Timber Framers Guild Forums Tools Tool Forum chain mortisers

what is the right way to sharpen a chainset for a makita chain mortiser? i'm pretty comfortable filing a chainsaw freehand , but am not really sure what i'm trying to shoot for with the chain mortiser. do all the teeth want to be the same, or do the two outer sets need to be different. is there some sort of filing guide to make the job more consistent?

what about the ryobi chain mortisers for timber framing? they look like they are quite similar to the makita, only with a slide action instead of the pivot.
are they good, bad, indifferent?

any favourite lube for chains?

I send my chain out for sharpening. They do mortiser chains for several framers that I know of. They do a nice job and will customize the work for hard or soft woods if you deal strictly with one or the other. It's been a while (I need to do it NOW!) but the address is:
Miller Sharpening
11301 Webb Ave.
Alliance, OH 44601
330-821-6240
They're pretty quick too. You'll usually have it back in 7-10 days.
Any spray lube will work as long as you're not using so much as to make it gummy of spattering the timber. A little shot of CRC or equiv. every couple or three mortises should give you what you need. Unless you're being really hard on it and working fast, the chains don't get particularly hot. Good luck.

Chris, I've file my Makita chain right on the machine with a chain saw file, straight accross like a Rip saw. Use a file big enough to touch the tips of the teeth and not fall in the gullet, this steepens the angle of the tooth just slightly, seems to be less grabby in hard woods. File each tooth the same number of strokes just like a chain saw.
Keep your chain sharp and well oiled (I use bar oil in a squeeze bottle every couple of mortices) and your mortiser will last. My Makita is now 14, and on its 2nd chain. This same mortiser has survived 12 years of itinerant timber framing including at least 5 Guild rendezvous.

ya... what Tom says.
I find it takes very little filing to make a difference in sharpness, not like the chainsaw, where you often need to take 3 or 4 heavy strokes to correct an imbalance or "fix" that touchdown on the gravel.

I'm with Tom and Mark.

I found that when we sent the chain off, we were spending close to $20 and they were grinding a lot of steel off the chain. So I started filing my own right on the machine. Takes 5 minutes, costs practically nothing and I always have a sharp chain.

I use bar and chain oil. It is cheap and it is made for bars and chains in that it doesn't get slung off. I put it in an empty chalk bottle.

I have seen the Ryobi, but not used it. Having seen it, though I would not want one even if it were cheaper than the Makita.

Cheers,

Gabel

Hey Gabel,

Do you free hand sharpen or use some sort of guide?

Dave

How's it going Dave

Free hand. Straight across. I use a 7/32" round file. It works great.

Cheers,
Gabel

I am trying to locate a makita #7305 hollow chisel mortiser. They don't seem to be on the US market but are available in Japan. Any tips out there on finding one? Thanks, Tim