Raker profile

[RI Chevy]

I hear you Kenny. Just kind of thinking outloud. Only real way to really track any changes made.
I did a whole series of tests with .325 chain and filing it with different angles and files. Bottom line I got the .325 to cut like 3/8. Only with Stihl and Oregon full chisel. Carlton did not like the same treatment.
I made a whole series of vids with every change. Some were better, some were not...

 

[RI Chevy]

I'm in a similar predicament, in the middle of a 320 sq ft slab patio and no time to cut wood.
View attachment 192070

LOL. Too hot right now too! Lol

 

[Lightning Performance]

Beathable air will be here today. Topping out in the low eighties, finally.

Grinder pics....no not those ones

 

[Willard]

LOL. Too hot right now too! Lol

Hot here too, 90F with lots of humidity. Feels like a 100f

 

[Lightning Performance]

Net just went whacked wtf...

 

[Lightning Performance]

No go

 

[RI Chevy]

Nice Grinder Ken. Take some before and after pics of the cutters please.

 

[Wilhelm]

Husqvarna C83 chain.

Oregon EXL chain

Same saw, bar, and test piece of wood.

Husqvarna is faster by a landslide, kinda unexpected.

 

[RI Chevy]

I was just as shocked as you.
But I have had a couple loops if EXL that were very fast. The loop used in this video was exceptionly slow...

 

[Wilhelm]

BTW, great videos.

I played them simultaneously, made it easy to see the difference in performance of the chains.

 

[RI Chevy]

Lol. Cool!

 

[ChipsFlyin]

I try to round my rakers or at least angle front to back to help keep the least amount of resistance. The more raker touching the wood the more friction. It does not look like much but multiply x 20 or 30 in a cut and it adds up.

 

[RI Chevy]

Good points.

 

[Carhartt]

So a 35 degree raker would be better than a 5 degree? As long as the leading edge of the raker is lower than the back of the leading tooth, does it really matter if it is rounded over or pointed?

 

[ChipsFlyin]

So a 35 degree raker would be better than a 5 degree? As long as the leading edge of the raker is lower than the back of the leading tooth, does it really matter if it is rounded over or pointed?

The back of the raker should be the last thing hitting the wood as the cutter enters. If I'm really going OCD on a chain I look at the point of the cutter as the top center of a circle and try top match that curve to the raker. That curve changes as the cutter is filed back. I think the cutter hits the wood , starts cutting , then hits the raker. The cutter is higher than the raker.... For that to happen the chain does not stay flat and rocks up and down on each cutter. The force and friction of the cutter hitting and cutting has to have an opposite reaction pulling the raker towards the wood. That action creates an arc. I know deep chit.

Here's Mason's simple description. It does not show the full chain movement though.

To answer your question. I think raker angle/ curve does matter.

 

[ChipsFlyin]

The back of the raker should be the last thing hitting the wood as the cutter enters. If I'm really going OCD on a chain I look at the point of the cutter as the top center of a circle and try top match that curve to the raker. That curve changes as the cutter is filed back. I think the cutter hits the wood , starts cutting , then hits the raker. The cutter is higher than the raker.... For that to happen the chain does not stay flat and rocks up and down on each cutter. The force and friction of the cutter hitting and cutting has to have an opposite reaction pulling the raker towards the wood. That action creates an arc. I know deep chit.

Here's Mason's simple description. It does not show the full chain movement though.

To answer your question. I think raker angle/ curve does matter.

Opps forgot to attach.
http://madsens1.com/bnc_how_wks.htm

 

[Willard]

An hour or so in the wood will hone and smooth the depth gauge front contours real nice

 

[Wood Doctor]

An hour or so in the wood will hone and smooth the depth gauge front contours real nice

Willard, I am having a hard time believing that wood, such as the cottonwood, poplar, and basswood that I cut frequently will shape in an hour or so the hardened steel of a chain loop's raker. Please advise.

 

[Wilhelm]

I tried them rounded as well as just angled, a rounded raker is more to my liking.

 

[Willard]

Willard, I am having a hard time believing that wood, such as the cottonwood, poplar, and basswood that I cut frequently will shape in an hour or so the hardened steel of a chain loop's raker. Please advise.

Yeah maybe a hour or so is a little conservative, but from my experiences logging jack pine and spruce the cutting action hones and smooths the fronts in quick time.
Now re read my post I didn't say "shape"...you said that.
I always round the raker's leading corner edge with the file after lowering them. The wood hones them smooth just nicely removing the file marks that are a curse for added friction.