Why the differences in driver width?
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Sethro
Heathen
Once upon a time the reason was when your .050 gauge bar was worn you could got to .058 and so on. It's more of a sales gimmick now. As far as strength, I have hit frozen aspen cants at 16K with .50 drivers without any problems.
RED-85-Z51
Addicted to ArboristSite
Actually..
Narrow Kerf- 0,043"
used on power Pruners, it is a very light chain, the chain itself is incredibly narrow and light, great for little saws and pruners.
0.050"
Used on mid range saws, strong, able to take some decent power and abuse.
0.058"
This one I never saw much need for, we dont sell it very much, dont even stock it anymore...
0.063"
Heavy heavy chain, generally 3/8" pitch chain, generally on higher power, higher rpm saws, not likely to fail under high rpm and high loads such as on a 36" bar buried turning the motor 13,500.
They all have a purpose, the lighter chains are usually on the smaller weaker saws that usually wont have the power to rip the thin links apart in a hangup.
The larger saws need the 0.063 gauge because they are just big and powerful.
A midrange saw needs some beefy links, but not 0.063"....thus the reason for 0.050"
Narrow Kerf- 0,043"
used on power Pruners, it is a very light chain, the chain itself is incredibly narrow and light, great for little saws and pruners.
0.050"
Used on mid range saws, strong, able to take some decent power and abuse.
0.058"
This one I never saw much need for, we dont sell it very much, dont even stock it anymore...
0.063"
Heavy heavy chain, generally 3/8" pitch chain, generally on higher power, higher rpm saws, not likely to fail under high rpm and high loads such as on a 36" bar buried turning the motor 13,500.
They all have a purpose, the lighter chains are usually on the smaller weaker saws that usually wont have the power to rip the thin links apart in a hangup.
The larger saws need the 0.063 gauge because they are just big and powerful.
A midrange saw needs some beefy links, but not 0.063"....thus the reason for 0.050"
RED-85-Z51
Addicted to ArboristSite
Never heard of that, but it makes sense I guess. Ive never been able to give any reason for the existence of 0.058" chain...The other 3, yeah I can rationalize them.
Lakeside53
Stihl Wrenching
Sorry Red... but if you use Stihl chain, there is zero difference in strength between 050 and 063... same cutters and joiners - just thinned BOTTOM of the tang on 050.
LarryTheCableGuy
Addicted to ArboristSite
...so I guess nearly zero difference in weight also. Ouch.
But if I remember correctly, he did get a HAT for listening to an ECHO sales pitch or something.
.
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.050 & .063
Lake -
I wondered why STIHL chose for a while to machine small holes [reservoirs]in each driver of .063 chain only. "for superior oil lubrication/retension". This is in addition to the OiloMatic channels. [.325 & 3/8"]
In the older Bar & Chain catalog, these holes are not in the .050 chain, .063 only.
Was the .063 driver stronger [wider] to handle the missing metal?
Curious.
Lake -
I wondered why STIHL chose for a while to machine small holes [reservoirs]in each driver of .063 chain only. "for superior oil lubrication/retension". This is in addition to the OiloMatic channels. [.325 & 3/8"]
In the older Bar & Chain catalog, these holes are not in the .050 chain, .063 only.
Was the .063 driver stronger [wider] to handle the missing metal?
Curious.
K9-Handler
ArboristSite Operative
So, using this logic, why are most 3/8 chains found in .050 and most .325 chains found in .063?
When did Stihl quit making .058 gauge chain? It comes up occasionally on ebay.
Trigger-Time
Addicted to ArboristSite
So, using this logic, why are most 3/8 chains found in .050 and most .325 chains found in .063?
Here, Stihl 3/8 chain is .063
cuttinscott
Addicted to ArboristSite
This topic has come up many times........
Here in the Northeast .058" is by far the most common for .325" and 3/8"
Why Does stihl feel it necessary to install .325" .063" on their mid size saws? :monkey:
Oregon now seems to want everyone to use .050" on everything.... I dont like that idea of having only 1 choice of gauge it seems like when that happens something goes wrong at a mfg plant somewhere and bingo all dist and dealers run out of .050" 3/8" it has happened..........
So to my PRO users I will continue to keep selling .058" unless they request another gauge....
Scott
Here in the Northeast .058" is by far the most common for .325" and 3/8"
Why Does stihl feel it necessary to install .325" .063" on their mid size saws? :monkey:
Oregon now seems to want everyone to use .050" on everything.... I dont like that idea of having only 1 choice of gauge it seems like when that happens something goes wrong at a mfg plant somewhere and bingo all dist and dealers run out of .050" 3/8" it has happened..........
So to my PRO users I will continue to keep selling .058" unless they request another gauge....
Scott
SawTroll
Information Collector
CentaurG2
Addicted to ArboristSite
My stihl dealer still sells .058 chain. I use .058 .325 RMC on my limbing saws and it works great. All my huskys are .058 and all of my stihls run .050. Came that way from the dealer and I have never thought to switch them to all one gage.
SawTroll
Information Collector
That practise often leads to crooked cutting anyway, but sometimes works OK for streight-down cuts.
Lakeside53
Stihl Wrenching
They haven't - it's just not sold by them in many parts of North Amercia.
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Lakeside53
Stihl Wrenching
The driver is exactly the same - the tang (part with the hole in it) was thinned down only on the lower portion on 050. Out here, most 050 is still "solid", but recently they changed even the 043 to have a hole in it. Confused the carp out of me at first -I was used to just looking on the hook for solid tang picco to grab the 043...
Why, or why not... not sure... but they seem to be moving it all to "hole". I do think it make a difference on longer bars.
MR4WD
ArboristSite Guru
I know around here all they have is rsf in .058. I had to special order in some .063 and at that, had to buy 25' of it. I thought the PNW used lots of .058? Like I said, it's the most common chain size around here. Even 404x.058!
Lakeside53
Stihl Wrenching
ah, but your PNW is north of the border...:greenchainsaw: In the land of Stihl, they never sold a saw with 058...
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RED-85-Z51
Addicted to ArboristSite
So, using this logic, why are most 3/8 chains found in .050 and most .325 chains found in .063?
I sell one loop of .325/.063 for every 20 I sell of .325/.050
And yes, that is a fact.
K9-Handler
ArboristSite Operative
I've never even SEEN .325/.050 for sale in these parts!
Must be one of them regional things...
Mediums come with .325-.063, large saws come with 3/8-.050.
And that's the geographical fact!
