chain gauge ...which one?

[YUKON 659]

I was wondering what advantages or dis-advantages there are to running the different gauges in the bar/chain set-up's? Is it just personnel preference or are there other reasons?..... Just curious?

 

[treeclimber165]

Just matching up the size of chain to the size of saw. Smaller engines can pull smaller chain more efficiently. You wouldn't put 3/8 full chisel on a climbing saw any more than you would put big monster mudder tires on a Honda Prelude (rednecks not included here ).
Likewise, you wouldn't put little passenger car tires on a Kenworth 18-wheeler. I wouldn't consider taking the chain off my climbing saw and using it on an 046.

 

[Mack]

Are we talking about pitch? or gauge? Big difference! The gauge makes very little difference, it is the thickness of the drive links. As long as there is enough material to support the cutters, and hold together under the power loading, and sufficient bearing surface for longevity, it will not much matter. i.e.: .058 will cut no better, or worse than .063. The only time gauge may make a difference in the cut, would be with a narrow kerf chain. It would be hard to make a narrow kerf on a thick driver.
If we are talking about chain pitch, then it is another story. The cutter length, width, and height, (as well as profile), have a lot to do with how fast a chain will cut, the power requirements, kickback qualities, etc. You don't run .404 chisel on your 36 cc climbing saw, or 1/4inch on the old 272 Husky with a 24inch bar.
Match your chain to the saw and the type cutting as best you can. You will have a safer and more efficient machine.

 

[YUKON 659]

Thanks Mack, I was talking about gauge and not pitch. If the gauge of the driver does not have any effect ....why are there different choices?. i.e. .325 .050 gauge, .325 .058 guage and .325 .063. It seems most bar manufacturers make all three choices....gotta be a reason. Or is it just to make guys like me ask too many questions

 

[jokers]

OK, here`s the gig as I believe is true. .050 and .058 chains are based on the same thickness components, .058, with the tangs ground down to .050 for that guage. .063 has heavier drive tangs and thicker cutters, but the tie straps are the same thickness as the other guages. Guage choice started as a regional thing. Americans and Asians liked .050 in the beginning, Scandinavians liked the .058, and Stihl likes .063. Russ

 

[homelite360]

i don't know i have found a liking to the 50 gage chain. unless you are running a big saw anything bigger isn't necessary and adds weight to the saw.

 

[Mack]

Just one other thought; There was a time when you would run .050 until the bar got worn, then switch to .058. Bars have actually come down in relative cost from 25-30 years ago, (saws have too). This would stretch the life a bit, especially on a yard saw that was in the dirt a lot. I can remember re-tipping a bar on my P70 four or five times before the rails got so thin they started to roll over. The bar lubes weren't as good then either.

 

[YUKON 659]

Big saws ...bigger gauage?..... Huh, must be Dennis and the "boys" up there north of the border "must " be runnin' something bigger than the .063. Probably don't even know the .050 exists.

 

[rbtree]

I run .050 on all saws but my 3120. Never have chains break, unless I've improperly spun some rivets,or filed into the side links. Low pro breaks, but rarely, and only from the above causes or maybe hitting something foreign in the wood.

 

[Dennis]

Yukon...I run a 100cm bar...1/2" pitch.. .080 guage on my 2036 for cutting buffalo....

 

[rbtree]

bigger, badder, colder, and bloodier, gawd, what braggadocio.

 

[kenabcd]

How about this question??

Will a Stihl drive sprocket work with .05" and .063" chain, or do you need another sprocket for a diferent width driver?

 

[Lawn Masters]

I know that there is no need to buy another sprcket to run a .050 or .063 gauge chains.

I always thought the larger chains were for larger displacment engines, like running an .063 gauge .404 chain on a 090, and putting a .050 gauge .370lp chain on a stihl 020.

It kinda makes sense right? bigger engine heavier gauge chain.

I know for sure that a .122 gauge 3/4" pitch harvester chain will not fit an .050 gauge guide bar.

 

[Al Smith]

gauge,good question

Here's a kicker.The old Mccullochs ran .404 by .058 .The old Homeys ,were .404 by .063.Don't know why,but try and find some .404 by .058.It is about like finding 1/2" pitch chain,rare.

 

[ehp]

I donot know if new stuff is any good to you but i think oregon up here still makes .058 in .404

 

[P_woozel]

I like .063 on bigger saws, mostly on the falling saws seem like the chain is stonger when it gets hit by the wedge or pinched, bound etc.

 

[Jacob J.]

.050" gauge bars also get clogged with sawdust faster in softwood and require frequent cleaning out, unless you got a saw with a lot of snort.

 

[P_woozel]

Thats what was going on, I never knew that, Thanks Jacob.