What chain brand YOU buy when u need one now (not online)
- Thread starter Efisher26
- Start date
-
- Tags
- chain brands chain type oregon
Help Support Arborist Forum:
Well I guess none of the above. I keep at least 3 loops on hand for each saw, so I have never needed one "now". I don't buy online anyway. My dealer has very fair pricing on chain, so I just buy locally. Full 3/8 Oregon. 325 & 3/8lp Carlton.
KenJax Tree
Terraphobic
Oregon, Husky, and JRed are all the same chain. Oregon makes them.
thefarmboy21
ArboristSite Operative
My dad is the logger, not me personally, but I've been with him enough to know that he buys only STIHL chains and only from a dealer. He's tried other brands and some mail order stuff, but he's been purely STIHL for a while and the ones he's tried have only been one or two chains before he was done with that brand. Usually his frequent dealer will give him a deal if he buys multiple chains and/or bars. Especially when he buys a saw. Between us there's 6 STIHL saws and we run STIHL chains. Prior to STIHL he had mostly Homelite saws, I'm assuming with Oregon chains......but that was 20-25 years ago. Been only STIHL saws since.
If you need a chain 'now' to complete a job right away you grab whatever is available at what you have to pay. Safety or not they all cut wood and can be 'tuned'. Best thing to do is never put yourself in that position and buy bulk chain on YOUR terms at prices that are best. I have 5-10 work chains per bar size and back up rolls of .404, 3/8 & picco. I only buy 1/4" by the loop. Rotating multiple chains means they last a long time and you can cut all day without stopping to grind/file. My last chain purchase was on eBay which was 25 loops of Carlton N1 that was used but never sharpened (probably hire chain) for $125 delivered to my PO box. They were 14" loops in 050 I have resized for top handles and pole saws. Now had I needed that chain 'now', I'd have had to pay 4-6x that price.
Bluetick
'N dik boom met 'n klien byltjie kap.
I use Oregon replacement chains for my Husqvarna 55. My Stihl is new but I will probably replace chain with Stihl green chain when needed.
I really like the 1 Stihl chain I have. As a firewood cutter is is too much to swallow at $30 locally for 325 66dl though.
I buy chains in quantity and carry extras with me, and I have dozens of rocked chains hanging in the garage waiting to be sharpened, so I cannot envision being in a bind and needing to buy whatever I can find.
My napa parts store keeps carlton on shelf. If I need one I grab it. I run any and all type
Little Al
Addicted to ArboristSite
Some Husky chains are now self produced & some are still Blount. I understand the aim is to eventually manufacture all Husky chains in house.
Chris-PA
Where the Wild Things Are
For lo pro I've switched to TriLink that I can get locally. The cutters are considerably longer than the Oregon 91PX and they cost less too. I find they work very well.
I recently got a loop of TriLink 0.325 full chisel non safety chain at TSC. It seems to cut well even on the factory grind. Interestingly the factory grind was at 30deg rather than the 25deg they specify. The gullets were not well formed, but this is typical with factory grinds. The lengths and angles were all very consistent including side to side - better than the latest loops of Oregon chain I've bought. I still like Oregon 20BPX semi chisel though.
I also use their 3/8 full chisel and it works fine.
I consider chains to be a wear item, and it's more important to keep them sharp than it is to optimize the chain you start with. I don't want to pay a fortune or to have to put it on a credit card and pay shipping for something like that.
I recently got a loop of TriLink 0.325 full chisel non safety chain at TSC. It seems to cut well even on the factory grind. Interestingly the factory grind was at 30deg rather than the 25deg they specify. The gullets were not well formed, but this is typical with factory grinds. The lengths and angles were all very consistent including side to side - better than the latest loops of Oregon chain I've bought. I still like Oregon 20BPX semi chisel though.
I also use their 3/8 full chisel and it works fine.
I consider chains to be a wear item, and it's more important to keep them sharp than it is to optimize the chain you start with. I don't want to pay a fortune or to have to put it on a credit card and pay shipping for something like that.
I'll have to see if my local Napa has chain, never thought to look there
"What chain brand YOU buy when u need one now"
As others have noted, I try to plan ahead, but I have been in situations when we needed a replacement chain on limited notice. In that case, it really depends on what is available. My preference would be any name brand chain: Oregon Carlton, STIHL, etc. But there may not be a full service saw shop around or open, and many 'authorized dealers' only carry a limited selection of pre-sized loops. To find a chain that fits, one might have to accept any brand under duress.
STIHL does not sell .325 narrow kerf chain. STIHL's PS3 chain is the only full chisel 3/8 low profile chain available. PowerSharp is unique to Oregon. Some ECHO saws have odd driver link counts (e.g 57DL instead of 56DL), so you have to find an ECHO dealer if buying on short notice.
Pricing matters. Locally, the Menards' home improvement chain (no pun intended) sells Oregon chain for almost 1/3 to 1/2 less than what some other stores charge for similar chain.
I have had people swear that their Husky or Dolmar or other factory branded chains cut better than the identical Oregon version. I assume that this is some type of expectation bias / brand loyalty thing.
Philbert
As others have noted, I try to plan ahead, but I have been in situations when we needed a replacement chain on limited notice. In that case, it really depends on what is available. My preference would be any name brand chain: Oregon Carlton, STIHL, etc. But there may not be a full service saw shop around or open, and many 'authorized dealers' only carry a limited selection of pre-sized loops. To find a chain that fits, one might have to accept any brand under duress.
STIHL does not sell .325 narrow kerf chain. STIHL's PS3 chain is the only full chisel 3/8 low profile chain available. PowerSharp is unique to Oregon. Some ECHO saws have odd driver link counts (e.g 57DL instead of 56DL), so you have to find an ECHO dealer if buying on short notice.
Pricing matters. Locally, the Menards' home improvement chain (no pun intended) sells Oregon chain for almost 1/3 to 1/2 less than what some other stores charge for similar chain.
I have had people swear that their Husky or Dolmar or other factory branded chains cut better than the identical Oregon version. I assume that this is some type of expectation bias / brand loyalty thing.
Philbert
I live in the PNW, where good saw shops are still there to be found. I don't have to settle for junk chain, so I don't.
alderman
Addicted to ArboristSite
I'm just a firewood cutter. I've bought a lot of my chain from Baileys (Woodland Pro) so I don't really know the brand. There are a couple of local saw shops. I don't know for sure what brands they sell but they both sell to a lot of pro loggers. I'm sure whatever they sell must be okay.
As it sits now I have more chain loops than I will ever use and a couple of reels just in case.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
As it sits now I have more chain loops than I will ever use and a couple of reels just in case.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
ChoppyChoppy
Tree Freak
I just grab one from the shop. Have enough chain loops floating around to fill a truck bed.
yes
big hank
ArboristSite Operative
Stihl chain is the only chain I'll buy.
The cutters are much harder and it doesn't stretch as much as Oregon.
The cutters are much harder and it doesn't stretch as much as Oregon.
