Filing Depth Gauges with Granberg Guide.

[CTYank]

I like the Granberg type jigs for getting sharp, consistent teeth. I think that a simple, drop-type gauge is simpler, faster, easier, and at least as effective for setting depth gauges.

Philbert

One of the big PLUSES of the FNJ is that nothing about its use is specific to a type of chain. No kludgy gauges (IMO).

Gregg, IMO consistency when filing chain is a goal, and a very good thing. Sharpness of edge is Job-1 and easy with a FNJ, because of its consistency of angles & ht. I've seen very long lifetimes of both chains and files because of being able to remove extreme little metal.

That's so simple to learn, that a couple folks in the area that I've shown how-to with one, wanted one. Forget the sheet-metal guide. So I sent them to you folk. Really, 15-20 minutes seminar, and their saws were capable of cutting wood. Critical part of saw maintenance. They both were county employees, not federal, and had measurable attention-span.

 

[J Beard]

I have one of the Oregon ones I bought from Hechingers when they went out of business (that's been a few years!), think I paid maybe $15 for it.
Only saw I had back then was a $5 yardsale Craftsman (Roper) 3.7 PS. It STILL runs great. (anybody know where I can find an air filter? This ones about out of flock)
Having not used an actual Granberg model I think it works pretty good.
Saw went from throwing dust to mulch, and cutting crooked to straight. Can't even guess how many chains I have sharpened with it over the years.
Instructions that came with it showed the side guides riding the middle of the rivets, have to keep the chain tight to maintain position while sharpening.

 

[CTYank]

I have one of the Oregon ones I bought from Hechingers when they went out of business (that's been a few years!), think I paid maybe $15 for it.
Only saw I had back then was a $5 yardsale Craftsman (Roper) 3.7 PS. It STILL runs great. (anybody know where I can find an air filter? This ones about out of flock)
Having not used an actual Granberg model I think it works pretty good.
Saw went from throwing dust to mulch, and cutting crooked to straight. Can't even guess how many chains I have sharpened with it over the years.
Instructions that came with it showed the side guides riding the middle of the rivets, have to keep the chain tight to maintain position while sharpening.

You'll find plenty of pictures out there showing the FNJ being run backwards, so "grains of salt" ready to go.
When those little chain clamps grab along the top edge of the rivets, TWO good things result:
1. The chain is held down onto the bar rails- maintains consistent file ht. Much better positioning than grabbing mid-rivets.
2. The higher the chain is held, the better it's restrained against rocking when the file hits. Basic physics.

Matters little what someone suggests, without cogent explanation WHY.

 

[redunshee]

No, the raker clearanse need to be "deeper" when cutter is filed back. The distanse to raker becomes larger, and that means you also need a deeper setting, to maintan the same AOA.

SawTroll is correct as the cutter is angled backwords from front to back. Thus as its sharpened the top of the cutter progessively is lowered. The File-O-Plate takes this into account but doesn't fit all chains. Is there another progressive raker file guide?

 

[SawTroll]

SawTroll is correct as the cutter is angled backwords from front to back. Thus as its sharpened the top of the cutter progessively is lowered. The File-O-Plate takes this into account but doesn't fit all chains. Is there another progressive raker file guide?

Actually it is the added distanse between the raker and the cutter that is the reason the raker setting has to be increased, to maintain the correct angle of attack of the cutting edge. This comes of top of reducing the raker higth due to the lower cutter higth.

 

[Philbert]

Is there another progressive raker file guide?

Some of the Husqvarna roller guides have a similar depth gauge plate built in.

Then, there is the DAF (digital angle finder) approach:
http://www.arboristsite.com/communi...ly-progressive-depth-raker-generators.114624/

Philbert

 

[CTYank]

Some of the Husqvarna roller guides have a similar depth gauge plate built in.

Then, there is the DAF (digital angle finder) approach:
http://www.arboristsite.com/communi...ly-progressive-depth-raker-generators.114624/

Philbert

Seems to me that Pioneer was the first to get really obsessive about maintaining the angle of the cutter body as the edge wore back from the depth gauge. Still seems to be an academic exercise, or even pseudo-precision, so long as the saw spits proper chips. (Strictly speaking, you'd have to obsess also about chain temsion.)

Knowing full well that ST will get excitable about that, but why? With 3/8 and 3/8 LP chains, depth gauge setting of ~.025-.030" works just fine to the point that a chain is so worn that it's spitting teeth. Still okay for stumping, though.