine is a cast frame with a vice, the position of which can be changed by turning it in any direction by 35°. The working head is attached to the base using a pin, which simultaneously plays the role of an axis of rotation. A pair of holes are provided for rigid mounting on the edge of the workbench. With an impressive electric motor power of 200 W, the unit weighs only 2 kg.

Functionality and ease of use. A 100x3.2 mm cutting disc is installed on a working shaft with a diameter of 10 mm, rotating at a speed of 6000 rpm, which is a good indicator for a household-class tool. When manipulating the machine, the operator holds on to a wide handle, under which there is a start button.

There is a threaded travel stop. The vice is made of high quality steel. The chain is fixed with a hand screw while sharpening.

Safety. A casing made of durable plastic with a transparent screen, which can be installed in several positions, protects the disc from sparks and flying fragments.

Protective casing with transparent screen.

Pros of Whirlwind SZTs-200

1. High performance.
2. Power reserve.
3. Simple and reliable design.
4. Low vibration.
5. Fast and precise adjustment.
6. Affordable price.

Cons Whirlwind SZTs-200

1. Inconvenient location of the stop under the working head.
2. Short power cable.
3. The kit does not include mounting bolts or keys for assembly.
4. Not the highest quality workmanship. There are gaps.

Einhell GC-CG 85

Main characteristics:

• Grinding wheel rotation speed - 5500 rpm;
• Motor power - 85 W;
• Disc diameter - 108 mm;
• Circle thickness - 3.2 mm;
• The bore diameter is 23.2 mm.

Design features. One of the smallest chain sharpening machines, it has dimensions of 21x21x26 cm and weighs only 1.9 kg. It must be attached to the edge of the table, for which a pair of holes with a diameter of 9 mm are provided on the steel frame for bolts or screws. The 85 W motor is enough for long-term operation with disks measuring 108x3.2 mm. Bore diameter 23.2 mm.

Functionality and ease of use. The rotation speed of the sanding wheel reaches 5500 rpm, which provides a good linear speed at the point of contact with the workpiece with a small diameter disc. The working head moves in one plane, and the vice can be rotated at an angle of up to 35° in any direction.

They have a side clamp and a lock that prevents longitudinal movement of the chain. Despite the ease of movement of the head, it clearly lacks a handle.

Safety. To protect the operator from flying debris, most of the abrasive disc is covered with a removable cover.

Protective cover.

Pros of Einhell GC-CG 85

1. Simple design.
2. No vibration.
3. High quality materials and good assembly.
4. Low noise level.
5. Low cost.
6. Good selection of discs of the right size.

Cons of Einhell GC-CG 85

1. There is no working head handle.
2. No backlight provided.
3. The threaded clamp of the vice is not for intensive work.

№7 – Champion 2001 PRO

Price — 5999 rubles

Another representative of the American company Champion, the latest generation of sharpening machines. This unit is perfect for daily use and sharpening professional chainsaws; it looks impressive, has large dimensions and good performance characteristics. The rated power of the machine is 230 W, there is illumination of the working area, although it is not recommended to use it in the dark. This machine is not one of the cheapest, as it belongs to the professional class, and its price, accordingly, is higher than that of household units. It can be used to sharpen both low and high profile chains of electric and gasoline saws. The body is partly metal, partly made of impact-resistant plastic. The disk rotation speed is 3000 rpm, the disk diameter is 145 mm, the machine weighs 5.8 kg.

Champion 2001 PRO

Expert advice

Sharpening chainsaw chains has its own characteristics. In accordance with the technology of work, the teeth should not be allowed to overheat and should not be cooled with water. This leads to the destruction of the metal from which the chain is made. The material must never be cooled with water.

Expert opinion

Kuznetsov Vasily Stepanovich

Chains can be sharpened only with abrasive discs that have a perfectly flat surface. When using wheels with a coarse-grained surface, the cutting edges must be ground.

Types of equipment

Existing machines are divided into manual and automatic, stationary and portable, professional and household. Each type of device has its own characteristics, pros and cons.

Manual machines

Setting the sharpening parameters is done manually for each chain link.
The main advantages of equipment of this type are low price and the possibility of use in places remote from electrical networks. Such devices are popular with loggers who cut down trees in areas remote from populated areas.

Among the advantages of the equipment:

• Safety.
• Autonomy.

• Versatility.

Saw teeth sharpened by manual machines last much longer than chains that have undergone automatic processing. Manufacturers include an instruction manual with the equipment, which contains information about the angles to be set. It is presented in the form of tables.

The disadvantages of the equipment include:

• Low performance.

• Mandatory knowledge of the rules for setting sharpening angles of cutting edges.

Expert opinion

Kuznetsov Vasily Stepanovich

Without professional skills, it is impossible to sharpen chains with high-quality sharpening using this type of equipment.

Automatic machines

Large enterprises use professional machines with a power of more than 0.5 kW.
This type of sharpening machine is equipped with electric motors. The location of their installation is tied to the location of the sockets. The operating voltage range of most models is between 0.2 and 0.5 kW. Such devices find their application in small sawmills and in everyday life.

Principle of operation

Sharpening of the links is carried out with an abrasive wheel one at a time. If the chain is sharpened incorrectly, the uniformity of the load on its surface is disrupted. This leads to rapid wear of the canvas and its destruction. The grinding machine wheel is fixed to the bed with special rotary clamps.

During the sharpening process, it is alternately transferred from one chain link to another. On stationary machines the chain moves automatically. Each time before starting work, the device must be configured. For this purpose, the designs provide various adjustment mechanisms.

With their help, the following are displayed:

• The amount of cutting of the tooth edge.
• Depth of depressions.

• The sharpening angle of the front cutting corner of the tooth.