Chainsaw chain question

[sb47]

Hey boys and girls, Over the years I have gotten a collection of chains that still have plenty of cutting teeth left but the chain has stretched beyond the adjustment on the saw. I have saved them in the hops to one day remove a link so I can get some more use out of them.
My local dealer said they didn't sell any tools to put a chain together. I know many of you make up your own chains from bulk rolls and have chain breakers and links to make up chains.
Can anyone give me a clue as to where I can get a chainsaw chain breaker and links to shorten my chains?
Is it a good idea or should I just wright them off? I hate to throw them out if all it takes is to remove a link and get some more use out of them.
What tools do I need and where can I get them. Thanks in advance.

 

[buzz sawyer]

Try Baileys - site sponsor.
WoodlandPRO Chain Breaker & Spinner Combination (baileysonline.com)

 

[Philbert]

I have the Bailey’s set, and I like it.

Best deal right now is (same product, different colors, I am told):
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Archer-Cha...090918?hash=item59444e98a6:g:XskAAOSwQrJbZfwt
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Tecomec-Ch...301401?hash=item58e9d6f759:g:d0UAAOSww3tY7Vb7
Do not buy a set where replacement punches, spinner anvils, etc., are not available. Those “cheap“ sets get expensive really fast, when you cannot buy replacement parts!

Philbert

 

[sb47]

Thanks for the ideas on the chain breaker combo sets. Now what about the chain parts themselves? Surly I'll need to match those parts to the size and brand chain I'm using.

 

[J D]

Joiners (presets & tie straps) will need to match the size & guage of chain you're using. Brand shouldn't matter so much, I'd just go with whatever brand the majority of your chains are (if you can get them readily).

 

[Franny K]

Pre sets and tie straps have more variation from brand to brand than the above post would indicate. You will see once you get a bunch of them broke down. At least for .325, 3/8lp, and 1/4 0.050 gauge.

Lay the chain out straight pull, then push to make shorter. Most likely some should be discarded. Modify the bar, new adjuster hole, oil one if needed?

 

[olyman]

Joiners (presets & tie straps) will need to match the size & guage of chain you're using. Brand shouldn't matter so much, I'd just go with whatever brand the majority of your chains are (if you can get them readily).

wrong,,,you aint taken apart many brands of chain, have you????

 

[Philbert]

Many online vendors who sell chain will also sell presets. I buy STIHL presets from my STIHL dealer in bags of 8 or 10 (changes).

Philbert

 

[fossil]

Before you start taking them apart make sure they roll around the clutch sprocket without binding.
Sometimes they get stretched enough that the pitch is out of wack.

 

[Philbert]

Sometimes they get stretched enough that the pitch is out of wack.

+1

'Stretched' chains cause faster wear on both drive and guide bar nose sprockets. As long as people understand that, it is their choice. A new rim sprocket might be $5 -$10. A new spur sprocket $15-$25. New guide bar nose sprocket tip $15 - $25. New guide bar (non-replaceable tip)? Versus new chains at $10 - $30 each.

If someone has some worn sprockets or bars that they are not worried about, and if the chains run OK, a lot of guys would run them. If they are having trouble with their chains, this is a good place to start looking.

Philbert

 

[sb47]

+1

'Stretched' chains cause faster wear on both drive and guide bar nose sprockets. As long as people understand that, it is their choice. A new rim sprocket might be $5 -$10. A new spur sprocket $15-$25. New guide bar nose sprocket tip $15 - $25. New guide bar (non-replaceable tip)? Versus new chains at $10 - $30 each.

If someone has some worn sprockets or bars that they are not worried about, and if the chains run OK, a lot of guys would run them. It they are having trouble with their chains, this is a good place to start looking.

Philbert

I have several used spur drives and a few used bars that I can run the older chains on.
I save my old bars/ sprockets and chains in case I have to cut down close to the dirt where I don't want to risk wasting a new bar and chain.
Thanks for the input.

 

[Philbert]

Just to be clear, I run a lot of old chains. I just want people to understand the choices involved.

Philbert

 

[J D]

wrong,,,you aint taken apart many brands of chain, have you????

A few, all 3/8 though & have generally used the same brand joiners as I had them. Recently I had an issue with some & this thread prompted me to ask about it. I have been educated... JOINERS SHOULD MATCH CHAIN SIZE & BRAND

 

[J D]

Out of curiosity, are there brands of chain/joiners that are known to be mixable/interchangeable?

 

[Philbert]

It is not consistent.

Some Oregon presets will work with both 0.050 and 0.058 gauge chain, for example. But not with 0.050 Narrow Kerf chain. Same brand. See where this is going?

Some STHIL presets will work with STIHL 0.063, 0.058, and 0.050 gauge chains. Except when they don’t.

Some brands fit other brands. Some don’t.

They have to match:
- rivet spacing;
- rivet diameter;
- flange (center) bearing diameter;
- flange bearing thickness.



Because I work on so many different brands and models of chain, I have more $$$ invested in presets than in my spinner/ breaker set! (Seriously).

Not an issue if you only work on 1 or 2 brands or models of chain.

Philbert

 

[Wood Doctor]

I have the Tecomec pair that Philbert shows in Post #3. It's excellent. I mounted the pair onto a hardwood carrier with a cleat that I lock to my workbench with the end vise whenever it's time to work on a chain. No complaints here. Now and then you run into a chain that is hard to break with a simple push, but it's rare. I have not found a single chain loop that I cannot join with this set. In six years I have probably connected together around a thousand loops.

I might add that the service tip shown there cautions that the punch could break. What happens far more is that the chain does not break during the press. The punch slides off instead and becomes tough or impossible to break on the next squeeze attempt. That's when I use the grinder on the rivet hubs. That grinding takes longer to break the chain but never fails. That's how I used to do it all the time before I bought the Tecomec breaker.

 

[mojo jojo]

Just drill a new hole in the bar and you`re good to go.

 

[Franny K]

This is what the cheat and reuse a preset tie strap looks like. One would need a donor chain if adding length

 

[Philbert]

That's when I use the grinder on the rivet hubs.

Dremel tool is good for this. Bench grinder works too. A file, if that’s what you got.

Philbert

 

[heimannm]