Diy raker gauge

[Isaac Carlson]

I decided to switch to a progressive raker gauge rather than the "lay across the top" style. They were $10 online, and I wasn't going to pay that much for a stamped piece of tin that should only cost $1. I used .030" stainless steel. This is the rough cutout. I still have to set the depth.

 

[ericm979]

Nice.

 

[Isaac Carlson]

Thanks. I got it finished up and polished and calibrated it to .025" and .040". There isn't much room between the two because the drive links are taller than the tie straps and as soon as the gauge comes off the drive link, it's pretty much right at .040". I seem to run most of my chains around the .040 mark, so the .025 will only see use on the long bar.

 

[Isaac Carlson]

Here is the finished shape and the wear after one use.

 

[Isaac Carlson]

The weather switched from rain to snow today, so I tried out the chain I filed the rakers on. I made a few cuts in oak. I don't know if I have had a chain cut this smooth. Hardly any vibration at all.

 

[Ashful]

Can you show me how that’s used? Looks interesting, but I can’t picture it’s use.

 

[Isaac Carlson]

Can you show me how that’s used? Looks interesting, but I can’t picture it’s use.

 

[Ashful]

Okay, got it. So you're relying on the thickness of the sheet stock, like the gauges that come with hand file sharpening kits, not the depth to which you filed the forks on either end?

Since I always doubt my own ability to feel the projection of the depth gauge thru a slot, my setup is much more low-tech. I set a straight edge on the chain, and use feeler gauges to check gap between straight edge and the depth gauges. Once you've checked a couple, and re-calibrated your eye for the day, you can eyeball the ones that are out of tolerance pretty quickly by just peering thru the gap toward a light surface. My straight edge is usually a 1/4" x 1/2" x 10" piece of ground steel flat stock, or sometimes a ground steel ruler (I'm guessing 3/32" x 1" x 12") from an antique Starrett combo square.

 

[Isaac Carlson]

No. The tool rests on the tooth and chain links, making an angle. That angle is around 6.5*. The spacing of the holes/slots determines the angle.

 

[Isaac Carlson]

No need to feel for the raker. Just file it down until you hit the gauge.

 

[SpaceBus]

Okay, got it. So you're relying on the thickness of the sheet stock, like the gauges that come with hand file sharpening kits, not the depth to which you filed the forks on either end?

Since I always doubt my own ability to feel the projection of the depth gauge thru a slot, my setup is much more low-tech. I set a straight edge on the chain, and use feeler gauges to check gap between straight edge and the depth gauges. Once you've checked a couple, and re-calibrated your eye for the day, you can eyeball the ones that are out of tolerance pretty quickly by just peering thru the gap toward a light surface. My straight edge is usually a 1/4" x 1/2" x 10" piece of ground steel flat stock, or sometimes a ground steel ruler (I'm guessing 3/32" x 1" x 12") from an antique Starrett combo square.

That's how I do it if I'm not using the fancy grinder.

 

[Ashful]

No. The tool rests on the tooth and chain links, making an angle. That angle is around 6.5*. The spacing of the holes/slots determines the angle.

That's very cool! I've never seen one that works that way.

That's how I do it if I'm not using the fancy grinder.

I have tried grinding depth gauges a few times, but always come back to a decision that it's easier (both more accurate and just as fast) to do them with a small sharp flat file. My grinder isn't exactly top of the line, though.

In any case, with the file, I just count how many strokes it took to get the first one or two teeth right. After that, I just repeat that count (usually 2 strokes) on each tooth.