rakers, drags, dept gauges

[tony_marks]

  ok this so i can participate in the forum in a useful[i think]
  way..how many [nobody answer] are guilty of taking them too low..im betting theres many doing it and gettin by with it because u got a strong power head..  use u gauges and be on the conservative side as to depth gauges.. if a new chain is at say.028,,and homeowners get away with using them as long as they do ,,without ever knowing what their for.. it should give some idea  how over done this mite be to one with just a little knowledge
of their purpose..been there done that..jmo

[Frickman]

The depth gauges are for just that, regulating the depth of cut. As the tooth is filed back, you need to file down the depth gauges to adjust for the slope in the top of the chain. I use a handy little gauge I pick up from a local Husky dealer. It is a little plate that rests on top of the cutter and the depth gauge sticks up through a little hole. You have two holes, one for softwood, and one for hardwood. You just flat file down the gauge so it is even with the plate. This is great because it allows you to adjust each depth gauge to its cutter. The one I have from Stihl gives an average of several cutters and is not as accurate in my humble opinion.

I had an old friend who is dearly departed file the guages way down on a 404 chain on an 075, just to see what would happen. He found he couldn't control it, it cut so fast it yanked the saw right out of his hands. And this was a large man too.

I think that the reason they are called rakers is because there are rakers on the old crosscut saws that do just that, rake the sawdust out of the cut. When the loggers converted over to chain saws they brought that term with them.

[fencerowphil (Phil L.)]

I like the term  "depth gauges" best, because that is the true function of the part. :P

As a chain's cutters are filed away - getting shorter in length and height - needless to say, the height of the gauges must also be reduced.  On two of my saws I do go for a deeper cut.  I have an old Stihl 075 which can pull the extra wood.  Also, my milling saw (Stihl 090) can.   On the 090 I set the depth to .040 on a .325 pitch,  .063 ga. chain.  Makes for some fast cutting.

I am surprised to see how many long-time users of saws do not tend to the rakers/depth gauges.   Anytime you see a firewood cutter making powder, instead of good chips,  it can be a sign of a depth gauge problem.  My tools are simple:  A 6" piece of lightweight angle aluminum, long enough to span a pair of cutters on a big .404 skip chain is my measuring straight edge.  I have two small wooden dowels with piano wire epoxied in:  One has a 3" piece of .035 wire and the other has a piece of .040 wire.  Lay the straight edge spanning two cutters and pass the wire under.  The wire is a "go/no-go"  test.   After I have decided how many file strokes will make the needed adjustment,  I just file and don't really check every cutter.   Then I spot check to see if I am fairly close.  (After all, the ripping chain has over 140 cutters/gauges per loop!)
I use the .035 for the 075 (.404 chisel skip crosscut) chain and the .040 for the milling chain.

On my smaller saws, I go "by the book". ;)
Phil L.

[Duane_Moore]

Good answers guys, I set my depth by the book.  norm .025 on smaller chain. for this I use a sparkplug feeler gauge, the wire type. just lay straight edge on chain then pass gauge under edge. these gauges are Round. about the size of a silver dollar, and have many thickness on them. only about 1.00$ at the parts houses. I cut first with hand file then set the wheel adjustment on machine, then away we go.since the 511A sets at a 60deg angle you can see how much ya cut, took me years to figure why the 60deg. instead of 90deg. or flat. this also keeps the wheel from touching the cutter edge.  ifin ya to close.  and welcome Tony,  good Question...   Duane

[Duane_Moore]

 ??? gee,  sometimes I run up I-95 to I-16 to I-75, will wave next time up that way, Phil L. real nice country up that way. Haul a lot of stuff out of Clayton N.C.   Duh--- Duane

[oldsaw-addict]

I've always, up until recently gone by the book on all my chains.Problem is they take too long to cut an average 10 inch log, so I started filing the gauges .005 inches lower than the factory specs, I still take a little while with a semi sharp chain and  small powerhead. I like to go fast on everything I do. Even my walking pace is fast. But I'm getting off topic now, I normally file my .375 chains depth gauges to about .030 now instead of .025 like they are from the factory, And I feel a noticeable speed and power increase. I like taht extra power, hey I should have chosen tim allen for my screen name.

[Duane_Moore]

 ;) well I some times go to .030 on stuff. depending on what your cuttin. Bigger stuff OK. Small stuff  NO.has a tendency to pull the small stuff to you, as in limbing, I don't like this. will catch on small twigs real easy. so don't let it get to agressive. also if someone else uses saw it can get away from them,  Good way to get hurt,  But what I know me from Wyoming..  Duh----Duane :D

[tony_marks]

   well theres different approaches to cutting fast.. if the poiwer head is strong enough...the saw will pull thru it.. my theory is that id get more speed in cut by keeping the rpm up,,with alittle smaller bite .. mine are all set that way...just different strokes an all ,,i guess.. this also would vary according to the primary wood a saws got to cut..