Rakers too low

[livemusic]

I filed rakers down yesterday for the first time on a chain because I figured it was time. The saw cut like crazy but was extremely grabby and lurchy if that's a word. I thought I remembered that this means that I need to file the teeth a bit more, went too deep on the rakers. I watched a youtube and it confirmed that as the solution. Reason for this post... in one of the comments for that youtube video, a fellow from the UK said that rakers are called restrictors over there... the raker restricts the amount of wood cut by the tooth. Never heard their name but makes more sense to me than raker, meaning rake the chips out of the kerf. And drag or depth gauge, similarly, makes sense, yes, but is also not as good a name. They all make sense. I suppose there are two functions.

I look forward to cutting after filing my teeth a bit, I bet my saw will fly!

 

[Squareground3691]

A raker gauge will help you, if you didn’t use it the first time sounds like you didn’t .

 

[ElevatorGuy]

How many swipes did you take? I filed a buddies chain, took 3 swipes with a flat file. He was amazed at the cut after. He had cut wood for 40 years and never heard of filing the rakers.

 

[redneckhillbilly]

If the saw is still cutting good and managable I would still run it, eventually the cuttimg teeth will wear down and it will be normal again.

i use a file gauge thqt gets it to 25 thou, than I give it an extra swipe with the file

 

[Duane(Pa)]

Raker is a throwback term from crosscut saw blade terminology. Depth gauge is more accurate. Unless it’s absolutely unmanageable, I would work with it until things get back to normal. I guess it depends on how bad it is...

 

[livemusic]

If the saw is still cutting good and managable I would still run it, eventually the cuttimg teeth will wear down and it will be normal again.

i use a file gauge thqt gets it to 25 thou, than I give it an extra swipe with the file

Thanks for your post because I wondered about that, would it just correct itself with use.

I did five swipes with the file and I probably should have done three or four. The first swipe didn't seem to do a thing, the rakers were somewhat pointy. I did not use a raker gauge but I do have a Husqvarna roller gizmo I can use from here on out.

 

[redneckhillbilly]

I loved it when I get a chain filed perfectly and it's self feeding

 

[Wonkydonkey]

It’s amazing, when you get asked by Jonny homeowner sawyer. My saw don’t cut.!

then yup you find… teeth filled back halfway and the depth gauges/rakers not touched at all ..

Then they say… ohh. I didn’t know about that…

anyhoo, as long as they understand and listen….etc…

but many of them don’t even understand when you show them and say a little makes a big difference (and you fellow sawnutts know what I’m saying)

 

[JugHead27]

It’s amazing, when you get asked by Jonny homeowner sawyer. My saw don’t cut.!

then yup you find… teeth filled back halfway and the depth gauges/rakers not touched at all ..

Then they say… ohh. I didn’t know about that…

anyhoo, as long as they understand and listen….etc…

but many of them don’t even understand when you show them and say a little makes a big difference (and you fellow sawnutts know what I’m saying)

I ran into that plenty of times sharpening folks saws, one time I tell them about rakers and how they need to be taken down as the tooth gets shorter, next time I’m looking at his chain I’m dumbfounded because I ask”did you take the rakers down?” …”yea” ….. amd I ask with what?
Angle grinder LOL
they were completely shaved down and the chain was no good

 

[Squareground3691]

I ran into that plenty of times sharpening folks saws, one time I tell them about rakers and how they need to be taken down as the tooth gets shorter, next time I’m looking at his chain I’m dumbfounded because I ask”did you take the rakers down?” …”yea” ….. amd I ask with what?
Angle grinder LOL
they were completely shaved down and the chain was no good

The gauge is the most overlooked underused tool , but just as critical as keeping a razor sharp chain for a good day in the wood .

 

[JugHead27]

The gauge is the most overlooked underused tool , but just as critical as keeping a razor sharp chain for a good day in the wood .

Oh no I explains that to them and they still did it lol which made it even funnier to me

 

[MemphisMechanic]

Buy a raker gauge - I’m a huge fan of Weatcoast Saw’s - and make it a habit to use it every 3-4 sharpenings.

Avoid listening to anyone who tells you to always file the exact same number of strokes on each tooth - if I rock four teeth on a 32 inch chain I don’t want to carve all the others back to match them. It’s a waste of time and of cutter life.

File each tooth until it’s fully sharpened, expecting that some will need much more love than others if you’ve been using the saw hard. Then use a gauge to set each raker the exact same distance below that cutter.

Your saw will cut smooth as glass despite the difference in tooth height, as each chisel is removing the same amount of wood. Leaving a difference in cutter vs raker height makes for a chattering choppy feeling cut. Only someone who has filed their rakers down too far will have a grabbier, rougher cut.

 

[huskihl]

Could just be that you’re not used to it. I’ve seen guys at gtg’s with supposedly sharp chains and the first thing they do is jam the dogs into a 12” log and start prying up on the handle to get it to cut.
Try cutting without letting the dogs touch wood. Once you bury the bar, the jerkiness fades a little. And once you’ve made a dozen cuts, the chain will dull a little bit and you won’t notice it as much.
In my opinion, you shouldn’t need to use the dogs or any down pressure to cut a 12” log. The chain should do it on its own. Totally different story when you get into 30” logs when the chain is loaded full of chips.

 

[TheWizard]

a fellow from the UK said that rakers are called restrictors over there...

never ever heard of rakers called restrictors, maybe in a posh area everyone I know call them what they are, rakers. Use a good gauge its quick and easy and each one is set to that cutter, much more accurate than doing them all the same. Unless your using a grinder then everything is the same, the down side of that is if only a few cutters get hit the grinder will take them all back to their length, thats a waste.

 

[Sloughfoot]

Buy a raker gauge - I’m a huge fan of Weatcoast Saw’s - and make it a habit to use it every 3-4 sharpenings.

Avoid listening to anyone who tells you to always file the exact same number of strokes on each tooth - if I rock four teeth on a 32 inch chain I don’t want to carve all the others back to match them. It’s a waste of time and of cutter life.

File each tooth until it’s fully sharpened, expecting that some will need much more love than others if you’ve been using the saw hard. Then use a gauge to set each raker the exact same distance below that cutter.

Your saw will cut smooth as glass despite the difference in tooth height, as each chisel is removing the same amount of wood. Leaving a difference in cutter vs raker height makes for a chattering choppy feeling cut. Only someone who has filed their rakers down too far will have a grabbier, rougher cut.

The WCS gauges are an outstanding design. I do wish their 3/8 full comp started at .020, not .025.