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Author Topic: What type of saw chain do you use  (Read 2514 times)

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Offline baloo75

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Re: What type of saw chain do you use
« Reply #20 on: February 07, 2012, 07:43:03 pm »
I currently use a .325 RMC on my MS280, but several times I have pondered going to an RSC.  I stay on top of the sharpening and have never had a problem, but still am curious about how much faster a full chisel would be.  I only cut firewood but am really good about rolling logs to stay out of the dirt, or use my timberjack.  My question being, with a 20" bar if I get into something that takes up the entire bar will I have problems with power.  As long as I don't stand on the saw it does well now, but with the aggression of the full chisel I don't know...
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Offline Ward Barnes

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Re: What type of saw chain do you use
« Reply #21 on: February 07, 2012, 08:09:56 pm »
Howdy Folks:

On my MS 390 w/18 inch bar I went from the Stihl green chain to the Stihl yellow chain (33 RSC) the price went from $17.00 for the green to $28.00 for the yellow.  Unless someone gives me a greenie and it is all I have available I'll never go back.  The yellow is worth the price difference.

God Bless, Ward and Mary.
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5 year old Stihl MS 390.  Kubota BX 2200 tractor. 
Dull chains cause accidents.  Accidents cause shorter life spans.
You don't sharpen a chain when it gets dull.  You sharpen a chain to keep it from getting dull.

Offline Ohio_Bill

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Re: What type of saw chain do you use
« Reply #22 on: February 07, 2012, 08:17:31 pm »
I like  Sharp Chain  , and don’t care for dull . :D
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Offline John Mc

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Re: What type of saw chain do you use
« Reply #23 on: February 07, 2012, 10:35:48 pm »
Quote from: baloo75 on February 07, 2012, 07:43:03 pm
still am curious about how much faster a full chisel would be...  My question being, with a 20" bar if I get into something that takes up the entire bar will I have problems with power.  As long as I don't stand on the saw it does well now, but with the aggression of the full chisel I don't know...

A chisel chain is more efficient at cutting than a semi-chisel or "micro-chisel" chain. With both types properly sharpened, the RSC will take less power to do the same job. Basically, it cuts faster because it's more efficient, not because it's "more aggressive".
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Small time fire-wooder in a neighborhood cooperative.

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Offline lumberjack48

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Re: What type of saw chain do you use
« Reply #24 on: February 08, 2012, 10:45:42 am »
If you use a full chisel and know how to keep it sharp, you'll never go back to a semi-chisel.  When your cutting 18"+ wood, don't bury your whole bar, work your saw up and over and down at no time using the whole length of the bar at once, this keeps RPM up and chain speed which means your cutting again as fast. I used a 16" bar, more chain speed, more power, quicker to sharpen, it was my choice. If i ran in to a lot of 30"+ wood I'd put my 20" bar on.

 I personally thing a full chisel is easier and quicker to sharpen then a semi-chisel
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Third generation logger, owner operator, 30 yrs felling experience with pole skidder. I got my neck broke back in 89, left me a quad. The wife kept the job going up to 96.
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Offline Al_Smith

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Re: What type of saw chain do you use
« Reply #25 on: February 08, 2012, 11:16:11 am »
I think it's a learning curve type situation .Some of the posters are just not familiar with chain designs much less how to file a  chain .It's of no fault of their own ,they just haven't been exposed to it .

I'm not a betting man but if I were I'd say given enough time those who have a desire to learn to file will become pretty good it .

I'd also say with comparrison of chisel and semi they'll soon learn that what they might appear to loose in time by having to file chisel just a tad more often than semi  that the cut  speed will more than make up for the file time . ;)
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Offline mad murdock

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Re: What type of saw chain do you use
« Reply #26 on: February 11, 2012, 02:09:17 am »
wow! them stihl chains are pricey!  Am I glad I am not stuck on that stuff :)  Ii have used Carlton, Windsor, Oregon, Woodsman Pro et. al. For day to day logging, I liked the windsor chain, it lasted well filed quick and sharp, and was reasonably priced.  I don't think even today that I have spent more than 15 or 20 bucks on a loop of chain. That is with a 24-28" bar.  Sounds like someone is getting ripped off at those prices, but then again, maybe it is the location.
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'64 Garrett 15A, Granberg Alaskan III, Husky 372XP, McCulloch 10-10 auto, Poulan wild thing, Stihl 075, Mac 10-10A(RHP), Homlite 360, '71 Int'l 1110 Plus more toys

Offline bandmiller2

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Re: What type of saw chain do you use
« Reply #27 on: February 11, 2012, 08:00:19 am »
I buy what I get a deal on,I've got a breaker and rivet spinner  so modifying chain legnth is no big deal.When we talk of chisel we should specify square or round ground.True square chisel is awsome but you really need a good grinder to sharpen it reliably,its a rare bird who can do it justice with a flat file.Most of the time I just file round chisel.As with most things they charge what the market will bare,northwest guys will pay less due to competition and quantity used.  Frank C.
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Offline Al_Smith

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Re: What type of saw chain do you use
« Reply #28 on: February 11, 2012, 08:29:01 am »
From the info over the net on several forums it appears the west coast crowd in the timber country have the benefit of more competative pricing on Stihl stuff including the chains .

As a general rule those of us in lower impact areas for use of saws are not afforded that luxury .However even with that in longgevity of use it's hard to beat the durability of Stihl chains .Never the less even considering that factor no matter who made the chain ,rocks and tramp metal will kill them all just the same .

So considering all it's not just initial price of the item to be considered .Durabilty plays a big factor but then that choice is up to the buyer .I mean if you don't rock them a Stihl chain will go about twice as long or more than Oregon and that's a known fact .

Now I have 45-50 operational  saws which collectively get a fair amount of usage but individually do not .Some are wearing Stihl chains but most have Oregon or Carlton .Because of that factor plus some are just collector saws I cannot justify the increased costs of Stihl chain .If however I used a chainsaw to make a living I'd seriously consider using all Stihl chain .That's just one mans opinion  of many though . ;)
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Offline mad murdock

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Re: What type of saw chain do you use
« Reply #29 on: February 13, 2012, 03:31:11 pm »
Well stated Al, and to be fair to Stihl chain, I have to admit I have never used it.  Never had a Stihl dealer worth a darn when I was logging full time, and having used Stihl saws in the woods from time to time, though they are ok, I have a personal preference for the swede saws. :)  Mebbe I will have to try some out next time i get some chain.  I usually can cut 10-15 truckloads of logs(say 40mbf or so,) before I retire a chain.  I file it right back to the witness line, then put a new one on. 
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'64 Garrett 15A, Granberg Alaskan III, Husky 372XP, McCulloch 10-10 auto, Poulan wild thing, Stihl 075, Mac 10-10A(RHP), Homlite 360, '71 Int'l 1110 Plus more toys

Offline Migal

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Re: What type of saw chain do you use
« Reply #30 on: February 20, 2012, 02:21:09 am »
 :D i didnt know al gore had time to sharpen chains let alone invent a internet  :P oh on the stihl saw you are the repairman if it breaks heck of a saw!!!
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Stihl learning and picked up my Log Master LM2 Cat 34hp purchase 02 21 12! 230MF+ the toys that go with it! MS361 MS271 Stihl PB500 Echo 16ft Bass Tracker Pro' Abua Garcia 5600 bait caster, Wood working equipment' Lake Lot never enough time! oh don't forget the fridge with ale! Loving Wife Rebecca.

Offline Al_Smith

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Re: What type of saw chain do you use
« Reply #31 on: February 20, 2012, 05:24:08 am »
 :D Well you have to remember Al Gore kind of embellished things a tad bit .He took credit for a lot of things he didn't do .

Seems he left that guy chad hanging in Florida and thus off went Al Gore  to get a nobel prize .Only in America . :D
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Offline tcrew

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Re: What type of saw chain do you use
« Reply #32 on: February 21, 2012, 01:54:23 am »
Quote from: baloo75 on February 07, 2012, 07:43:03 pm
I currently use a .325 RMC on my MS280, but several times I have pondered going to an RSC.  I stay on top of the sharpening and have never had a problem, but still am curious about how much faster a full chisel would be.  I only cut firewood but am really good about rolling logs to stay out of the dirt, or use my timberjack.  My question being, with a 20" bar if I get into something that takes up the entire bar will I have problems with power.  As long as I don't stand on the saw it does well now, but with the aggression of the full chisel I don't know...
I run a MS280 with 20inch RSC chain and the saw pulls great. I use it for firewood. And im kinda anal about my logs not having dirt,and if so knock it off and clean em up a bit b4 i cut. Big difference, but like every one says here, if you get in to dirt, its over fast for the sharpness on a RSC. 4 me i love RSC, and my 280 with 20 inch bar. Try it and see how you like it. Good luck. and saw safe.
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038av super, MS280, MS250,Kubota/loader, Vermeer M50-H Trencher/backhoe ,Case 1150C TrackLoader,3point 25ton wood-spliter

Offline DeerMeadowFarm

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Re: What type of saw chain do you use
« Reply #33 on: February 22, 2012, 03:36:32 pm »
Quote from: baloo75 on February 07, 2012, 07:43:03 pm
My question being, with a 20" bar if I get into something that takes up the entire bar will I have problems with power.  As long as I don't stand on the saw it does well now, but with the aggression of the full chisel I don't know...
As Lumberjack stated, the efficiency of the chain is more of a factor than "aggressiveness". I just put a Stihl 18" RS chain on my 346XP and it was like my saw had a motor job done to it; it cut much better and faster. In fact, I cut a lot more logs per tankful than I was with my old safety chains.

Quote from: Ward Barnes on February 07, 2012, 08:09:56 pm
Howdy Folks:

On my MS 390 w/18 inch bar I went from the Stihl green chain to the Stihl yellow chain (33 RSC) the price went from $17.00 for the green to $28.00 for the yellow.  Unless someone gives me a greenie and it is all I have available I'll never go back.  The yellow is worth the price difference.

God Bless, Ward and Mary.

The local Stihl dealer here charged me $20 for an 18" loop of the RS so I guess that's all right.
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Offline Al_Smith

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Re: What type of saw chain do you use
« Reply #34 on: February 22, 2012, 05:14:15 pm »
Well a sharp chain will do as much for you as a 200 dollar port job .A lot cheaper too . ;)
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Offline sawguy21

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Re: What type of saw chain do you use
« Reply #35 on: February 22, 2012, 11:26:36 pm »
A little off topic but a dealer called today asking if anyone made 3/8 lo pro carbide chain.  ??? ???  She admitted it was a dumb question but had to ask on her customer's behalf. He was using a cheap box store saw to cut used ties. :D We both had a good laugh.
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old age and treachery will always overcome youth and enthusiasm

Offline Paul_H

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Re: What type of saw chain do you use
« Reply #36 on: February 22, 2012, 11:50:42 pm »
Roy,

Stihl 63PD3 should fit the bill.
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