New chain?

What is a sign that I need a new chain or how many sharpenings should a chain last? I just sharpened the cutters and filed down the depth finders, but the chain is having some difficulty engaging with the wood. It is throw good size chips instead of dust, when it does engage, but I have to rock around or plunge in order to get the chips flying. Do I just need a new chain?

 

Pics of chain please, I would hazard a guess that the top edge is still rounded over

 

Does this work or do you need a lengthwise photo? Thanks chris

 

Rakers don't look like they have been touched and it is hard to see but does not look sharp either.

 

Lots of meat left on there. Find yourself a progressive raker gauge. They should be a bit lower that they are now. Is there a witness line on he top of the cutter? That’s a good indicator of how far back you can file.

 

Progressive is one that butts against the tooth in front.

 

Don’t go past the lines they provide as a filing guide.

 

I got this chain with a saw. I’d saw it’s given all its had to give. Just short of the guide line.

 

You can run it till the teeth start breaking off, if ya want.

 

Your chain is very dull

 

I gotta agree with everything said above...plenty of life left in the chain, it just needs a good sharpening, with proper raker adjustment...

 

Interesting, I had a sharpening session with six file passes on the cutters and six passes on the rakers. I was afraid I was going too aggressive on the rakers and admittedly don’t quite follow how to properly set the rakers height even with the tool that came in my cheap sharpening set. I did run the saw through some rounds before I took the photo including some noodling and some less than fresh cherry wood.
Like I said, it was throwing some good sized chips when engaged. And the chain has seen a fair amount of abuse. When I first borrowed the saw it was throwing dust and smoke and I didn’t know any better, and it stretched out a fair amount. The neighbor I borrowed it from also didn’t seem to know much about maintaining a chain. He seemed to think you just had to buy a new one periodically. I’ve been sharpening it before every use now and have the bar oil dialed to about a tank per tank of gas. Just switched out the air filter. But I also took down those cherries with some mud tubes a while back.

 

These work well...files the tooth and raker at the same time. The only bad thing is you have to have one for each different size chain you have...
2 in 1 Filing Guide & Saw Chain Sharpener

 

I like this one. And it lets you choose the files size. Just pops out of the handle there and replace with the different size.

 

Are your files worn, were you making any dust when you were filing?

 

Who sharpens the sharpeners? Jk

It was a new cheap file set within th last couple months. I didn’t notice much dust, but wasn’t really paying attention either.

I’m just about through my back log, but this makes me want to take a shot at the other neighbor’s silver maple rounds, just to see if I can really get the chips flying.

Then I should really give neighbor #1 his saw back for the season.. he said he doesn’t use it much.

 

A simple way to gauge proper taker depth is to tighten chain,sharpen saw , then lay your flat file across the top of consecutive cutters. Your rakers should have 1/32-1-16" gap between top of raker and file

 

If indeed you bought a cheap file set it might not be doing any actual filing..... just rubbing.

 

That's a pretty aggressive cut...most gauges set the raker to 0.025"
1/32" would be kinda close at 0.03125", but 1/16" is 0.0625" and that would take a lot of power to pull off, and be grabby!

 

I believe this chart is from Oregon®
Shows .025 - .03 depth depending on the chain.



.0625 might rip the saw from my hands.


Or I'd go for a little ride.