Making Chains

[pete mctree]

I'm liking the RS Comfort. (RSC)


Vibe levels seem to be reduced as promised, but can only get it in full comp in the UK, so no comparison to semi skip etc

 

[NeTree]

You run full skip on your longer bars Erik?

Yup. Full comp up to 20", full skip after that.

Best way.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Semi skip's cool, too.

 

[Al Smith]

Stihl is good chain no doubt about that . You have to buy it through a dealer unless you have some contacts .

Now,if you are going to use a lot of chain,roll your own. Just maybe half a dozen per year buy the loop .

Baileys for example often has Oregon loops on sale cheaper than you can fiddle with them but that's up to you .As far as spinning one or peening it,the process is not difficult at all .

I think I have like 10 bucks in an Oregon spinner,e-bay special but it only has the anvil for .404 and 3/8" .The odd balls like .325,3/8 pico or 1/2 " I peen .Sure it's old school but it works just as well but it takes a tad bit of practice to get the techinique down pat .

 

[Stumper]

Having used both bench mounted chain tools and the handheld Grandberg Break 'n Mend I may surprise some but I recommend the Break 'n Mend. It is a great tool and allows you to reuse links( I like using new master links on new chain but it seems like I run out at inopportune times or find myself shortening a chain during a break on the job-The B'nM is on ethe truck and it takes only a couple of minutes to bust and reassemble a chain.
I'm Carlton Chain fan...but I'll admit that Stihl does make the very best chain and Oregon works just fine too.

 

[squisher]

but I'll admit that Stihl does make the very best.

I just wanted to make sure that I got that quoted for you.

 

[Stumper]

Thank you Justin. Of course since you have edited out the noun being modified by the adjective "best" we can fill it in however the reader deems logical.
"....but I'll admit that Stihl does make the very best boat anchors."

 

[stig]

When you start making your own chains, don't just make one or two.
It takes a little practise to get the tecnique down.
I have a board set up with a nail in one end and marks telling me where to cut for the different bar lenghts we run.
I'll cut a stack of chains first, and then rivet the whole bunch at once. After doing 5 or so, I get the feel for it and it goes really fast.
After my knee operation when I was housebound, I ran through 2½ rolls, so I probably won't have to make any more this season.
It's a great way to spend a rainy day, too. And the sight of 50 boxes of chains on the shelf is nice.
We go through a LOT of chain logging, especially since it has stopped being really cold here in winter, a big hardwood felled on muddy ground eats up o lot more chain, than one felled on frozen ground.

 

[No_Bivy]

Finally finished my two rolls of Oregon......

just bought two new Stihl rolls.....full comp, full chisel. One roll of picco micro

 

[Tree Reb]

Oregon chain sold here now is made in China, is that why you changed?

 

[No_Bivy]

no.....it seems to suck after refiling a couple of times. Seems like the stihl chain lasts longer, and its pre strched

 

[Tree Reb]

I use Stihl chain on my 200's, never had a problem.

I use Carlton on my bigger saws, no problem either but now I've been told Carlton has gone Chinese as well.

 

[brendonv]

john, ballpark of what you paid?

 

[No_Bivy]

Just under 4 bills per roll......1690 drive links. They took 10% of for buying two. It will last me a couple of years at least. I got the duramax breaker and spinner from Oregon a couple of years ago. It has a longer handle and seems to make breaking and spinning pretty easy.

 

[Al Smith]

no.....it seems to suck after refiling a couple of times.

Aha,you may have gotten into that bunch they screwed up .

I discoverd as well as did many others that they had not cut the side plates deep enough . It cut fine new but really got slow after a few filings when it should have gotten faster .

My remedy was to file the side plates nearly down to the tie straps thus increasing the gullet ,this helped a lot .

How I actually stumbled on to the problem was compairing a new loop with one I had purchased ,still in box but had not used for two years .In a side to side comparrison it was plain as the azz on a goat what was wrong with that stupid chain .

 

[Old Monkey]

Has anyone notice the hardened Stihl chain wearing out the sprockets on MS200Ts quicker? It might just be my imagination but they saw that had a Stihl chain on it went through a sprocket pretty fast while older saws I had with Oregon chain never needed new sprockets.

 

[Stumper]

Pshaw.

 

[Al Smith]

Has anyone notice the hardened Stihl chain wearing out the sprockets on MS200Ts quicker?

No but they do shorten the life of a file .

 

[SkwerI]

Wow, you guys say that as if it's a bad thing. I'd much rather have harder steel in the chain so it lasts longer. Or do you think the chain should be softer so it wears (and dulls) quicker? The spur sprockets on my 200Ts last 6 months or so on my primary saw, a year or more on my backup saws.

FWIW, I have no problem filing Stihl chain. A file lasts for a couple dozen filings and when it doesn't cut, I pitch it and grab a fresh one. I buy chain by the roll and files by the dozen because this is what I use to make a living. Files are a buck each, loops of chain are $10-$30 depending on brand and length. I'll buy a couple more files in exchange for chain that lasts twice as long.

 

[Stumper]

Let the people say "Amen".

 

[Al Smith]

Well,okay Amen . Whisky for my men beer for their horses except Stump .Give him a hot chocolate .

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Amen... Harder chains please... Sprockets Cheap...
We use Woodsman on the brushing..... They seem hard as all get out... granted they dont cut real pretty... But dont care on brush. Need something that will tear through that hard shat anyway.

 

[brendonv]

Does STIHL sell chains in 50' rolls?

BTW-here's a new cross referance chart at baileys.

http://www.baileysonline.com/sawcha...utm_term=crossref&utm_campaign=oct_2008_email

 

[rbtree]

Brendon, anything close to $300 per roll is a good price on the Stihl RS. Oregon chain can be had for $230-$250 per roll. My
prices may be a bit dated, haven't looked in a few months now.

I'm lucky, living in Wa. i can get Stihl chain from Madsen's for about $230 a roll...usually only $5 a roll or so more than Oregon.

I run full comp, semi and full skip.... reckon I'm a chain junkie?

but am looking to switch out the bar tip on my 42 inch bar, and go to 3/8th. .404 costs too much...and I don't use enough to warrant buying 100 feet. (My 43" bar is a roller tip so will take any gauge chain......think I should put .325 on the 6 foot bar?)

skwerl, I dunno if you need any saws, but remember kftree? He's selling all his stuff. I'm getting a 357, 2 372's (all ehp) and a 200T.....and some chain and a pipe for one of the 372's that's a bit too hopped for hard work...I guess it's OK to use if it's allowed to cool off a few cuts, unlike a race saw. He has a 346, 357 and some 495's left..... anyone else interested, they're fast saws, and cheap!

 

[sotc]

a 200t!!?? send me that slow piece of junk