File-o-plate instafan!

[blsnelling]

Brad here are some pics for you of the Husky combi gauge.

Thanks for the pictures Parris. That looks like the cats meow for the chain filer. For depth guages only, I think I'll stick with the FOP. Then again, perhaps I should start hitting my ground chains with a file just to put the final edge on them after they're ground. I could always use it in the field as well. Thanks again for all the pics guys. Good thread ChevyTown!

 

[parrisw]

Thanks for the pictures Parris. That looks like the cats meow for the chain filer. For depth guages only, I think I'll stick with the FOP. Then again, perhaps I should start hitting my ground chains with a file just to put the final edge on them after they're ground. I could always use it in the field as well. Thanks again for all the pics guys. Good thread ChevyTown!

No problem. Ya its the greatest guide I've used yet. Fast too!!

 

[CHEVYTOWN13]

Just trying to do my part for AS SALOON and us newbies for good filed work chains to be mounted to modified/stock saws for the long haul:greenchainsaw: It does feel better not having to file as much!

My top plate angles were way off. Particularly with the left hand filed ones. I'll try and take a picture.

Here are some pictures of the rakers worked. Night and day both in appearance and performance. It was chipping like a chipper. Chips everywhere.

Hand filed rakers

FOP

Surprisingly, the raker height was ok, except for the angles.

Don't expect fast times as I was running the saw rich because the last rounds I had for firewood looked like marble. Crazy dense. I couldn't see any fibers. The were branched pieces. Big gnarly knots.

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[ronT2]

No problem. Ya its the greatest guide I've used yet. Fast too!!

+1

I have a couple of the file-o-plates, they are handy and I like the angle gage on them but I wound up going right back to my husky guides.

 

[AT sawyer]

It would appear that the FOP has increments notched into the cutter slot so that you can determine which tooth is the shortest and joint all other teeth to the same length. I don't see how I can do that on the Husky device. Filing all teeth to the same length should improve saw performance as much as filing the rakers. If you have one bad cutter you can file it down and joint the rest to the second shortest one to lengthen the life of your chain.

 

[shwinecat]

Thanks Chevytown and Parrisw for your time. This has helped me out a ton. I realize the time and effort it takes to get the photos or the video and then put it on the computer. I just wanted make sure you guys know how much it is appreciated and helps people get to the next level in CAD. I have learned a great running or ported saw is not worth anything if the chain is not sharpened properly. Another great thread on AS.

Thanks, Brad

 

[BobL]

ChevyT,

Based on this photo your gullet width (from tip of cutter to raker) TO raker depth ratio on the hand filed raker is 9.0 which translates to a cutting angle or "rake" of 6.3º which is pretty well "spot on" what it should be.

On your FOP filed cutter below the rake is 7.3º which is clearly more aggressive but will cut very very nicely if your CS has the power to pull the chain and or your wood is not too wide.

Both the above look like fairly new cutters.

If you have an old chain with well worn cutters (ie more than 2/3rds worn) and use the FOP on a raker and post a picture again and I'll measure the rake on that one.

Cheers

 

[WesternSaw]

Chevytown13

Rick.Thanks for the video explaining the FOB. I watched today, and thought you did a good job explaining the process!You sill pictures were great as well.
Good thread you got going here.
Lawrence

 

[WesternSaw]

Parrisw

Hello Will,Thanks for your input on the sharpening process as well.Helps all us newbies that want to hand sharpen rather than going to the dealer.I didn't even know that the FOP or the Husky guide existed
Lawrence

 

[J.W Younger]

It would appear that the FOP has increments notched into the cutter slot so that you can determine which tooth is the shortest and joint all other teeth to the same length. I don't see how I can do that on the Husky device. Filing all teeth to the same length should improve saw performance as much as filing the rakers. If you have one bad cutter you can file it down and joint the rest to the second shortest one to lengthen the life of your chain.

At , the guage is handy, but I,m not gonna shorten all the others to match a short one or 3.Even tho I am a little anal bout my chains it just dont seem right to wear out a good file to make all the other cutters match a short one.
but thats just me

 

[gemniii]

Can anyone recommend a file accessory (FOP preferred) for ripping chain?

 

[CHEVYTOWN13]

You folks are welcome!

Bob, I don't have a chain that is 2/3 used. But I do have a 5100 chain that is waaaaay off! Not cool.

The left side cutters on the 6401's 20" chain were way off!

Only two were OK.

The rest on the 20" chain's left side looked like this!

Forget the right side. But I think it's worth saving, whereas...

I was going to take pictures of the 5100 hand filed chain with the plate on, but fo get it! I really screwed up the left hand cutters. I shortened the length of the top plate

Whereas with the right hand filing, I lengthened the top plate

I had to abandoned the chain. It's a brush chain now.

I'm glad I saw that Bailey's catalog picture:greenchainsaw:

 

[AT sawyer]

I file more crosscuts than chainsaws, so my lessons learned are to keep all the teeth properly jointed and set. A high CC raker will catch in the kerf and a short cutter goes along for the ride without doing any work. I would think the physics would be the same for a chainsaw chain, though a high raker would also keep it's associated cutter out of the wood. Wouldn't a variety of tooth lengths also make the saw chatter more, especially in dry hardwood? Perhaps more vibration on your hands.

 

[gemniii]

<snip>
I was going to take pictures of the 5100 hand filed chain with the plate on, but fo get it! I really screwed up the left hand cutters. I shortened the length of the top plate

Whereas with the right hand filing, I lengthened the top plate

I had to abandoned the chain. It's a brush chain now.

I'm glad I saw that Bailey's catalog picture:greenchainsaw:

Sounds like grinder time.

 

[parrisw]

Can anyone recommend a file accessory (FOP preferred) for ripping chain?

You mean for milling? like a 5° angle instead of the usual 25-30°

 

[J.W Younger]

I file more crosscuts than chainsaws, so my lessons learned are to keep all the teeth properly jointed and set. A high CC raker will catch in the kerf and a short cutter goes along for the ride without doing any work. I would think the physics would be the same for a chainsaw chain, though a high raker would also keep it's associated cutter out of the wood. Wouldn't a variety of tooth lengths also make the saw chatter more, especially in dry hardwood? Perhaps more vibration on your hands.

Not sayin my way is the right way but I pefer to keep that 12 bucks in my jeans as long as possible. so the short cutter goes along for the ride untill the longer one match it. When someone else buys my chains I'll let them call the shots.

 

[4mocajuns]

Is the FOP gonna wear out after many file strokes? Do you just file the rakers by drawing the file across the FOP? I guess for just a couple of bucks ya can't complain. That one with the rollers looks nice...... will it work for all 3/8 chain or do you need seperate ones for flat top and round top?

Sorry about all the questions and great thread Chevytown

 

[dingeryote]

Is the FOP gonna wear out after many file strokes? Do you just file the rakers by drawing the file across the FOP? I guess for just a couple of bucks ya can't complain. That one with the rollers looks nice...... will it work for all 3/8 chain or do you need seperate ones for flat top and round top?

Sorry about all the questions and great thread Chevytown

Cajuns,

The FOP's are made of really hard steel. Hard enough that the files just skitter over them like glass. Good luck wearing one out.
Breaking them is another issue though, they do break if ya accidently try and fold them.

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

 

[BobL]

I file more crosscuts than chainsaws, so my lessons learned are to keep all the teeth properly jointed and set. A high CC raker will catch in the kerf and a short cutter goes along for the ride without doing any work. I would think the physics would be the same for a chainsaw chain, though a high raker would also keep it's associated cutter out of the wood.

It's not quite the same because a chain behaves differently from a fixed set of teeth like a saw. Provided they are not too short, all CS rakers penetrate slightly into the wood. The extent to which they penetrate depends on how things like how long they are, how dry/hard the wood is and the shape of the raker. Obviously longer pointier CS rakers penetrate slightly more into the wood than shorter flatter ones. If there is sufficient rake or cutting angle and the raker is not too short, even the cutters with short rakers will grab some wood even if it is just to make a bit of powder instead of nice fat chips. Either way even though they have cut little wood there is still usually significant wear on short raker cutters and this wear can be worse than for regular rakered cutters because it can strip off the chrome coating 1 or 2 mm back from the cutter edge.

Chain is funny stuff. Most people don't realize that except when noodling, the cutters actually come up off the bar when cutting and keep biting into the wood until they can penetrate no more and the the cutter is continually pulled breaking back out of the cut and comes back down onto the bar. The chain thus porpoises in waves while its cutting, It's not what you'd expect. Because of this is fairly forgiving and can tolerate some range of rake and filing angles and still keep cutting to some extent.

Wouldn't a variety of tooth lengths also make the saw chatter more, especially in dry hardwood? Perhaps more vibration on your hands.

Yep the more variation there is the worse this is.

 

[parrisw]

Is the FOP gonna wear out after many file strokes? Do you just file the rakers by drawing the file across the FOP? I guess for just a couple of bucks ya can't complain. That one with the rollers looks nice...... will it work for all 3/8 chain or do you need seperate ones for flat top and round top?

Sorry about all the questions and great thread Chevytown

Not sure if it'll work on semi chisel? Does semi have 10 deg tilt back? If so I'm sure it would work.