Rakers?

[BlueBeast]

So I went to the country today to wittle a oak into slabs and dust. Half way through the first rip decided the chain needed sharpening. I noticed the tops of the rakers were all shiny. The chain has never been sharpened, just 3 1/2 cuts on it. Is it common for the cutters to wear below the rakers before the first sharpening? Anyhow took the initiative to aggressively file them after sharpening the chain. A 52" skip tooth, in a mill. Things got dynamic, it went from a slow steady grind to one hungry monkey. A little jerky at first then it dug in and ate oak faster than any other time since I started milling. I always thought the rakers could wait til after a sharpening or two but man what a difference. By the way, has anyone ever been in the woods filing rakers and called up a turkey?

 

[pbillyi69]

i personally file them down on every chain before i ever cut a thing. i like to grind a new chain to the profile that i like as well. if i dont have time to grind a chain before i use it taking the rakers down will do untio i can grind it. i usually take two or three even strokes off with a sharp file. i have done it so many times i can look at the top of the surface of the raker and tell if i have filed enough off or too much. i always finish each one by rounding the front corner off too it helps keep the chain smooth

 

[davidwyby]

I like to drop rakers for bucking saws, but don’t like them grabby for felling…and one must be away that aggressive filing/raker lowering increases Kick back.

 

[isaaccarlson]

Rakers are never where they should be on a stock chain. Some moght be close, but at least a third of them will be high.

 

[Squareground3691]

Husky C-83 chain , is a smooth cutting chain outta the box , there rakers seem spot on ,

 

[Loony661]

On Oregon EXL I take one stroke with a flat file off the rakers when the chain is new. It cuts much better for me in Oaks this way..

If you are calling turkeys while filing, your file is dull/worn and rubbing, not cutting, the material away. Sometimes it’s just the angle your holding your file at compared to its cutting teeth and the chain. Other times it’s that your not holding the chain tight enough with your other hand, or applying enough pressure with the file. But most of the time, it’s because the file is dull/worn. Get a new file.

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

File the rakers the same direction as you file the tooth on the same link: outward (and at 30°, noting the angle doesn't affect rakers other than reducing file chatter). Filing inward or straight across causes chatter.

 

[isaaccarlson]

So I went to the country today to wittle a oak into slabs and dust. Half way through the first rip decided the chain needed sharpening. I noticed the tops of the rakers were all shiny. The chain has never been sharpened, just 3 1/2 cuts on it. Is it common for the cutters to wear below the rakers before the first sharpening? Anyhow took the initiative to aggressively file them after sharpening the chain. A 52" skip tooth, in a mill. Things got dynamic, it went from a slow steady grind to one hungry monkey. A little jerky at first then it dug in and ate oak faster than any other time since I started milling. I always thought the rakers could wait til after a sharpening or two but man what a difference. By the way, has anyone ever been in the woods filing rakers and called up a turkey?

The tops of the rakers should be shiny, they rub on the wood. The teeth can't just "wear down" unless you are cutting stone. Bigger saws will pull more tooth than smaller saws. What saw are you using?

Also, some chains are better than others.

 

[BlueBeast]

The tops of the rakers should be shiny, they rub on the wood. The teeth can't just "wear down" unless you are cutting stone. Bigger saws will pull more tooth than smaller saws. What saw are you using?

Also, some chains are better than others.

Probably just hadn't noticed the the shiny tops before. I have a Holzforma G660 and run Holzforma chains. I bought a Stihl square grind chain when I first started this big log,43", and imeadiately hit a clump of 1/4" dia. nails. The 660 pulls like a rented mule, no complaints. I'm obviously just learning about chains. Sharpened it still in the mill sitting on the tailgate, just wanted to get through the last couple of cuts to finish this nail magnet. I appreciate all the information on this site. Thinking next time ill take my shotgun in case those turkeys come back.

 

[isaaccarlson]

I ran a g660 last year and they'll pull some chain.

 

[Squareground3691]

I ran a g660 last year and they'll pull some chain.

Try one one of these, If you think that pulls chain

 

[Wonkydonkey]

I'm reading the op is milling oak into slabs.

Imo that’s way different to cross-cutting

For me, the rakers are
Cc 20 or 25thou
Ripping is about 50thou

And as others have said, if you want any new chain to cut how it should, then check all the rakes, some chains need more tlc outta the box than others

 

[Colonel 428]

I like to drop rakers for bucking saws, but don’t like them grabby for felling…and one must be away that aggressive filing/raker lowering increases Kick back.

Same here. The chain can handle more off the rakers sawing up and down but not horizontally. I felled a couple of big dead standing ash today and the chain on my 592xp was wanting to stick and bind felling. Finally got the trees on the ground and the same saw and chain whistled through the ash bucking it up. Just remember with rakers you can always take a little off but you can't add it back if you get 'em too low...

 

[davidwyby]

A big 1/4”/.404 file held a little high to take some hook off the cutters helps.

 

[Squareground3691]

A big 1/4”/.404 file held a little high to take some hook off the cutters helps.

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

Same here. The chain can handle more off the rakers sawing up and down but not horizontally. I felled a couple of big dead standing ash today and the chain on my 592xp was wanting to stick and bind felling. Finally got the trees on the ground and the same saw and chain whistled through the ash bucking it up. Just remember with rakers you can always take a little off but you can't add it back if you get 'em too low...

Could youexplain why?

To me a cross-cut is a cross-cut. There's more silicon near the base (the mineral that helps give trees strength) and depending on stresses the tree endured the grain may be knotted up, but the cut is the same (to me) other than having to support the saw properly and watch for unexpected pinching.

Noodling/milling (rip cutting) is of course different as the cutters are removing material in the direction of the grain instead of across it and doing so is more "peeling" the wood than "severing" the wood.

 

[HumBurner]

Same here. The chain can handle more off the rakers sawing up and down but not horizontally. I felled a couple of big dead standing ash today and the chain on my 592xp was wanting to stick and bind felling. Finally got the trees on the ground and the same saw and chain whistled through the ash bucking it up. Just remember with rakers you can always take a little off but you can't add it back if you get 'em too low...

The only difference in the cuts, other than the angled part of the face cut, is the weight of the tree on the bar. It's a vertical cut regardless of felling or bucking.

Turn the log sideways and you've released the major tension.

 

[HumBurner]

A big 1/4”/.404 file held a little high to take some hook off the cutters helps.

My crewboss sharpens his semi-chisel 3/8" chains with a 1/4" file from the start to reduce the hook and gain longevity for the materials we work in.

 

[HumBurner]

File the rakers the same direction as you file the tooth on the same link: outward (and at 30°, noting the angle doesn't affect rakers other than reducing file chatter). Filing inward or straight across causes chatter.

I'm not sure why it would matter which direction you file them. I've always filed them from both directions, as needed, to reduce any potential lip on one side.

Also not sure why you would file them at an angle unless the depth gauge is already offset (full-chisel I've seen offset with the tooth; semi-chisel I've never seen offset and would only file them straight/at 0* angle.)


Chatter is caused by rough filed depths, inconsistent depths, or depths not set to each individual tooth.

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

I'm not sure why it would matter which direction you file them. I've always filed them from both directions, as needed, to reduce any potential lip on one side.

Filing from inside the tooth outward (pushing the file toward the cutting edge) creates a sharp edge. Filing inward (pushing the file from the cutting edge inward toward the underside of the cutter) pulls the cutter in toward the file face, which is bumpy, which creates vibration (catch on the file face-and-release-and-catch), which creates a rough rounded cutter edge. It may be "sharp" but it is not as sharp as it could be. If you were to use a fine-grit diamond file the effect would be less noticeable, but similar. If filing correctly a burr is created when sharpening a worn (rounded, non-sharp) cutter, then the burr breaks off when the cutter is sharp leaving a crisp razor-sharp edge (potentially with less material removal). An added bonus is the metal filings are pushed outside of the bar instead of deposited between chain links.

Also not sure why you would file them at an angle unless the depth gauge is already offset (full-chisel I've seen offset with the tooth; semi-chisel I've never seen offset and would only file them straight/at 0* angle.)

Filing across a depth gauge (perpendicular to the line of travel, at 90°) causes the edge of the depth gauge to catch on the file face. Filing toward the saw head causes the depth gauge to lift and vibrate against the file which is counter-productive. Filing toward the bar nose ("on an angle" because the cutters are in the way to file exactly toward the bar nose at 0°) puts tension on the chain sprocket and pulls the chain taught, reducing vibration and makes a much smoother cut. Chain tension is maintained as the chain is resting on the bar flat. Filing toward the powerhead can cause the chain to vibrate because the slack created by gravity pulling the chain away from the bar can cause the chain to pull before enough tension is created to pull against the powerhead sprocket, causing the depth gauge to catch on the file face, release, gravity pull the chain back, and the process to repeat.

Chatter is caused by rough filed depths, inconsistent depths, or depths not set to each individual tooth.

The original question I was intending to answer is, "By the way, has anyone ever been in the woods filing rakers and called up a turkey?" To me that implies the sound created by filing (file chatter), not chatter of the chain going through wood with the powerhead running as that would not be a sound that attracts turkeys in my experience.