Rakers

[kruege84]

How often do you guys take 'em down? I hate doing it so I usually put it off as long as possible. Any good rule of thumb for how often to do it?

Thanks

 

[gremlin]

I hate it too. asked the same question not long ago. I was told about every 10 to 15 swipes on the teeth should be 2 swipes on the rakers. I now just watch my chips occasionally. If the chain is sharp and not chunking chips i hit the rakers once or twice

 

[Andyshine77]

I check them every time I sharpen the cutters, about every 5th sharpening they need to be filed down.

 

[kruege84]

I hate it too. asked the same question not long ago. I was told about every 10 to 15 swipes on the teeth should be 2 swipes on the rakers. I now just watch my chips occasionally. If the chain is sharp and not chunking chips i hit the rakers once or twice

I check them every time I sharpen the cutters, about every 5th sharpening they need to be filed down.

Thanks guys. That's sounds pretty close to what I've been doing.

 

[ropensaddle]

I gauge them after first sharpen and usually take them down a little
heavy, but next sharpen or two not needed! I don't recommend this
practice but it works ok for me! Mine are taken down .35 and I use my
grinder machine to do it! The chain grabs a little too much but
with enough power eats wood.

 

[treeclimber jul]

I do it every Sharpining!! you don't have to but I like mine perfect

Get a stihl or Oregon raker guide and a flat file. .025 for most saws, .030 if softwood and .035 for big saws
.025 and .030 works really good for me...
If you don't file the rakers down with the teeth, the saw may start cutting on a curve
The depth helps a lot and they are only about 3 to 6 $$ .

 

[ShoerFast]

How often do you guys take 'em down? I hate doing it so I usually put it off as long as possible. Any good rule of thumb for how often to do it?

Thanks

The final and finest tune your going to give your saw, after you matched the bar length and chain to the engine. To match the work you want from your saw in the type of cutting you do in the wood you cut. You match the DG's and cutter angle's.

Just a rule of thumb, as mentioned, how grabby the saw is, I like a saw that needs just a little to hold it out of the wood, then one that needs a little lean into the wood.

Just some ideas for a trend...

A 660 with a 24" bar ,in green Ponderosia Pine (Yellow Pine) could use a heavy .035" DG's with 35 Deg's on the cutters.

A 290 with a 24" in in solid dry or frozzen hardwood could use a light .025" DG's and a less then 30 Deg cutter.

A good from the hip std grind would be .030" DG's with a 30 deg cutter.

Lots engine- little bar, lots DG . Little engine, lots bar, little DG,,,, Little sharpening, lite-wood lots angle, lots sharpening, heavy-hard wood, lighten up on the angle.

I'm sure there out there, but I never ran a saw that needed or could have used less then .020 DG's (on a 3/8th chain) (Wild-thinggies and small saws might need something near .020" DG's?)

I ground them, but didn't like them, more then .040" DG's , there just too grabby for a work chain,,,,,there like work.

Just rules of thumb, $0.02 cents worth.

 

[kurtty]

i just filed my rakers last night. i use the cheapo oregon file guide to check them. i usually like to take it down just a bit past the guide because i rarely cut hardwood and it seems to improve my cut times.

 

[Lakeside53]

I check a few eveytime I sharpen.. Usually need to hit them every 3 or 4th time of "normal" sharpens", but everytime after grinding a rocked-out chain.

Not sure why guys have a problem with filing rakers - It only takes a minute to do the entire chain... If you don't have a good file and guage.., that's another problem..

 

[Junkyard Jim]

Thanks Shoerfast... That is the sort of "rule of thumb" I've been looking for. To the point, not too many variables and well put. I'd rep ya if I knew how.

How about if I just buy ya a beer...

 

[sILlogger]

this is prolly one of those 6 of these, half dozen of the other questoins..but how many of you guys file the rakers the same direction that you file the respective tooth? that is how ive always done it..but have seen it done other ways and what just curious as to how you'al did it

 

[B_Turner]

I give a quick check on at least one every sharpening.

If lowering the rakers past .030 helps you cut faster, I suspect your chains aren't as sharp as they could be. Grabbiness usually means cutter inefficiency.

The shorter of the tooth (longer distance to depth gauge) affects the measurement as well.

And depth gauges should be rounded on their top leading edge.

I think you can tell alot about a sawyer by how well they maintain their chains.

 

[kruege84]

That's everything I ever wanted to know and then some.

Thanks guys!

 

[stihl 440]

this is prolly one of those 6 of these, half dozen of the other questoins..but how many of you guys file the rakers the same direction that you file the respective tooth? that is how ive always done it..but have seen it done other ways and what just curious as to how you'al did it

I file em' all on the right side. I use the husky 2in1 file and depth gauge tool. I only use the depth gauge tool, it does a good job on the 440's and 460's chains. But the 385, 066, 660 can handle more, so I take off a half a swipe more off em' every 3 sharpenings. But I've noticed that the husky depth gauge tool dulls the cutters a little, cause the metal plate sits on the corner of your super razor sharp cutter, when you press down even the slightest bit it dulls it a little. So I'm trying to refine my technique for taking the rakers down with using the tool every 2 sharpenings to keep the rakers even, then the sharpening after using the tool I just take a swipe off em'.:greenchainsaw:

 

[stihl 440]

agreed

I give a quick check on at least one every sharpening.

If lowering the rakers past .030 helps you cut faster, I suspect your chains aren't as sharp as they could be. Grabbiness usually means cutter inefficiency.

The shorter of the tooth (longer distance to depth gauge) affects the measurement as well.

And depth gauges should be rounded on their top leading edge.

I think you can tell alot about a sawyer by how well they maintain their chains.

Agreed, that's why I'm really, REALLY fussy on how my chains cut.:greenchainsaw:

 

[Blakesmaster]

this is prolly one of those 6 of these, half dozen of the other questoins..but how many of you guys file the rakers the same direction that you file the respective tooth? that is how ive always done it..but have seen it done other ways and what just curious as to how you'al did it

I always file my rakers the same direction as their respective teeth. The reason being that I think it helps cut down on the "fingernails on chalkboard" noise a bit. God, I hate that sound.

 

[outdoortype]

By a depth gauge tool!

Don't trust yourself by counting strokes because some strokes take more metal than others. Oregon, Stihl & Husky all make depth gauge tools that take the guesswork out of it. You just lay it on chain-its quick & easy. I like Husky's the best because it shows the relationship for each individual tooth/raker.

 

[B_Turner]

And if one is concerned that the gauge is dulling their tips, then they can set the depth gauges heighth with the filing gauge before the final touch up of the teeth.

Trivia: Silvey says to round ground into the cutter tip from the outside because of the chrome, but to grind the "rakers" the opposite direction (if done on the grinder like the 510) because the chain will rock sideways less.

If I am doing a batch of chains I sometimes use my 510 tweak the "rakers." But otherwise it is easier just to use an Oregon gauge.

 

[mountainlake]

I file em' all on the right side. I use the husky 2in1 file and depth gauge tool. I only use the depth gauge tool, it does a good job on the 440's and 460's chains. But the 385, 066, 660 can handle more, so I take off a half a swipe more off em' every 3 sharpenings. But I've noticed that the husky depth gauge tool dulls the cutters a little, cause the metal plate sits on the corner of your super razor sharp cutter, when you press down even the slightest bit it dulls it a little. So I'm trying to refine my technique for taking the rakers down with using the tool every 2 sharpenings to keep the rakers even, then the sharpening after using the tool I just take a swipe off em'.:greenchainsaw:

Take you rakers down then sharpen. Steve

 

[SawTroll]

Don't trust yourself by counting strokes because some strokes take more metal than others. Oregon, Stihl & Husky all make depth gauge tools that take the guesswork out of it. You just lay it on chain-its quick & easy. I like Husky's the best because it shows the relationship for each individual tooth/raker.

Yes, I use the Husky guide, and check some random teeth after filing - but usually not when just touching up in the woods.
I believe the Carlton fil-o-plate work in about the same way......