‘Dings’ In Chain Catcher. Why?

[Stihl Got It]

Thanks to everyone who responded. I feel like a have a more comprehensive idea of what might be happening, and that it’s not likely a loose chain issue.
(But having said that, I agree with farmer that the first pic is on the looser side).

 

[Bret4207]

Every so often, a new divot appears in my chain catcher that I can only assume is being made by the chain. The thing is, the chain seems to be normal tightness. It ‘snaps’ back when I pull on it, and only 3 or 4 drive links are full visible when I do. In other words, the chain isn’t dragging and running into the catcher.
Anyone have an experience similar to this? Is there a way to ameliorate it? I guess I don’t want the chain catcher to eventually be cut right off, or for the chain to dull itself on the catcher for that matter.

The chain pulls all sort of stuff into the chain catcher. Little pebbles that grew into the bark after being splashed there by rain for instance. Hunks of very hard knot wood hitting the catcher at Warp Speed 9. Just because the catcher has dings doesn't necessarily mean the chain is loose enough to hit it.

 

[Del_]

The chain pulls all sort of stuff into the chain catcher. Little pebbles that grew into the bark after being splashed there by rain for instance. Hunks of very hard knot wood hitting the catcher at Warp Speed 9. Just because the catcher has dings doesn't necessarily mean the chain is loose enough to hit it.

Those marks were not made by a pebble or a hunk of hard wood.

Maybe he caught up a piece of old chainsaw chain when cutting and that is what did the damage?

Or a section of barbed wire?

That damage is way more than likely cause by the saw chain on that saw.

To suggest otherwise is like finding two puncture wounds on your dog and a dead snake in it's mouth and concluding that it wasn't a snake bite.

See this damage? No doubt it was caused by a snake bite.

 

[Bret4207]

I have saws with the same type marks that have never, ever had the chain run so loose that that would happen. It's just a hunka soft aluminum alloy. If he's cutting wood that been in ground contact or ground skidded then it's entirely possible that's where the damage comes from. And yeah, fence staples, wire, etc if he's cut along a fence line or something. But yes, I believe a hard hunka knot wood at Warp 9 can definitely do that type of damage.

 

[Ol' Brian]

Looks like just normal everyday wear to me... the chips and whatnot spraying off of the chain are more powerful than you would think. If the chain had actually hit your catcher, there would be no asking what had happened.

The catcher on my 55 is just plastic, and it is no longer even there... the catchers on my 372 and 395 are round plastic rollers, and they are all beaten up. None of these saws has ever had a chain jump.

 

[albert]

Thanks. Normal tension for me looks like this, top and bottom. Maybe one or two drive links are fully exposed.
I realize it may seem like a non-issue, but if it is chipping away at the chain catcher, I’m hoping that doesn’t mean it’s loose enough to pose a safety hazard.

Chain is way loose! Too loose for even a hard nose bar. Bottom of chain should touch the bar when cold. Snug as possible and still move easily by hand. You will beat divots in the bar behind the tip running like that.

 

[Stihl Got It]

Chain is way loose! Too loose for even a hard nose bar. Bottom of chain should touch the bar when cold. Snug as possible and still move easily by hand. You will beat divots in the bar behind the tip running like that.

Thanks for your input. For the record, I’m stretching the chain in the picture. It’s not just dangling like that. It snapped back against the bottom of the bar as soon as I let it go.

Still, as I said, it was a bitter looser than ideal.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[TBS]

Chain catchers are aluminum or plastic so it doesn't take much to ding them up.

 

[toadman]

I actually had a funny one today, I swapped my 291 back to 3/8" after using the wornout .325 for a couple trash filled logs today & found my chain would only move 3 inches before stopping... turns out at some point I had deformed the catcher & it caught the bottom of the clutch cover & mashed into the side of the chain between 2 cutters on one side as I tightened the bar nuts... I also had a few new marks appear from idling it on gravel covered asphalt.
I watched it out of curiosity as the chain catcher bounced up & down with the idle on a 1.5" piece of stone & dented a little bit each tome.

 

[TBS]

Chain catchers are aluminum or plastic so it doesn't take much to ding them up.

Adding to this when you are cutting the chain throwing chips acts like a media blaster.

 

[Del_]

Adding to this when you are cutting the chain throwing chips acts like a media blaster.

Here's a close up of the original photo.

What kind of media does this kind of damage? I bet not walnut shells.

 

[TBS]

Here's a close up of the original photo.

What kind of media does this kind of damage? I bet not walnut shells.

View attachment 874154

That's definitely from catching a chain, if the op didn't have it happen maybe the dealer did.

 

[Del_]

That's definitely from catching a chain, if the op didn't have it happen maybe the dealer did.

Thank you!

I've been saying that from the very first but I believe you are the first to agree.

 

[foeke]

No no. Someone had a chain flopping around. Maybe not OP. But someone.