Chain Question: Are the Rakers Gone?

[Mass. Wine Guy]

The original chain on my Jonsered 535 is giving me trouble. I sharpen it so the cutting teeth are very sharp, yet when I cut it feels like it's not cutting well and like I need to put a lot of pressure on the saw (which I don't do). It throws chips, but small chips mixed with what I'd call sawdust. The rakers look varied. Some are little nubs, some look pretty normal. All could probably stand to have their corners rounded, which I find hard to do. Is it time to 86 this chain?

Thanks.

 

[Battenkiller]

Can you take a closeup photo? That might help some here to answer your question. As for me, I'm trying to learn about this stuff, and a closeup of a possibly worn out chain would be illuminating.

 

[LLigetfa]

Do you have a raker guage or do you just hit them now and then? I lost my raker guage a quarter century ago and haven't felt the need to buy another one. If you aren't sure about your rakers, a guage is a cheap way to remove all doubt.

I very seldom touch my rakers. Maybe one in every ten filings. With yellow chain, they seem to wear down some on their own. As for rounding off the fronts, I know that is what one is supposed to do according to the exspurts but I think they rake better if they aren't rounded off. If they climb over the chips, the cutter loses contact with the wood. That is the major reason safety chain performs so poorly... the sloped guard links climb the chips.

Green chain might need more frequent filing of the rakers since they sister up with the guard links and are too large a surface to wear down on their own. Since the guard links are already sloped, there is nothing to round off either.

 

[Mass. Wine Guy]

Red, yellow or green, I have no clue as to what chain is on my saw. I bought it in the boonies up in Canada from a small engine repair/chainsaw guy, so my thought is it's likely not a saftey chain. My gauge shows most all the rakers are below the cutters' height. Some are just way below. I just changed out to a narrow kerf bar and chain I got from Baily's, so I'll see what's what. Also, I just started using the Pferd Chainsharp, which files cutters and rakers together. Since I'm a mechanical ignoramus, it's possible that I did something wrong.

 

[smokinj]

Do you have a raker guage or do you just hit them now and then? I lost my raker guage a quarter century ago and haven't felt the need to buy another one. If you aren't sure about your rakers, a guage is a cheap way to remove all doubt.

I very seldom touch my rakers. Maybe one in every ten filings. With yellow chain, they seem to wear down some on their own. As for rounding off the fronts, I know that is what one is supposed to do according to the exspurts but I think they rake better if they aren't rounded off. If they climb over the chips, the cutter loses contact with the wood. That is the major reason safety chain performs so poorly... the sloped guard links climb the chips.

Green chain might need more frequent filing of the rakers since they sister up with the guard links and are too large a surface to wear down on their own. Since the guard links are already sloped, there is nothing to round off either.

+1 on the raker gauge if your not checking them with one its going to be all over the place and results are not good.

 

[golfandwoodnut]

I can buy 20 inch chains new on ebay(Stihl brand) for $14 so I would say buy a couple for spares and save some shipping charges. If you only have one chain it is worth having spares.

 

[Nixon]

The original chain on my Jonsered 535 is giving me trouble. I sharpen it so the cutting teeth are very sharp, yet when I cut it feels like it's not cutting well and like I need to put a lot of pressure on the saw (which I don't do). It throws chips, but small chips mixed with what I'd call sawdust. The rakers look varied. Some are little nubs, some look pretty normal. All could probably stand to have their corners rounded, which I find hard to do. Is it time to 86 this chain?

Thanks.

Didn't You buy the PFERD filing system ? A couple of strokes with that will tell You about Your raker depth .

 

[LLigetfa]

Didn't You buy the PFERD filing system ? A couple of strokes with that will tell You about Your raker depth .

Unless some of the rakers have already been taken down too far in which case the chain will chatter. Can't put back what's already gone.

Unless you just want to practice on an old chain, for the price you may as well go for new and hang that puppy up for a day when you might be cutting in an old fence row.