By far one of THE BEST tool review and modification videos! Thank you for being so thorough and including all the mods you made. Although I'm running about 7 years behind, I just got this model sharpener today and noted the very same issues. Can't wait to get back to it tomorrow and apply the fixes you suggested.
+Harold J. Briggs Well thanks Harold! I'm glad you liked it. I did do a followup video testing out an extremely dullblade. I cover a lot of the same material, but check it out if you like. Good luck, G. czcams.com/video/liZLJrFseyY/video.html
Excellent review. Thanks for posting this for the benefit of all and your generous time. Much appreciated! I just picked one of these on Craigslist from a retiring contractor that is leaving the area and had never opened the box. I did all the mods suggested and it works like a charm. For those that are interested, the threaded nut size for the Blade holding mechanism (as suggested in the video) is a metric M10-1.5.
This is one of the best reviews on any product that I have observed. I also buy stuff at Harbor Freight, and often find that I "make adjustments". I find reviewer comments helpful. Some reviewers show poor common sense, while others will make suggestions and helpful ideas. You have sold me on this sharpener. I enjoy the adjust phase and also like the HF stuff as I have been introduced to tools that, otherwise, could not afford, or would feel I was "taking food off the table" to buy more expensive items. You do a very nice job of teardown and review. Thanks much.
Well thanks Ron! While I have all sorts of tools from the top shelf down, I try to save where I can and show people they can get into some project/hobby on a limited budget. Your post is a good testament based on their tools and your reasoning/situation and is in good part why I make my video reviews. This machine works quite well after the mods and when using finesse when setting it up. I'm please with it. On a side note, and if you're not aware, there is a printable 25% off coupon as well as free item coupons on this site- about half way down the page. Take advantage! slickdeals.net/f/1276399-harbor-freight-coupon-thread G.
I have never seen a review that was so thorough and well done on any product not to mention all of the useful info to make it work properly too. Thanks very much for taking the time and effort.
I came here to say the same thing... thorough, professional, humble. You’re a good soul and I will spend rainy days learning from you, Ghostses. Thanks so much!
Great job identifying easy upgrades for this. Before I even plugged it in when I got it home, I did all of you suggestions. Just tested my 1st blade sharpened and worked like just like new again.
+smokedtires That's cool! I'm glad you found it helpful and that your test blade turned out well. After tweaking mine, I'm really surprised how well it works. Take care, G.
Brilliant! You are simply brilliant. This is the BEST instructional video I have ever seen and your ability to calmly explain in clear terms what you have learned is enviable. This video is as valuable today as it was when you produced it many years ago. After seeing your videos I went out and bought one today. Great job !
This is the best description of this tool and the proper way of using it that I have seen. I’ve watched several reviews of this machine and some don’t know what they’re doing at all and others want to modify it. But I’m glad to see that if it’s in the hands of a good minded operator, it can work rather well. I have a milk crate full of old blades that need sharpening. It’s off to HF I go now! Thank you!
Back again! Probably the best informatinal discourse on this machine. Bought one several years ago....still new in the box. LOL! tThe discourse on plane geometry and how to check the blades is outstanding. Your adjustment and setup advise is direct and to the point. Have a number of the circular saw blades. And a couple of 10 inch blades. For my forrest blades I am having them sharpened as it is cheaper than a new one. Thanks for your in depth critique!
Good on you champ. I was starting to loose my marbles over this impulse buy. But thanks to you I've made the modifications you did, and set it up quickly instead of angrily. And now have a sharper blade.
Thanks Chris! LOL! I'm glad the video helped. It does take a little patience to get it setup- as you've found. Aside from that, and especially for what it costs, it works surprisingly well. Take care, G.
I first saw this video a year ago.(look for my first post). My daughter just gave me this sharpener today for Christmas, and I came straight here to watch again. After watching this I had mine up and running in about 10 minutes. Thank you. In all fairness, it would be impossible for the instructions to teach all this in just a few paragraphs. P.S. I just went out to the shop and realized I must have at least a dozen old blades that I might be able to use again. Thanks again
thanks ghostses. I purchased the sharpening after watching your first video and decided that it would suit my purposes. With your tips, I adjusted the slide by tightening the bottom bolt sufficiently to take out 99% of wobble and then added a bit of jiggaloo to the slide to ease the friction. worked well and the bar did not slide sideways. I had difficulties determining the left or right (degrees) so I simply ran the sharpener very lightly over the tooth and check to see which part had been "wiped" and then did the next tooth to see if it wiped the opposite side. It did. That showed me how offset for the different teeth. Thanks for all your help.. Ed
Of all of the Circular Saw Blade Sharpener videos I've viewed, this has been the best. Thanks, it puts my mind at ease and I'm now going to purchase one of these.
So many other people just lay the blade flat on the height adjuster and proceed to sharpen every tooth consecutively and not even thinking why it is there other than stabilizing the blade, there by losing all of the tip angles originally cut into the tungsten tips. Then go on to say how good the blade cuts. Not realizing that they have no clearance in their cuts and are headed towards a lot of kickbacks in the very near future. You are the first guy to mention that this machine has the angle set for teeth sharpening that no one else in the six other video’s I have watched about this little sharpening machine from Harbor Freight, as this is what I was trying to find out if this machine offered being so cheap. Thank you sir I can now go and buy one of these machines with confidence.
Thanks David. Yes, if every other tooth is angled on the blade, the machine should be tilted to hold that angle. The ones I've sharpened are not, so I can do every tooth with a zero setting. It all depends on the blade to be sharpened. Glad the video was helpful. Good luck, G.
Yes, I was glad to see that too! I was wondering about blades with alternate geometry. Watched another video that never mentioned that you could angle the motor to do those blades. Glad I watched this one! Thank you!
Thanks for this. I saw the video over a year ago and bought the sharpener based on your analysis. Recent shop reorg has freed up space for it and I find it works quite well. The indexing attachment is a pain to set up and I've found it easier to index by hand. My first blade went well. Cheers, Gord
No problem Gord! Agreed, the indexing is a pain. I've had many comments that are using it just like you are- without the pawl. Glad it's working out well for you. Take care, G.
Super useful intro, thanks! Just picked one up with a 20% off coupon. Intention is to sort out the nuisances and hopefully re-purpose the thing for other tasks if possible. As many have said, if a $40 blade can be brought back to life it's worth buying. Like most HF tools - be prepared to tweak! Your various fixes sound ideal.
+ChrisB257 No problem Chris! I'm glad you found it useful. I know mines paid for itself a few times over for sure. Agreed, some of their tools need finishing/tweaking to make them work their best. I don't mind since I save a ton in the process. Good luck, G.
Thanks! I don't know if they've corrected some, or all, of what I found wrong with mine- but at least you know what to look for when you get yours. Glad it was helpful and good luck with yours. Take care, G.
This tool is sold as the Sealey SMS 2003 in the UK. It is the same for all purposes. The language used in the instructions is Gibberish. A form of nonsensical English. This video was really helpful and I am using some of the mods suggested on my machine. Many thanks.
Hey bro, Thanks for the video! I had purchased this sharpener quite some time ago and I will be bringing it out to make the refinements that you have shown us viewers. I have several blades sitting around that need sharpening. Your reviews and tutorials are greatly appreciated. Keep up the good work and blessings on you for doing so, Robert
No problem Robert! The small mods did make it work better and are worth doing. I'm glad you like the videos and find some useful info here and there. Thanks for the post and good luck! G.
+Larry Peterson No problem Larry! Glad it was helpful. Agreed, with a little tweaking and patience, it does a fine job- especially for what it costs. Good luck, G.
hey its not a machine for $ 200, just $ 40 must not dream, I just bought this item and I am very satisfied with this product, its great for its home and not for business thank you for video
This is something I have come to expect with Harbor Freights power equipment. I will do the same thing and go through them from top to bottom and tweak / modify. I use higher quality washers, nuts and bolts even before I use it for the first time, in the end you end up with a very well functioning and better performing tool. Thanks for posting.
Excellent video, near perfection. I bought one of these, added three washers and some oil and it works like a champ. Mine didn't have as much play or slop right out of the box. The inbox instruction manual is hilarious, translated from chinese to gobbledygook. I had this video going while I set it up. The rest of these sharpeners start at about $200 and go up quickly. This is a good deal.
You do a great job of evaluating and explaining this contraption. Plus you show quick, simple fixes for what you found wrong with it. Thanks for your time and sorry you didn't feel better. Hopefully you have gotten over whatever ailed you.
Thank you for your work in putting this on CZcams. After unpacking and playing with the machine I had begun to think I might have bitten off more than I could chew but now I think I have abut 20 blade between mine and my Dad's that can get a second chance at life.
+John Oakey No problem John! With that many blades to sharpen, it's going to pay for itself many times over. Start with some junk blades to get the feel for setting it up. After that, you should have no problems. Good luck and let me know how it works out for you. Take care, G.
I really enjoyed this video. What particularly struck me was your advice to "Fiddle with it" Made sense, so much that I went into my garage the next evening to Fiddle with the belt/ disc sander I got from Harbor Freight last summer. After some minor adjustments, i got the performance improved significantly. Tightening the belt keeps the sanding belt from stalling with too much pressure. Cleaning a burr got the disc to sit properly on the shaft and turn without wobbling. Remember, you are buying a knockoff.
+George Court Thanks George! That's 100% correct- fiddling with many things from HF makes them work much better- and beyond HF for that matter. Glad you were able to get your sander working much better. You make a good point with purchasing a knockoff. They have to save where they can to cut costs, and it usually comes down to quality control. One might be perfect, while the next- not so much. But, most things can be made to work well. Take care, G.
Your video helped me to decide to buy one of these sharpeners. Though I have not actually sharpened a blade yet, I did use most of your mods and have a blade mounted and ready to go. Just need some time to spend playing with it more. Thanks again!
Your video is EXCELLANT! I watched it, bought the HF Circular Saw Blade Sharpener, Item 96687 yesterday and followed your modifications. They did make a difference. I bought HF Item 69110 Metric Nut Driver Set as 10mm and 7mm are required. The 7mm nut driver is very handy as you can get to the set screw on the depth stop much easier. I'm glad you included the part where you forgot to remove the Hex Key as it is a good reminder to us all. I did notice that we both have the revised Manual 11c. The old one is still on the HF website and has not been updated. I have two blades to sharpen today to see how things go. I'm sure it will after watching your video. Keep up the good work.
Thanks Jimmy! Glad the video is helpful. Good tip on the nut driver set. It will make adjusting things even easier. It would be nice if it had a spindle lock on it, like on an angle grinder or something like that. It would eliminate accidentally leaving the key in like I did. But, for the cost I really can't complain. Good luck on your sharpening. Let me know how it turns out. G.
hi. watched your video a few times. very informative. so went out march 2, 2019 and bought one. wow, you made it much easier to set up. so thank you so much for your video. did not take long at all to sharpen my blades.
I bought this sharpener after watching your video, glad I did you explaned how to operate and set up and modifiy better than the instruction that cam with it, Thanks !
Ghostses is one of THE greatest instructors on CZcams. Of all of the reviews I have seen on this sharpener, he is completely blown them out of the water. Until I saw this video I was totally confused. Ghostses removed that. I NOW understand it. Thanks Ghostses. You are the best.
Thank you for your in depth video. I just bought one and used it recently. I too found little things that were a bit iffy but watching your vid I now have a bit of an idea how to make the machine a bit more reliable. Like you I think if I can get 2 or 3 sharpens out of a blade the sharpener will pay for itself. I look forward to having another play now. Cheers
Thanks Peter! Do the modifications I've noted and it should work all the better. And yes, a couple of good sharpenings from one blade and it will pay for itself. Anything past that is free. Good luck, G.
Thanks for a great video. I didn't even know this product existed. I have a few dull blades laying around so for the price I may get one. Once again thanks for taking the time to show us your modifications.
+runandbike62 No problem! For the price, and if you can renew your dull blades, it will pay for itself straight away. It is kind of a pain to setup, but after it's right- it works well. Good luck, G.
+Matt Janssen Well thanks Matt! I'm glad you liked it. If you're considering one, I do have a blade testing video posted as well that might be of interest. It does parrot much that's show here, so skip around for new information. Good luck, G. czcams.com/video/liZLJrFseyY/video.html
Thank you for your instructions. I just bought a machine like yours in Sweden, here they are labeled Meec. Your concerns were exactly the same as mine, it felt sloppy and loose. I will make the adjustments you recomend. My machine was basically never used because the seller thought it was not so accurate , it only cost me 10 bucks...
I bought one of these today, after returning 3 sawhorses that were on the flimsy side. LOL. Like you said the manual is almost useless. Thanks for posting a great video, and explaining how to use the sharpener.
John Reynolds Well thanks John! Some folks don't like my style nor the length of my content- which I can understand. However, to be thorough length is what it takes. Most like them and the majority rules so I keep doing what I do...lol. Take care and good luck, G.
You were very honest and straightforward with your review. In my opinion, like a lot of stuff from HF, a piece of junk, but after playing with all of the adjustments, and I mean ALL of the adjustments, I got it to sharpen a carbide blade. Although I set the diamond wheel to 90 degrees using a square, it still didn't match the saw, so it's a matter of putting some sharpie on the tooth and playing with it. I ended up removing the guard. Using a square didn't work, because who knows what the angle really is, so you eyeball the angle of the wheel the best you can, and grind a tooth again, until you get the angle right. A flashlight and a sharpie help. At first I would "tap" each surface three times, then go to the next tooth. The problem with that, because the diamond wheel is so course, it leaves gouges in the carbide tooth. It was best to use the indexer and using the handle, slide the motor back in forth, gives a better finish, as the mechanism was intended to. You get what you pay for, but it does work. I didn't feel a washer was needed on the blade arbor, but I would recommend washers on the angle adjustment, without them it is very rough. I bought the unit on ebay, didn't realize it was the same one as from HF, I paid way too much, could have gone down the street with a 20% coupon and saved some money, it still saves on blades. Thanks - Jim
Thanks for the comment Jim! As you found out first hand- it's a fickle machine to say the least. Glad you were able to get it working somewhat. Take care, G.
Great video! The best I've found. The instruction manual says to not bring the sharpening wheel directly to the blade but to bring it into the space and then move the blade against the wheel. Also, the the blade stop tab needs to be rotated slightly counter clockwise before tightening the set screw to put pressure on the blade stop. I just purchased this item and the included manual has much more detail that the pdf manual on the website.
Thanks Jimmy. Sounds like they finally produced a better manual. They should update the one on the site. I would like to see it. Thanks for the info, G.
Good deal! After the few modifications I made, it really does work well. I have another video of sharpening a blade showing the before and after results. It's on my channel somewhere. Give it a watch if you like. Good luck and take care, G.
The best review for this Harbor Freight saw blade sharpener on the Internet... the guy explains everything you need to know about setting it up. I just watched another review and it's not even close to this one, so if you buy this tool, please watch this video before you take it out of the box! I rate this video a 10...
Ted Martin LOL, replies seem to be somewhat rare don't they Ted? I try to respond to every comment left on my videos- the good and bad. I don't know if you have one yet, but if you do- or when you get one, feedback with how it works out for you. Take care, G.
Remarkably useful Video; one of the best. It helped me put the equipment together faster than with the meager instruction paper. I also took the additional tips on improving stability, etc. Harbor Freight owes you a commission! I would have not purchased it had it not been for your Video. Thanks.
I've done 5 blades. I haven't used them to cut anything yet but the teeth are shinier, and seem a bit sharper. I don't know that I could cut a piece of hickory or other hard hard wood like butter with them. However, I was wondering if instead of removing the crud that has accumulated on the face of the teeth, if there is a way of putting a non-abrasive blade on the unit to take the crud off each tooth without harming them, rather than using soaking solutions?
Jackknifegyp Seems like you're on the way. I too don't know how it would work with really hardwoods since I don't have any to test with. That's an interesting idea with using a non-abrasive blade to clean them up over a soaking remover. I don't know what type of blade/disk could be used, but it might work. G.
Phooey. I had the blades soaking outside in a bath of solvents to remove the crud and left them there for 8 hours. When I took a nap after being up half the night with the new puppy, I found it had rained and the container had a half inch of water that must have partially evaporated, exposing the blades to the air, and rust has now formed on the steel. Now I have to soak them in vinegar to remove the rust and start over.
Thank you very much for making this detailed video. I haven't bought this sharpener yet but I'm looking at it on Amazon. I very much appreciate you attention to detail and I like the engineering improvements you've suggested. Very simple, but effective. That's my kind of fix. I'll probably go ahead and get this tool. Thank you very much for taking the time to make this video.
I just took an inventory of my old blades. I have about a dozen each of both carbide tipped and regular steel blades. That's about 24 or so blades to sharpen. So I'm guessing this is worth a shot. I'll order this tool tonight. I did want to ask though if it works to sharpen just the regular steel blades? Every video I see people are sharpening carbide tipped blades. But I have quite a view 10-inch steel blades that I would like to be able to sharpen as well. I've never thrown a blade out so I have lots of old blades here.
With that many blades, it's going to pay for itself quickly. I don't know for sure if you can sharpen steel blades, and the manual doesn't make any reference. If you can get it setup properly for a steel blade, I don't see any reason it couldn't sharpen one. Since they're trashed anyway, I would try it for sure. Good luck, G.
I ordered this sharpener and it's on the way. In the meantime I've been trying to find a video on how to sharpen the back of the teeth. I have several old Craftsman Chisel-tooth 10-in blades I would like to sharpen. These are just steel blades no carbide. But I see that they will need to have the backs of the teeth sharpened. I'm guessing you would do that first. I see in the Chicago sharpener manual they briefly mention sharpening the back of the teeth on page 13. But they don't show any actual details on how to actually do it. Just wondering if you've sharpened the backs of any saw blade teeth? I would love to see a video on how to set up for that. Although it might become apparent after I actually get the tool and set it up.
No, I've never sharpened any backs. And you're correct, the manual just grazes over it. You would use the emery wheel for the backs. I believe the procedure would be pretty much the same as I've shown. The exceptions being how to position the blade to the wheel, and setting the stop collar correctly. You would need to get it right so you don't take off too much. I don't think it would matter which face you started with, but I would probably do the backs first. Why? I don't know. It just seems right...lol. G.
Harbor Freight should have a reference to this video included in the box. Very informative and after having watched this video I plan on getting one of these.
Excellent Video! Thank you for your time in making it to help others 👍 I just bought one of these, I have quite a lot of experience with Silvey Saw chain grinders, they are somewhat Similiar in set up. Your video is just what i needed. Again, Thank you
Great VIdeo. I had to apply loc-tite, bend the lever as you did. Never thought about runout. I'll be checking pull rod alignment too. I agree it's very quiet (until you start grinding).
I bought the circular saw blade sharpener from harbor freight and it is the best tool for sharping saw blades. I had many circular saw blades that was extremely dull and I had about 45 10-in table saw blades that was really dull you couldn't hardly cut with these blades at all and some of the blades you couldn't cut plywood let alone hot butter. But I use this circular saw blade sharpener from harbor freight and I found all the directions in a symbol in it no problems at all but the instructions on setting the blades to the diamond wheel and sharpened all my blades and it was like buying brand new blades. I wouldn't recommend for anyone who is in need of a tool like this I would suggest to them to buy the circular saw blade sharpener from harbor freight one of the best investments I ever made.
Beautifully done and explained! Just 1 thing: The diamond blade is very flexible, and deflects when engaging the teeth, so either you must patiently spark out each tooth or rotate the blade slightly until it engages the indexing pawl. If you don't, the tip of the teeth will be slightly nicked.
Excellent video, great approach.!! Some tools are “ just” good enough- maybe 5/10… but with not too much work you can get 8/10. And as with most things it’s that last few % to make something perfect that takes real time and money, but do we always need perfect…… 👍😁💪🏻
You will get much better results by bringing the diamond wheel into the saw blades gullet without it touching the carbide, then rotating the saw blade gently into the diamond wheel's side for a second or two. Experiment with the stop if you need it for consistency and place a heavy flat washer on the stops adjusting bolt for better clamping.
Yes, if you place the blade under a loop or microscope after using my recommended technique, you will see almost no small edge fractures or chips in the carbide's edges. Running the diamond into the carbide like the instructions state is hard on the carbide and will give OK results but will never produce extreme sharpness.
Great video, just ordered this online today; can't wait to try it out!! Have a $40 9" Delta miter saw, local sharpener wanted almost $20 to tune it up. Figured for under $50 it would be worth the investment! Thanks.
ghostses: Thanks for the very informative review of the HF blade sharpener. I just got one today based on your review and especially because of your simple mods to make it better. I've changed one of your mods with, what I think is a simpler way to improve this unit. Instead of adding a bolt to the hold down unit of the blade and then putting the knob on top of that, I simply replaced the rather wimpy spring with a slightly larger and slightly stiffer spring. In doing so, it holds the knob in place and doesn't allow it to turn as you spin the blade counter clockwise. I find this easier than having to put the bolt on then hold it while I put the knob on and tight them together. I also replaced the set screw on the stop collar with a stainless steel machine screw (phillips head). You probably wouldn't need to use stainless steel, but that is what I had on hand that fit perfectly. Several things about this mod...one, the set screw that came with the HF is a cheap soft metal that could snap off if turned to tight. Two, as you said, it is a small size so not much will fit it, assuming you can even get to it. Three, with the set screw being a phillips head, I can easily reach it with my phillips head screw driver to tighten or loosen. Much easier. Thanks again for fighting through your sniffles to gives us an informative and practical review. The part of the setup that takes the most time, is when I'm fine tuning the setup to make sure the tooth surface contacts the grinding wheel exactly flush. I use a small LED flash light to shine on the tooth from underneath to see if there is more of a gap at the heel of the tooth or the top of the tooth. When all is correct, there will be little to no light bleeding through anywhere on the tooth face. I've already sharpened two 60 tooth and two 40 tooth 10" blades that came out great. Tomorrow I will tackle my 12" 44 tooth Freud. Thanks again. BM
Bill, I'm glad you found the videos on this sharpener useful. I didn't think of beefing up the spring to counteract the problem with the knob loosening. Good bit of info there. Using the nut works well enough for me, but it's good to know what you've discovered another option that works so others may benefit as well! For me and other readers, would you mind giving the specs of the spring you used- or perhaps a link to one if that's possible? Replacing the setscrew on the stop collar with a phillips head screw is another great modification! I may do that very thing as well. This is one fickle machine to setup like you've stated. The light is a very good technique as well. As you've discovered, with a little finesse and care- the machine works quite well. I don't have any 12" blades so let me know how it turns out. Thanks for the post and good luck, G.
ghostses: The spring was just an old spring that I had laying around. I cut it to be 1/2" taller than the original (it was much longer) and then bent the cut end to be flush with the previous spring so that it would sit flat. The spring wire is 5/64th of an inch in diameter. The HF spring is only 1/16th of an inch in diameter. Even though that is not a lot of difference...it is just right for this application. If you like, I could take a picture of the new spring and post it for all to see, but I think the best thing is to just go to your local hardware store (doubt the big box stores would carry springs) with your HF spring and look for a spring that would work. I didn't try this, but I wonder if simply stretching the HF spring out about 1/2" would improve it for this application? I'd be careful though, it might snap instead.
Bill Mail Thanks for the update Bill. I don't think a pic is necessary. You're description was good enough. Stretching might be an option, but would be careful like you said. Thanks again, G.
***** I had another thought...maybe simply putting an extra washer on top of the HF spring might compress it enough to do the trick. Since there were extra washers in the bag, that might be a simple fix for those who don't have extra springs laying around. I have a poll question for everyone on the grinding wheel. Is it my unit or after only 6 blade sharpening, I can already see bare spots on the wheel. Is this normal? Any recommendations on what others have purchased to replace the HF grinding wheel? By the way, I just ran across your videos on building the Thien baffle. Excellent job! I built one a couple of years ago when I bought my single stage dust collector and think it has really helped.
First: thanks for the video. Like you said, the instructions are written in a bizarre language. Thanks too for underline the little problems we could find with this device. With your mods, I added mine. @ 17:30, as second approach to make sure the arm is screw tight, you put 2 washers above each other, I put the second washer under the arm. This washer is bigger than the stud suporting the arm but smaller than the arm slot. Result: no play because of a wider contact surface under the arm and less wear on the arm. Another mod I made: the blade is now supported by a 1.25" washer and not directly on the cast aluminum arm. Less wear on the arm, more easy to thigh too.
No problem! Yeah, the instructions sure are strange...lol. The other two mods you made are great! Thanks for sharing them as I'm sure it will help others out. Take care, G.
+James West That's cool James! Glad the video was useful. You're the second person to say they chainsaw sharpener works great. No more than I cut, I've just done my chains by hand. But I may pick one up since it should be way faster. Take care, G.
Great review. I picked one up a new one at an estate sale for $25 and it came with a two new in package sharpening wheels. Getting it set up is a bit fussy and the manual ranks right up there as one of the worse I have read. It has 7 or 8 pages of legal warnings and 3 or 4 confusing instructions. Your thorough how to set up and use was great. I also added two lock nuts under the knobs as you suggested. In addition I added one more blade support (carriage bolt to better maintain a properly leveled blade.) I made add a couple more. A Wixey magnetic digital scale works great to measure saw blade to grinding wheel angle.Bill
I'd say you did good Bill- especially with the extra wheels. They are fussy, and the manual is just like you say. Not much help at all. I have one of the Wixey's as well and really like them. I need a new one since I left it on my miter saw long ago and shot it across the room...lol. It still works after I glued it back together, but not like it used to. Good luck with your sharpening. Take care, G.
+David K Pettibone No problem David. The mods should tighten things up and are very simple as seen. I never did make the plate/gib so if you do- let me know the results. Good luck, G.
I bought 2 of them and they work pretty good: On the 2nd one I took and made a duplicate base plate that goes from 15" to 36 1/4" diameter blades it was not easy.
Hello Sir. I ran a saw shop for a living. I can say without a doubt. You Sir did an outstanding job,not only figuring out how it worked. But also the proper way to do it. Wear a face mask though has the dust can be very harmful. All my very best.
Just watched both of your blade sharpening reviews and Steve Urkel must have been one of your students...or maybe even Inspector Gadget=because you certainly figured it out. Likewise, it was very well explained. In fact, I bought one over a year ago, took it out, started to mess with it and put it back in the box. Thanks to you, I am going to dig it out, along with all the saw blades queued up on top of it...just waiting for the day....
It's been 3 years since you posted this video but only 1 day since I purchased this same sharpener. I have HF's chain saw blade sharpener and after sharpening over 200 chain saw blades, it is still working like new and perfectly. I wanted to tell you that that stop collar bolt head is a 9/32" or at least that's what I used. It could be a 6mm but I could not find my 6mm to see for sure (thanks to kids). I also wanted to ask why you did not put just a dab of oil on the blade tightening knob like you did on the arm locking knob at the rear? I suppose using the nut worked for you but I used oil and it has never backed itself off when turning the blade. THANKS for posting the video, it absolutely helped me in setting up my sharpener like this one!
Good to hear the chainsaw sharpener is still working well for you Edward! I've been kicking around getting one for years, but do do that much cutting so I just sharpen by hand. Thanks for the info on the stop collar bolt. I didn't use oil mainly because it's loaded with the spring so the effort to turn it is not that great. Good to know just using oil and no extra nut is preventing yours from backing off. Glad the video was useful and take care, G.
Your comments are the same as what I have been saying about mine. About the dame with added washers also. Nice job explaining this fine China tool :) , My finale statement beats buying a new blade at today's prices.
+Bill Gunville That's cool Bill! As you know, it works good after getting it dialed in. After sharpening one blade it's already paid for itself. Can't beat that! Take care, G.
I got mine set up and modified as suggested and I have a new comment. That spring ratchet system is way more fiddley than I could stand. I was either cutting air or the disk was coming down on the tip of the tooth. Argggg! After a half hour, I gave up and swung it out of the way. Instead, I just pulled the wheel into the gullet and then rotated the blade until it contacted the tooth. I used a strong light to see when the tooth had grind marks on its entire surface, then moved on to the next tooth. This ended up taking a little more time that if I got the ratchet working but when you factor in the time it might have taken me to do that, this method is MUCH quicker.
By far one of THE BEST tool review and modification videos!
Thank you for being so thorough and including all the mods you made.
Although I'm running about 7 years behind, I just got this model sharpener today and noted the very same issues. Can't wait to get back to it tomorrow and apply the fixes you suggested.
Thanks! Good luck with getting your tuned in. Take care, G.
This is one of the BEST tool reviews I've seen on CZcams. "Thank You ghostses"
+Harold J. Briggs
Well thanks Harold! I'm glad you liked it. I did do a followup video testing out an extremely dullblade. I cover a lot of the same material, but check it out if you like. Good luck, G.
czcams.com/video/liZLJrFseyY/video.html
Try aVe channel
Excellent review. Thanks for posting this for the benefit of all and your generous time. Much appreciated! I just picked one of these on Craigslist from a retiring contractor that is leaving the area and had never opened the box. I did all the mods suggested and it works like a charm. For those that are interested, the threaded nut size for the Blade holding mechanism (as suggested in the video) is a metric M10-1.5.
Thanks Ganesh! Glad it was helpful. Thanks for the nut specs. Take care, G.
This is one of the best reviews on any product that I have observed. I also buy stuff at Harbor Freight, and often find that I "make adjustments". I find reviewer comments helpful. Some reviewers show poor common sense, while others will make suggestions and helpful ideas. You have sold me on this sharpener. I enjoy the adjust phase and also like the HF stuff as I have been introduced to tools that, otherwise, could not afford, or would feel I was "taking food off the table" to buy more expensive items. You do a very nice job of teardown and review. Thanks much.
Well thanks Ron! While I have all sorts of tools from the top shelf down, I try to save where I can and show people they can get into some project/hobby on a limited budget. Your post is a good testament based on their tools and your reasoning/situation and is in good part why I make my video reviews.
This machine works quite well after the mods and when using finesse when setting it up. I'm please with it.
On a side note, and if you're not aware, there is a printable 25% off coupon as well as free item coupons on this site- about half way down the page. Take advantage!
slickdeals.net/f/1276399-harbor-freight-coupon-thread
G.
I have never seen a review that was so thorough and well done on any product not to mention all of the useful info to make it work properly too. Thanks very much for taking the time and effort.
Thanks! I'm glad you liked it. Good luck, G.
I came here to say the same thing... thorough, professional, humble. You’re a good soul and I will spend rainy days learning from you, Ghostses. Thanks so much!
Great job identifying easy upgrades for this. Before I even plugged it in when I got it home, I did all of you suggestions. Just tested my 1st blade sharpened and worked like just like new again.
+smokedtires
That's cool! I'm glad you found it helpful and that your test blade turned out well. After tweaking mine, I'm really surprised how well it works. Take care, G.
Brilliant! You are simply brilliant. This is the BEST instructional video I have ever seen and your ability to calmly explain in clear terms what you have learned is enviable. This video is as valuable today as it was when you produced it many years ago. After seeing your videos I went out and bought one today. Great job !
Thanks Hofner! Glad you found it useful. Good luck with yours, G.
This is the best description of this tool and the proper way of using it that I have seen. I’ve watched several reviews of this machine and some don’t know what they’re doing at all and others want to modify it. But I’m glad to see that if it’s in the hands of a good minded operator, it can work rather well. I have a milk crate full of old blades that need sharpening. It’s off to HF I go now! Thank you!
Thanks Kirk! Glad you liked the video. Hope it works well for you and take care, G.
Back again! Probably the best informatinal discourse on this machine. Bought one several years ago....still new in the box. LOL! tThe discourse on plane geometry and how to check the blades is outstanding. Your adjustment and setup advise is direct and to the point. Have a number of the circular saw blades. And a couple of 10 inch blades. For my forrest blades I am having them sharpened as it is cheaper than a new one. Thanks for your in depth critique!
That's cool. Glad you found it informative. Good luck, G.
Good on you champ. I was starting to loose my marbles over this impulse buy. But thanks to you I've made the modifications you did, and set it up quickly instead of angrily. And now have a sharper blade.
Thanks Chris! LOL! I'm glad the video helped. It does take a little patience to get it setup- as you've found. Aside from that, and especially for what it costs, it works surprisingly well. Take care, G.
I first saw this video a year ago.(look for my first post).
My daughter just gave me this sharpener today for Christmas, and I came straight here to watch again.
After watching this I had mine up and running in about 10 minutes. Thank you.
In all fairness, it would be impossible for the instructions to teach all this in just a few paragraphs.
P.S. I just went out to the shop and realized I must have at least a dozen old blades that I might be able to use again.
Thanks again
That's cool! It should turn out to be a very useful gift. Try a couple of the worst ones first to get the hang of it. Good luck! G.
Thanks for the great review! Because of it I purchased the Harbor Freight sharpener. Saved me several $'s! Your thorough review is much appreciated.
No problem Ed! Glad it's working out for you. Good luck, G.
Just fantastic. Thorough, clear, well done. All your mods seem spot on. Thanks a million.
Thanks John! Good luck, G.
thanks ghostses. I purchased the sharpening after watching your first video and decided that it would suit my purposes. With your tips, I adjusted the slide by tightening the bottom bolt sufficiently to take out 99% of wobble and then added a bit of jiggaloo to the slide to ease the friction. worked well and the bar did not slide sideways. I had difficulties determining the left or right (degrees) so I simply ran the sharpener very lightly over the tooth and check to see which part had been "wiped" and then did the next tooth to see if it wiped the opposite side. It did. That showed me how offset for the different teeth.
Thanks for all your help.. Ed
Good deal Ed! Glad you found the information useful. Take care, G.
Of all of the Circular Saw Blade Sharpener videos I've viewed, this has been the best. Thanks, it puts my mind at ease and I'm now going to purchase one of these.
Thanks Ed! Good luck, G.
So many other people just lay the blade flat on the height adjuster and proceed to sharpen every tooth consecutively and not even thinking why it is there other than stabilizing the blade, there by losing all of the tip angles originally cut into the tungsten tips. Then go on to say how good the blade cuts. Not realizing that they have no clearance in their cuts and are headed towards a lot of kickbacks in the very near future. You are the first guy to mention that this machine has the angle set for teeth sharpening that no one else in the six other video’s I have watched about this little sharpening machine from Harbor Freight, as this is what I was trying to find out if this machine offered being so cheap. Thank you sir I can now go and buy one of these machines with confidence.
Thanks David. Yes, if every other tooth is angled on the blade, the machine should be tilted to hold that angle. The ones I've sharpened are not, so I can do every tooth with a zero setting. It all depends on the blade to be sharpened. Glad the video was helpful. Good luck, G.
Yes, I was glad to see that too! I was wondering about blades with alternate geometry. Watched another video that never mentioned that you could angle the motor to do those blades. Glad I watched this one! Thank you!
Thanks for this. I saw the video over a year ago and bought the sharpener based on your analysis. Recent shop reorg has freed up space for it and I find it works quite well. The indexing attachment is a pain to set up and I've found it easier to index by hand. My first blade went well. Cheers, Gord
No problem Gord! Agreed, the indexing is a pain. I've had many comments that are using it just like you are- without the pawl. Glad it's working out well for you. Take care, G.
Because of this, and in less time than this video I had my HF sharpener sharpening perfectly. Thanks for the good work.
That's cool William! I'm glad it was useful. Good luck, G.
I especially liked how you solved problems that you encountered. very simple but effective.
Thanks Adam! After doing these few simple mods, it made the machine work that much better. Good luck with yours if you pick one up. Take care, G.
Super useful intro, thanks! Just picked one up with a 20% off coupon.
Intention is to sort out the nuisances and hopefully re-purpose the thing for other tasks if possible. As many have said, if a $40 blade can be brought back to life it's worth buying.
Like most HF tools - be prepared to tweak! Your various fixes sound ideal.
+ChrisB257
No problem Chris! I'm glad you found it useful. I know mines paid for itself a few times over for sure. Agreed, some of their tools need finishing/tweaking to make them work their best. I don't mind since I save a ton in the process. Good luck, G.
nine years later and still relevant. I'm ordering one soon and will be using youe advice in set up. Thanks!
Thanks! I don't know if they've corrected some, or all, of what I found wrong with mine- but at least you know what to look for when you get yours. Glad it was helpful and good luck with yours. Take care, G.
I brought this for $15 used and it was a good deal. I have used it and it has sharpen my blades. Thanks for the video.
Good deal! G.
This tool is sold as the Sealey SMS 2003 in the UK. It is the same for all purposes. The language used in the instructions is Gibberish. A form of nonsensical English. This video was really helpful and I am using some of the mods suggested on my machine. Many thanks.
Hope it translates well. Take care, G.
Thanks for the time and trouble you went through to make this video. It is THE best analysis I've seen yet and I would rate it #1.
No problem! Glad you liked it. Take care, G.
Best review I've seen so far, appricate all the mods described. Ready to start sharpening.
Thanks Robert. Hope it was helpful and good luck with yours. Take care, G.
Hey bro,
Thanks for the video! I had purchased this sharpener quite some time ago and I will be bringing it out to make the refinements that you have shown us viewers. I have several blades sitting around that need sharpening. Your reviews and tutorials are greatly appreciated. Keep up the good work and blessings on you for doing so,
Robert
No problem Robert! The small mods did make it work better and are worth doing. I'm glad you like the videos and find some useful info here and there. Thanks for the post and good luck! G.
Thank you for this presentation! Just finished 5 blades. Lots of tweeking' but well worth the price and the effort.
Best wishes LP
+Larry Peterson
No problem Larry! Glad it was helpful. Agreed, with a little tweaking and patience, it does a fine job- especially for what it costs. Good luck, G.
hey its not a machine for $ 200, just $ 40 must not dream, I just bought this item and I am very satisfied with this product, its great for its home and not for business thank you for video
Thanks! I agree, for the money it seems to work just fine for me. G.
***** yes me too thanks my friend
This is something I have come to expect with Harbor Freights power equipment. I will do the same thing and go through them from top to bottom and tweak / modify. I use higher quality washers, nuts and bolts even before I use it for the first time, in the end you end up with a very well functioning and better performing tool. Thanks for posting.
Agreed David! I consider most of HF items to be "Kits". A simple washer, nut, etc. here or there makes for a better tool. Take care, G.
Excellent video, near perfection. I bought one of these, added three washers and some oil and it works like a champ. Mine didn't have as much play or slop right out of the box. The inbox instruction manual is hilarious, translated from chinese to gobbledygook. I had this video going while I set it up. The rest of these sharpeners start at about $200 and go up quickly. This is a good deal.
Thanks! Glad it was helpful. I agree on the manual....lol. Take care, G.
You do a great job of evaluating and explaining this contraption. Plus you show quick, simple fixes for what you found wrong with it. Thanks for your time and sorry you didn't feel better. Hopefully you have gotten over whatever ailed you.
Thanks Ross! Glad you liked it. Take care, G.
Best review out there on this particular tool. 5 stars and a big THANK YOU!!!!
Thanks Darrell! Good luck, G.
Thank you for your work in putting this on CZcams. After unpacking and playing with the machine I had begun to think I might have bitten off more than I could chew but now I think I have abut 20 blade between mine and my Dad's that can get a second chance at life.
+John Oakey
No problem John! With that many blades to sharpen, it's going to pay for itself many times over. Start with some junk blades to get the feel for setting it up. After that, you should have no problems. Good luck and let me know how it works out for you. Take care, G.
Thank you, That was a really well done video. You have a real talent for explaining the important points.
Thanks Jon. Glad you liked it. Take care, G.
I really enjoyed this video. What particularly struck me was your advice to "Fiddle with it" Made sense, so much that I went into my garage the next evening to Fiddle with the belt/ disc sander I got from Harbor Freight last summer. After some minor adjustments, i got the performance improved significantly. Tightening the belt keeps the sanding belt from stalling with too much pressure. Cleaning a burr got the disc to sit properly on the shaft and turn without wobbling.
Remember, you are buying a knockoff.
+George Court
Thanks George! That's 100% correct- fiddling with many things from HF makes them work much better- and beyond HF for that matter. Glad you were able to get your sander working much better. You make a good point with purchasing a knockoff. They have to save where they can to cut costs, and it usually comes down to quality control. One might be perfect, while the next- not so much. But, most things can be made to work well. Take care, G.
Thanks a lot! I just bought one and appreciate that someone else did the headache for me.
No problem! Hope it works out well for you. Good luck, G.
Your video helped me to decide to buy one of these sharpeners. Though I have not actually sharpened a blade yet, I did use most of your mods and have a blade mounted and ready to go. Just need some time to spend playing with it more. Thanks again!
Thanks Dennis. Start with the worst blade you have to get the feel for it. Good luck, G.
Very well done sir! Thank you for all your valuable tips and precious pearls of knowledge.
Thanks Ken! Glad you found it useful. Good luck, G.
You did a Great job, thank you for taking time to go over this cheap tool that has purpose!
Thanks Randy. Glad it was helpful. Take care, G.
Your video is EXCELLANT! I watched it, bought the HF Circular Saw Blade Sharpener, Item 96687 yesterday and followed your modifications. They did make a difference. I bought HF Item 69110 Metric Nut Driver Set as 10mm and 7mm are required. The 7mm nut driver is very handy as you can get to the set screw on the depth stop much easier. I'm glad you included the part where you forgot to remove the Hex Key as it is a good reminder to us all. I did notice that we both have the revised Manual 11c. The old one is still on the HF website and has not been updated. I have two blades to sharpen today to see how things go. I'm sure it will after watching your video. Keep up the good work.
Thanks Jimmy! Glad the video is helpful. Good tip on the nut driver set. It will make adjusting things even easier. It would be nice if it had a spindle lock on it, like on an angle grinder or something like that. It would eliminate accidentally leaving the key in like I did. But, for the cost I really can't complain. Good luck on your sharpening. Let me know how it turns out. G.
hi. watched your video a few times. very informative. so went out march 2, 2019 and bought one. wow, you made it much easier to set up. so thank you so much for your video. did not take long at all to sharpen my blades.
That's cool Tom! Glad it's working out for you. Good luck, G.
excellent instruction saved me hours of trial and error, many thanks.
Thanks Thomas! I'm glad it was useful. Take care, G.
I bought this sharpener after watching your video, glad I did you explaned how to operate and set up and modifiy better than the instruction that cam with it, Thanks !
That's cool Jay, I'm glad you found it useful. Feedback with how it works for you. Good luck, G.
Excellent review and clear, logical suggestions. Very much appreciated, thank you.
+TeamTitus213
Thanks! I'm glad you like it. Good luck, G.
Many thanks! Great study of the tool and its capabilities.
No problem! I'm glad you found it useful. Overall, it works extremely well- especially for what it costs. Good luck, G.
Ghostses is one of THE greatest instructors on CZcams. Of all of the reviews I have seen on this sharpener, he is completely blown them out of the water. Until I saw this video I was totally confused. Ghostses removed that. I NOW understand it. Thanks Ghostses. You are the best.
Glad it was helpful Pat. Once it's figured out- it's really not that bad to setup and use. Just takes a little patience. Take care, G.
Thank you for your in depth video. I just bought one and used it recently. I too found little things that were a bit iffy but watching your vid I now have a bit of an idea how to make the machine a bit more reliable. Like you I think if I can get 2 or 3 sharpens out of a blade the sharpener will pay for itself. I look forward to having another play now. Cheers
Thanks Peter! Do the modifications I've noted and it should work all the better. And yes, a couple of good sharpenings from one blade and it will pay for itself. Anything past that is free. Good luck, G.
Thanks for a great video. I didn't even know this product existed. I have a few dull blades laying around so for the price I may get one. Once again thanks for taking the time to show us your modifications.
+runandbike62
No problem! For the price, and if you can renew your dull blades, it will pay for itself straight away. It is kind of a pain to setup, but after it's right- it works well. Good luck, G.
Great video!.Looking forward to learning more.Thanks a lot.
Thanks Jugin! Glad you liked it. Take care, G.
Awesome tool review! you keep is simple without overkill . Very well done. Thanks.
+Matt Janssen
Well thanks Matt! I'm glad you liked it. If you're considering one, I do have a blade testing video posted as well that might be of interest. It does parrot much that's show here, so skip around for new information. Good luck, G.
czcams.com/video/liZLJrFseyY/video.html
Thank you for your instructions. I just bought a machine like yours in Sweden, here they are labeled Meec. Your concerns were exactly the same as mine, it felt sloppy and loose. I will make the adjustments you recomend. My machine was basically never used because the seller thought it was not so accurate , it only cost me 10 bucks...
Can't beat 10 bucks! Hope the things I've suggested will make it work out for you. Good luck, G.
Just bought one of these. Thanks for the excellent explanation. You are right, the manual leaves something to be desired like most HF manuals !
sail235aeh No problem! Yep, most their manuals are poorly written. Let me know how it works for you after playing with it. Good luck, G.
Thanks so much for the great advice on sharpener. I just got one and having a little problem. This video should help greatly. Thanks buddy.
No problem William. Hope it helps sort it out. Good luck, G.
I bought one of these today, after returning 3 sawhorses that were on the flimsy side. LOL. Like you said the manual is almost useless. Thanks for posting a great video, and explaining how to use the sharpener.
Yes, the manual is almost useless for sure. Glad you found the video useful. Good luck with yours, G.
i like your style, youre a very good diagnostician. great video, thanks for your time
John Reynolds Well thanks John! Some folks don't like my style nor the length of my content- which I can understand. However, to be thorough length is what it takes. Most like them and the majority rules so I keep doing what I do...lol. Take care and good luck, G.
You were very honest and straightforward with your review. In my opinion, like a lot of stuff from HF, a piece of junk, but after playing with all of the adjustments, and I mean ALL of the adjustments, I got it to sharpen a carbide blade. Although I set the diamond wheel to 90 degrees using a square, it still didn't match the saw, so it's a matter of putting some sharpie on the tooth and playing with it. I ended up removing the guard. Using a square didn't work, because who knows what the angle really is, so you eyeball the angle of the wheel the best you can, and grind a tooth again, until you get the angle right. A flashlight and a sharpie help. At first I would "tap" each surface three times, then go to the next tooth. The problem with that, because the diamond wheel is so course, it leaves gouges in the carbide tooth. It was best to use the indexer and using the handle, slide the motor back in forth, gives a better finish, as the mechanism was intended to. You get what you pay for, but it does work.
I didn't feel a washer was needed on the blade arbor, but I would recommend washers on the angle adjustment, without them it is very rough.
I bought the unit on ebay, didn't realize it was the same one as from HF, I paid way too much, could have gone down the street with a 20% coupon and saved some money, it still saves on blades.
Thanks - Jim
Thanks for the comment Jim! As you found out first hand- it's a fickle machine to say the least. Glad you were able to get it working somewhat. Take care, G.
Excellent video. Best one I've seen for this product. It makes a confusing piece of equipment a whole lot more user friendly.
Thanks Don! Glad it was informative. Take care, G.
Great video! The best I've found.
The instruction manual says to not bring the sharpening wheel directly to the blade but to bring it into the space and then move the blade against the wheel.
Also, the the blade stop tab needs to be rotated slightly counter clockwise before tightening the set screw to put pressure on the blade stop. I just purchased this item and the included manual has much more detail that the pdf manual on the website.
Thanks Jimmy. Sounds like they finally produced a better manual. They should update the one on the site. I would like to see it. Thanks for the info, G.
I was almost scared off by the 38 minute run time, but after a few minutes was sold. Good info.
Good deal! After the few modifications I made, it really does work well. I have another video of sharpening a blade showing the before and after results. It's on my channel somewhere. Give it a watch if you like. Good luck and take care, G.
Thanks. great video, love your quiet, honest style
It's just the way I roll Ove. Glad you liked it, G.
The best review for this Harbor Freight saw blade sharpener on the Internet... the guy explains everything you need to know about setting it up. I just watched another review and it's not even close to this one, so if you buy this tool, please watch this video before you take it out of the box! I rate this video a 10...
+Ted Martin
Well thanks Ted! I'm glad you found it informative. Good luck, G.
+ghostses Wow, an answer, appreciate it very much.. keep up the GREAT videos...
Ted Martin
LOL, replies seem to be somewhat rare don't they Ted? I try to respond to every comment left on my videos- the good and bad. I don't know if you have one yet, but if you do- or when you get one, feedback with how it works out for you. Take care, G.
Remarkably useful Video; one of the best. It helped me put the equipment together faster than with the meager instruction paper. I also took the additional tips on improving stability, etc. Harbor Freight owes you a commission! I would have not purchased it had it not been for your Video. Thanks.
Thanks Peter! Glad you found it useful. Good luck, G.
Nice review! Best I’ve see on this sharpener!
Thanks Joe! Glad you found it informative. Good luck, G.
Thanks for taking the time to do your instructional video.
GEORGE MAMEROW No problem George! Good luck, G.
Really great job on explaining the set up. I will set mine up exactly the same way. I’ll be monitoring your channel for future updates.
Thanks Tony! Good luck, G.
Just picked mine up from HF. With your mods, I will attempt to do about a dozen blades and thank u for your instructions.
Jackknifegyp That's cool. After you test some out, let me know what you think. Good luck, G.
I've done 5 blades. I haven't used them to cut anything yet but the teeth are shinier, and seem a bit sharper. I don't know that I could cut a piece of hickory or other hard hard wood like butter with them.
However, I was wondering if instead of removing the crud that has accumulated on the face of the teeth, if there is a way of putting a non-abrasive blade on the unit to take the crud off each tooth without harming them, rather than using soaking solutions?
Jackknifegyp Seems like you're on the way. I too don't know how it would work with really hardwoods since I don't have any to test with.
That's an interesting idea with using a non-abrasive blade to clean them up over a soaking remover. I don't know what type of blade/disk could be used, but it might work. G.
Phooey. I had the blades soaking outside in a bath of solvents to remove the crud and left them there for 8 hours. When I took a nap after being up half the night with the new puppy, I found it had rained and the container had a half inch of water that must have partially evaporated, exposing the blades to the air, and rust has now formed on the steel.
Now I have to soak them in vinegar to remove the rust and start over.
Jackknifegyp That's no good. Hopefully it will come off quickly. G.
Well done, and very thorough!!
Thanks David! Take care, G.
Thank you very much for making this detailed video. I haven't bought this sharpener yet but I'm looking at it on Amazon. I very much appreciate you attention to detail and I like the engineering improvements you've suggested. Very simple, but effective. That's my kind of fix. I'll probably go ahead and get this tool. Thank you very much for taking the time to make this video.
No problem! Glad it was helpful. If you pick one up, let me know how it works out for you. Take care, G.
I just took an inventory of my old blades. I have about a dozen each of both carbide tipped and regular steel blades. That's about 24 or so blades to sharpen. So I'm guessing this is worth a shot. I'll order this tool tonight. I did want to ask though if it works to sharpen just the regular steel blades? Every video I see people are sharpening carbide tipped blades. But I have quite a view 10-inch steel blades that I would like to be able to sharpen as well. I've never thrown a blade out so I have lots of old blades here.
With that many blades, it's going to pay for itself quickly. I don't know for sure if you can sharpen steel blades, and the manual doesn't make any reference. If you can get it setup properly for a steel blade, I don't see any reason it couldn't sharpen one. Since they're trashed anyway, I would try it for sure. Good luck, G.
I ordered this sharpener and it's on the way. In the meantime I've been trying to find a video on how to sharpen the back of the teeth. I have several old Craftsman Chisel-tooth 10-in blades I would like to sharpen. These are just steel blades no carbide. But I see that they will need to have the backs of the teeth sharpened. I'm guessing you would do that first. I see in the Chicago sharpener manual they briefly mention sharpening the back of the teeth on page 13. But they don't show any actual details on how to actually do it. Just wondering if you've sharpened the backs of any saw blade teeth? I would love to see a video on how to set up for that. Although it might become apparent after I actually get the tool and set it up.
No, I've never sharpened any backs. And you're correct, the manual just grazes over it. You would use the emery wheel for the backs. I believe the procedure would be pretty much the same as I've shown. The exceptions being how to position the blade to the wheel, and setting the stop collar correctly. You would need to get it right so you don't take off too much. I don't think it would matter which face you started with, but I would probably do the backs first. Why? I don't know. It just seems right...lol. G.
Harbor Freight should have a reference to this video included in the box. Very informative and after having watched this video I plan on getting one of these.
+Lee Mullen
LOL! Good luck, G.
Thank your very much. This was very informative. Enjoyed it !!!!!!!!!!
+Delmar829 No problem! I'm glad you liked it! Take care, G.
Excellent Video! Thank you for your time in making it to help others 👍 I just bought one of these, I have quite a lot of experience with Silvey Saw chain grinders, they are somewhat Similiar in set up. Your video is just what i needed. Again, Thank you
Good luck! G.
Great VIdeo. I had to apply loc-tite, bend the lever as you did. Never thought about runout. I'll be checking pull rod alignment too. I agree it's very quiet (until you start grinding).
Thanks! Glad it was helpful. Good luck and take care, G.
Great job on this video! Thanks!
Thanks Walt! Take care, G.
Very well done friend! Very informative. Thank you.
Thanks Harry! Take care, G.
I bought the circular saw blade sharpener from harbor freight and it is the best tool for sharping saw blades. I had many circular saw blades that was extremely dull and I had about 45 10-in table saw blades that was really dull you couldn't hardly cut with these blades at all and some of the blades you couldn't cut plywood let alone hot butter. But I use this circular saw blade sharpener from harbor freight and I found all the directions in a symbol in it no problems at all but the instructions on setting the blades to the diamond wheel and sharpened all my blades and it was like buying brand new blades. I wouldn't recommend for anyone who is in need of a tool like this I would suggest to them to buy the circular saw blade sharpener from harbor freight one of the best investments I ever made.
Good deal! Glad it's working out well for you. Take care, G.
Beautifully done and explained! Just 1 thing: The diamond blade is very flexible, and deflects when engaging the teeth, so either you must patiently spark out each tooth or rotate the blade slightly until it engages the indexing pawl. If you don't, the tip of the teeth will be slightly nicked.
Thanks Bob! Good information. Take care, G.
they must have listened to your video,,,, I just picked up one and it was perfect right out the box :D
littleold sawmill Hopefully that's the case...lol. Good to hear yours was right! Good luck, G.
You gave the most detailed explanation and guidance. 👍👍👍👍
Thanks! G.
Excellent review and advices, thank you.
Thanks! G.
Thanks for the MEGA INFORMATIVE video...
No problem Jay! Good luck, G.
Excellent video, great approach.!! Some tools are “ just” good enough- maybe 5/10… but with not too much work you can get 8/10. And as with most things it’s that last few % to make something perfect that takes real time and money, but do we always need perfect…… 👍😁💪🏻
Thanks and agreed! Take care, G.
I learned so much from your video, thank you thank you
Thanks Bill! Take care, G.
I just bought one just like the one you are setting up and your video is very very good and I thank you very much/
+Fred Chandler
Thanks Fred! I'm glad it will be of use. Good luck to you, G.
Nice job! Thank you Sir!
Thanks! Glad you liked it. Take care, G.
You will get much better results by bringing the diamond wheel into the saw blades gullet without it touching the carbide, then rotating the saw blade gently into the diamond wheel's side for a second or two. Experiment with the stop if you need it for consistency and place a heavy flat washer on the stops adjusting bolt for better clamping.
Thanks for the post Johnny! I've heard others stating they use it the same way and get great results. Take care, G.
Yes, if you place the blade under a loop or microscope after using my recommended technique, you will see almost no small edge fractures or chips in the carbide's edges. Running the diamond into the carbide like the instructions state is hard on the carbide and will give OK results but will never produce extreme sharpness.
That makes perfect sense! I know from my machining experience how brittle carbide really is. I'll try it out the next time I need to sharpen. G.
Treat that carbide like a newborn baby and just kiss the face of each tooth gently with the wheel...you will be pleasantly surprised.
Will do! G.
Great video, just ordered this online today; can't wait to try it out!! Have a $40 9" Delta miter saw, local sharpener wanted almost $20 to tune it up. Figured for under $50 it would be worth the investment! Thanks.
Thanks Jake, hope it works out well for you. G.
With your help, I'm sure it will.
ghostses:
Thanks for the very informative review of the HF blade sharpener. I just got one today based on your review and especially because of your simple mods to make it better.
I've changed one of your mods with, what I think is a simpler way to improve this unit.
Instead of adding a bolt to the hold down unit of the blade and then putting the knob on top of that, I simply replaced the rather wimpy spring with a slightly larger and slightly stiffer spring. In doing so, it holds the knob in place and doesn't allow it to turn as you spin the blade counter clockwise. I find this easier than having to put the bolt on then hold it while I put the knob on and tight them together.
I also replaced the set screw on the stop collar with a stainless steel machine screw (phillips head). You probably wouldn't need to use stainless steel, but that is what I had on hand that fit perfectly.
Several things about this mod...one, the set screw that came with the HF is a cheap soft metal that could snap off if turned to tight. Two, as you said, it is a small size so not much will fit it, assuming you can even get to it. Three, with the set screw being a phillips head, I can easily reach it with my phillips head screw driver to tighten or loosen. Much easier.
Thanks again for fighting through your sniffles to gives us an informative and practical review.
The part of the setup that takes the most time, is when I'm fine tuning the setup to make sure the tooth surface contacts the grinding wheel exactly flush. I use a small LED flash light to shine on the tooth from underneath to see if there is more of a gap at the heel of the tooth or the top of the tooth. When all is correct, there will be little to no light bleeding through anywhere on the tooth face.
I've already sharpened two 60 tooth and two 40 tooth 10" blades that came out great. Tomorrow I will tackle my 12" 44 tooth Freud.
Thanks again.
BM
Bill, I'm glad you found the videos on this sharpener useful. I didn't think of beefing up the spring to counteract the problem with the knob loosening. Good bit of info there. Using the nut works well enough for me, but it's good to know what you've discovered another option that works so others may benefit as well! For me and other readers, would you mind giving the specs of the spring you used- or perhaps a link to one if that's possible? Replacing the setscrew on the stop collar with a phillips head screw is another great modification! I may do that very thing as well. This is one fickle machine to setup like you've stated. The light is a very good technique as well. As you've discovered, with a little finesse and care- the machine works quite well. I don't have any 12" blades so let me know how it turns out. Thanks for the post and good luck, G.
ghostses:
The spring was just an old spring that I had laying around. I cut it to be 1/2" taller than the original (it was much longer) and then bent the cut end to be flush with the previous spring so that it would sit flat. The spring wire is 5/64th of an inch in diameter. The HF spring is only 1/16th of an inch in diameter. Even though that is not a lot of difference...it is just right for this application. If you like, I could take a picture of the new spring and post it for all to see, but I think the best thing is to just go to your local hardware store (doubt the big box stores would carry springs) with your HF spring and look for a spring that would work.
I didn't try this, but I wonder if simply stretching the HF spring out about 1/2" would improve it for this application? I'd be careful though, it might snap instead.
Bill Mail
Thanks for the update Bill. I don't think a pic is necessary. You're description was good enough. Stretching might be an option, but would be careful like you said. Thanks again, G.
*****
I had another thought...maybe simply putting an extra washer on top of the HF spring might compress it enough to do the trick. Since there were extra washers in the bag, that might be a simple fix for those who don't have extra springs laying around.
I have a poll question for everyone on the grinding wheel. Is it my unit or after only 6 blade sharpening, I can already see bare spots on the wheel. Is this normal?
Any recommendations on what others have purchased to replace the HF grinding wheel?
By the way, I just ran across your videos on building the Thien baffle. Excellent job!
I built one a couple of years ago when I bought my single stage dust collector and think it has really helped.
First: thanks for the video. Like you said, the instructions are written in a bizarre language. Thanks too for underline the little problems we could find with this device.
With your mods, I added mine.
@ 17:30, as second approach to make sure the arm is screw tight, you put 2 washers above each other, I put the second washer under the arm. This washer is bigger than the stud suporting the arm but smaller than the arm slot. Result: no play because of a wider contact surface under the arm and less wear on the arm.
Another mod I made: the blade is now supported by a 1.25" washer and not directly on the cast aluminum arm. Less wear on the arm, more easy to thigh too.
No problem! Yeah, the instructions sure are strange...lol.
The other two mods you made are great! Thanks for sharing them as I'm sure it will help others out. Take care, G.
Just got circular saw blade Sharpener too...very nice video. I also have a chainsaw sharpener and it works great too.
+James West
That's cool James! Glad the video was useful. You're the second person to say they chainsaw sharpener works great. No more than I cut, I've just done my chains by hand. But I may pick one up since it should be way faster. Take care, G.
Great review. I picked one up a new one at an estate sale for $25 and it came with a two new in package sharpening wheels. Getting it set up is a bit fussy and the manual ranks right up there as one of the worse I have read. It has 7 or 8 pages of legal warnings and 3 or 4 confusing instructions. Your thorough how to set up and use was great. I also added two lock nuts under the knobs as you suggested. In addition I added one more blade support (carriage bolt to better maintain a properly leveled blade.) I made add a couple more. A Wixey magnetic digital scale works great to measure saw blade to grinding wheel angle.Bill
I'd say you did good Bill- especially with the extra wheels. They are fussy, and the manual is just like you say. Not much help at all. I have one of the Wixey's as well and really like them. I need a new one since I left it on my miter saw long ago and shot it across the room...lol. It still works after I glued it back together, but not like it used to. Good luck with your sharpening. Take care, G.
Thanks I just opened the box and found the same loose things you did. I will make the same mods you did and I will make the plate/gibb.
+David K Pettibone
No problem David. The mods should tighten things up and are very simple as seen. I never did make the plate/gib so if you do- let me know the results. Good luck, G.
I bought 2 of them and they work pretty good: On the 2nd one I took and made a duplicate base plate that goes from 15" to 36 1/4" diameter blades it was not easy.
That's cool Steven! Take care, G.
Hello Sir. I ran a saw shop for a living. I can say without a doubt. You Sir did an outstanding job,not only figuring out how it worked. But also the proper way to do it. Wear a face mask though has the dust can be very harmful. All my very best.
Thanks Bobby. Good tip. Take care, G.
Just watched both of your blade sharpening reviews and Steve Urkel must have been one of your students...or maybe even Inspector Gadget=because you certainly figured it out. Likewise, it was very well explained.
In fact, I bought one over a year ago, took it out, started to mess with it and put it back in the box. Thanks to you, I am going to dig it out, along with all the saw blades queued up on top of it...just waiting for the day....
Thanks..LOL! Glad the videos helped. Dig it out and give it a go. Good luck, G.
very well covered on all details will help it run better and last longer good job.
Thanks John, G.
Hi its worth watching 38 min. video coverage, thank you very much.
Mohammed Aslam Thanks Mohammed! Glad you like it! Good luck, G.
Another great review/tutorial. Please review every tool I own 😉
LOL! Thanks! Glald you like them. Take care, G.
It's been 3 years since you posted this video but only 1 day since I purchased this same sharpener. I have HF's chain saw blade sharpener and after sharpening over 200 chain saw blades, it is still working like new and perfectly. I wanted to tell you that that stop collar bolt head is a 9/32" or at least that's what I used. It could be a 6mm but I could not find my 6mm to see for sure (thanks to kids). I also wanted to ask why you did not put just a dab of oil on the blade tightening knob like you did on the arm locking knob at the rear? I suppose using the nut worked for you but I used oil and it has never backed itself off when turning the blade. THANKS for posting the video, it absolutely helped me in setting up my sharpener like this one!
Good to hear the chainsaw sharpener is still working well for you Edward! I've been kicking around getting one for years, but do do that much cutting so I just sharpen by hand.
Thanks for the info on the stop collar bolt. I didn't use oil mainly because it's loaded with the spring so the effort to turn it is not that great. Good to know just using oil and no extra nut is preventing yours from backing off. Glad the video was useful and take care, G.
Your comments are the same as what I have been saying about mine. About the dame with added washers also. Nice job explaining this fine China tool :) , My finale statement beats buying a new blade at today's prices.
+Bill Gunville
That's cool Bill! As you know, it works good after getting it dialed in. After sharpening one blade it's already paid for itself. Can't beat that! Take care, G.
I got mine set up and modified as suggested and I have a new comment. That spring ratchet system is way more fiddley than I could stand. I was either cutting air or the disk was coming down on the tip of the tooth. Argggg! After a half hour, I gave up and swung it out of the way. Instead, I just pulled the wheel into the gullet and then rotated the blade until it contacted the tooth. I used a strong light to see when the tooth had grind marks on its entire surface, then moved on to the next tooth. This ended up taking a little more time that if I got the ratchet working but when you factor in the time it might have taken me to do that, this method is MUCH quicker.
That's cool. I know many do it just like the way you are. Take care, G.