chains won't self feed?

[ChoppyChoppy]

Not sure what the deal is.

Been having issues lately. I've got maybe 12-15 loops. Fresh sharpen, they cut nice but I have to push pretty hard. If I just let the saw sit in the cut on its own weight it won't really cut.

Depth gauges are at a good height. I sharpen lots of chains, only seems to be mine having issues.

I haven't changed anything I do, I've been using the same type of grinder fo nany years.r

 

[moondoggie]

Rakers are to high is my guess and or bar needs to be dressed.

Here is a good way to get the rakers all the same height. It's what I use anyhow. Better than eyeballing it .

 

[moondoggie]

I can't find a good video of how to use that tool. It simple though. Ask the guy at the saw shop to show you. Basically you set it on top of the chain in a certain spot. Then with a flat file file it down level with the jig
Gets them all the same height. Dressing the bar will change your life as well. Happy cutting!

 

[DSS]

Too much oil in the gas

 

[Philbert]

Easy question if you were new to sharpening!

Same brand of chain? Same saw? Same wood? Same grinder wheel?

Are you using a fixed offset or progressive depth gauge settings?

Sure that you did not space out and use a different size wheel? Grinding to a different depth? What do your side plates look like?

These are things I would take a second look at.

Philbert

 

[HarleyT]

Not sure what the deal is.

Been having issues lately. I've got maybe 12-15 loops. Fresh sharpen, they cut nice but I have to push pretty hard. If I just let the saw sit in the cut on its own weight it won't really cut.

Depth gauges are at a good height. I sharpen lots of chains, only seems to be mine having issues.

I haven't changed anything I do, I've been using the same type of grinder fo nany years.r

Show some pics of the chains.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

Easy question if you were new to sharpening!

Same brand of chain? Same saw? Same wood? Same grinder wheel?

Are you using a fixed offset or progressive depth gauge settings?

Sure that you did not space out and use a different size wheel? Grinding to a different depth? What do your side plates look like?

These are things I would take a second look at.

Philbert

I pulled the one I was running off my 036 today and sharpened it. Normally I just swap loops and sharpen when I have time, but I had the no self feed issues with all the ones I had sharpened the last time I had done them.

At the same time I sharpened a loop for a customer's 440.

The loop on the 440 cuts great (had to test the repairs we did, otherwise i wouldnt just use a customer's saw!) while the loop for mine doesnt.
Both are Stihl chain, the 440 was a skip 84 drivers, my chains are full complement, 66 drivers.
I have a mix of semi chisel and chisel, issue seems to be with both. All the chains I have are Stihl.

I thought it was maybe the depth gauges, but one loop I have them down the the minimum mark while I am still 40-50% on the teeth.

I use a grinder for the rakers. I use the tool shown in the pic to adjust the grinder 's depth stop. I grind the depth gauges on a slope.


I haven't changed anything and I've been using the same machines for a few years so it's got me puzzled.
Not that I'm an expert by any means, but I've never had to fight the saw like I am now. I normally can get a chain to cut like brand new.

The bar is ok, I just ground the rails yesterday even though it looked fine.

Haven't tested on other saws, I'll try that.

I'll try to get some pics later today.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

I can't find a good video of how to use that tool. It simple though. Ask the guy at the saw shop to show you. Basically you set it on top of the chain in a certain spot. Then with a flat file file it down level with the jig
Gets them all the same height. Dressing the bar will change your life as well. Happy cutting!

The trouble is that I am the guy at the saw shop haha! I sharpen most of the chains that come in.

I know something isn't right, thankfully it's just my chains though and I haven't had any trouble with customers chains.

 

[blsnelling]

Are these well worn chains, and are you using a progressive depth gauge?

 

[Philbert]

All things equal (depth gauges, angle settings, etc.), I would normally suspect that you are not taking the grinding wheel as deep as in the past, so you are ending up with a different side plate profile and a less aggressive chain.

But then you also said that the chain you ground for another saw worked fine. Any chance that your saw has just lost it's 'oomph'?

Philbert

 

[rob066]

Maybe your bar is worn. I would check the edges for wear and also the groove. Worn flared out bar edges like to hang up in the cut.

 

[heyduke]

I pulled the one I was running off my 036 today and sharpened it. Normally I just swap loops and sharpen when I have time, but I had the no self feed issues with all the ones I had sharpened the last time I had done them.

At the same time I sharpened a loop for a customer's 440.

The loop on the 440 cuts great (had to test the repairs we did, otherwise i wouldnt just use a customer's saw!) while the loop for mine doesnt.
Both are Stihl chain, the 440 was a skip 84 drivers, my chains are full complement, 66 drivers.
I have a mix of semi chisel and chisel, issue seems to be with both. All the chains I have are Stihl.

I thought it was maybe the depth gauges, but one loop I have them down the the minimum mark while I am still 40-50% on the teeth.

I use a grinder for the rakers. I use the tool shown in the pic to adjust the grinder 's depth stop. I grind the depth gauges on a slope.


I haven't changed anything and I've been using the same machines for a few years so it's got me puzzled.
Not that I'm an expert by any means, but I've never had to fight the saw like I am now. I normally can get a chain to cut like brand new.

The bar is ok, I just ground the rails yesterday even though it looked fine.

Haven't tested on other saws, I'll try that.

I'll try to get some pics later today.

try grinding just a little deeper. it's the angle on cutter's face (not the 30* angle, but the angle relative to the top of the bar) that creates "lift" and pulls the cutter into the wood. i like to do my initial grinds "too" deep to give more gullet for clearing chips then do a very light, final grind at the correct depth to shape the cutter's face. for the final grind, set the wheel all the way down in the gullet and watch as you raise it to the correct height with the depth adjustment screw. watch where the point of the "beak" touches the curve of the grinding wheel. it should just touch the flat side of the wheel. also, the dressed profile of the wheel has to be just so. use the guage that comes with the grinder. reading glasses or a magnifying hood can really help.

 

[Philbert]

i like to do my initial grinds "too" deep to give more gullet for clearing chips then do a very light, final grind at the correct depth to shape the cutter's face.

That's interesting!

I do my first pass set to get the cutting edges 'right', then back off the chain stop about half a turn and do a second pass to clean out the gullets.

Philbert

 

[Chainsaw Jim]

Swap your bar out with another...it could be bad.
Is your oiler working properly?

 

[cus_deluxe]

You need a cs-620p

 

[Trx250r180]

If the front top of the cutter has any spoon shape to it ,it will not feed good ,sometimes have to grind past that point to fix the chain .

 

[heyduke]

That's interesting!

I do my first pass set to get the cutting edges 'right', then back off the chain stop about half a turn and do a second pass to clean out the gullets.

Philbert

i guess one of us does it backwards.

 

[Philbert]

Left cutters first. Then Right cutters.
(Might do it differently south of the equator)

Philbert

 

[Full Chisel]

Run a Husqvarna and report back.

 

[heyduke]

Left cutters first. Then Right cutters.
(Might do it differently south of the equator)

Philbert

well... i try to do the rights first. why? because for a right handed person (maybe the southpaw too) the rh cutters are much more likely to be damaged. i think it's because the saw, supported by the left hand, has a certain "angle of the dangle," one of the oldest engineering concepts in continuous use since the sumerian empire. once you finish sharpening the rights you can grind the lefts to the same length. doing left hand first is extra work.