chain filing question

[snapper]

How do you all measure you gauge heigth see if it is right? I laid a flat ruler on the tooth and then see if a .025 feeler gauge would fit between the gauge and ruler. Is this a fairly good way of doin it?? How do you do it??

Thanks!!

 

[vsteel]

Oregon makes a small gauge that you can just put on the chain and you file off what sticks up. they come in different heights. The place where you bought your chain should have them for sale, it will cost you about a buck, give or take. (I am sure lots of other companies make simular items also.)

 

[fun_chopper]

Thats the hard way, go to a Oregon dealer, buy a depth guage filing tool. It is a u shaped piece of metal, with an indention and a slit cut in it. Place it on the chain depth guage, and file off what is exposed. The tool keeps your filing flat, and at the proper depth. You can check the end result, and touch up with the ruler and strait edge.-Matt

 

[glens]

The filing gauge being recommended is basically a preset version of your method which works well but for the fact that it's keying on the average of two tooth-heights.  The tooth in front may be longer or shorter than the one for which the depth gauge is being set with the result of the depth gauge gauge being no longer parallel to the chain rivets.  Unless there are gross differences in cutter length and/or you're not competing with the chain the result should be acceptable.  Husky markets filing gauges which should work well enough on either Oregon or Stihl chain and which use for the front height standard the back of the forward driver link.  There are two benefits to the system over the other type gauge.  First, the depth of cut is set for the tooth without regard to it's (or any other's) length.  Second, the depth of cut is progressively increased as the tooth becomes both shorter and narrower, resulting in a more constant cutting capability throughout the life of the chain.  The chain will cut smoother with varying-length cutters too, if you hand-file and end up with them.  The only drawback to the system is that it doesn't work on chain with bumpers on the back of the driver links (so far as I know anyway, I may not be current).

Glen