Tuning for torque

[SawTroll]

Sawtroll and I posted at the same time.  Are you saying I should try something else, or not try it at all? From what I can see, the item that John suggested is basically an easy way to even up a bar that's worn unevenly.   Nothing to do with the chain unless I'm mistaken.

The combined roller guides and (progressive) raker guides that Husky and some others sell is a much better option - but you have to get the right one for your chain. They are made for different models and pitches of Oregon chain (which I prefer anyway), but works well on at least some Stihl chain (RS/RSC and RM/RMC) as well if you get the right one. I freehand the cutters, looking closely at what I am doing - but use those guides for the rakers.

There simply is no better option for setting the rakers - the Carlton FOP is close, but doesn't have options for "soft" and "hard" wood.

What chain are you using?

[SawTroll]

SawTroll - I think you misunderstood what I was talking about. I think you were ranting about the depth gauge tools - and I completely agree with you, the style that rests on a couple of teeth with a dropped part for the depth guage to poke through is far from an optimum solution (we've had this conversation before, agreed 100%, and I won;t go back into it in any depth here, unless the OP has an interest in it.)

When I was talking about the Pferd Universal Edge Sharpener, I was referring to their bar rail dresser, which squares up and deburrs bars. It has nothing to do with sharpening chains. Yes, you can use a belt sander with a jig to hold the bar square, but not all of us have access to those, and the Pferd tool gives excellent results for $24 from forum sponsor Comstock Logging Supplies (who incidentally also happens to have the best price I could find on this tool). Unfortunately, the picture below shows the non-working side of the tool or it is incorrectly assembled. It is designed to hold the file at 90˚ to a "plastic shelf" that rides on the bar as you deburr & square it.)

Yes, I did!   :D

[John Mc]

Good depth gauge tools:

   

   


Not so good depth gauge tool - but better than trying to eyeball it (sorry I don't have a better picture of this one):

[cliffreaves]

To be honest I'm not sure what brand my 24" chain is that came with the saw, but the ones I have bought have been carlton.

[cliffreaves]

Also, I'm sure the day will come when I cut soft wood, but for now all I seem to find is hard.  My father in law has about 50 acres of woods with maybe five pine trees and a few cedar that aren'the very big scattered throughout. Most people around me that want something milled, usually are furniture guys and gals that like hard wood.  Back in the day in West Tennessee we cut a ton of pine though.

[weimedog]

Late to the party and pretty certain with some of the names I see here the concepts have been covered. Tuning for torque.... really the saw tuned to where its designed to run will give it the most power everywhere.

You can TWEAK or if you have the skills modify a saw to enhance its power to happen at a lower RPM or in other words have MORE than stock power lower in the RPM range. And you can give the saw's power plant better mechanical advantage in pulling on that chain. Two simple concepts a typical person can deal with....gear it down with less teeth on the drive sprocket and increasing compression. Increasing compression can be very hard to do on "clam shell" saws but on a pro level saw like the 390 or 395 it's a lot easier. A ton of builders out there will cut the cylinder base to get the squish in a better place. Most have "recipe's" for that type of build. Some will also cut enough to require a piston "popup" mod....of course like anything there is a point of diminishing returns. Others will go further and tweak the port timing for "torque".

My suggestion??? Go simple. 7 tooth sprocket. ( Also learn how to sharpen a chain & set the rakers right for how you cut and how that saw makes power) No base gasket build if squish allows....muffler mod so even if it doesn't make as much power as you want it will sound like it is to everyone else..

[ZeroJunk]

If you remove the base gasket make sure the squish is at least 15 thousandths . You don't want the fuel detonating along the outer edge of the squish band and pitting the piston.

[cliffreaves]

Oh yeah, not gonna try any of that any time soon😲.  However, now that the saw's tuned back to where I like I focused on fixing the bar.  I set my belt sander to 90°, made a couple passes on each side and presto!  The bar still has a very very slight curve to it, but it finally makes it straight all the way through a cut now.  It'll get me through till I decide on a new one.  You guys rock!  Thanks again!

[Al_Smith]

Don't get the words tuning and modifying confused .

[RIDE-RED 350r]

Glad you got it figured...

A bar that is tweaked or in dire need of having the rails dressed up will bind when the bar gets buried... I've experienced that myself.