The pitch question... again

[flyinghunter]

I know this has been hashed and re-hashed but it seems all the old threads on the subject have gone walk about.

I have a ms660 with 36" bar and run 3/8 .063 chain, can anybody tell me if it's worth chainging the tip and sprocket and getting a loop of .325 .063?

I didn't want to go to the bother of getting another bar but if .325 on the bar I have now is going to convert a bit less wood into dust I'm all for it.

 

[Trigger-Time]

I know this has been hashed and re-hashed but it seems all the old threads on the subject have gone walk about.

I have a ms660 with 36" bar and run 3/8 .063 chain, can anybody tell me if it's worth chainging the tip and sprocket and getting a loop of .325 .063?

I didn't want to go to the bother of getting another bar but if .325 on the bar I have now is going to convert a bit less wood into dust I'm all for it.

Not sure....think you will need to buy a .325 tip, any .325 bar over 20",
may be a rare bird.

 

[aggiewoodbutchr]

What brand bar do you have? Oregon bar tips are easily interchangeable on any of their bars. I think you can do the same with Stihl bars but I'm not sure. I use a GB bar with a toothless roller nose that will accept any pitch.

If you are going to do much milling it's worth it IMO. I use full-comp Carlton K3-C semi-chisel and grind it back to 10-15 deg. a little at a time.

 

[flyinghunter]

Windsor speed tip. No drama to replace the tip and they are pretty cheap. I need another chain anyway. it weighs on me that for every fifth or sixth slab I'm turning one into dust.

Aggie, have you tried both pitches in .063? any idea what to expect in kerf/milling speed?

Also.... where do I find a .325 sprocket for ms660?

 

[aggiewoodbutchr]

Windsor speed tip. No drama to replace the tip and they are pretty cheap. I need another chain anyway. it weighs on me that for every fifth or sixth slab I'm turning one into dust.

Aggie, have you tried both pitches in .063? any idea what to expect in kerf/milling speed?

Also.... where do I find a .325 sprocket for ms660?

I've tried .404, 3/8 and .325 in .063 all ran back to back in the same log. While the differences between them are not huge, the .325 cut noticeably smoother, faster and produced less sawdust that the others. Unless you just want to change now, I'd recommend you convert when your current equipment wears to get your money's worth out of it.

I bought my sprockets from GB (Stens).

 

[flyinghunter]

Thanks Aggie, I'll get some gear together and give it a go. I don't do a huge amount of milling but when I do I like it to be as efficient as it can be, both in time and timber. Cheers.

 

[Zodiac45]

Aggie,

That GB bar with the toothless roller nose that accepts all pitches is quite cool! I wish they made them in smaller than 44". I wonder if you can purchase that tip and replace a toothed GB bar tip? (On a shorter bar)

 

[aggiewoodbutchr]

Aggie,

That GB bar with the toothless roller nose that accepts all pitches is quite cool! I wish they made them in smaller than 44". I wonder if you can purchase that tip and replace a toothed GB bar tip? (On a shorter bar)

I have a 20" roller I use as my "race" bar but I think it's fixed. The last I heard GB stopped production on all roller nose bars because safety and cost issues. Too bad.

 

[flyinghunter]

Just be thankful that you can buy a decent length bar without it costing a weeks wages. I still can't understand why I can import stuff from the U.S for less than half what it costs in a shop here....even with 1/2 of the cost being freight. crazy.:monkey: