Dremel’s chainsaw sharpening kit (#1453) is a fantastic little Dremel attachment to have, but the instructions that came with it were a little confusing. So I took some pictures while shapening my own chainsaw.

Here is the kit itself (Ordering Info):
Dremel 1453 Chain Saw Sharpening Kit

This is what my chainsaw teeth looked like before sharpening:
Before sharpening

The kit comes with 3 grinding wheels. Blue (5/32″), Pink (7/32″), and Orange-Brown (3/16″). Figure out which grinder wheel to using by sliding each into the tooth. One of them should match the curve on the inside of the tooth. That is the one to use. I used the Orange-Brown wheel for my Poulan Pro.
Fitting the grinder

Assemble the attachment as pictured here. If you use the Pink grinding wheel, use both spacers. If you use the Orange-Brown wheel, use one spacer. If you are using the Blue wheel, you don’t need to use a spacer. The spacer keeps the grinding wheel away from the guide. In the photo here, you can see the unit put together. Notice that I have one spacer between the guide and the plastic body (since I am using the orange-brown wheel). Don’t fully tighten the screws yet.
All put together

You will need to use the guage to adjust the guide.
Using the guage 1

Use the side of the guage labeled “side 1″. I don’t know why they have “side 1″ as there is no “side 2″. With the guage fitting against the guide as pictured here, adjust the guide so the wheel just touches the guage, then tighten the screws.
Using the guage 2

Lay the chainsaw in front of you with the motor to the right. You are first going to sharpen the teeth on the far side of the bar. Power up the Dremel, and insert the spinning grinding wheel into the first tooth. Line up the index line with the bar, and stroke the grinding wheel in and out of the tooth a few times with light pressure against the cutting edge of the tooth. Move the chain around, and sharpen the next tooth until all of the teeth on the far side are sharpened.
Sharpening first side
Sharpening first side

Turn the chainsaw around so the motor is now on your left. Now sharpen the teeth on the opposite side of the bar as described above, but with guide lined up as pictured here:
Sharpening other side

After getting the unit put together, it only took a minute or two to sharpen all the teeth. And since you have the unit adjusted, next time you will only need to remount it onto you Dremel motor, and sharpen away. This is what my teeth looked like after sharpening them:
After sharpening

Order a Dremel Chain Saw Sharpening Kit

Posted by Rob in Whatever on January 4th, 2006 | 30 Comments