Self feeding issues

[Scotty Overkill]

I do too. Mostly because I can get 3 or 4 touchups out of the same raker height. I don't enjoy it enough to swipe them every time

That's a big reason that I do it too. That first sharpening, when the rakers are a tad deep, you just can't dog the saw into the tree as hard. After a sharpening or two (and leaving the rakers alone) then you can dog in a little harder....

 

[Toad22t]

Yes sir. I picked up a 1/4" pink wheel, tilt the grinder head 10°, and go to town. Takes 3 minutes on a 72dl chain. It leaves a 10° flat spot on top that you could round over if you wanted. But I don't and can't feel the difference

Do you keep your table flat or still have it at the 5* tilt?

 

[huskihl]

Do you keep your table flat or still have it at the 5* tilt?

Flat.
10 on the head, 0 on the angle, 0 on the vise tilt. You're doing both left and right cutters at the same time.

 

[Toad22t]

I'll try it out! Thank you again!

 

[Toad22t]

Well I won't be able to try it out today but here is the end results. I went with kevin's angles. Thank you for everyone's suggestions.

 

[huskihl]

I'll try it out! Thank you again! View attachment 159404

It doesn't take much. One tap that touches the set-screw and throws sparks can be .005". Set it high, get it to barely touch the rakers, and measure

 

[Toad22t]

It doesn't take much. One tap that touches the set-screw and throws sparks can be .005". Set it high, get it to barely touch the rakers, and measure

I set my height with my stihl guage. They weren't that far off.

My understanding with the rakers to high I would get a chatter and wouldn't get the nice chips like I was getting. Hopefully this straightens it all out.

 

[huskyboy]

I can tell your rakers are too high looking at them. Take 2-3 swipes off and see how it does.

 

[huskihl]

I set my height with my stihl guage. They weren't that far off.

My understanding with the rakers to high I would get a chatter and wouldn't get the nice chips like I was getting. Hopefully this straightens it all out.

High rakers won't let the chain eat. At .018, it's really smooth, but only throwing fine dust and not cutting efficientĺy. Some like to dog in and lift. Some like to let the saw fall through the wood. Just a user preference

 

[chipper1]

Well I won't be able to try it out today but here is the end results. I went with kevin's angles. Thank you for everyone's suggestions. View attachment 159405

Looks good Adam.
Be sure you don't get the rakers to hot when grinding them, it will make them hard as heck to file if you ever need to.
When I saw this thread title I was kinda wondering what it was about , oh chains lol.

 

[CR888]

Ya, you got plenty of inner top plate angle, too much hook. Take that advice of not going so deep but having said that your left hand cutters look much better than right (going from pic of chain in grinder with raker wheel on). That excessive hook will make a rough grabby chain. Smooth chain that controls well in the wood is what we want. You can fix that hook by grinding the top plate back some.

 

[RI Chevy]

I know I will be in minority here. But try and hand file the chain, or a different chain, following the witness marks on top plate. I use a file guide every couple of times I touch up the chain just to keep angles honest.
After you file the chain, put it in some wood and experiment. Go by feel. See how chain self feeds. Keep experimenting until you get a chain that you like. Then copy it and go from there. I don't measure raker height, as I go by real life cutting. When chips get a bit smaller and you have to lean on the saw a bit more, I take a couple of swipes off the raker. Trial and error will give you the chain that best suits your cutting preferences. Wood type has lots to do with cutter style and angle too. I only cut hard woods so I am limited.
I just got done last week experimenting with .325 chain. I found a couple things out that aided the chains ability to cut better. I am not sure if the theory carries over to 3/8 chain so I will not share at this time until I do more testing to be sure.

 

[Hedgerow]

Rock the grinder 5 more degrees to 55°, and don't drop the wheel as deep into the gullet. Stop going down once the round part of the wheel is to the corner of the cutter. In other words, try not sharpening the top plate with the side of the wheel.

I use 55° 25° and I tilt the vice 5° or how ever many it is

Works for me, can't hurt to try

This ^^^
Dress your wheel to the proper shape and the last couple spark out touches should be using only the radius of your wheel.

 

[huskihl]

This ^^^
Dress your wheel to the proper shape and the last couple spark out touches should be using only the radius of your wheel.

Pfft. What do you know about round chains?

 

[Hedgerow]

Pfft. What do you know about round chains?

Damn little..



But they self feed by gawd....

 

[Ryan Browne]

@Hedgerow and @huskihl,

Sorry for the beginner question, I'm new to grinders. So are you guys tilting the head of the grinder further to clean out the gullets without grinding the top plate with the side of the wheel? Then after the gullets look good, tip the grinder back up to 55 degrees and sharpen the top plate with the radius of the wheel?

 

[huskihl]

@Hedgerow and @huskihl,

Sorry for the beginner question, I'm new to grinders. So are you guys tilting the head of the grinder further to clean out the gullets without grinding the top plate with the side of the wheel? Then after the gullets look good, tip the grinder back up to 55 degrees and sharpen the top plate with the radius of the wheel?

No. I clean out gullets with a 5/32 round file

 

[Ryan Browne]

Interesting. Thanks.

 

[AVB]

The jury is still out here on grinders but I have seen many ruined chains caused by grinders (chop saw types). I even had to resharpen a new Stihl chain the other day where the gullets were a mess and this was on brand new saw. It took a while to hand sharpen to clean up the chain. It probably poorly setup and poorly trained sharpers but it still looks bad to me.

So far I only used a grinder on severely rocked chains or ones that have been overheated by someone using a grinder before the chain came into my shop.

 

[Toad22t]

The jury is still out here on grinders but I have seen many ruined chains caused by grinders (chop saw types). I even had to resharpen a new Stihl chain the other day where the gullets were a mess and this was on brand new saw. It took a while to hand sharpen to clean up the chain. It probably poorly setup and poorly trained sharpers but it still looks bad to me.

So far I only used a grinder on severely rocked chains or ones that have been overheated by someone using a grinder before the chain came into my shop.

When I first bought the grinder I ruined a few chains especially rocked chains. As for hand sharpening chains, I was never properly taught. My step dad passed away when I was 16 and I took him and his knowledge for granted on the things that he did. So I've either learned on here or you tube.