Breaking and Spinning Odd Numbered Drive Links

[mkjones32]

New to breaking and spinning.  My 36" Bar is calling out for 115 drive links, which makes the number of right and left cutters uneven.  Do you really count out 115 drive links and put two right or two left cutters next to each other or should you make the chain 116 to even up the number of right and left cutters?

Thanks,

Kevin

[beenthere]

I'd go with the 115. Two cutters (lefties or righties) together should not hurt anything. See it often.

[mkjones32]

Thanks Beenthere!  Love you're tag line 

[isawlogs]

 Most Stihl saws have odd number drivers, makes filling easy. Start at the double teeth and finish there , ya don't need to hunt for that one ya started with.   

[Al_Smith]

Well to a point even,odd .For example a Stihl 20" loop is 72 drivers while a Mac is 70 .The Stihl will come out even right left cutters and the Mac won't .

Now some of them and if I'm not mistaken like 60 drivers for a 16" bar use the same driver count .I'll have to check on that because I can't remember this early n the morning .

It won't any difference if you have two lefts or two rights together ,it's been that way for years without any problems .

Now some of them and I think off the top of my head like a 32" loop is again the same while a 24" is different .It's not consistant .It's really frustrating to have a couple dozen hanging off nails and always seem to grab the wrong one I'll tell you that .

[clww]

You'll have no problems with an extra pair, or two, on one side of that chain. I have one older chain that has 2 lefts together, then a foot later, 2 rights together. Don't how it happened but no problems with it cutting.

[maple flats]

That likely happened as 1 reel of chain was finished and the next reel was added for the balance needed.

[Ax- man]

Stick to the number of links your bar calls . Doesn't make a bit of difference if your shy a right or left cutter. Adding a link and you may not be able to correctly tension the chain.

The only problem with the odd number link chain is that your breaking the chain on a cutter instead of the tie strap. If your not careful you can mess up the neighboring link by bending it . I don't know if Oregon is this way but some Stihl chains are and they are a pain to break . That little anvil is made for breaking the tie strap not the link with the cutter. It can be done but you have to be super careful.   

[lumberjack48]

When taking cutters out, i learned they have to be broke  from the cutter side not the strap side of the cutter, i've taken 100's apart this way using a vice grip chain breaker.

 I've replaced cutters in a chain many times, back in the 60's chain was twice as expensive, chain ran $20.00 plus. Now i can buy 13, 60 Drivers, 3/8, 50G, semi-chisel,  for $105., plus tax, shipping.

Two cutters in a row on the same side doesn't hurt anything, i always took it out, thats just me, to fussy. 

[Al_Smith]

I suppose it depends on how you disassemble the chain .Myself being old school plus a tight wad use a die grinder to take the rivet heads off then a little sharp chisel to part the link .Never bent a tie link yet using that method .

[lumberjack48]

I did it that way, but after i got my vice grip breaker i didn't have to grind the rivet heads, i could re use everything.

This reminds me when i was 16 driving a 57 Chrysler, 392 Hemi, strip cutting swamp Spruce for 10 cents a stick with a XL12 Homelite. I had broke my chain, i sat in the car where it was warm filing the rivet heads so i could knock the broken strap out. I was really set up, after i got the heads filed down with a wore out 6 inch flat file, i got out a 3/4, 1/2 inch drive socket, this was my breaker block, then i had to sharpen the nail that i used for a punch, but you know i got her done, my father took the time to teach me, to us what i had at hand. 

[Al_Smith]

From what I read it seems that some people do reuse the tie straps and rivets .I personaly wouldn't trust them myself fear that deforming  then reforming the rivet heads would hold ,metal fatigue .

I did however on one occasion reuse the tie straps after having  made new rivets for use on some odd ball 1/2" chain on an old gear drive .Rivets BTW are a monumental pain  the buttucks to make on a lathe .

[sawguy21]

Look closely at a chain and notice that the cutter pattern repeats every fourth link. This means that cutter spacing will only be uniform if the drive link count is divisable by four like 60, 64, 68 etc. If the count is divisable by two but not four like 66 or 70, there will be two lefts or two rights in a row. Lumberjack's old Homelite would have had an odd number,59, drive links on a 16" bar so there would have been uneven spacing at the joint.
Don't worry about it,you will never notice while cutting.

[lumberjack48]

The only time i used new straps was when i putting a new chain together.

When a chain is 1/2 wore out and you fix it with a new tie strap, try this, pull the chain around real slow every time the new tie strap goes over the sprocket the chain tightens up, this pounds the heck out of the sprocket.

I never had a problem using used tie straps, i used a lot of them over 30+ yrs.

I would take a old chain and my vice grip breaker and break a the whole chain up for my junk tool box, i was never short of repair links.

I had one of those big fishing tackle boxes, that folded out to 6 trays on each side, i had every thing but the kitchen sink in there, it made a good junk box, Al_Smith i know your the kind of guy to keep every screw , bolts and nuts just like i did.

[Al_Smith]

Oh yeah I've kept a lot of stuff .I just can't remember where it's at .