Most of the info given before my post I tend to agree with.
The rakers, bad name I agree, should be called a depth gauge instead.
Everyone who sharpens likes just a little different setting on their chain for a given purpose.
I suggest to most everyone who has sharpened their own chain with little success to go get a new cutter link or chain, the type your using, and never use it. The point is to study different aspects of the depth gauge and the cutter tooth. If you have a good brand name chain cutter and get close to that recommended setting you will find that your chains cut better than not doing the rakers.
Well now back to the "rakers" depth gauge as they are the topic of this thread. They play a critical role in the chains bite or not and how smooth a chain will run. They also affect the cutting speed, chip length, chip thickness, how much heat a chain produces, the smoothness, how much wear is put on the chains lower links and the bar wear. The "bite feel" is basically if the chain will self feed into the wood or not. We will not discuss, just yet, a dull or overly aggressive chain. The wear and tear, sometimes damage that they can do to a saw.
Do know this for a fact BobL has pretty much nailed it down for the average starting place to be six degrees Angle of Attack on the raker. It is only a general starting point and can be adjusted to your likings and the type of wood your cutting. For those without an angle gauge this is roughly about 0.025-0.030 on a new chain with all of the cutter tooth remaining. This can be moved up to 0.060-0.075 on a well worn down cutter tooth and ground down depth gauge. These numbers cut just the same depending on how much of the cutter tooth remains. These are just general numbers to go by and they are (((NOT ACCURATE))) measured on an elliptical bar rail as most bars have this feature. They are much closers to the real numbers when measured with the chain flat straight even. If you have and old scrap bar around file a section flat and then measure your chain on your bar then on that flat one. You will find slightly different measurements. I rarely use depth gauges and do not like them. The problem is they do not account for the hump on the bar rail and become too shallow as the cutter teeth are worn back shorter. It is not good to file the raker with them on the chain. Most people end up filing them down over time. One good point about that is they are more accurate on a worn down cutter tooth. To each their own...
I have ground off rakers completely and DO NOT :msp_scared: recommend that you ever do that. I do use worn out chains with no rakers for a specific job. I only use an old beat up worn out chain like that for one job only and then it is done and off to the scrap pile. The job it is used for wipes out the chains cutters anyway if it has any left :confused2: when done with it. Chains with no rakers can be used but be warned they tend to be a PITA to control in the cut. They are very hard on the saw engine, clutch, drive sprocket and especially the bar. They will cause galling on the bar. A lot of wear and tear on everything. They are anything but smooth to run and put out a lot of vibration. Try one if you dare but make sure your prepared to throw it away when it bites too hard and locks the chain up all the time cutting in a horizontal position. I'm not talking about bucking soft green firewood either
The raker is a VERY VERY important intricate part of the chain and should be treated as such. Most of the advice given here before this posting is GOOD advice from people who have sharpened a chain or two in their day :wink2:
