Stihl 500i

That's pretty stinkin humble coming from you Randy. I still remember when you walked me through (over the phone!) the ignition timing advance, muff mod, and carb-limiter removal, probably six years ago on that absolute turd of a 201t (before the "upgrade kit" lol). I know what you'll say: "But that's just easy." But it wasn't for me... and I really appreciate the generous dispersal of knowledge with myself and others that you've doubtless distributed over the years.
 
Smooth in the cut simply meant spring AV VS rubber in the post I made. The MS361, MS441, and most newer Stihls all have spring AV as I'm sure you are well aware. The MS461s that these guys are replacing still has the old school rubber buffers. I can see the 572XP being an improvement in vibs transmitted to the user in that case. The issue I've had for years with Huskys 5xx series saws is that they don't seem to hold up very well.....and hot start issues have plagued them. I'm just hoping to see a 5xx series that is better in the 572.

Ah, yes. Truth. You can feel that difference easily.
 
I file them by eye,...

A really terrible idea in my almost worthless opinion when compared to your own, and for what it's worth. I (not that anyone's even remotely interested--why WOULD they be?) have found that INDIVIDUAL RAKER DEPTH PER TOOTH, is THE most important factor in all of treework times 1000. Not top-plate angle, not chisel angle, not gullet hog-out. NOTHING, Nothing, nothing (imho) even comes close to even TOUCHING individual raker height (per tooth, you gentlemen understand) for producing a smooth and fast-cutting chain, be it round, square, or I don't know what else! MARK brothers!! I speak da TROOF!!!
 
But.....lol. It's not like you need to compare each and every tooth to raker depth if you keep your chain even. Keep each tooth even and then you can measure one or two (lay the flat file across two teeth to see the gap of the raker depth) decide on your number of strokes needed (one, one and a half a bit or whatever, or two, maybe but doubtful three if you've been neglectful, you're weak, or your file is shit). Hit em all up and get back at it. I always strive to keep a chain even, each tooth is filed the same number of times and each raker too. The whole chain gets filed down evenly. Not each tooth individually.
 
Did a video on this ... I was helping a bro out and whacked a nail ... I reground the damaged teeth and then used the STIHL 2 in 1 to sharpen the teeth and set the rakers ... even though some of the damaged teeth were shorter as long as the rakers were set the chain cut beautifully ! The idea of using micrometers to insure the cutters are all the length is nonsense imho ... chain cut fine ! https://youtu.be/nNqHsDNlxGo
 
I file the rakers by eye based on how fast it's cutting. My local saw shop bumps the raker on a bench grinder. My saws cut fast and straight.
 
I tend to keep the depth gauges a bit low when stumps are to be cut. That helps to finish the cut in case the stump dulls it quickly.
 
I went away from the local saw shops long time ago ... I found that they would grind so much it took the temper out of the teeth not to mention 1/2 the cutter was gone ! Ymmv ... my 2c is that if you watch the chips and either a) sharpen the chain on site ... b) stop drop and swap ... c) bring multiple saws to the job ... you should be ahead of the game ... option d) would be ... ported saws with fresh , sharp chain ...
 
But.....lol. It's not like you need to compare each and every tooth to raker depth if you keep your chain even. Keep each tooth even and then you can measure one or two (lay the flat file across two teeth to see the gap of the raker depth) decide on your number of strokes needed (one, one and a half a bit or whatever, or two, maybe but doubtful three if you've been neglectful, you're weak, or your file is shit). Hit em all up and get back at it. I always strive to keep a chain even, each tooth is filed the same number of times and each raker too. The whole chain gets filed down evenly. Not each tooth individually.

O.k... Yeah... If a guy's diligent enough to keep that entire chain ceterus parabus, then you're the man, and you can definitely roll that way. It's just that most of us tree-service guys are never, ever, ever gonna do the work to file all of the longest teeth down to the shortest, and it would be silly for us to do so, since we can just individually guage the raker per tooth, and still end up smooth and straight. I do appreciate your method though.

Frankie: You ARE a wizard. You know yer struff, bro.
 
Wizard? Maybe lol ... I tend to favor the “trial and error” method truth be told ... lotta yappin goin on nowadays ... I honestly do not give it a second thought ... YOU do the experiment and then YOU will have the knowledge ... It goes without saying that you will PAY for said knowledge ..... one way or the other
 
I hear what y'all are saying but I have never done it that way. Start on the most damaged tooth if there is any real damage and count the strokes. Repeat for the entire chain and keep it even. Just how I was taught and seemed to work, how I've always done it. You learned to keep your saw out of the dirt that way too. Catastrophic damage was a bitch. But I always have just kept my chains even. Even(he he) if it meant filing down/off perfectly good undamaged cutters to meet the same size as more damaged ones. I'd bet in the long run it doesn't take anymore time than measuring the raker on each individual tooth. That would drive me bonkers.
 
I agree with squish. Way easier to start with the most damaged tooth, and then try to match all others to it's length. I wouldn't count strokes though since the damage could leave it 5 strokes from sharp, but 20 strokes shorter than an undamaged tooth (numbers just for example). If it is few enough teeth that are damaged, like from hitting fence or a nail in which case I tend to react so fast only 2-3 teeth get hurt, then I might not worry about them.
 
One of these days I'll bust out a stop watch and time my chains that have seen their 2nd or 3rd sharpening vs a brand new one. I'm convinced my hand filed chains cut faster than new chains, but maybe I'm just cocky :)
 
I hope your hand sharpened chains cut faster then out of the box. Most out of the box iffy.

Only out of the box chain that has impressed me was the PS3 PS picco.
Some of us was going backwards in our chain build off trying to make them faster. No problems though with the 325 3/8 build off.
 
I remember using a new oregon chain on a poulan. I can't remember if the bar was new yet or not, if not, it was very worn. I got the new chain because I couldn't get the old one to cut straight. The new one didn't cut straight either until I sharpened it. I've found most Stihl chain to be pretty sharp when new. Oregon 1/4 chain was the worst I've seen with uneven length cutters.
 
I buy 100’ reels of chain and spin my own ... STIHL ps63 3/8 .05 picco for the 50cc and under and STIHL RS 3/8 .05 for 60cc and above ... Both chains are sharp off the roll for sure ... That being said , a good hand filing or 2 brings em around for sure ! Nothing like the first cut of a freshly-sharpened chain !
 
Out of box is just a term used. :lol:

Yep I spin them new off the reel too. But most only understand the term new out of box. ;)

stock 39cc saw

stock chain and then a good chain by a member that entered.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XyMDowrSxZc" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jUZkArVKIRU" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 
Then same picco chains put on a 49cc 026 work saw ported.
Not the fastest saw by no means. Not one you would take to a gtg. Just work only.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cwnLprA-ZEo" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VXCkvWbvBM0" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 
Now I made a couple cuts with 500i.
Not enough to get a feel for it other than its a very good beginning of future.
We will see more of these injector saws I am sure.
If they can let go of fresh air engines and do these instead it would be a real treat.
 
Agreed... the fresh air engines mostly suck. I hate my 372 (x-torx). Cannot WAIT to run an injection saw.

Franke: Yeah... yer a wizard. Quit playin dumb, it doesn't become you. Just saw yer vid, man, that was rad. If you ported that saw, then my hat's off to ya, and I'm not worthy.

Kevin: Absolutely amazing vids. Stock chain sucks. I hand-file all of my work saws square. Extra time? Negligible.

Frankie: Wow, if I remember right... you were runnin 30 degree top plates on a square grind. Dang. Cuts just as fast (not faster imho) but tends to (if I've been taught correctly) produce a slower cut than 15/20 degree top-plates due to the extra parasitic drag caused by increased driver drag in the bar-groove. (The straighter the top plate, the lesser the driver-drag.) or so I've been taught, but I don't have the comparison vids to prove it.
 
Jed : I’m running off the roll chains on my recent videos for a baseline ... sharp sqr/sqr will cut considerably quicker especially using a saw with the stones to pull it ...hotwoods ported ... 50% faster thru the timber than an off the shelf stocker ; 30% with RS off the roll vs stocker ... 462c ... back to the 500i ... preliminary reports suggest 8.3hp + with a tuned intake (high-flow filter) tuned exhaust and port-work ...
 
Back
Top