346xp best sprocket/chain combo

[Big_Wood]

Thanks for that tip, the saw came with .325" 7 -pin rim (I was just happy it wasn't spur) so I should assume it's a small spline drum? I guess I'll check to see if my standard rims even fit on it.

What did you do with your 346xp? Did you have small spline drum and keep it .325" 7?

it'll be small spline on a 346. your gonna have to try them all to know what you are gonna like. sawtrolls 346 got stolen IIRC.

 

[dingeryote]

I have found that a ported 346 is much happier with a .325 16" combo in our upper MI hard woods. Cutting gopher wood would of course change this.

Same here.

I tried 3/8" and it was no faster, slightly touchier in the sticky junk like Elm, and not as smooth at all(Carlton) in the hard stuff.
16" loops wont interchange with anything else in the stable, so it didn't make sense.

I went back to .325 on a 16", and left it there. No need to fuss.

 

[SAWMIKAZE]

I like .325x7 toof on an 18" bar..seems smoother and limbs nicer.

 

[blsnelling]

I've always run .325 on all of my 50cc saws. Forget about even trying 3/8 8-pin.

 

[SawTroll]

it'll be small spline on a 346. your gonna have to try them all to know what you are gonna like. sawtrolls 346 got stolen IIRC.

No, it was my 372 and 361 that got stolen.

 

[David Young]

Y

No, it was my 372 and 361 that got stolen.

yuck. Just yuck.

 

[SawTroll]

Thanks for that tip, the saw came with .325" 7 -pin rim (I was just happy it wasn't spur) so I should assume it's a small spline drum? I guess I'll check to see if my standard rims even fit on it.

What did you do with your 346xp? Did you have small spline drum and keep it .325" 7?

There is no reason to change from small spline on a 346xp work saw, as 3/8x8 is out of the question anyway, as is .325x9.

My "standard" setup is 16" .325x7, but occationally .325x8 .

 

[sunfish]

.325-7 pin, 18" is a nice set up and what I run most of the time.

Have 3/8-7 pin 16" on one of the ported 346s, it's a mighty fast cutter.

 

[Derf]

So can anyone help me understand the nuanced differences.

.325" : narrower kerf, less likely to catch on wood especially when limbing, cuts smoother, less taxing on engine, can step up to 8-pin rim for smaller branch limbing...dulls faster, more teeth to sharpen

3/8" : wider kerf, bigger chips, can cut faster if saw has the power to pull it but 50cc is borderline powerful enough, should probably only be used on a ported 50cc saw, can be more "grabby", fewer cutters to sharpen, dulls less quickly.

Anything else?

 

[sunfish]

So can anyone help me understand the nuanced differences.

.325" : narrower kerf, less likely to catch on wood especially when limbing, cuts smoother, less taxing on engine, can step up to 8-pin rim for smaller branch limbing...dulls faster, more teeth to sharpen

3/8" : wider kerf, bigger chips, can cut faster if saw has the power to pull it but 50cc is borderline powerful enough, should probably only be used on a ported 50cc saw, can be more "grabby", fewer cutters to sharpen, dulls less quickly.

Anything else?

Yes... Not much more to add.

 

[David Young]

Well I have a few points. .325 is finer like a saws all or hacksaw blade with more tpi. Imagine a metal cutting blade with small teeth and a wood blade with bigger teeth and spacing. The 3/8 is a little taller. For more chip clearing. Also gearing is a big part. The .325-8 and 3/8-7 are essentially the same gear ratio. So a .325-7 is geared down like a 4.10 rear end. If they made a 3/8-6 in non lp it would be interesting to see what that would be like.

 

[sunfish]

Also gearing is a big part. The .325-8 and 3/8-7 are essentially the same gear ratio. So a .325-7 is geared down like a 4.10 rear end. If they made a 3/8-6 in non lp it would be interesting to see what that would be like.

Yes, the chain speed (gearing) is a big part of the difference.

 

[Derf]

I'm running a 16" bar, I don't think I need lower gearing (like a 6-pin rim)... Maybe if I was running a longer bar like 20".

I will keep the .325" setup, and I'll look into the part number for a small-spline 8-pin rim next time I place an order. If anyone can direct me where to locate such a part number point me to it.

Maybe there is a performance gain on a ported saw to go to 3/8", maybe there is a small hit to go to 3/8" on a stock saw. Maybe one day I'll do side-by-side comparisons if I have stock and ported saws with 16" bars in both configurations. I really just wanted to have the convenience of all the same chain.

 

[MGoBlue]

http://leftcoastsupplies.com/product/power-mate-rim-2/

 

[huskihl]

And if you're like me, my bigger saws are all 3/8. I have a ton of 3/8 x 60dl chain around. Keeps things the same if you're spinning loops off a bulk reel

 

[RedneckChainsawRepair]

Isn't a 357xp standard hub not small hub like a 346xp?

You can put the 357 stuff on the 346 to run the 8. Just so you know. Mine was set up like that.
7 was faster in the cants.

 

[computeruser]

Limbing actually is where .325x8 really shines, at least here!

ST is right - if you're just limbing off conifers, then this would be a great setup. But at least around here, with few conifers and tons of open-grown, wide-crown hardwoods, the stuff gets too thick too fast to give up the torque going 7t to 8t.

Ported or stock 346's pull 3/8 chain just fine, but it's more about what works best and what a person likes.

Spot on - not a huge difference in real world use, in terms of how fast you can get wood on the ground and processed up. Smoothness does factors in, though, with .325" having the clear edge there, especially if you're cutting thin/twiggy/flexible stuff, where it is harder to keep the 3/8" from jumping the bar. I prefer the 3/8" setup for firewood duty, but run the .325" most of the time since it is nearly mandatory for my invasive species work, unless I want to spend half the day putting the chain back on the bar.

I've always run .325 on all of my 50cc saws. Forget about even trying 3/8 8-pin.

Just the suggestion of putting 3/8" 8t on a 4hp 50cc saw makes me laugh. That would be one crappy combo to try to get production with.

 

[Full Chisel]

I've never had any complaints about .325 other than the fact that there are a few more cutters to sharpen. I run a 325/7 pin rim setup on the 350 and it cuts plenty fast and smooth.

 

[CR888]

With the cost of rim sprockets, just buy everything you want to try and buy spares of the one you think you will primarily run. If you want less drag and faster chain speed, maybe picco ps with an eight pin could be fun. Hardwood may knock this setup around a bit though. They offer a perfomance B/C kit for the stihl ms261 which is a picco bar and eight pin. What l like about the 550/346 is they use the standard small spline clutch drum, where as stihl created an all new micro spline ruling out the use of AM rims. l am looking into changing my micro spline clutch drum to a standard small spline......l think the ms260 drum may be the ticket.

 

[weedkilla]

With the cost of rim sprockets, just buy everything you want to try and buy spares of the one you think you will primarily run. If you want less drag and faster chain speed, maybe picco ps with an eight pin could be fun. Hardwood may knock this setup around a bit though. They offer a perfomance B/C kit for the stihl ms261 which is a picco bar and eight pin. What l like about the 550/346 is they use the standard small spline clutch drum, where as stihl created an all new micro spline ruling out the use of AM rims. l am looking into changing my micro spline clutch drum to a standard small spline......l think the ms260 drum may be the ticket.

There is no small spline 3/8lp sprocket option. That's stihl micro spline only.
The suitability of a standard 3/8 sprocket depends on who you ask.
It was good enough for me to test it, but it didn't stay on my saw.

And you're right - 3/8lp on 8t is amazeballs, but you'd want to be cutting clean pine. Extra chain speed and a fairly delicate cutter aren't a match made in heaven.