Still learning. Can you interchange chain brands with all saws if pitch and length are the same? I just bought an Echo 501p and am wondering if this chain, will fit and work OK. Sorry to look so dumb but what's dumber is not asking.
Chain interchangeability?
- Thread starter benelli7d
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Pitch, gauge, and drive link count matter. Cutter width might matter - narrow kerf won’t be happy on a standard kerf bar, but the converse will not be true. Brand does not matter. Whatsoever.
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Without checking specs- it most probably will- but rather than trying to order chains in per inch lengths- order by drive link count.
As long as gauge, pitch, and driver count match what your particular saw requires yes.
Thanks guys. It looks like no Husky chain will work on my 501p. All of their .325s are either .050 ga with 80 drivers or .058 ga with 78 drivers. My saw calls for .325 .050 and 78. I was hoping to get a better chain than an Oregon but guess I'm stuck with Chinese crap unless any of you know of something better that will fit my spec.
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Stihl, Carlton and then Oregon in my personal choice order- all make 0.050 .325 chain that is leaps and bounds ahead of Chinese crap chain.
Syflan
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Depends on how hands-on you're willing to be. It wouldn't be expensive to get a chain repair kit and remove 2 drive links from those 80-link chains.
I have an oddball saw that led me to make that move, and now I make a lot of my own chains.
I have an oddball saw that led me to make that move, and now I make a lot of my own chains.
Syflan
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You can get chains made in the correct length from any decent saw shop or online from someone like Baileys.
Baileys sells Husky Oregon and Stihl chains and also their house brand chain which I'm told is made by Carlton. I use a lot of that. It does not stay sharp quite as long as Stihl chain but it's a lot cheaper.
Yeah, you’re not limited to pre-boxed lengths. Have someone spin up a loop of whatever you want.
Oregon 20-series would be my choice for that saw.
Oregon 20-series would be my choice for that saw.
As I said in my original post, I'm trying to stay away from the chinese crap.
If you dont want to run oregon chain (which is fine and what I run just dont buy it off amazon) than you will have to switch the bar.
You can put a husky bar/chain on a echo, you could even make a stihl bar fit with an adapter.
You can put a husky bar/chain on a echo, you could even make a stihl bar fit with an adapter.
Which chain brand isn't made in China?
Your saw likely has a 20” bar on it, 78 drive links tells me so. If you would get an 18” bar than your choice of chain becomes much easier to find. When i bought my Echo CS530 back in 2009 i had a choice of bars 16, 18, 20. I did a little research before choosing and 72 drive links was a very common Oregon offering in the 20 LPX, LGX series. .325 chain with 72 DL in .050 gauge is a very common offering amongst all the major saw chain manufacturers. Nothing wrong with Oregon chain, ive used it for years.
Now that's some info worth knowing! I had no idea I could switch bars between brands.
Thanks
From what I read on this site, a lot of guys say Oregon Canada is good but the rest are Chinese and I'm not sure how you can make sure you're buying Oregon Canada so until I can get some definitive way to do so, I'm staying away from Oregon chains.
Good question. I'd like to see a thread discussing just that!
The Oregon chain I have bought in the last couple years has been made in the US or Canada. The cheap AdvanceCut bars have been made in China.
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Getting a rivet spinner for attaching chain links really opens up your chain selection. I have one Tsumura bar that says 105 drive links yet is two too many DLs. Having chains cut to custom length or trying to buy the correct length can be a PITA. Just take an existing chain and add or subtract some DLs and you are good to go.
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