Excuse my ignorance David. I’m assuming the rakers are predetermined when manufactured. Can I brush each of them with a 4" grinder?
Also keep in mind I’m using an off the shelf Homelite 42cc chainsaw if that matters
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Is that why it’s in a small coop, so she stays on the eggs? Does she free range otherwise?
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We went from 4/day to 0 since the snow is gone. My guess is they are laying them in the woods and the dog gets 4 treats everyday
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If I don’t have a small flat file handy I will barley touch the drag links with my small girder . Don’t take too much off or the saw will be too aggressive
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Yes Bill ,
All the chicken free range but my son cooped her up for a couple of days with the new chicks .
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My chickens are kept in a pen.
But for some reason, they seem to ignore that.
I have a hard time keeping them out of the garden.
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Yes bill ditto what Wayne said. There is a guide you can buy that sits on two teeth and exposes one raker; two or three passes with a flat file on each and you will expose fresh edge to the wood. The rakers job is to clear the kerf after the chisel teeth cut wood. The problem is the cutters wear down a hair and the rakers are too high. If you insist on doing it with a grinder use one of those really thin cut off disks they are not as abrasive. A guide and flat file is only a couple dollars though. Pic one is what you need pic two is the guide sitting on two teeth exposing one raker.
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Bill I agree with David if your chain has been sharpened more than a few times your rakers probably need to be taken down . As Wayne said be carful using a grinder easy to go to far, saw will be very aggressive dig in, not cut ,slip clutch, not good. Also be real carful if you crosscut with chain filed at reduced angles they really have a tendency. to kick back.
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Thanks for the info all. I have a much better understanding now.
Before I moved up here, when the chain went dull, I bought a new one because I used it so infrequently. I brought them in to get sharpened after I moved up here and now I sharpen them myself.
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I am going to say it again. If you are going to be using this method to make lumber, get a regular “ripping blade”. A friend who is a logger and a saw mill operator has explained the difference between the two chains and I am sure it is more the the angle of the cutting tooth. Sounds like you have spent money for new chains before— do it one more time and try getting the right tool for the job. I’m sure you aren’t building your house using ball pen hammers.TomC
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Hahaha Tom, yes, that will be something I will invest in. I get paid soon but my impatience and curiousity overrode the timing of my check. Being on a fixed income means my impulse buys are less frequent now. 
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Keep them in the coop for a couple of days, see what you are missing. We just got 10 babies today. Rural King has a good selection, so we mixed them up, 2 Rhode-Island Red pullets, some Black Australolrps, a couple Americaunas, maybe 2 Jersey Giants, we will see how they turn out. We have found if you are going to keep a small flock of layers, you need to add some each year! (We have predator problems here.)
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Hi Bill, I used to use an AlaskanII chainsaw mill. I had a saw chain form Bailey’s supply( that was a while ago, don’t know if they are still in that business) that was especially designed for milling logs. Every 2nd, or 3rd tooth was a half tooth long ways of the chain, the reg teeth were 10 deg. Al
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I’m sure we’ll have predator problems too, they just haven’t found their prey yet.
Thanks @trikebuilder57
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Hey Bill, could you please explain/show how this jig is made/used a bit?
Thanks. Keep up the great work living the dream.
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Yes I can. It will be a few days because it will be raining and snowing.
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Hi Mike,
I had predators also when we had chickens. Actually it was “a” predator and it killed our remaining 7 hens in one night and ate nothing. Yes, a $%#***!!! weasel! We gave up on hens.
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I went to guy’s house to pick up a couple of free wood stoves. He wouldn’t let me leave until my truck was overfull
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Looks like all useful stuff too
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