SawTroll - raker guide

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maccall

maccall

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When I use the Stihl raker gauge, I set it on the chain and look straight across to see if any material is protruding through the slot on the gauge. If it is I take the gauge off, file across a few times with a "SAFE" file, meaning it has no teeth on the edges, just the flat so it will not damage the cutter edge, and then set the gauge back in place to see if the raker is set. I do not file across the gauge as that will eventually ruin the gauge. And I roll the file down as I cut across the raker to round off the front so it is done already.

I was reading his post and was thinking how I do the same exact thing for the same reasons :laugh: :laugh:

So now you know 2 people... :D


+1

"And then they were three..." :cheers:
 
boilerhouse47

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MAG58, again thanks for the info and great pictures, that Husky giude looks like something that you could carry in your pocket when you are out cutting some wood. I'll have to make a trip to the nearest Husky dealer and see if they have one.
Carl
 
Crofter

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When I use the Stihl raker gauge, I set it on the chain and look straight across to see if any material is protruding through the slot on the gauge. If it is I take the gauge off, file across a few times with a "SAFE" file, meaning it has no teeth on the edges, just the flat so it will not damage the cutter edge, and then set the gauge back in place to see if the raker is set. I do not file across the gauge as that will eventually ruin the gauge. And I roll the file down as I cut across the raker to round off the front so it is done already.

Lol, I see Lakeside is jabbing at you for worrying about defacing that valuable precision measuring device!

I agree about lifting it off because I dont like dulling my file on the guide and I dont like dulling the tooth by having the guide contacting the top and possibly the front of the tooth. Contouring or sloping the raker after filing makes a big difference in kickback potential and boring speed too.
 
pdqdl

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I used to eye ball them with a flat bastard, now I use my grinder get one set in to gauge and get with the program. My saws cut great I have no problem with my quick method. I just need them to cut good not win races, I will file them for that! I wander if I am the only one that uses the silvey for raker's and cutters:monkey:

That's EXACTLY how I do all our saws. Except we use an Oregon grinder.
 
boilerhouse47

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Crofter, just so Lakeside doesn't feel that I'm bashing the Stilh giude tool, the pointed end is the best thing I've found for cleaning out the bar grove. Run it down the grove and give it a blast of air and you're done.

Carl
 
shadow745

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Where do you buy one of those things. I've never seen the one with the roller & depth gauge combo.

I found mine at the local Lowes. It's in a filing kit that also contains a flat file, 2 round files and a file handle. It's available for .325 and 3/8" pitch at that particular store. I think it was around $14 and works great. The rollers help keep you filing properly and the depth gauge offers cutouts for hard and soft wood settings. Later!
 
Crofter

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I think Art Martin mentions it in some of his sharpening threads, away back when. Some race chains for small saws will run smaller clearances than any of the stock gauges and you can dial in whatever clearance you want with one tool right up to harvester chain.
 

24d

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Thanks Frank,

I did read about them in that thread and something about them being progressive, just a little too much for my pea brain too grasp, I'll go back and study a little more.

Later,


PS here is a little on it-

I use the progressive method of lowering the rakers as the chain is filed back. The optimum cutting angle is reduced as the chain is filed back resulting in a smaller chip. To maintain the original new chain cutting efficiency when the tooth reaches the rear rivet, the depth of the raker should be .038”. This allows the cutting edge to enter the wood at the correct optimum angle. Depth gauges should be lowered every time the chain is filed, but this is rarely done. When the “constant” method is used, the gauge reads .025” but as the chain is filed back, the chain becomes less efficient because the optimum cutting angle is reduced. With the progressive method, the optimum raker height is factored in and the chip size remains constant. This progressive method is easily accomplished with a file-o-plate. Even if you have an adjustable depth gauge, the exact amount the rakers should be lowered is hard to determine. A lot of experience helps. Any chain that is filed back, using either the constant or progressive method of lowering the rakers, will cause kickback energy to increase slightly.

Art Martin
 
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SawTroll

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Thanks Frank,

I did read about them in that thread and something about them being progressive, just a little too much for my pea brain too grasp, I'll go back and study a little more.

Later,


PS here is a little on it-

Not sure, but I believe the Husky guide actually is somewhat progressive, as the angle twds the chain chassis will change (decrease), as the teeth are filed back.

That also would explains why the two options on it says HARD and SOFT (wood), instead of some numbers.
 
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SawTroll

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It all makes sense to me , but if all the cutters are the same length would not any gauge work and get the same raker height ?

Nope, a progressive one will make the raker clearance larger as the chain is filed back, as it should be - the std Stihl/Oregon type will give you a constant clearance all the way.
 
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Crofter

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The Carlton Fil-O-plate I think is where Art really explained the concept of progressive raker lowering as the tooth wears back. The Husky guide I played with the most did not have the raker attachment so I dont know either whether it would be progressive.
 

24d

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I think this is Art's guide, I don't really understand it, but I'd like to.

Art's guide also it looks easy to duplicate, whats the deal?
 
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ents

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The roller guide (mines Husqvarna) is what got me off the bench grinder and into filing (it's a no brainer). I haven't used the bench grinder in over two months (maxx). I'm using 95vp and so far I lower the depth gauge only as needed (constant method using gauge). However, on the Stihl 3/8 I use the Stihl gauge for 3/8 (take the gauge off before running the file across) for the first half of the cutters life. Now that I'm at the second half of the cutter I switched to a .404 gauge. I guess this means I'm using a modified progressive method. It seemed to make sense that as that tooth got smaller (and lower) that the depth gauge had to get deeper. Looks like my thinking was in the ball park.
 

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