Yes $18 per drive link just to cut some near worthless wood. Sounds crazy doesn't it. Now I ask you this, can you stop by your local dealer and pick up a loop at ANY price? If you can well, as the saying goes............... inquiring minds want to know.....
Let's look at this at a basic level which is all my basic brain is capable of. The chain serves the purpose of cutting wood, albeit at a very high rate of speed. Still at the basic level all it does is sever wood fibers. Now one could say you could (and of course many have done) the same task with an axe or hand saw. For arguments sake lets eliminate those and compare somewhat similar items to accomplish the somewhat comparable task of cutting a round of wood.
\Now as most folks would understand 1/2" chisel chain today is not used to cut everyday firewood so lets look at it from what it is used for which is saw racing. On the Stihl timbersports series there are two events involving saws stock saw and hot saw. I believe stock saw cuts a 16" round with a 20" bar and hot saw cuts 18" round with of course the owners choice of equipment. Now for this comparison I need to alter the details abit out of what is practical but you should be able to smell what I am stepping in.
A 84 driver loop of 1/2" is comparable (in length) to a 105 driver loop of 3/8. Now let us assume that on the MS660 instead of a 20" bar you have a 32" bar (which takes 105 drivers) and you are going to run it in the hot saw competition against folks running a saw outfitted with the 84 driver loop of 1/2" chisel chain. Both chains are new, both made by Stihl both on similar size bars albeit of different shapes. Your cutting the same round of wood. You are the operator so both using the same operator. The difference is the chain and of course the engine. You run both and what did you accomplish.........You cut a round of wood, nothing more , nothing less. Now of course one was cut at a MUCH faster speed. Also when you were doing it (if you have them) your man-berries probably tingled a bit. In the end you accomplished the same basic task.
Now lets look at the cost to accomplish that task. The loop of chain for sale is priced at $1512 and is comparable (in length only) to a 32" 3/8 chain. Now since both chains are Stihl I will compare Stihl. We know the 1/2" is $1512. I just checked the Stihl dealer and a 105DL loop of 3/8' is $50.99 although there is better pricing available. Now store that info for a couple minutes while I take a thought detour.
As I type this I look down at my old high school class ring. I have not worn it since I got married over 25 years ago. Now since I made some extremely poor choices I can no longer wear a wedding ring and eery once in awhile I wear my class ring because my finger still feels "naked" from not having a wedding ring.
Here is my point, we have all probably either worn a ring or bought one for someone we love. Of course rings come in a multitude of materials with nearly all being some type of a mixture. For this comparison lets just assume only two materials and let's assume the materials are near pure (which I know is not practical). The materials are gold and silver. Now some may argue but at the basic level gold and silver can be interchanged as materials for many things especially rings. I just looked at the current gold price is $1920.90/oz (it was $1929.00 when I first started typing). Silver is at $24.32/oz.
Now lets assume you are head over heels in love with your sweet thing (oh the good ole days) and you want to buy her a ring. Now many jewelers will tell you a ring is a symbol of your true love for her. At a basic level what does a ring do? It signifies you are married and the union of your never -ending love, and to those with morals it means "buck off I am taken' but that is a whole other area.
Now you are going to buy this ring as a symbol of your love. You can get it in a mixture of metals but for the sake of simplicity lets assume it will be a big ole doggy and require 2 full ounces of either pure gold or silver. Both materials will serve the same basic purpose with the cost being the only difference. The material price of the gold ring would be $3840 (currently) and the silver would be $48.64.
Now lets get back to the loop of chain compared to a ring. The 3/8 loop is $50.99 similar to the silver ring being $48.64. The loop of 1/2" is $1512 which is well under half the price of the gold ring at $3840. In the end no matter which way you go it will still only be a ring to show her you love her and to show others she is married and it will only be a chain to cut wood and impress others as you do it VERY quickly. The difference is which one will make your "man berries tingle" and put a SMILE on your face
Just to give you one more thing to ponder. With gold as well as many other products. There is no real short term possibility of running out or having serious availability issues. The only basic thing preventing you from purchasing as much as you want is the cost. We have had gold since the beginning of time and the supply is currently stable. Yes there is a limited amount as it is not renewable resource but all that is currently in the hands of humans will remain in the hands of humans and not be permanently depleted. We are not destroying the gold we currently have. The cost may continue to increase but the supply will not decrease significantly Can you say the same for 1/2" chisel chain? Ponder that or as some might say "put that in your pipe and smoke it"
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