My local dealer seems to not want to grind the rakers of the chains, and naturaly it ticks me off when i pay 8 bucks and the saw chain makes dust till i hit the tops of each raker and grind off a bit then they cut great. Get the chain manufactured specs for the specific chain. Check out that page on Carlton chain website called How Saw Chain Works.
More experienced cutters have a good feel for how their saw is cutting, and simply take their rakers down whenever they seem to need it. You can file all the rakers down to the same height and your saw will cut crooked, because half the cutters are shorter than the other half. You file the rakers a little differently for hardwood vs. softwood.
“Before you perform any depth gauge maintenance you need to learn what the setting is. The image above is an Oregon brand cutter tooth. As you can see, the correct depth,.025”, is stamped on the depth gauge. Low depth gauge settings require more power from your saw motor, shorten the life of your chain, cut rougher, increase operator fatigue, and increase the risk of kickback injury. Each file stroke does not take an equal amount of material from the depth gauge.
Failing to file the depth gauge and only filing the cutter teeth will result in smaller and smaller chips with each subsequent sharpening. You can file freehand, straight across, with a flat file, or purchase a depth gauge guide that fits between the cutters and features an opening that lets you file the top of the depth gauges. 404″ chainsaw pitch is the most aggressive chainsaw chain pitch for professional arborists.
when to file chainsaw rakers Related Question:
What is the purpose of rakers on chainsaw?
Depth gauges, “riders,” or “rakers,” as they are sometimes called, control the amount of wood severed by a cutter tooth. During the life of a pro saw chain, they occasionally need maintenance for top cutting performance.
What happens if you file rakers too low?
If you take your rakers down too low, on the other hand, your chain gets very aggressive and either stalls out in the cut or (worst case scenario), hangs up in the cut and kicks back at you.
How high should the rakers be on a chainsaw chain?
The raker should be about 0.50. 8 mm lower than the cutter. You sharpen the cutters first. Lay the file gauge on the chain.
How do you know what file to use on a chainsaw?
Simply put, the type of chainsaw file you need directly corresponds with the size of your chain pitch. The larger the pitch will mean the higher the cutting teeth will be. The higher the teeth will therefore mean the larger the file will need to be.
Which direction do you file a chainsaw?
File the teeth from the inside towards the outside. The easy way to remember the correct direction is that the tip of the file should always point away from the engine. Hold the file at a 90-degree angle to the flat sides of the guide bar. Move the file at a 30-degree angle to the straight line of the chain.
Why does my chainsaw pull to the left?
One major reason a chainsaw curves to either the right or left during a cut is that it was unevenly sharpened. The unequal teeth of the chain cause it to take a different-sized bite into the wood. What is this? The uneven sharpness of the chain is mainly due to manual sharpening, especially with the use of a file.
What size file do you use on a STIHL chainsaw?
Amazon.com: STIHL 5605 007 1028 Complete Saw Chain Filing Kit For . 325-Inch, 3/16-Inch : Patio, Lawn & Garden.
What size file do you use on a 3/8 chainsaw chain?
With that said, the Stihl 3/8″ chain is identical in size to Oregon and other brands which all recommend a 7/32″ file.
How many different size chainsaw files are there?
Chainsaw File Size As we will see on the graph, the primary file options are 4.0 mm, 4.8 mm, and 5.5 mm. It comes in either a round file or flat file depending on the type of cutter you are planning to sharpen.
How long should a chainsaw chain stay sharp?
A chainsaw may only need to be sharpened once a year if it is rarely used, but a tool that is frequently used will need to be sharpened regularly to ensure that the blade doesn’t get too dull. On average, a chainsaw blade will retain its sharpness for about 3 hours of actively cutting through wood.
How much does it cost to sharpen chainsaw chain?
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST FOR YOU TO SHARPEN MY CHAIN PROFESSIONALLY? If you bring the chain into our shop off your saw, our average chain sharpening price ranges from $13- $16.00, depending on the number of cutters.
What size file does a Stihl MS170 take?
Pack Of 3 Files 5/32 4mm Chainsaw File Fits STIHL MS170 MS180 MS171 MS200T 020.
What type of chainsaw chain cuts the fastest?
A full chisel chain is a chain with square cornered teeth, and they’re known for being the fastest cutting blade shape available. A full chisel chain also has a higher number of teeth than other chain options(full chisel is also known as a standard chisel chain).
Does skip tooth chain cut faster?
A skip chain has fewer cutting teeth than a conventional chain which means it won’t be dragging as many teeth through the wood you’re cutting. Less drag on the chain means less power is needed to cut through the log. That means the motor on your saw runs faster which keeps it in a more efficient power curve.