Anyone ever knocked the drive links off a chain?

[HarleyT]

Looks to me that the O.P. put a chain on, and missed the rim sprocket, fired up the saw, and ruined a good chain. And instead of "sheepishly" owning up to it, wishes to make an online "expose" on it He ran the saw for a bit with the screaming/grinding noise, and is incredulous that he was in any way at fault.
Just a guess....

 

[HarleyT]

It is still a "hate" crime.....

 

[HarleyT]

Of course we could blame Oregon, or Trump....

 

[HarleyT]

I hear that global warming is real hard on chains....

 

[Sepia]

I hear that global warming is real hard on chains....

Well you can be darned sure that if there is a problem anywhere anytime globull warming has directly or indirectly caused it. After all, it's science! You can't argue with science!

 

[Philbert]

After all, it's science! You can't argue with science!

It IS science.

You hit a metal drive link tang with a metal spur sprocket at 12,000 rpm, you're gonna get burrs.

Philbert

 

[Cat 525]

On a long chain just shorten it up to the next size down that you or someone can use!

 

[Marshy]

Not everyone has a chain break and spinner. I'd toss that one. Its beyond repair without splitting it.

What I dont understand is how the links got that bad. A normal thrown chain wont damage them that badly.

 

[rarefish383]

Not everyone has a chain break and spinner. I'd toss that one. Its beyond repair without splitting it.

What I dont understand is how the links got that bad. A normal thrown chain wont damage them that badly.

Looks to me that the O.P. put a chain on, and missed the rim sprocket, fired up the saw, and ruined a good chain. And instead of "sheepishly" owning up to it, wishes to make an online "expose" on it He ran the saw for a bit with the screaming/grinding noise, and is incredulous that he was in any way at fault.
Just a guess....

It's funny, I was apologizing to Philbert for coming off rude in the way I made my last post. On the other hand, I was trying not to be rude to the OP. But, I agree with your observation. In 45 years of climbing I've thrown a few chains. Usually a new one that stretched a bit and I was too lazy to tighten it up. They usually have several drive teeth with burrs that can be knocked off with a few strokes of the file. I've never seen drivers knocked off like that. The OP also stated that he's cut lots of wood and never seen teeth knocked off like that. It looks almost like they were ground off from improper installation, but it's only 3 links. An improper install would have wiped the whole chain. Anyway, I'm one of those guys that hand file my chains down to little nubs. I have at least a dozen chains for every running saw. They hang on nails with size and length, then on a nice spring day, I'll have a sharpening, start all the equipment day. I'll start the tiller and let it run for half an hour and sharpen a couple chains, then the splitter, then the power washer. By the end of the day all the equipment has the carbs cleaned out and most of the chains are sharp.

 

[HarleyT]

If someone missed the rim, tightened it up, cussing about having to crank the adjuster extra to tighten the chain, fire it up and hear a loud whir, and the chain doesn't move. Look puzzled, whirr again. He Joe, come here and check this out!!
Whirr again.

Those splines may be pretty abraisive.

Just a guess, I have never tried this theory, so it remains just a guess.

 

[HarleyT]

Or one of his hired hands may have done it, figured it out, put the chain back on correctly, and put the saw back on the truck without saying anything......
Lots of possibilities.

 

[bitzer]

Some brushy jobs I'll throw chains a dozen times a day. It can't be helped with a longer bar sometimes and unless you're running the chain super tight it will grab and throw. I've seen links get chewed like that many times and on an 18" bar that chain will still run all day with proper clean up and tension. You guys throwing chains away must be loaded. That chain would want to throw constantly on a longer bar tho. Rim sprockets will chew a chains just as bad. Chain gets thrown and caught and rim keeps spinning.

 

[Philbert]

It's funny, I was apologizing to Philbert for coming off rude in the way I made my last post.

Wasn't offended, but thanks.

In 45 years of climbing I've thrown a few chains. Usually a new one that stretched a bit and I was too lazy to tighten it up.

Some brushy jobs I'll throw chains a dozen times a day. It can't be helped

Yep. It's not common cutting big, solid wood. But when cutting 'brushy wood', as bitzer calls it, the small twigs get between the bottom of the chain and the top of the bar, and lever it off like a tire iron. Even when properly tensioned, the chain rises out of the bar due to centrifugal force and the normal 'porpoising' of the cutters. opening up small gaps. I usually see 4 to 7 drive link tangs damaged. Some depends on whether the chain is thrown clear, how long the saw keeps running, rim versus spur sprocket, etc. Comes with the territory.

Philbert

 

[bitzer]

Yep. It's not common cutting big, solid wood. But when cutting 'brushy wood', as bitzer calls it, the small twigs get between the bottom of the chain and the top of the bar, and lever it off like a tire iron. Even when properly tensioned, the chain rises out of the bar due to centrifugal force and the normal 'porpoising' of the cutters. opening up small gaps. I usually see 4 to 7 drive link tangs damaged. Some depends on whether the chain is thrown clear, how long the saw keeps running, rim versus spur sprocket, etc. Comes with the territory.

Philbert

Yep. Clearing out brush around a stump of a dollar tree happens all the time. Especially if you're not running full throttle in the brush and you're excessive with the arm movements that day. A tooth grabs a twig or like you said gets between the drives and the rail. I'm guessing when the op retightened a drive bound up with the sprocket tip. If the chain bound when thrown the drive sprocket, rim or spur, does the rest.

 

[rwoods]

Almost every chain I have thrown looks like the OP’s. The splines on the drum eat them up. Some I have salvaged; others you have to replace the drive links. If mine will fit back in the bar, I do like bitzer. If not, I try to deburr them with the flat file I carry to lower depth gauges and dress the bar. If good but too bad for that method then I grind them at home.

Ron

 

[HarleyT]

Almost every chain I have thrown looks like the OP’s. The splines on the drum eat them up. Some I have salvaged; others you have to replace the drive links. If mine will fit back in the bar, I do like bitzer. If not, I try to deburr them with the flat file I carry to lower depth gauges and dress the bar. If good but too bad for that method then I grind them at home.

Ron

3 links only ground to a nub????

 

[HarleyT]

So this "3 link grinding to a nub" thing happened in that instant of the chain getting thrown?

 

[HarleyT]

Sorry, just going on the evidence provided, and the chain throwing theory ain't cutting it.....

 

[HarleyT]

Anyone have any good theories on the pic provided??

 

[HarleyT]

Some funky angles on those cutters too.