Anyone run with low rakers on undersized bars?

[Wet1]

I have a couple of saws that I use fairly often than I frequently run relatively small bars on. Since there is plenty of power on hand, I'd like to get a little more performance (cutting speed) out of them.

The 7900 I just picked up the other day seems to laugh pretty hard at the 20" bar on it, even with an 8 pin installed. Any thoughts on running the rakers down at .040" or lower?

 

[husky362]

careful with raker's

don't take that much off, take a little off at a time

it will be real grabby and will pull hard, if you take to much off


does not like to under cut, and really push's back,,,,,,, remember no dog's to keep it from you really .......REALLY UNSAFE

i have a chain done like that, ME and the SAW did not like the way it cut

 

[motoroilmccall]

I'll run about .033, maybe .035 with an 18" on the 044, its not horrible, but the 20" with .030 rakers and an 8 pin cut just as fast.

 

[bluequill56]

I wouldn't recommend it. I tried that for a while and didn't like it. .040 Seemed grabby, pulled the rpms down, and it didn't really seem to cut any faster. I'd rather cut with RPM's than overworking the saw. Plus, there's more tendency for kickback. Not fun, if you've never experienced it. The final deal killer was when I accidentally contacted a 4" piece of wood while the chain was slowing down after a cut. It grabbed the wood and flung it back with enough force that I bet it could have caused a nasty injury. Now they all get set @ .030. Maybe .035 for short bars or soft wood.

 

[kurtty]

i take my rakers down a bit and it cuts damn good but i found that if i take them down too much the saw becomes a little to dangerous for my liking.
like when your cutting with the top side of the bar the saw really wants to push back and makes me feel a little un-easy. low rakers also make for a much stronger kickback.
if your going to take those rakers down you really gotta make sure that chain is always sharp because when it grabs... it grabs hard.
its really all about finding a middle point between cutting speed and safety. but it is really fun seing how fast the saw can make it through wood thats less than 8" when you have those rakers taken down.

 

[Austin1]

If you want to cut real fast use Square ground chain.In the soft wood I cut no hardwood here I find it smoother and faster the only thing is I dont have a grinder and hand file so takes some time to resharpen. Funny I wont touch semi chisel with a ten foot poll find it is like cutting with a dull chain?opcorn: I use regular round ground chisel even on dusty road side wood. Maybe Iam crazy the only chain I cut the rakers down on are 3/8 low pro for my little saw's . I find 3/8 low pro to mild for my saw's so I do cut them down a bit.

 

[blsnelling]

It won't work like you're thinking. The saw will get real grabby and bounce in the cut. All you'll end up doing is ruining a chain.

 

[Austin1]

It won't work like you're thinking. The saw will get real grabby and bounce in the cut. All you'll end up doing is ruining a chain.

Not sure if your post was aimed at me? All my big saw's run raker height set to be what they are supposed to be but From personal experience I find the little guy's like it to be lowered a little. I don't run Stihls so I have lot's of extra power I had to take that shot all in fun though. Had a recent post about a 180 for a Neighbor nice light good little saw.

 

[Ed*L]

Aside from being "grabby" in the cut, you only have so much room for chips between cutters. Once that space is full, you lost any advantage of taking a bigger bite.

Ed

 

[24d]

Your best option is to use a bigger sprocket and set your rakers around 25, IMHO.

Later

 

[blsnelling]

Not sure if your post was aimed at me?

No. Just responding to the OP.

 

[BloodOnTheIce]

I run my rakers at about .0025 though I sharpen enough chains that I usually just eye ball it. If you take of too much you'll burn out your clutch and possible your engine by making it grab too much and over heat it.

 

[blsnelling]

I run my rakers at about .0025...

So basically, you file your wood into pieces?

 

[BloodOnTheIce]

Nope,Guess I was wrong, I was I just checked my guide and it's a .0030. For some reason I thought it was .0025.

 

[blsnelling]

You mean .030"?

 

[PA Plumber]

Tried it for a while. Could get a way with it on Hemlock. Not so great on Oak, Beech, and Hickory. Now I just use the depth gauge.

I have a Stihl depth gauge that reads "0,65." When I use it, the saw is a lot smoother in the cut, it's easier on me and I'm sure easier on the saw.

 

[056kid]

I like .045 for softwoods. Usually with a 20 on a 660 but i also have run a 25 like that no problem.

.040 is all you want for hardwoods, that is if you plan on doing any back barring or using the tip!!

Running a saw 40+ houres a week, I prefer the saw to the majority of the work.
With factory depth settings ona new chain, things can gett fatuiging fast.
But with properly lowerd drags, the saw will pull HARD the instent that you touch wood.
personally can get a lot more work done like this.

 

[ray benson]

Tried it for a while. Could get a way with it on Hemlock. Not so great on Oak, Beech, and Hickory. Now I just use the depth gauge.

I have a Stihl depth gauge that reads "0,65." When I use it, the saw is a lot smoother in the cut, it's easier on me and I'm sure easier on the saw.

if it reads 0.65, it is probably mm which is about .025"

 

[lectrocrew]

I've got one 3/8 rsc chain for my 660 / 25" / 7 tooth with the rakers cut .045 that's real fast in a pine log but that's about all it's good for and even then my technique has to be right or it will get too grabby. I really just run that chain for show & fun. I have other chains I run for work.
I ran lower rakers a lot of times when I was logging for the reason you gave 056 kid, but lowered properly as you said, and usually not .045, and not even .040 if I was having to limb a lot of limby hardwood back before we got a loader with a de-limber. Catching the kickback from digging out all those small hardwood limbs would wear me out worse than running a slower cutting chain.

Running a saw 40+ houres a week, I prefer the saw to the majority of the work.
With factory depth settings ona new chain, things can gett fatuiging fast.
But with properly lowerd drags, the saw will pull HARD the instent that you touch wood.
personally can get a lot more work done like this.

 

[pgg]

Factory new chains these days are blunt, plain and simple, they never used to be, clueless academic nanny state safety officials have wormed their way in on that one, oregon chain is bad for that, stihl chain a little better, touch up the drags on a new chain for a decent bite, overdo it though and forget about smooth comfortable operation, a fine line between piss-poor, OK and very good, also the overdone drags'll wear out the drive sprocket, clutch and springs before long, as well as halving chain life