STIHL Progressive Depth Gauge Tools

[Wonkydonkey]

I will add, when a chain is filed 1/2 to 2\3 and the normal depth gauge is used. It starts to cut thinner chips/dust. When I used the progressive gauge the chain cut like new.
or if a new chain is manicure with a progressive gauge , you get good results, if you don’t like it, after a few tooth filings you could just go back to the normal gauge,,but as said in the previous post try the hard setting first even in soft wood.

I really do like them.. I think it’s a try it and see if you like it.sort of.thing..

I have only used the hard setting, as we have hard wood of all hardnesses


as for bore cutting I don’t do it much When the chain is 2/3rds filed it kicked hard, it could be me but I noticed it more than a new chain

I gave my mate a saw to use, he seemed Impressed with it,, but wasn’t sure if it was the saw or the chain. It did cut good chips compared to his (I don’t need a depth gauge chain) I just give the rakers 2 licks on file till it cuts way of thinking.
I looked at his chips from his chain.. 1/2 was dust

only one way to find out test one with a progressive

 

[fossil]

They're great, but very aggressive, the hard setting is more equivalent to the soft setting on an Oregon progressive gauge. If you are setting a chain up for cutting dead locust and plan on doing some boring, you better watch the file closely so you don't take them down all the way to the gauge, but it's great for bucking with a strong ported saw.
My advice is use the gauge before filing the cutters for most cutting duties in hardwood.

Mine are all out and being used, they are much harder metal than most gauges I've used so the don't scratch easily.
If someone scratches theirs and doesn't like them I'll shoot a few bucks their way for them .

Thanks for the update.

 

[Wonkydonkey]

I’ve a vid or two uploading at the mo, it’s me with my 036 and a 20” bar with an LPX chain, cutting some beech wood (around 15”) an some Lime wood .

I’ve taken some pics of the chain and the std raker gauge although it was filed with the progressive gauge so you can see the difference between the two.
Hopefully this will give you a better idea of how they work on the hard setting.

I’m no expert at making vids I will upload and adjust the vid & pics

 

[fossil]

I’ve a vid or two uploading at the mo, it’s me with my 036 and a 20” bar with an LPX chain, cutting some beech wood (around 15”) an some Lime wood .

I’ve taken some pics of the chain and the std raker gauge although it was filed with the progressive gauge so you can see the difference between the two.
Hopefully this will give you a better idea of how they work on the hard setting.

I’m no expert at making vids I will upload and adjust the vid & pics
View attachment 239782 View attachment 239784

It's a bit hard for me to tell, but did the ramped bumpers on the LPX chain prevent the progressive gauge from being tipped down at the front? On LGX, the tip of the gauge rests on the tie strap so you get a good angle on the front of the raker.

 

[Wonkydonkey]

Comparing the two gauges

the beech then the Lime

the chips

 

[Wonkydonkey]

It's a bit hard for me to tell, but did the ramped bumpers on the LPX chain prevent the progressive gauge from being tipped down at the front? On LGX, the tip of the gauge rests on the tie strap so you get a good angle on the front of the raker.

I’m not sure, but I don’t think so, I think you'd be filing the bumper strap as well when using the progressive gauge .
hopefully the vid will help you see

btw,, if you look at the progressive gauge, you will see some funny file/scratching marks, that was me being lazy and seeing if I could cheat with the 12v grinder to take the gauges down, as the chain got badly rocked, I had to take a lot off the teeth and then the rakers,,

I worked out very quickly that I needed to just use a flat file on the rakers..

edit,,,, here’s my info on my 036,,, so you can see what’s been done to it
https://opeforum.com/threads/looking-at-my-1996-stihl-036-top-end.20297/page-2#post-1056784

 

[RI Chevy]

Get the 036 ported. Give it a wake up!!! Nice chain.

 

[fossil]

I’m not sure, but I don’t think so, I think you'd be filing the bumper strap as well when using the progressive gauge .
hopefully the vid will help you see

btw,, if you look at the progressive gauge, you will see some funny file/scratching marks, that was me being lazy and seeing if I could cheat with the 12v grinder to take the gauges down, as the chain got badly rocked, I had to take a lot off the teeth and then the rakers,,

I worked out very quickly that I needed to just use a flat file on the rakers..

edit,,,, here’s my info on my 036,,, so you can see what’s been done to it
https://opeforum.com/threads/looking-at-my-1996-stihl-036-top-end.20297/page-2#post-1056784

Thanks a lot for posting the vids!

It answered my questions.

That chain on your 036 really rips.

 

[chipper1]

Comparing the two gauges

the beech then the Lime

the chips

Looks great.
Good running ole saw.

 

[Wonkydonkey]

I just wanted to show the progressive raker gauge on the hard setting in beech (hard wood) and small leaf common lime wood (soft wood,).. and the chips. you can see the numbers on the std raker gauge 0.65 which is what is std in the uk..
Fugg only knows what the soft wood setting is like on the progressive gauge...

 

[Wilhelm]

Bump

Back from the past, might interest some newer members.

 

[J.Noss]

Bump

Back from the past, might interest some newer members.

Yeah it does! I actually was searching for progressive depth gauge tools and this came up. It's a shame that Stihl doesn't offer that progressive gauge in the States though! That looks to be among the best I've seen.. I use the WCS progressive depth gauge and it's not bad. Really wish there was a better way to do these, someone that could make a grinder that'd have the ability to measure down .020 .035 .040 whatever you set from each individual tooth and then you could just go bump bump bump down the roll of chain and then there would be less inherent error and faster going.
I just took the new 24" Husqvarna chain I had and brought the rakers down to .035 today for running on my 592 and with as much as the gauge was showing me to take off I feel like this is gonna be interesting when I put it in the wood again! But doing that took the better part of an hour using a dremel tool and grinding disc checking it with the gauge at each tooth.

 

[chipper1]

Yeah it does! I actually was searching for progressive depth gauge tools and this came up. It's a shame that Stihl doesn't offer that progressive gauge in the States though! That looks to be among the best I've seen.. I use the WCS progressive depth gauge and it's not bad. Really wish there was a better way to do these, someone that could make a grinder that'd have the ability to measure down .020 .035 .040 whatever you set from each individual tooth and then you could just go bump bump bump down the roll of chain and then there would be less inherent error and faster going.
I just took the new 24" Husqvarna chain I had and brought the rakers down to .035 today for running on my 592 and with as much as the gauge was showing me to take off I feel like this is gonna be interesting when I put it in the wood again! But doing that took the better part of an hour using a dremel tool and grinding disc checking it with the gauge at each tooth.

That would be cool .

 

[J.Noss]

That would be cool .

That Silvey raker grinder was interesting I never seen one of those before, looked like it might have been setting each depth gauge identical to each other one but as I can't even figure out HTH it's working, possibly its doing what I had wished for, that is: setting each one dependent upon each individual tooth.

 

[Philbert]

If you sharpen your chains on a grinder, the cutters should all be the same length. So the depth gauge offset should be the same.

A basic, Oregon / Tecomec style grinder can be set to quickly do all the depth gauges the same.

Philbert

 

[J.Noss]

If you sharpen your chains on a grinder, the cutters should all be the same length. So the depth gauge offset should be the same.

A basic, Oregon / Tecomec style grinder can be set to quickly do all the depth gauges the same.

Philbert

Well this is true I probably oughta invest in a good grinder, I've been using a $20 Harbor freight grinder and it's made so flimsy and cheap that it has no true control over the amount taken off each tooth.. I sharpen them all by sitting on my knees with a light and closely watching as the wheel touches the cutter and essentially flexing the plastic frame of the grinder to move the wheel into the tooth as I bring it up and down. I can however get them just as sharp as a new chain with it.
At one point I had bought a Jolly Star grinder but it arrived busted in half so after going through a return and refund I was given this cheapie and since it works I've stuck with it. Every so often though when I rock a chain or have it bite a bullet in a tree I'll end up with quite varying tooth lengths because of how I do it.

 

[chipper1]

That Silvey raker grinder was interesting I never seen one of those before, looked like it might have been setting each depth gauge identical to each other one but as I can't even figure out HTH it's working, possibly its doing what I had wished for, that is: setting each one dependent upon each individual tooth.

It sets them all at the exact same height.

If you sharpen your chains on a grinder, the cutters should all be the same length. So the depth gauge offset should be the same.

A basic, Oregon / Tecomec style grinder can be set to quickly do all the depth gauges the same.

Philbert

Correct, and thats the only time I use this, which means it hasn't been used as much as I thought it would when I bought it, but it was important to buy it to show others it could be done .
What's nice about having this one set up with the motor spinning it vs spinning it by hand, is I can set it up and work on something else, doesn't matter how many times it goes around, as it will only remove what it's set to remove.
Once the shop in the barn is done, I plan to use it quite a bit more. As it is I rarely remove a chain from a saw to sharpen it.

 

[livemusic]

Bump

Back from the past, might interest some newer members.

I read a lot of posts at the beginning of this old thread, and also at the end of the thread... I know that the thread is about Stihl offering depth gauge tools in Europe and maybe some here figure out how to get some to the USA? Without having to read every post in this 10-pg thread, what's the scoop or link? TIA

 

[Philbert]

Without having to read every post in this 10-pg thread, what's the scoop or link? TIA

No link. If you want them, you need to find someone outside the US willing to buy them and mail them to you.

Philbert

 

[Wilhelm]

I read a lot of posts at the beginning of this old thread, and also at the end of the thread... I know that the thread is about Stihl offering depth gauge tools in Europe and maybe some here figure out how to get some to the USA? Without having to read every post in this 10-pg thread, what's the scoop or link? TIA

No link. If you want them, you need to find someone outside the US willing to buy them and mail them to you.

Philbert

What Mr.Philbert wrote!

Any European forum member can get You these gauges.

They aren't expensive, shipping will cost more than a single gauge.