Can't a guy buy a decent chain locally anymore?!

[Cayuga]

Just a rant here about my latest experience.


So I went to a local lawn mower/chainsaw shop and inquired about getting a 72 link 3/8 .050 chain. The nice Man told me "Sure! We can make you one." He opens a side door and hollers at a guy in the back. 5 minutes and $22 later I have a new chain and am on my way. When I get this chain out of the box, I see the splice replaced a cutter.... (Now, I know that one skip tooth probably won't hurt anything..... But I don't like it.)

I figure the guy in the back is new, or doesn't know what he is doing.

When I call the store and let the nice man who helped me know that the guy in the back is spinning chain one link off he tells me they do that all the time, they can't just waste all those odd links.

Looks like more woodlandpro chains coming from California for me....

 

[fearofpavement]

Well, it won't really make any difference in cutting. But I can see where you're coming from. Some dl counts are always a bit off. ie, two same side cutters in a row. I don't believe the 72dl chains should be like that though.

 

[Cayuga]

Course Wapner is at 11. And I gotta get to K-Mart for some BVDs.

Ha! You got me. I love me some KMart underwear!

Thanks, you made me laugh out loud!

 

[mdavlee]

Just a rant here about my latest experience.


So I went to a local lawn mower/chainsaw shop and inquired about getting a 72 link 3/8 .050 chain. The nice Man told me "Sure! We can make you one." He opens a side door and hollers at a guy in the back. 5 minutes and $22 later I have a new chain and am on my way. When I get this chain out of the box, I see the splice replaced a cutter.... (Now, I know that one skip tooth probably won't hurt anything..... But I don't like it.)

I figure the guy in the back is new, or doesn't know what he is doing.

When I call the store and let the nice man who helped me know that the guy in the back is spinning chain one link off he tells me they do that all the time, they can't just waste all those odd links.

Looks like more woodlandpro chains coming from California for me....

If you expect all your chains to come up even you'll never be happy until you buy a breaker and spinner and do it yourself. There's several lengths that come out odd and they don't want to keep breaking a link out every time an odd number was cut and then an even. On 28", 32, and 36" you'll end up with an extra link between teeth or two of the same side back to back depending on chain sequence.

 

[Cayuga]

@

If you expect all your chains to come up even you'll never be happy until you buy a breaker and spinner and do it yourself. There's several lengths that come out odd and they don't want to keep breaking a link out every time an odd number was cut and then an even. On 28", 32, and 36" you'll end up with an extra link between teeth or two of the same side back to back depending on chain sequence.

Exactly, and I think I will end up buying my own spinner.
I have never been bothered by double (back to back) cutters. But seeing a cutter missing,.... Well if I was spinnin' em' it wouldn't be that way....

 

[mdavlee]

If you use skip and semi skip it's hard to get them even. I quit trying after having a small pile of extra cutters.

 

[sachsmo]

Most places around here will give you a safety chain if you don't demand non safety.

A couple places don't even carry non safety?

As far as the 'big box' places,,,,,,,good luck finding a 'good' chain.

I get all my chains mail order, the ones I deal with will put 3 loops in a small box/envelope and shipping will only cost about $2.00 a chain.

I get a bunch from Baileys too, but usually include them in a larger order to off-set the shipping charges.

 

[Philbert]

Experienced saw guy taught me 'the rule of four'. Full comp chain goes: right cutter, drive link, tie strap, drive link, left cutter, drive link, tie strap, drive link. So your loop has to be evenly divisible by 4 drive links in order to get a 'perfect loop'. Other chains will have an extra space, or 2 right cutters in a row, etc.

If you chain is divisible by 4 and not 'perfect sequence', they might have replaced a damaged link, or spliced on the end of the last roll to not waste any cutters. I try to avoid interrupting the sequence, but don't think that it makes a practical difference in most cases.

Philbert

 

[066blaster]

I get my Husky chains at a Husky dealer. Stihl chains at a stihl dealer. New in package. Never had a issue.

 

[farmerdoug]

The good stihl pro non safety full chisel chain runs $13 to $14 a loop 25" bar. You have to buy in bulk and make your own loops. With the highest quality chain on the market at this price it is tough to justify sharpening. It is best to resell the loops for $7 (if you haven't chipped or tried to resharpen them) This saves the landfill and is the responsible thing to do.

 

[sunfish]

I get my Husky chains at a Husky dealer. Stihl chains at a stihl dealer. New in package. Never had a issue.

Same here, any gauge, any pitch, chisel, or semi. One dealer both brands, but only Stihl chain.

I like Oregon a little better & just order it.

 

[KenJax Tree]

Yes i can buy any yellow chain i need at 1 of 5 Stihl dealers within 20 miles of me.......and it's the only one out of the 5 that isn't an "Elite" dealer....go figure.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Big_Wood]

i generally break my own chains but am out of 3/8's and can't push myself to buy a whole roll right now. if i had a big project coming up i would. i do have a bunch of .404 left. i try to get my chains as good as i can but sometimes it can't be done. if i have to punch out a link or 2 from either end to make it better i will. i've bought chains from the dealer here that were so screwed up they didn't cut straight right out of the box. probably end of the roll throw together chains.

 

[fearofpavement]

The good stihl pro non safety full chisel chain runs $13 to $14 a loop 25" bar. You have to buy in bulk and make your own loops. With the highest quality chain on the market at this price it is tough to justify sharpening. It is best to resell the loops for $7 (if you haven't chipped or tried to resharpen them) This saves the landfill and is the responsible thing to do.

Guess I'd be going through about a dozen loops a day if I have a lot of cutting because I usually file my chains every tank or two of fuel. (recently I was cutting some nasty stuff and sharpened three times on the same tank of fuel)

 

[RedFir Down]

The good stihl pro non safety full chisel chain runs $13 to $14 a loop 25" bar. You have to buy in bulk and make your own loops. With the highest quality chain on the market at this price it is tough to justify sharpening. It is best to resell the loops for $7 (if you haven't chipped or tried to resharpen them) This saves the landfill and is the responsible thing to do.

Shoot thats a deal...... Can I buy your 72DL dull, unsharpened Stihl chain from you that is not chipped and doesnt have the top of the cutter rolled way back?

 

[AKDoug]

The good stihl pro non safety full chisel chain runs $13 to $14 a loop 25" bar. You have to buy in bulk and make your own loops. With the highest quality chain on the market at this price it is tough to justify sharpening. It is best to resell the loops for $7 (if you haven't chipped or tried to resharpen them) This saves the landfill and is the responsible thing to do.

Once again, where are you finding 84 link Stihl RS chain for $13 to $14 a loop? That is my dealer cost without shipping for just the chain before the small price in labor to spin it. I actually could pay your guy to spin my loops, pay for shipping in a flat rate box, and make more money than I am now.

 

[farmerdoug]

The only people that have access to these rates are people who are physically in the state of Washington.

 

[AKDoug]

The only people that have access to these rates are people who are physically in the state of Washington.

Is that $14 with sales tax? If so, that's amazing.

 

[AKDoug]

I could do it also if I ordered enough rolls to get to the next discount level and get my free shipping. I just don't understand why any dealer would leave the much $$ on the table.

 

[Nuzzy]

The good stihl pro non safety full chisel chain runs $13 to $14 a loop 25" bar. You have to buy in bulk and make your own loops. With the highest quality chain on the market at this price it is tough to justify sharpening. It is best to resell the loops for $7 (if you haven't chipped or tried to resharpen them) This saves the landfill and is the responsible thing to do.

Am I missing some joke here?

Are you legitimately advocating the concept of buying chain to use once and then reselling...?