Help with chain ID

[Byrdmando]

My friend brought a saw over to the barn the other day. We took the chain off his MS170 and on the driver there was a number 1. on the cutter there was a number 6. It was clearly a Stihl chain but other than that....I am not sure what I am dealing with. I tried to put an edge on it and was not successful. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[w8ye]

#1 = .043 gauge on the drivers

#6 on the cutter is 3/8" LP or Picco chain

 

[Byrdmando]

W8ye,

Thanks for the help. Based on what you stated above.....would you know what size file I would need to sharpen? I tried to put an edge on it using a 5/32 because it appeared to fit pretty well but the chain would not cut at all when I tried a test cut. I am clearly doing something wrong.

 

[w8ye]

5/32" file from the discount or hardware store

 

[Whiskers]

Did you check the rakers?

 

[w8ye]

Did you have the correct guide plate for a 5/32" file and did you have the file held at the correct angle (like 30 degrees)?

If the chain was sharpened on a grinder before, they may have hardened the teeth?

 

[w8ye]

If the chain had been sharpened several times the rakers need to be taken down to .025" below the top edge of the cutters.

You can buy a kit to do this at the store $10

 

[Byrdmando]

that what I used but it just didnt work right. I used the 5/32 and a 30 degree angle with the stihl file guide (the one that is around 10 dollars...not the FG2 or any bar mount guide). The saw seemed to cut alright for the first couple of inched into the wood but then quit self feeding, etc. I am stumped.

 

[Byrdmando]

I took the rakers down pretty good also.

 

[w8ye]

As someone already said, it sounds like the rakers are too high

 

[w8ye]

We posted at the same time

 

[w8ye]

What did the cutter teeth look like after the chain quit self feeding

 

[Byrdmando]

I think I will try to take a picture tonight and post to this thread. I cant do that from work or they will fire me.

Thanks for all the help guys.

 

[Byrdmando]

I should say that the file guide I used is the Stihl guide that is used for .325 or 3/8th. I assumed that it would work fine for this chain but I suppose I was wrong.

The cutter teeth didnt look bad but even before cutting the tooth didnt look like it had enough "bite" in it. Like the kerf didnt go back far enough into the cutter.....I just thought that the guide would fix it but guess not.

Also, when I first started the test cut.....the saw seemed to be throwing very nice chips which is why I was so suprised after only a couple of inches into the wood it just kinda stopped cutting and the chain and bar were hotter than a firecracker.

 

[Whiskers]

What kind of wood are you cutting? Is it really dirty for some reason? If it was throwing nice chips and then stopped, it dulled between start and finish for some reason.

 

[Byrdmando]

I am cutting a 6" diameter piece of cherry. Very clean wood.

 

[Byrdmando]

I am cutting a 6" diameter piece of cherry. Very clean wood.

 

[w8ye]

You need to get a file guide plate for the 3/8 LP chain and a 5/32" file.

You don't have enough inside angle under the top plate because the file was too high in your .325 guide plate.