Chain saw not cutting
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Elder User
Joined: Aug 2000
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From: home
Chain saw not cutting
I have been using a gas chain saw for years. Put on a new saw chain & cut 10 chunks of oak. Than it acted like it was dull. Put on a sharpened old chain & same thing. I put on another used bar but no change. Cleaned everything. Clutch seems to work ok. I know the chain is not on backwards because of the book & comparison with an electric chain I also have. Runs great but no bite. Any ideas??? 
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 13,873
Likes: 3
From: Atlanta GA
If you went into the same kerf/cut where it started to act dull, then it is possible you hit something in the wood. I have cut cables, concrete, nails, what I think were lead cannon *****, pulleys, etc.
Now, you could have hit something with the new chain and the old chains just need the rakers taken down. If a chain is not too much money, then put it on and cut on a different piece of wood.
If the chain is just stopping, then maybe the engine is blown. Lift the saw up and hold it by just the cord handle, it should stay up or drop slowly if the compression is good.
Now, you could have hit something with the new chain and the old chains just need the rakers taken down. If a chain is not too much money, then put it on and cut on a different piece of wood.
If the chain is just stopping, then maybe the engine is blown. Lift the saw up and hold it by just the cord handle, it should stay up or drop slowly if the compression is good.
Hotshot
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 10,250
Likes: 7,678
From: Chino Valley, Arizona
Originally Posted by chrono4
whats a raker?
Last edited by helifixer; Mar 26, 2006 at 02:14 PM.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 5,377
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From: Elkhart IN
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Tuned
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 417
Likes: 26
How far do you guys take the rakers down? One of my brothers-in-law says he takes his all the way off.
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Junior User
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 76
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From: Ontario, Canada
Originally Posted by cokeman
How far do you guys take the rakers down? One of my brothers-in-law says he takes his all the way off.
Without the depth guages (rakers), your chain will be far too aggressive. This will make the saw very difficult to control and dangerous. It will also wear out your saw much quicker.
Best advice you will get is to go pick up a set of filing guides. The guides will help you to control the depth and get the angle on the teeth consistant.
Depth Guide
Angle Guide
Fancy (overkill) Guide
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 104
Likes: 0
From: Richmond, KY
Originally Posted by Defective
Please ignore your brother-in-law.
Without the depth guages (rakers), your chain will be far too aggressive. This will make the saw very difficult to control and dangerous. It will also wear out your saw much quicker.
Best advice you will get is to go pick up a set of filing guides. The guides will help you to control the depth and get the angle on the teeth consistant.
Depth Guide
Angle Guide
Fancy (overkill) Guide
Without the depth guages (rakers), your chain will be far too aggressive. This will make the saw very difficult to control and dangerous. It will also wear out your saw much quicker.
Best advice you will get is to go pick up a set of filing guides. The guides will help you to control the depth and get the angle on the teeth consistant.
Depth Guide
Angle Guide
Fancy (overkill) Guide
Rakers set the depth of cut on a chain. Too high, no cut, too low more cut. Most aquainted with saw's and chain's file the teeth and the rakers the same, every time to keep them even. I did plenty of time on both sides of the chain when I was in HS, I earned money cutting wood and clamming when I was on suspention for this or that. LOL, I earned more money while I was suspended than I ever did in class and busting my butt while in class.
Hope this helps!
PK
Junior User
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 76
Likes: 0
From: Ontario, Canada
Originally Posted by chrono4
all the links took me to the same site.
Originally Posted by IrishEKU
Good points though the links bore the same results.
Probably the redirector...maybe cookies...annoying...
Looking for product numbers:
Depth Guide = 54-5621-4
Angle Guide = 54-5647-4
Fancy (overkill) Guide = 54-5624-8
Could probably just find better links, but I'm too lazy...
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 13,873
Likes: 3
From: Atlanta GA
Rakers for most chains should be .025 - .030 below the lead cutting edge, too much and the chain will not cut. There are some exceptions, but, for most saws this is a good rule of thumb. Without rakers your chain will not cut at all because the rakers do just that, they rake the wood and break the fibers so the chisel part on the chain can lift the chip.
Some chain (mostly full comp safety chain - 91V and 72v) is not suppose to have the rakers filed down at all.
What you can do is take an old chain, give every raker a quick two swipes with a flat file and see if the chain cuts better on a side by side cut. If it starts throwing out big square chips then it is spot on.
Some chain (mostly full comp safety chain - 91V and 72v) is not suppose to have the rakers filed down at all.
What you can do is take an old chain, give every raker a quick two swipes with a flat file and see if the chain cuts better on a side by side cut. If it starts throwing out big square chips then it is spot on.
Junior User
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 76
Likes: 0
From: Ontario, Canada
Originally Posted by rebocardo
Without rakers your chain will not cut at all because the rakers do just that, they rake the wood and break the fibers so the chisel part on the chain can lift the chip.
I really don't intend to sound insulting...but...
This statement is 100% wrong.
The only thing the "rakers" do is control the depth each tooth can cut into the wood. The depth guages (rakers) have no edge to cut with. If your saw chain is "breaking" the wood, it's dull.