If you've observed your saw is definitely spitting out good dust instead associated with those chunky, rewarding wood chips, it's probably time for you to grab your chainsaw raker file and give the string some much-needed attention. Most people concentrate entirely on sharpening the hooked reducing teeth, but that's only half the particular battle. You can have the sharpest teeth in the world, although if the rakers—also known as depth gauges—are sitting too high, they'll prevent the particular cutters from actually biting into the wood. It's such as trying to get rid of with a razor blade that has a thick plastic guard over the particular blade; it simply isn't likely to take place.
Why your own saw isn't slicing even after maintenance
It's a typical frustration. You spend twenty minutes hunched over the stump, meticulously filing every solitary tooth using a round file until they will look like stainless- mirrors. You fire up the saw, desperate to see some improvement, but the club just slides throughout the log. A person end up getting to push down hard within the saw, which is dangerous and wears out your equipment.
The culprit is definitely almost always the depth gauges. Every time you touch up the cutting tooth, you're filing apart metal, which can make the tooth slightly shorter. Because the particular tooth was created upon an angle, since it gets shorter, it also gets lower. In the mean time, the raker stays at the exact same height. Eventually, the raker becomes degree with (or increased than) the trimming edge. When that occurs, the raker hits the wood first and acts since a literal "stop, " preventing the tooth from digging in. This is where your chainsaw raker file is available in to save the time.
Choosing the particular right tools for that job
You can't just make use of any old file you discover in the particular bottom of the tool kit. Well, you could , but you'll most likely regret it. A proper chainsaw raker file is a flat file specifically designed for the solidified steel used within saw chains. These files usually have a specific grit plus "cut" that enables these to remove material quickly without leaving jagged edges.
The flat file vs. the round file
Just to be very clear for anyone a new comer to this: you use a round file for the "gullet" plus the cutting edge of the tooth. You employ the flat chainsaw raker file just for the depth gauges. If you consider to make use of the toned file for the reducing teeth, you'll wreck the profile of the saw. On the other hand, a round file is pretty very much useless on the flat raker.
Using a filing gauge
While some old-timers claim they can eye itself the height of their rakers, I wouldn't recommend this. A depth measure tool is an easy piece of rubber-stamped metal that fits over the string. It offers a slot machine in the centre that enables the raker stick through. If the particular raker is simply too higher, it stands apart above the metal dish. You simply file it down until it's flush using the tool. It will take all the guesswork out there of the procedure and ensures that every single tooth is definitely cutting at the exact same depth. This is essential for the smooth trim that doesn't pull to 1 side.
Step-by-step: How in order to lower those rakers
Setting your depth gauges isn't rocket science, yet it does need a bit of a "feel. " First, make sure your chain is tensioned properly—maybe even a little tighter compared with how usual—so it doesn't wobble while you're filing.
- Place the gauge: Fixed your depth gauge tool over the blades so the raker you want to adjust is sticking up with the slot machine.
- The filing motion: Take your chainsaw raker file and stroke it across the top of the raker. You should always file from the inside of the chain toward the outside. Usually, two or 3 firm strokes are usually enough unless you've ignored your rakers for a long time.
- Keep it degree: Don't tilt the file. You want in order to keep it level so the raker remains a constant height across its entire width.
- Circular the edge: This will be the part individuals often forget. Right after you've filed the raker right down to the right height, it will have a flat, square top. That square edge can trigger the saw to "chatter" or jump. Take your chainsaw raker file and give the leading edge of the raker a fast little stroke in order to round it back off. This helps it go into the particular wood smoothly.
Hardwood vs. Softwood settings
1 of the great things about managing your own chain will be that you may tune it for what you're cutting. If you're mainly cutting softwoods like pine or cedar, it is possible to lower the particular rakers a small bit more than the standard setting. This enables the saw to consider a bigger "bite, " and considering that the wood will be soft, the motor won't bog lower.
However, if you're dealing with frozen walnut, hickory, or dried out locust, you need to keep individuals rakers a little higher. If they're too low in hardwood, the saw will certainly grab too much wood, the string will stop, and you'll end up putting a ton of tension on your clutch i465 black. Most depth gauge tools have two settings:. 025 ins for general use and. 030 inches for soft wood. Stick to the. 025 tag until you really understand what you're performing.
The risks of taking away too much
There's an attraction to think, "If a bit is good, a lot should be better. " This is a dangerous mindset with regards to a chainsaw raker file . If you file your rakers down too low, the saw becomes incredibly aggressive. It will "bite" very hard that the saw can kick back towards you with the lot of power.
Over-filed rakers also result in a lot of vibration. You'll sense it within your hands and forearms right after just a few minutes of slicing. It's also incredibly hard on the chain itself, frequently causing the drive links to extend or the rivets to break. If a person accidentally file all of them too low, truthfully, it's safer in order to just toss that will chain and begin fresh. It's not worth the risk of a kickback injury.
How often need to you check all of them?
You don't need to make use of your chainsaw raker file every single time you touch up the cutters. A great rule associated with thumb is to examine the depth gauges every third or fourth sharpening. When you're just doing a quick "tickle" of the the teeth in the field, leave the rakers alone. However when you get back to the particular shop for a thorough sharpening, have the measure out and examine them.
You'll discover that since the chain dons down, the relationship involving the tooth plus the raker modifications more than you'd expect. Regular maintenance keeps the saw cutting straight. If your saw starts reducing in a shape, it's often since the rakers on one side from the chain are less than the other.
Maintenance and care and attention for your file
Like any tool, your chainsaw raker file won't last forever. More than time, the the teeth within the file can get clogged with metal shavings plus oil. You are able to clear it out along with a wire clean or a "file card. " Furthermore, try to keep it dry. A rustic file is definitely an ineffective file. I keep mine in a roll-up kit with our round files and a stump vise so it's usually there when We require it.
When you notice the file isn't "grabbing" the particular metal anymore and is just moving across the raker, it's time in order to buy a fresh one. They're inexpensive enough that there's no excuse with regard to struggling with a dull one.
A much better cutting experience
At the end of the day, using the chainsaw raker file is about efficiency and safety. When your depth gauges are arranged perfectly, the saw does the work for you personally. You won't need to lean on the handle or even "muscle" the found through the record. It should simply sink into the wood under the own weight.
It takes a little bit of practice to get the tempo down, but as soon as you see the distinction much more, you'll never go back to just sharpening the teeth alone. You'll spend less period sharpening, less money on fuel, and method less energy combating with your equipment. So, next time you're prepping your own gear for the day of wooden cutting, don't neglect that flat file—it's the secret to a saw that in fact performs the way it was designed to.