What causes bar/chain chatter?

[IQRaceworks]

I picked up a new Echo CS-352 for some lighter work around the farm that I don’t want to use my heavy 50cc saw for.

So far the Echo is “out-of-the-box” stock……I wanted to run some fuel through it and get it broke in before I started with the muffler mod and messing with the mixture screws.

The little saw runs great……but unlike my other saws, the chain really seems to chatter a bunch. When cutting 6”-10” diameter cedar logs….the whole bar and chain would just chatter and vibrate, almost like the angle on the chain cutters is too steep, but the chips coming off looked ok. Every now and then it would start to cut smooth….but for the most part, it seemed to like to chatter a bunch.

I’m assuming it has something to do with the type of chain it comes from the factory with and/or a combination of the chain and the harder cedar wood I was cutting? Or could it be caused by something else? Like I said…..none of my other saws have ever done that, even right out of the box with the factory chains on them.

 

[Mad Professor]

Check the height of the chain rakers. Too deep will make chain grabby.

 

[irhunter]

I have had a couple chains right out of the box be chattery. They all settled down after the first sharpening.

But, by all means, also, check the rakers.

 

[rupedoggy]

Is it skip chain? Is it to tight on the bar, to loose? Are the sprockets matching of the chain? Is the chain for milling and not cross cutting? Are the top rails of your new bar perfectly smooth? Is there any wire, nails or hard spots in the wood? Does the gauge match the chain? Check the drivers for damage. Maybe your clutch is slipping a little because you are pushing to hard.

 

[full chizel]

Its Oregon VXL chain and its known to chatter. I toss it aside and replace it with Stihl PM/PS

search VXL chattering and there are a lot of posts.

 

[lone wolf]

Rakers!

 

[JimBear]

Its Oregon VXL chain and its known to chatter. I toss it aside and replace it with Stihl PM/PS

search VXL chattering and there are a lot of posts.

This ^^^^^. I bought a CS2511t , it had VXL & would cut smooth & then chatter. I read somewhere that after a few sharpenings it quits the chattering. I replaced mine with Stihl chain & have had no issues.

 

[IQRaceworks]

Is it skip chain? Is it to tight on the bar, to loose? Are the sprockets matching of the chain? Is the chain for milling and not cross cutting? Are the top rails of your new bar perfectly smooth? Is there any wire, nails or hard spots in the wood? Does the gauge match the chain? Check the drivers for damage. Maybe your clutch is slipping a little because you are pushing to hard.

It's a brand new, out of the box, Echo CS-352......I would like to assume that the sprocket matches the chain, it's not a chain for milling, the bar is in good shape, and the clutch isn't slipping. But I will check all of those things....thanks!

 

[Bob Hedgecutter]

Chain on backwards will make 'em jump about a bit.

 

[IQRaceworks]

Its Oregon VXL chain and its known to chatter. I toss it aside and replace it with Stihl PM/PS

search VXL chattering and there are a lot of posts.

Thanks for the info. I might try sharpening it and setting the rakers, and if it doesn't help....pick up a PM/PS chain.

 

[Brent Nowell]

I watched a video by buckin billy about cutting teeth and rakers. The greater the distance between the hook (cutting plate) and the raker the more stable it becomes. He also mentioned that filing rakers back to a hump instead of leaving them flat was not a good idea for stability.

 

[lone wolf]

Thanks for the info. I might try sharpening it and setting the rakers, and if it doesn't help....pick up a PM/PS chain.

Don't remove anything from the rakers just sharpen the chain. round the rakers very lightly if the top is flat.

 

[Dennis Gauge]

If I interpret the advice correctly, the long and short of it is you should find that there's nothing to "adjust" with regards to the rakers. They're already too low. You can't file material back on to the rakers.

 

[lone wolf]

If I interpret the advice correctly, the long and short of it is you should find that there's nothing to "adjust" with regards to the rakers. They're already too low. You can't file material back on to the rakers.

But remove material from the cutters only if the rakers are too low and chattering.

 

[EchoRomeoCharlie]

I had the same with my original CS355T chain....luckily I threw it one day and it kinked hard so I replaced it with Stihl chain...cuts much nicer now.

 

[svk]

New chains sometimes chatter. Oregon VXL is notorious for this.

Sharpen it and try again. Once you get to where the depth gauges are at .025 you should be fine.

 

[pioneerguy600]

Rakers!

LOL!!

 

[066blaster]

I filed a little too much off my depth gauges once and it felt like i had a log chain on my saw.

 

[Huskybill]

I notice that after a good sharpening but it will go away as the chain gets dull.

 

[svk]

In my experience flattened tops on the depth gauges increase chatter. @Philbert has done some work on this. Rounding off the fronts really helps.