Chain tossing

[edisto]

Not a new Olympic sport, just what my Huskapoulan 141 does any time I get it within 3 feet of some brush.

I thought I had the cause figured out, and was getting ready to attempt to remedy the situation when I saw the real problem. The saw was a hand-me-down from my dad, and is sporting a Stihl chain.

My question is...is the saw trying to get rid of the chain, or is the chain trying to escape the saw?

 

[heimannm]

I don't have too much trouble keeping the Stihl chains on a couple of old McCulloch saws that I have set up that way.

I think in your case it is "familiarity breeds contempt", put that chain on a Stihl or some other non-Euro saw and you should be just fine.

Mark

 

[Ax-man]

It is not unusual for a saw to throw a chain every now and then cutting brush. If it happens consistently you have a problem. The problem can be improper tensioning or a worn tensioner on the saw. Other factor could be a worn clutch sprocket, buggered up drive links on the chain. The bar might also be the problem like thin, uneven spread rails or a worn sloppy sprocket bearing in the nose of the bar.

Doesn't matter what brand of chain you run they are all interchangeable as long as you have the correct pitch for the chain sprocket on the saw and the proper gauge on the drive links for the bar.

 

[edisto]

It is not unusual for a saw to throw a chain every now and then cutting brush. If it happens consistently you have a problem. The problem can be improper tensioning or a worn tensioner on the saw. Other factor could be a worn clutch sprocket, buggered up drive links on the chain. The bar might also be the problem like thin, uneven spread rails or a worn sloppy sprocket bearing in the nose of the bar.

Doesn't matter what brand of chain you run they are all interchangeable as long as you have the correct pitch for the chain sprocket on the saw and the proper gauge on the drive links for the bar.

The drive links certainly are getting messed up, which makes the problem worse, but I think the issue in this case is how close the bar sits to the saw. The chain runs right next to the clutch cover, so it is right next to the rim. When I hit anything thin, any debris that gets into the clutch cover has no room on that side, so I think the chain gets pushed too far over. I think I just need a spacer/guide on that side to create some clearance.

I was just making a joke about the Stihl chain...

 

[Tree Pig]

are sure the chain is the correct gauge if its a 3/8 I believe most stihl are .50 while most husky are .63

 

[xdmp22]

are sure the chain is the correct gauge if its a 3/8 I believe most stihl are .50 while most husky are .63

That was my thought was that the drive link thickness is smaller than the bar channel.

 

[pbtree]

I concur - check the guage, but I wonder why the drive links are getting buggered as well - is the pitch incorrect perhaps?

 

[AUSSIE1]

I concur - check the guage, but I wonder why the drive links are getting buggered as well - is the pitch incorrect perhaps?

The drive links get buggered when the chain throws.

 

[olyman]

Not a new Olympic sport, just what my Huskapoulan 141 does any time I get it within 3 feet of some brush.

I thought I had the cause figured out, and was getting ready to attempt to remedy the situation when I saw the real problem. The saw was a hand-me-down from my dad, and is sporting a Stihl chain.

My question is...is the saw trying to get rid of the chain, or is the chain trying to escape the saw?

on the bar somewhere,,are markings..one of them,,will be drive link count,,one other,will be the thickness of the drive link..050,058,063..make sure you have the right one. when you tighten the chain,,always lift UP on the bar,hold it there,tighten chain, then tighten the bar nuts. left down tightening,,it will move the bar up slowly,,as you cut on the bottom side of the bar, even in brush. bar down,then up,,will be a loose chain..how old is bar??? need to have the bar rails reground??? just do it on the side of the grinding wheel,,on a bench grinder,at 90 degree angle to the wheel. bad rails,even with a tight chain,,will cause the chain to jump,as the chain is wobbling back and forth on the bar..

 

[sunfish]

are sure the chain is the correct gauge if its a 3/8 I believe most stihl are .50 while most husky are .63

Around here .063 is a Stihl thing. Never seen a .063 bar on a Husky.

.058 is a Husky thing, but .050 is also used on both brands.

 

[edisto]

are sure the chain is the correct gauge if its a 3/8 I believe most stihl are .50 while most husky are .63

Now that is one thing I didn't think to check...I'll have to look tonight when I get home!

The drive links get buggered when the chain throws.

They do indeed...I think I've spent more time filing the bottom of the chain than I have the top!

I basically only use if for climbing, or for cutting small blocks of hickory and pecan for the smoker, but I sometimes forget how temperamental it is and grab it for pruning.

 

[edisto]

on the bar somewhere,,are markings..one of them,,will be drive link count,,one other,will be the thickness of the drive link..050,058,063..make sure you have the right one. when you tighten the chain,,always lift UP on the bar,hold it there,tighten chain, then tighten the bar nuts. left down tightening,,it will move the bar up slowly,,as you cut on the bottom side of the bar, even in brush. bar down,then up,,will be a loose chain..how old is bar??? need to have the bar rails reground??? just do it on the side of the grinding wheel,,on a bench grinder,at 90 degree angle to the wheel. bad rails,even with a tight chain,,will cause the chain to jump,as the chain is wobbling back and forth on the bar..

It's not a tensioning issue...I don't recall it ever needing re-tensioning during normal cutting, and the chain will jump the second I get stick the bar in some brush, even if that is the first thing I cut. The bar is in good shape too, and the chain has the right number of drive links.

I am curious to see if the gauge matches up though...I don't recall having checked that. I'll find out tonight.

 

[olyman]

It's not a tensioning issue...I don't recall it ever needing re-tensioning during normal cutting, and the chain will jump the second I get stick the bar in some brush, even if that is the first thing I cut. The bar is in good shape too, and the chain has the right number of drive links.

I am curious to see if the gauge matches up though...I don't recall having checked that. I'll find out tonight.

noodling,,kicks out the same amount of trash,,that you are speaking of with brush cutting. i can noodle with any of my saws,,and the chain wont jump,,even if the back side of the cover is full of noodles,,and the noodles are flying off the top of the bar...thats why i dont think its the trash of the brush...look a the rear ofthe bar,,where the chain engages into the bar..is that area,tapered a bit where the chain enters the slot??? sometimes,,the factory misses a step in the making of a bar..i bought three bars,a name brand,real cheap.. i was supicious..yup...they had welded two of the same sides of a bar together,,hence no grease hole for the nose!!!! a small carbide bit solved that problem..and anyone tells you you dont have to grease,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,the chain was trying to lock down within a few seconds of running....

 

[edisto]

noodling,,kicks out the same amount of trash,,that you are speaking of with brush cutting. i can noodle with any of my saws,,and the chain wont jump,,even if the back side of the cover is full of noodles,,and the noodles are flying off the top of the bar...thats why i dont think its the trash of the brush...look a the rear ofthe bar,,where the chain engages into the bar..is that area,tapered a bit where the chain enters the slot??? sometimes,,the factory misses a step in the making of a bar..i bought three bars,a name brand,real cheap.. i was supicious..yup...they had welded two of the same sides of a bar together,,hence no grease hole for the nose!!!! a small carbide bit solved that problem..and anyone tells you you dont have to grease,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,the chain was trying to lock down within a few seconds of running....

One of the things I was going to try was tapering the opening into the groove. I don't think the shavings from noodling will shift the chain as much as a twig, just because they can compact a little more. I have done a little noodling with it, but it's a little sissy saw, so I've never packed the cover.

If the gauge on the chain is right, I'm going to try a spacer/guide to give the chain some room next to the rim and see if it helps. I have a rim and drum setup for it that i need to put on, so maybe I'll try that and the tapering first. It would be nice not to have to use the 61 every time I need to clear some brush.

Of course, what I really need to do is finish putting together my FS120 with the 250 P&C...

 

[edisto]

Chain is .050, and so is the bar. Straight-edge test shows not much play, so I'm back to the spacer idea.

 

[Rounder]

Not familiar with that saw, but the nylon chain guides (if it has them), oiler plate, and sprocket in good shape?

 

[olyman]

Chain is .050, and so is the bar. Straight-edge test shows not much play, so I'm back to the spacer idea.

been doing this,since day one you owned it??? remove side cover,,and take the bar nuts,,with some washers,,and tighten the bar,sans cover..now looksee. does the bar line up STRAIGHT with the sprocket??? wondering if the pad the bar mounts to,,was milled off a mite,,and the bar is setting askew to the sprocket...take a steel straightedge,along the edge of the sprocket, to see if the bar,,is straight to the sprocket..........

 

[edisto]

Not familiar with that saw, but the nylon chain guides (if it has them), oiler plate, and sprocket in good shape?

All in good shape. The saw hasn't seen much use...it would see more if I could keep the chain on!

been doing this,since day one you owned it??? remove side cover,,and take the bar nuts,,with some washers,,and tighten the bar,sans cover..now looksee. does the bar line up STRAIGHT with the sprocket??? wondering if the pad the bar mounts to,,was milled off a mite,,and the bar is setting askew to the sprocket...take a steel straightedge,along the edge of the sprocket, to see if the bar,,is straight to the sprocket..........

Since day one. Bar is true to the sprocket too.

I think I'll go ahead and swap out the sprocket for a rim and drum, and see if that helps.

 

[J.W Younger]

All in good shape. The saw hasn't seen much use...it would see more if I could keep the chain on!



Since day one. Bar is true to the sprocket too.

I think I'll go ahead and swap out the sprocket for a rim and drum, and see if that helps.

The rim will prob make it jump less but bugger the links more when it does.
Is this a low pro chain? Cause if it is yer gonna have to use a 7 tooth regular 3/8s and it may not pull it well.
If its a .325 nevermind.