.325 vs 3/8
- Thread starter demc570
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Jakers
Owner - Arbor Jake's Tree Service, LLC
it makes a difference on smaller saws with less torque to pull through. i have a stihl ms290 20" that i keep fit with .325. before muffler mod it was about maxed out but now it has the extra little bit to make it handle the 20" bar and chain. i wouldnt recommend using .325 on anything bigger than about a 55cc saw. the rivets and straps wont hold up to the torque very long. yes in theory the .325 in a full chisel should be faster but theres a reason people dont use it much. it doesnt hold up.
Rule of thumb is 50 CC is best with .325, 60 CC is best with 3/8. Anything in between is toss up depending on how the saw runs and what it is cutting. We run 20 bars on a 036 and a 361 with 3/8 RS and RSK, hard to imagine a better match. We like to run K1L Carlton on our .325 equipped saws but have been running a bit of Oregon 20LPX too. Fun to play around and experiment but I wouldn't expect much out of .325 on that 361 unless you can get at least a 9 pin sprocket to bring the chain speed up.
Jakers
Owner - Arbor Jake's Tree Service, LLC
if you have a bunch of saws in the 50-90cc range then its nice to have them all running .375 (3/8) so you can swap chains and maybe even buy the tools to make your own. that way all you have to keep on hand is one roll for all your saws. for stihl saws the bar mount is the same for tons of saws so its nice to have the versatility of using a 20" bar on the 660. kinda like if you happen to blow up the 036 and bend the 28" bar thats normally on the 660, its all interchangeable
Steve NW WI
Unwanted Riff Raff.
3/8 all the way. .325 is the odd chain out here. 50cc and above wear 3/8, the 2 little guys wear 3/8 LP. One less set of file and guide to lug around, less different sizes of chain to keep separate once CAD causes the saw fleet to grow, and the fact that there are more cutters per inch of bar length to sharpen on .325.
One exception I might make would be on a saw to mill with, .325 narrow kerf should pull easier and waste less wood. There are some guys in the milling section using it for that reason, but a lot still like the durability of 3/8, so there's debate there.
If your 361 won't pull 3/8, it's time to step up to a Dolmar!
One exception I might make would be on a saw to mill with, .325 narrow kerf should pull easier and waste less wood. There are some guys in the milling section using it for that reason, but a lot still like the durability of 3/8, so there's debate there.
If your 361 won't pull 3/8, it's time to step up to a Dolmar!
Chuck Diesel
ArboristSite Operative
I purchased a 100' roll a 3/8 stihl chisel for my 031, 460 and my dolmar 510 w/16" bar. For me it keeps everything the same. With the dolmar only being 50cc, I keep the rakers at .15 to .20. Anymore then that I would have to hold up the saw.
i never made my own chais,i do run that same chain,how much about does a roll cost? thankyou!
3/8 all the way. .325 is the odd chain out here. 50cc and above wear 3/8, the 2 little guys wear 3/8 LP. One less set of file and guide to lug around, less different sizes of chain to keep separate once CAD causes the saw fleet to grow, and the fact that there are more cutters per inch of bar length to sharpen on .325.
One exception I might make would be on a saw to mill with, .325 narrow kerf should pull easier and waste less wood. There are some guys in the milling section using it for that reason, but a lot still like the durability of 3/8, so there's debate there.
If your 361 won't pull 3/8, it's time to step up to a Dolmar!
lol.....it will just barely, if i really lean into it and spit on the chain twice:hmm3grin2orange:.............i run 3/8 stihl rsc 20" bar it does good!never had dolmer would like try one someday,when i get older.............lol..... i would like to try one tho,just not many around here using or selling them.....love all saws.wish had 10 of each!!
faststihl
ArboristSite Lurker
I started out with .325 on an 026 stihl, but got sick of it knocking teeth off the chain. Got it modified to run 3/8, did a little muffler mod to open up the saw and its been awesome ever since. I think it cuts just as fast over a longer period as the heavier chain is more rugged, and needs less attention through a days work. A .325 might be a bit quicker on the first cut, but over time it dulls quicker (in my experience).
I tend to cut up quite a lot of waste wood on the farm with the odd nail in, its hell on a .325 but the 3/8 will chew through em and is good as new with a bit of filing.
I tend to cut up quite a lot of waste wood on the farm with the odd nail in, its hell on a .325 but the 3/8 will chew through em and is good as new with a bit of filing.
I just obtained an Earthquake, see thread in Chainsaw forum, .325, my first, I was surprised ar how well it cut, but I agree it blunted faster than I would normally expect and the file in tiny.
