Hand filing - opinions please

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Dave0846

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Have recently thrown away my 2n1 file to force myself to learn how to file free hand.
Chain is a stihl rs 404
Constructive criticism welcome.
 

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Yes I think this looks pretty damn good. If you can keep all the teeth a similar length then you’ve got it!

Good hook angle btw, but your gullet needs to be cleaned up. Imo your doing everything right regardless of the gullet, it will cut nicely.Here is a clean gullet attached below. I just started freehand after a couple years of guides and bs but I know have the hang of it!
The only guide I use now is for the milling chain, I use a grand berg jig to keep a perfect 5 degree angle.
 

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It does for milling, it matters very much if you want a smoother finish.

But yes for firewood I agree, didn’t mean to make a false impression
 
I use a file n guide system for all size chains. A 3/16” file n guide seems to do them all.

With .404” chain my favorite I hog out the gullet below the upper edge of the tooth. Once the the gullet provides more chip clearance I use the file n guide system with a 7/32” file to sharpen and arc the upper cutting edge of the tooth. Depending on the cc of your power head the rakers I set at .035”. The length of the bar determines wether I run a 7 pin rim longer bars up to 42” or a 8 pin rim on shorter bars(up to 24”.

It takes time to first file the chain and gullet correctly. Once it’s done we only need the file n guide to re touch up the chain.

When filing a chain make the same amount of passes on each tooth. Set the rakers all the same.
 
Have recently thrown away my 2n1 file to force myself to learn how to file free hand.
Chain is a stihl es 404
Constructive criticism welcome.

Perfect on the hook it’s big chain. Big power heads pull that hook through any wood.

Don’t over sharpen it, one pass on the re sharpen. .404” chain with the longer tooth than 3/8” will last a lot longer when sharpened lightly. My firewood season was many 3/8” chains on my 266se when compared to one .404” chain on my 2100 per season using both saws.

Oregon recommendations that 404 saw chain can be used on 80 cc saws and bigger. I plan on running 404 chain on my 285/ 2100/ 2101/ 298.
 
Could almost go up a file size for a while. But nice it's heading towards to much hook if you keep it going that way. Good job throwing guide away just grab a husky raker gauge and cut wood. The progressive gauge will make the issue of tooth length a non issue. And don't panic too much about top plate angle I see a heap of people freting about it 5 degre of float on a firewood chain is not really noticed especially if depth gauges are set right and enough side plate angle
 
Looks good to me.
But I mainly cut softwoods and like to open the gullet a little more than some.

Just watch you do not apply too much downward weight and start cutting into the plates, get too deep in the gullet and your file misses the leading edge of the top plate of the cutter.
Keep your rakers sorted and it looks like the bar could do with a light dressing if you want to get real picky......... but your hand filing looks pretty good to me.
 
Bit much on the hook there, yer file is gittin a bit low.
Take a couple of swipes off the rakers, & go cut somethig!

Yes sir that is about right. If you are some what new then you are a head of the pack. I go way aggressive on the rakers, but not every one should not. My 100 plus cc saws bog and stall some times because they grab too much. I however love when they throw chips twenty feet away just for fun. Thanks
 
IMO, you have went on the side of speed and will loose durability. It'll cut like the dickens but won't stay that way for a long time. It's all what you prefer so I'm not saying good or bad as it's a personal preference. In a firewood'n chain I like a little more durability, in which case you'd get the file higher up a little. But that's my .02.
 
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