# Silvey Raker Grinder?



## coastalfaller (May 20, 2009)

Hello all. Just curious if any one has used the Silvey raker grinder much and what you think of it? Worth it or not? We use 36" bars and I'm thinking of switching to full house chain. I don't mind grinding the teeth, but I can't stomach the thought of taking the rakers down by hand on a full house 36"! Any thoughts?


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## wvlogger (May 20, 2009)

its not that bad by hand i have done it. as for the grinder i would not mind having a silvey sqaure grinder


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## coastalfaller (May 20, 2009)

wvlogger said:


> its not that bad by hand i have done it. as for the grinder i would not mind having a silvey sqaure grinder



Yeah, we use the square grinders. We've got a Pro Sharp and a couple of Razor II's. They're great, couldn't live without them, but I thought I might complete the "system" with the raker grinder if it's worth it.


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## Tree Sling'r (May 20, 2009)

I have the Pro-Sharp and the Silvey raker machine. The raker machine just makes the chain that much better, I would not do without it.


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## Greystoke (Jun 1, 2009)

coastalfaller said:


> Hello all. Just curious if any one has used the Silvey raker grinder much and what you think of it? Worth it or not? We use 36" bars and I'm thinking of switching to full house chain. I don't mind grinding the teeth, but I can't stomach the thought of taking the rakers down by hand on a full house 36"! Any thoughts?


My brother-in-law had one when I was working in Southeast Alaska, and I used it a few times...didn't think much of it; by the time I got it set up I could have had my rakers filed using a Carlton file-o-plate, which is what I have always used when my chains get about halfway, just to keep them cutting true. I have a Silvey pro sharp that I can use the file-o-plate and a good sharp flat file and file my rakers while the chain is on my grinder, then I grind the teeth, works great, and a hell of a lot cheaper than that raker grinder.


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## coastalfaller (Jun 1, 2009)

tarzanstree said:


> My brother-in-law had one when I was working in Southeast Alaska, and I used it a few times...didn't think much of it; by the time I got it set up I could have had my rakers filed using a Carlton file-o-plate, which is what I have always used when my chains get about halfway, just to keep them cutting true. I have a Silvey pro sharp that I can use the file-o-plate and a good sharp flat file and file my rakers while the chain is on my grinder, then I grind the teeth, works great, and a hell of a lot cheaper than that raker grinder.



Thanks for the reply. I use the Carlton file-o-plate too. I agree it works great. I've got a bar set up (actually 2 1/2bars, so there's a sprocket at both ends) in our shop so guys can take rakers down or hand file if they want to. I usually use that then grind. I was thinking of getting the raker grinder because I was thinking of switching to full house chain and didn't like the thought of taking the rakers down by hand on 36" chain! Thanks again for the reply.


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## Greystoke (Jun 1, 2009)

coastalfaller said:


> Thanks for the reply. I use the Carlton file-o-plate too. I agree it works great. I've got a bar set up (actually 2 1/2bars, so there's a sprocket at both ends) in our shop so guys can take rakers down or hand file if they want to. I usually use that then grind. I was thinking of getting the raker grinder because I was thinking of switching to full house chain and didn't like the thought of taking the rakers down by hand on 36" chain! Thanks again for the reply.


Yeah, full comp chain can take more time, but that is what I ran most of the time on a 32" bar, any longer and I usually ran full skip, with a little semi-skip thrown in. I remember thinking though how cool it would be to have one of those raker grinders until I used my brother-in-laws. Also My Dad has a Ziegelmeyer raker grinder that I used when I was younger, which I would have to say worked better than the silvey, but I will still use my method.


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## Kiwilogger (Jun 2, 2009)

Crikey. I know a LOT of loggers (myself included), a LOT of seriously good fallers (myself NOT included), and not one uses a machine to sharpen their chain, or file off the depth guides.

I am presuming what you guys call the "rakers" are the depth guides on the chain, between the cutters...?


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## coastalfaller (Jun 2, 2009)

Kiwilogger said:


> Crikey. I know a LOT of loggers (myself included), a LOT of seriously good fallers (myself NOT included), and not one uses a machine to sharpen their chain, or file off the depth guides.
> 
> I am presuming what you guys call the "rakers" are the depth guides on the chain, between the cutters...?



You got it. Once you've tried ground chain it's pretty tough too go back to hand filing, especially when it's raining or the bugs are bad! I'd have to say that around here, probably 1/2 the fallers grind their chains, 1/4 wishes they could and the 1/4 are happy to hand file.


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## Greystoke (Jun 2, 2009)

coastalfaller said:


> You got it. Once you've tried ground chain it's pretty tough too go back to hand filing, especially when it's raining or the bugs are bad! I'd have to say that around here, probably 1/2 the fallers grind their chains, 1/4 wishes they could and the 1/4 are happy to hand file.


:agree2:Especially busheling! There is nothing better than putting on a money making, laser ground chain, and using it to perform busheling glory!

Cody


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## hammerlogging (Jun 2, 2009)

I hand file 32" half skip square tooths and rakers. Only touch up in the woods if I'm so inclined, and at the house after the day. But I have 6 or so sharpened by the end of the weekend so I always have plenty of ready to go chains- so I can do a quick switch instead of filing during the day, or take the evening off.

Which fraction of cutters am I, the 1/4 thats too cheap to buy the equipment I guess. But, if the grinders do it anything like they come out of the box, no thanks to a grinder, I'd rather it hand filed.


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## Cedarkerf (Jun 2, 2009)

hammerlogging said:


> I hand file 32" half skip square tooths and rakers. Only touch up in the woods if I'm so inclined, and at the house after the day. But I have 6 or so sharpened by the end of the weekend so I always have plenty of ready to go chains- so I can do a quick switch instead of filing during the day, or take the evening off.
> 
> Which fraction of cutters am I, the 1/4 thats too cheap to buy the equipment I guess. But, if the grinders do it anything like they come out of the box, no thanks to a grinder, I'd rather it hand filed.


Silvy square is sharper than out of the box.


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## coastalfaller (Jun 2, 2009)

hammerlogging said:


> I hand file 32" half skip square tooths and rakers. Only touch up in the woods if I'm so inclined, and at the house after the day. But I have 6 or so sharpened by the end of the weekend so I always have plenty of ready to go chains- so I can do a quick switch instead of filing during the day, or take the evening off.
> 
> Which fraction of cutters am I, the 1/4 thats too cheap to buy the equipment I guess. But, if the grinders do it anything like they come out of the box, no thanks to a grinder, I'd rather it hand filed.



I usually have 8 or so chains ground ahead too, I bring 3-4 with me each day, depending on quarter I'm in, (blast rock, species, etc). Don't usually use all them, but it's nice to have them, just in case! 

As for the chains out of the box, I always grind my new chains before using them, I don't care for the factory grind. Once you try ground chain, you'll never go back! That being said, I've seen guys who can sharpen a mean square tooth, that's not me though. I'm too finicky and prefer the ground stuff!


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## bullbuck (Jun 2, 2009)

the best faller i know recently purchased a grinder and says he will never round file again,and that dude can file,as soon as the my budget allows i will be in the market...


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## Kiwilogger (Jun 3, 2009)

hammerlogging said:


> I hand file 32" half skip square tooths and rakers. Only touch up in the woods if I'm so inclined, and at the house after the day. But I have 6 or so sharpened by the end of the weekend so I always have plenty of ready to go chains- so I can do a quick switch instead of filing during the day, or take the evening off.
> 
> Which fraction of cutters am I, the 1/4 thats too cheap to buy the equipment I guess. But, if the grinders do it anything like they come out of the box, no thanks to a grinder, I'd rather it hand filed.


Yep. I'm with ya, hammerlogging. I sharpen my chain straight out of the box. 2 swipes.

Oregon chisel is terrible out of the box, stihl super rapid is better, but it still don't beat a chain I've been filing.

I've never filed or used square chisel.


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## Greystoke (Jun 3, 2009)

hammerlogging said:


> I hand file 32" half skip square tooths and rakers. Only touch up in the woods if I'm so inclined, and at the house after the day. But I have 6 or so sharpened by the end of the weekend so I always have plenty of ready to go chains- so I can do a quick switch instead of filing during the day, or take the evening off.
> 
> Which fraction of cutters am I, the 1/4 thats too cheap to buy the equipment I guess. But, if the grinders do it anything like they come out of the box, no thanks to a grinder, I'd rather it hand filed.


There is no comparing my "grind" to a factory grind. That being said, grinding takes patience, and time to master just like chisel filing. You MUST set up your grinder correctly, and learn how to use it by figuring out what angles work best for the conditions and wood you are in, and make SURE that you are in the corner...not below it, and definately not above it...but, IN the corner; dress the wheel often, and you would be amazed at the difference between the two. I have always prided my hand filing ability and I put it to the test, by using a hand filed chain in a logging contest in Southeast Alaska, because I was sure that I could make it cut faster than my grind. I spent forever filing that chain, and my Brother-in-law who had the exact same grinder as me, and excellent judgement on how a chain should cut; ground his chain...he beat me by a tenth of a second. The next year I spent just as much time setting up my grinder and ground my race chain...I smoked everybody for the next two years until I moved away. I was a busheling for Columbia when I bought my grinder, and chisel filing before that...I made way more money after the grinder purchase. If you are a day-wager, I guess it would not matter.

Cody


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## Greystoke (Jun 3, 2009)

bullbuck said:


> the best faller i know recently purchased a grinder and says he will never round file again,and that dude can file,as soon as the my budget allows i will be in the market...



I am assuming that he bought a chisel grinder and not a round grinder, right? 

Cody


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## hammerlogging (Mar 3, 2010)

all i know is that between Burv, tarzan, and coastalfaller, and all the ####in hours i spend filing i'm in the market. one square chisel grinder please. maybe pick one up off one of those fly by night crackhead wannabe fallers?

i love auto censor. more of me maybe could use auto censor.


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## joesawer (Mar 3, 2010)

hammerlogging said:


> all i know is that between Burv, tarzan, and coastalfaller, and all the ####in hours i spend filing i'm in the market. one square chisel grinder please. maybe pick one up off one of those fly by night crackhead wannabe fallers?
> 
> i love auto censor. more of me maybe could use auto censor.





One of those crack heads stole my grinder (and a jack and a ported 395). If I ever catch them some one is going to have a bad day!


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