Lots of life left on that!
Philbert's Chain Salvage Challenge
- Thread starter Philbert
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I just picked up a 100' reel of this chain at an estate sale. The owner had not used any of it. All was in excellent condition. I figured it had to be worth a pair of C-notes and that's what I offered him. He accepted. Unfortunately, it has no rust on it, and he even threw in all the presets and tie straps that came with it. So, I can't post it here as a salvaged reel. I should get about 25 loops out of it. I have seven saws that can use it, and several friends still have 028 Supers.
Thank you for the encouragement. I just made my first loop from this "salvaged" reel today and tried it out with an 028 Super running a 20" bar, which I admit is a tad long for an 028. It cut like a bandit and the saw loved it. How could anyone criticize .325" pitch and .o63" gauge chain when installed on the right saw?
An 028 will run a 20" .325 setup all day long and indeed love it -- especially a Super!
I did it yesterday for almost two hours now, and you are right. I was cutting mostly dry cottonwood, but it was anything but punky. Buck cuts were smooth and it even noodle cut right through some 18" logs that were 20" dia. It even threw the noodles out without any clog up. I'm sold on both the .325 chain, the 20" bar, and the 028 Super.
Box Store Scrounge
Helped a guy in the saw aisle at Menard's who looked a bit lost.
Him, "I don't know if I need an 'S56' or an 'S57'. What's the difference?"
Me, "Let me look at your old chain. You need an 'S52'. . . . . What are you going to do with your old chain?"
Him, "I had some trouble with this one and want to start over with a new chain, so that I know that it is not the problem".
After a quick bath in degreaser and a short conversation with Mr. Toothbrush . . . . (photo shows a little crud I left under the cutters - that came off quickly).
He called it '16' chain.
Philbert
Helped a guy in the saw aisle at Menard's who looked a bit lost.
Him, "I don't know if I need an 'S56' or an 'S57'. What's the difference?"
Me, "Let me look at your old chain. You need an 'S52'. . . . . What are you going to do with your old chain?"
Him, "I had some trouble with this one and want to start over with a new chain, so that I know that it is not the problem".
After a quick bath in degreaser and a short conversation with Mr. Toothbrush . . . . (photo shows a little crud I left under the cutters - that came off quickly).
He called it '16' chain.
Philbert
ANewSawyer
Addicted to ArboristSite
Maybe it is the angle Phil but some of those rakers look really low. Good find though.
Or those bumpers look really high. I grind em down and outta the way when I end up with that type of safety chain. Wouldn't necessarily recommend the practice for everyone, but I'd never buy that stuff for my own use and when I acquire it for free, well..., I feel compelled to 'fix' it. 
If you take the bumpers out of the equation, it just becomes semi-chisel chain, correct?Or those bumpers look really high. I grind em down and outta the way when I end up with that type of safety chain. Wouldn't necessarily recommend the practice for everyone, but I'd never buy that stuff for my own use and when I acquire it for free, well..., I feel compelled to 'fix' it.
Would obviously depend on the cutter style, but I'm not aware of any full chisel with the bumper style safety feature.
Me either. But all other things equal, a safety chain with bumpers removed should have similar cut speed to semi chisel. Or am I missing something?
In the case of Stihl chain, and depending on the original type, it essentially turns a RSC3 style into RSC, 0r depending on the chain style guide used for reference, RM3 into RM...with the 3 being the humped tie strap safety style in any case.
There are a couple of Stihl docs explaining their chain I.D. designations and others cross-reffing the same styles between manufacturers. Gets complicated!
But to answer the question, yes....(providing the chain is sharp, of course).
And safety chain does cut, so don't get me wrong....just not as aggressively....for a reason.
There are a couple of Stihl docs explaining their chain I.D. designations and others cross-reffing the same styles between manufacturers. Gets complicated!
But to answer the question, yes....(providing the chain is sharp, of course).
And safety chain does cut, so don't get me wrong....just not as aggressively....for a reason.
Yeah it sure beats a hand saw anyhow.
Just the camera angle (trying to avoid shadows). Depth gauges were never touched - chain might have been sharpened once.
Right.
Think of chains as an assembly of: cutters, tie straps; drive links, and rivets. Some chains have different right and left tie-straps. Some have multiple drive link types (bumper and non-bumper alternating on the same loop). Some cutters are spaced differently: full house, full compliment, semi-skip, skip, or none (used to drive things like a Lewis winch, etc.). Manufacturers mix-n-match components to make different chains. So 'Pogo-izing' a low kickback chain would basically convert the bumper tie-straps into conventional tie-straps: the cutters and drive links would remain the same as on any other chain of that size and type by the same manufacturer.
http://www.stihlusa.com/information/how-to-guides/saw-chain-identification/
http://www.oregonproducts.com/homeowner/products/chain/consumer_sawchain_parts.htm
Philbert
briantutt
Addicted to ArboristSite
Oregon currently shows the following, round ground, full-chisel chains to have a bumper drive link (not a bumper tie strap) reduced kickback feature:
- Super 20 (20, 21,22LPX) .325 pitch
- Super 70 (72, 73, 75 LPX - plus JPX skip versions) 3/8 pitch
Philbert
I don't grind the bumpers off, 'cause I am a 'safety guy', and because I can make these chains cut good enough for me. But if that is important for you to use these chains, then that is sort of a 'chain salvage' activity, so it fits in this thread.
Philbert
Yeah it did indeed.
In the junk pile now.
When I balance time invested vrs cost of low profile safety chain a new loop of real chain wins every time.
Now if someone comes up with a nipper to cut down the guard links I could go for that.
I do save safety chain in a box for one client who thinks it cuts smoother.[emoji57]
I like the bumper drive link (center) low-kickback chain better than the tie-strap (side) bumper chains - less of a problem with chip removal, less interference when filing depth gauges, etc.
But a lot of people like the tie-strap bumpers on pole saws - typically cutting smaller diameter wood, and it does seem to 'bounce' less. So I could go along with that 'smoother' comment on small wood.
Philbert
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