First broken chain

[zr900]

Today was the first time I have ever seen a chain snap.
My Brother was bucking up a dead elm (frozen). It was a 371XP
running a 24" bar. It was wearing a Oregon 72LG chain that wasn't
even 1/2 worn. I hadn't even taken the rakers down on the chain.
It looks as if the presets just gave away on one side of the chain.

I have heard that frozen wood can be harder on chains, but I have cut
many frozen trees and never seen one break.

Just remember to stay safe. The chain came up and slapped the top of
his hand pretty good. Luckily it didn't cut through the leather gloves.

 

[Crofter]

Today was the first time I have ever seen a chain snap.
My Brother was bucking up a dead elm (frozen). It was a 371XP
running a 24" bar. It was wearing a Oregon 72LG chain that wasn't
even 1/2 worn. I hadn't even taken the rakers down on the chain.
It looks as if the presets just gave away on one side of the chain.

I have heard that frozen wood can be harder on chains, but I have cut
many frozen trees and never seen one break.

Just remember to stay safe. The chain came up and slapped the top of
his hand pretty good. Luckily it didn't cut through the leather gloves.

Any chance of a picture both sides. did it break through the rivet holes in the tie strap or fracture the eye of the drive link or rivets sheer. Can you tell if it was at the splice or one of the chain manufacturers links?

 

[zr900]

It seems that the rivets pulled out of the straps.

I"ll look at the chain closer tomorrow.

 

[Crofter]

It seems that the rivets pulled out of the straps.

I"ll look at the chain closer tomorrow.

It would be interesting to do a bit more delving into why. It certainly is possible to do things wrong in spinning up the splice that can give less than 100% joint; also filing into the tie straps can weaken a chain as can a derailment. If it is a fault in heat treatment or problem with the join you should be able to get a replacement if you pull the right strings. If there is a problem in manufacture, Oregon gets very interested!

 

[2dogs]

I have only broken a few chains, like 2 or 3. One showed no obvious reason why and the other shot off the 260 and flew into a river. Sometimes there is no good answer.

 

[Lakeside53]

The few that I've seen were the result of "over spinning" on the joiner or hammering (field repair) the rivets flat.

I've ditched a few that looked suspect - had been bent and then straigthened. I'm guilty of bending a few back myself, but I do try to inspect the links carefully afterwards.


Very rare to break a chain in normal use.

 

[Mad Professor]

I've only broken one when milling. A vibration set up as I was deep in a cut and I should have backed off.

This was 25" picco on a 066. It snapped the tie straps.

 

[Lakeside53]

oh yes.. those standing waves (in the chain) you get when milling are scary!

 

[Austin1]

Something to be said about very cold weather and breaking a chain it is the only time I have broke one. The chain in question was in good condition but the weather that day was close to -30c with deep snow I think a warm chain hitting snow and frozen wood had something to do with it?
On the other hand I have never found frozen wood to dull my chain faster but it is clean frozen wood. I know it is harder to cut makes my Soft wood feels like Hardwood and my chips are a bit smaller

 

[Crofter]

Something to be said about very cold weather and breaking a chain it is the only time I have broke one. The chain in question was in good condition but the weather that day was close to -30c with deep snow I think a warm chain hitting snow and frozen wood had something to do with it?
On the other hand I have never found frozen wood to dull my chain faster but it is clean frozen wood. I know it is harder to cut makes my Soft wood feels like Hardwood and my chips are a bit smaller

Agree that extreme cold is a risk multiplier. There have been rumors in years way past of certain chains being very prone to breaking in extreme cold and a change was made in alloys and problem solved Generally a couple of percent nickel in steel that will see impact service in cold weather. How many years ago did you have that chain break?

The picco chain on the 066 would be shrugged off as saying not recommended for saws that large but I know lots of it is run for milling. I think that usually though when a chain breaks there is a pretty strong connection to human error or abuse. I have seen pictures of chains run with cut down rakers that had the heels of the tie straps word down to the rivets and you can be sure they were chattering. Hard to fault the chain for that performance if it broke.

 

[Austin1]

Agree that extreme cold is a risk multiplier. There have been rumors in years way past of certain chains being very prone to breaking in extreme cold and a change was made in alloys and problem solved Generally a couple of percent nickel in steel that will see impact service in cold weather. How many years ago did you have that chain break?

The picco chain on the 066 would be shrugged off as saying not recommended for saws that large but I know lots of it is run for milling. I think that usually though when a chain breaks there is a pretty strong connection to human error or abuse. I have seen pictures of chains run with cut down rakers that had the heels of the tie straps word down to the rivets and you can be sure they were chattering. Hard to fault the chain for that performance if it broke.

It would have been 11/12 years ago it was Oregon Chain as that is what I run most of the time. It was on my 3.7 Mac scared the heXX out of me too!
I don't normally go cut wood on cold day's but the forecast for that day said we would get a Chinook it was wrong and never warmed up!!
I have never broke a chain since. I have derailed a chain using my saw as a machete.:monkey:

 

[Austin1]

Agree that extreme cold is a risk multiplier. There have been rumors in years way past of certain chains being very prone to breaking in extreme cold and a change was made in alloys and problem solved Generally a couple of percent nickel in steel that will see impact service in cold weather. How many years ago did you have that chain break?

The picco chain on the 066 would be shrugged off as saying not recommended for saws that large but I know lots of it is run for milling. I think that usually though when a chain breaks there is a pretty strong connection to human error or abuse. I have seen pictures of chains run with cut down rakers that had the heels of the tie straps word down to the rivets and you can be sure they were chattering. Hard to fault the chain for that performance if it broke.

I see you are from Ont the trees there are bigger and the weather can be very cold! I don't cut my Rakers down I see your point about human error as I have mentioned I have derailed a chain but I know it was my fault dam willows lol!
Plus you might have the best fishing in all of North America but lack casting a fly in the shadow of a mountain!

 

[zr900]

Here is the best pic I could manage of the broken chain.