I was watching my renter cut some wood. Chain was .050. .325 . Stihl chain. He mentioned that he had just filed the rakers all the way off to get " more power". The chain broke instantly one he touched wood. Too big a bite I guess strained the links!
keep those rakers!
- Thread starter david newbie
- Start date
Help Support Arborist Forum:
Was this him , 
I'm still not used to depth gauges being referred to as "rakers". I always imagine someone raking cut grass
- Joined
- Jan 21, 2023
- Messages
- 1,033
- Reaction score
- 1,111
Oh my goodness.
- Joined
- May 13, 2014
- Messages
- 709
- Reaction score
- 674
I never wondered but now I know what would happen without them.
I see a lot of guys, in a lot of forums, reflexively stating: ‘Drop the rakers!’, without any idea where they are at, what kind of cutting will be fine, how chains actually cut, etc.
Similar thing with, ‘Gut the muffler!’, or , ‘Play Freebird!’
Other guys listen to them.
Philbert
Similar thing with, ‘Gut the muffler!’, or , ‘Play Freebird!’
Other guys listen to them.
Philbert
spuldup
ArboristSite Operative
I did that once on an old almost worn out chain with a 60cc saw as an experiment. Bucked about 6 pieces; chain went in the garbage. Great way to experience maximum NVH when running a saw.
We should make it a Man-Law that anyone who gives advice in there needs to post pics of their own chains. I bet they’d stop
Not me.
I hand file and never used a grinder.
My chains cut great until the teeth break off, then it's retired as a "stumper"
I've got one on a 036 about there, I'll take a pic next time cutting.....
Did that once on a half shot chain on my 346xp cutting some white pine. Yeah, that sucked. Never did it again.
Old "scratcher" chains had rakers.
Modern chains have depth gauges.
They're completely different in purpose and design.
However, Timber Beetle Larvae don't need either because even they are smarter than a motorised bicycle chain!
Modern chains have depth gauges.
They're completely different in purpose and design.
However, Timber Beetle Larvae don't need either because even they are smarter than a motorised bicycle chain!
I once dropped the rakers down too far on a rather good 30" chain I was using with an MS 660. After that, I marked it with a tag "maybe good for some soft cottonwood or poplar". That was that. My nerves were about shot on any other hardwood species.
Didn’t want to braze on new metal, to build them back up?
Might be a new project idea in there: ‘snap-on raker caps’, available in a variety of heights?
Philbert
A few of my friends like to file the rakers down a bit too much so they can keep cutting with a kinda dull chain.
I dont like it, the saw is grabby and stalls easy. I try to get them to use a gauge but they're stubborn and set in their ways.
I dont like it, the saw is grabby and stalls easy. I try to get them to use a gauge but they're stubborn and set in their ways.
Same thing with using the bucking dogs to leverage a dull chain through the wood.
Philbert
Seems a lot easier and cheaper to just replace the chain. I'm sure you knew that.
"Play Freebird"...
