File Angles for Pine

[Marshy]

I haven't cut a whole lot of pine before. What angles do you use when filing you chain, same as hardwood but lower rakers?

For hardwood I typically have 30* top plate and 10* down on side plate on full chisel round filed chain. Discuss.

 

[Patrick62]

that sounds about right. rakers at about .025 is what I run

 

[earlthegoat2]

One Husqvarna source I remember reading calls for the same angles all around with .030 rakers as opposed to .025 rakers for hardwood.

Myself, I use 30 degrees and .030 rakers for everything I use but rip chain.

 

[jakethesnake]

Depends on how fast you really wanna cut. And how often you wanna file. Leave it alone as is it'll still cut easier. If your rpms are running too high drop the guages a hair

 

[Marshy]

I don't get picky trying to measure the raker depth. I just try to take the same number of strokes in them when they need to be lowered. I'll be running my MM'ed 2159. We'll see how she like it.

 

[Rx7man]

I don't fiddle with the top plate angle much, 30* is pretty good for most stuff.. raker depth all depends on how much power you have to work with as well as how worn the teeth are.. .025" on a new chain is probably about like .030 on one that's 1/2 worn. I find most new chains can afford to have a couple strokes taken off the rakers right from the get-go when sawing softwoods

 

[CR888]

I'd change the inner top plate angle before touching rakers. Say you grind 30°/60°/0° already change to 30°/55°/0°. That will make the chain want to 'pull' through the wood faster but make 5° changes at a time so you don't go over board. Leave the rakers where they are if there working well.

 

[scheffa]

I'd change the inner top plate angle before touching rakers. Say you grind 30°/60°/0° already change to 30°/55°/0°. That will make the chain want to 'pull' through the wood faster but make 5° changes at a time so you don't go over board. Leave the rakers where they are if there working well.

I always thought it was the opposite, more hook more pull.
You learn something every day

 

[Marshy]

I'd change the inner top plate angle before touching rakers. Say you grind 30°/60°/0° already change to 30°/55°/0°. That will make the chain want to 'pull' through the wood faster but make 5° changes at a time so you don't go over board. Leave the rakers where they are if there working well.

Im using a hand filing jig so I can't easily set it to get the 55* angle. I could try to estimate what it is and compare though.

 

[pioneerguy600]

What works best for us up here in NS climate is more angle on the top plate for softwoods and .030 - .035 for the depth gauges but we are running saws with enough power to handle the chain set that way. For hardwood we use less top plate angle and .025 - .030 for the depth gauges.

 

[Marshy]

Thanks for all the replies. The chain on my 2159 is practically new with only one sharpening. The pervious chain on that saw i was sharpening to about 35* top plate angle and I did not like how it was cutting so I thought I would try a 30* from now on. I'm going to stay with the 30* as I only have 2 days of work cutting some pine and it sounds the second day might have some soft and hardwood mix.

 

[Gypo Logger]

I think I have almost cut every domestic species here in Canada and never changed angles or depth gauges from species to species.
Typically I run 30 degrees and 20- 25 thou rakers.
Once I was at a NY GTG at Jokers and placed with a racing chain cutting green beech with a 15 degree top plate, but that's another story.

 

[Trx250r180]

In softwoods i run about a 20 degree top plate ,but run square ,it lasts longer for me and still cuts good ,.025 on the rakes also .030 or .035 on the rakes dulls the chain quicker in my opinion ,and makes a grabby chain ,i like smooth cuts .
30 degree top plate may be faster at first ,but once you dull the outer corner it is slower than the 20 degree i have been running ,and have to sharpen more often .If doing round don't get too crazy with side plate hook ,it will not last as long and put more load on the saw .

Round sampler

square sampler

 

[Marshy]

I'll get a pic with what I ended up with. Going forward I think I'm going to stick with only 5* on the side. Once I start hand touchups in the field it gets all messed up anyways. Then I'll reset it with the file-a-joint.

 

[Trx250r180]

I'll get a pic with what I ended up with. Going forward I think I'm going to stick with only 5* on the side. Once I start hand touchups in the field it gets all messed up anyways. Then I'll reset it with the file-a-joint.

If have a couple extra chains another option is swap the chain if goes dull in the field ,if sharpen with conservative angles ,and wood is clean the chain can last all day sometimes .I seem to always hit the ground though at some point ,lol

 

[Marshy]

It's fairly clean. I cut for the guy in the same location last summer and could average 3-4 tanks between chain touch-ups. I typically only keep 1 spare chain on hand but then again I'm not in production cutting. The is a saw shop less than 5 miles away if I need anything.

 

[Gypo Logger]

What works best for us up here in NS climate is more angle on the top plate for softwoods and .030 - .035 for the depth gauges but we are running saws with enough power to handle the chain set that way. For hardwood we use less top plate angle and .025 - .030 for the depth gauges.

Hey Jerry, check F&L forum, I smell 225 acres of green gold on the east coast.

 

[pioneerguy600]

Hey Jerry, check F&L forum, I smell 225 acres of green gold on the east coast.

Is Danny already there in that thread, think I remember him telling me he has a chance to take on a big cut.

 

[Marshy]

Hey Jerry, check F&L forum, I smell 225 acres of green gold on the east coast.

Can I quit my day job and come work in the woods?

 

[pioneerguy600]

Can I quit my day job and come work in the woods?

Tough job, tougher life!