.325 Thin kerf for my Stihl MS290

[AlaskaLes]

I'm usually running a Husky 353, which has been an amazingly good saw.  We recently picked up a nearly new MS 290 for $205.00. 
Overall, I'm happy with the new saw.  It starts and runs well after a little tuning and it's rated at about .2 hp more than the husky, but it doesn't prove out in the cut.  The Husky is still a little faster and a lot lighter.

I'm looking at getting tooled up to rivet my own chains and want to keep it as simple as possible.
My husky runs a .325pitch .050gage chain and the lack of width/drag is an obvious benefit.

My plan is to find a .325-7 rim sprocket and clutch drum to fit the Stihl MS290 and a .325x.050x20" bar.
That would minimize the drag of the wider .375 Stihl chain and lessen the weight of the heavier/fatter 20" Stihl bar.

I'm having trouble finding the right part numbers for the Rim sprocket assy and the bar.
Hoping some of you chainsaw gurus out there can help me with this.
Thanks,
Les

[ZeroJunk]

Please double check this

1125 007 1000     8 tooth .325

1125 007 1001      7 tooth .325


The bar will likely be .063 if it is Stihl brand.    A bar for an 026 or 028 should fit right on there.

You can likely buy an Oregon, Forester, etc.  .050 from somebody.

[sawguy21]

You will need to run the proper bar with the narrow kerf chain. Check the Oregon catalog for a Microlite bar that fits your Stihl.

[ZeroJunk]

Keep in mind that .325 .050 is not necessarily narrow kerf.  If you want to use narrow kerf chain then you will need a narrow kerf bar. The NK chain will fit the standard .325 .050 bar OK, but as the chain is sharpened and the cutter becomes more narrow it will eventually bind. You may also run in to a problem with the bar nuts tightening down enough for the narrow bar on that saw.

I can't imagine using narrow kerf chain on a MS290 myself.

[SawTroll]

Please double check this

1125 007 1000     8 tooth .325

1125 007 1001      7 tooth .325


The bar will likely be .063 if it is Stihl brand.    A bar for an 026 or 028 should fit right on there.

You can likely buy an Oregon, Forester, etc.  .050 from somebody.

In this case it doesn't help much if it is .050, unless it is a dedicated narrow kerf (NK) bar. Those have at times been available from at least Oregon with the right mount, but I don't know if they currently are.

An issue with NK chain is that they only are available as semi-chisel, not chisel.

[SawTroll]

.....

I can't imagine using narrow kerf chain on a MS290 myself.

I can't imagine using a MS290 at all - but that's just me! 

[AlaskaLes]

Thanks for the replies!

I'm thinking that what I'm calling narrow kerf chain isn't.
Have to do some more research and measuring tomorrow.

[Czech_Made]

I run Husky rancher with narrow kerf to use up bar and chain I had from previous saw - just got a sprocket rim .325.

[ladylake]

I set up a 45cc saw with .325 NK and it saws quite a bit faster than the .325 full chisel that was on it.  Steve

[SawTroll]

I set up a 45cc saw with .325 NK and it saws quite a bit faster than the .325 full chisel that was on it.  Steve

That's pretty much the "sweet spot" of .325NK. 

[21incher]

I had a MS290 that was underpowered with a 20" bar and std Stihl .325 chains. I switched to the Baileys narrow kerf bar and woodland NK chains back when they were Forestry Forum sponsors. The saw  had plenty of power with the narrow kerf,  but the chains seemed to dull quickly, pinch, and not cut straight after changing to them. I finally gave up on it and got a Echo CS590 that has the power to pull a .375 that can be picked up anywhere. 

[SawTroll]

I had a MS290 that was underpowered with a 20" bar and std Stihl .325 chains. I switched to the Baileys narrow kerf bar and woodland NK chains back when they were Forestry Forum sponsors. The saw  had plenty of power with the narrow kerf,  but the chains seemed to dull quickly, pinch, and not cut straight after changing to them. I finally gave up on it and got a Echo CS590 that has the power to pull a .375 that can be picked up anywhere. 

Sounds like you ran the NK chain on a bar that wasn't an NK one, and maybe had the wrong gauge (not .050) as well?

Apart from that, the idea was a good one, when the bar length really is too much for the saw.

[21incher]

I had a MS290 that was underpowered with a 20" bar and std Stihl .325 chains. I switched to the Baileys narrow kerf bar and woodland NK chains back when they were Forestry Forum sponsors. The saw  had plenty of power with the narrow kerf,  but the chains seemed to dull quickly, pinch, and not cut straight after changing to them. I finally gave up on it and got a Echo CS590 that has the power to pull a .375 that can be picked up anywhere. 

Sounds like you ran the NK chain on a bar that wasn't an NK one, and maybe had the wrong gauge (not .050) as well?

Apart from that, the idea was a good one, when the bar length really is too much for the saw.

They were matched sets and made to work together. 2 bars and 10 chains. Could be they were their lowest price bars and chains that fit the saw, but I never was happy with them.

[ST Ranch]

Alaskales - did you ever find the 20 inch bar you wanted?

My MS290 has said stihl bar    .325,  20 inch,  .050"  80 drive links

part # 3003 008 6621     

takes 23RS80 chain   stihl part # 3736 002 0080

Standard Rentals in Spruce Grove Alberta show it available on their website.

Tom 

[HolmenTree]

Stihl never made a narrow kerf. 325 chain but they make something even better.
Convert that.MS290 over to a Stihl 63PS chisel chain. Cuts way better then the NK .325 semi chisel. Not sure if the 290 has as a mini 7 spline drum as I have no experience with home owner saws. But the bar pictured will fit and is a 3/8 Picco.
Last 2 pics compares 63PS to .325NK.


  

  

 

[SawTroll]

Stihl didn't - but Oregon did (and Carlton sort of did as well - but I understand those bars were really low quality Chinese stuff). I don't think Carlton still offer that sub-standard stuff any more, but am not sure.

Anyway, don't buy any Carlton or Woodsmanpro stuff without knowing exactly what it is, and where it is made.

[HolmenTree]

Interesting note here about an optional mini 7 spline drum and rim sprocket to fit a MS290.

http://www.bantasaw.com/catalog/viewproduct.asp?i=1002&p=7246

[joe_indi]

There used to be a Stihl 20" guide bar for use on a 066 for use on the Logosol. 3/8", 1.3mm for running the 63PM chain. I got one of them by mistake more than 15 years ago and used it on the 29 and 39 to 'cheat' at demos. It ran quite well on the stock 7 teeth spur. It was also quite impressive on a 046 Magnum tuned for 14000rpm, fitted with a 8 teeth rim. Unfortunately it never survived long enough for me to try it with the chisel PS3

[HolmenTree]

Joe, you might know the specs here. When I bought my 1st 034AV in the early 1980s it came with the mini 7 spline bore (11/16") drum and rim sprocket.
Years later the 034 was upgraded to the larger standard 7 spline.
The▪029/MS290▪MS310▪034/036/
MS360/MS361▪039/MS390 all have the same clutch drum and rim sprocket .
Now if we can find a old 034 mini 7 spline drum we could put a Picco 63PS chain on any one of these saws....... :P

Stihl still sells the heavy duty 16" Picco bar. A 20" may be available.


 

[SawTroll]

The options mentioned in the last few posts really have been there "all the time" (from Stihl), even though the 3003 mount Picco bars have been spottily marketed.

It just is something that hasn't been discussed often on forums like this.

Something that is interesting is that the 16" Logosol bar mentions only smaller saws on the package - here it (+ an 18" version) was specifically marketed for the 066/660 Logosol, when it was marketed by Stihl. 

[HolmenTree]

Thanks Niko.
Yes and that Picco spur sprocket clutch drum is still available for the 066/660.
Bar wise Cannon makes the Super Mini bar up to 20" with 3/8" Picco sprocket noses available .

Now if I can only find a stash of those old 034AV mini 7 spline clutch drums.......
If anyone has any or know of where they can be found please send me a PM .

[SawTroll]

Thanks Niko.
Yes and that Picco spur sprocket clutch drum is still available for the 066/660.
Bar wise Cannon makes the Super Mini bar up to 20" with 3/8" Picco sprocket noses available .

Now if I can only find a stash of those old 034AV mini 7 spline clutch drums.......
If anyone has any or know of where they can be found please send me a PM .

The issue with the Cannon bars are of course the Chinese bar noses, as you showed us in another thread.  Do you have any of the Windsor tips that fit in 3/8 Picco/lo-pro?

[HolmenTree]

The issue with the Cannon bars are of course the Chinese bar noses, as you showed us in another thread.  Do you have any of the Windsor tips that fit in 3/8 Picco/lo-pro?

I only have a couple of 3/8 LoPro tips left. Got 6 left in 1/4" , 5 in standard 3/8" and 6 in .325
Those Chinese tips do the job and are readily available. What the tips lack in quality, the Cannon bar makes up for 10 fold.

[AlaskaLes]

Alaskales - did you ever find the 20 inch bar you wanted?

My MS290 has said stihl bar    .325,  20 inch,  .050"  80 drive links

part # 3003 008 6621     

takes 23RS80 chain   stihl part # 3736 002 0080

Thanks ST...I'll check that out. 
I really like the idea of being able to use the same chain for a few of my main saws.  Makes buying a spool more feasible.

[HolmenTree]

Sorry to derail your thread Alaskales .
Seeing SawTroll and I are on a roll of putting a 63PS chisel chain on those small Stihls, I rounded up lots of information.

The mini 7 spline 034 sprocket drum that would accept the 7 tooth Picco rim sprocket and fit the 029 up to 391 is still available as Stihl part #1125 007 1002 with a 3/8 7T rim or 1125 007 1001 in 7T. 325 rim.
Bearing # is 9512 933 2260.

Now alot of these parts are available new out of the U.K. EBAY.
It appears the upgrade to the bigger bearing and standard 7 spline drum wasn't taken on in the U.K. as what was almost entirely done in North America.

I think because the North American market wanted full 3/8" chains with longer bars on the 034, 036,290 etc. the bearings were failing.
European market more conservative, smaller bars and chains.
Now putting a little narrow cutting 63PS Picco chain is not going to stress out the smaller clutch drum bearing like a standard 3/8" chain will.

So the upgrade can be made to the 63PS chain for all these smaller Stihl saws with all the proper matching Picco parts.