Question: What is a Chainsaw Depth Gauge?
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Answer: Depth gauges are the metal point in front of each tooth on a chainsaw chain. They determine how large a chip the tooth can pull as it travels across wood. Some are small and pointy and some are large. Depth gauges need to be maintained on a regular basis.
"This little piece of metal is what controls how much bite the tooth takes with each pass. You need to adjust the height of the depth gauge each time you sharpen your chain because, if you notice, the teeth of the chain are sloped down as you go back. A good choice of height is 20 to 30 thousands of one inch. Professional cutters use 35 to 40 thousands of an inch. If the chain is sharp and the lower your depth gauges are, the more it will cut - and I mean fast! But the lower you go the more dangerous it becomes - kick back/push back. Never exceed .025 inch unless you really know what you are doing!" - Tyson Schultz
More on depth gauges from Madsen's...
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