Plasmech
Addicted to ArboristSite
Is there a noticable difference in cutting? 50 thou doesn't seem like whole lot. What do most pro's use? This would be for a 361 with a 20" bar.
Sold my 290 today for $275
Sold my 290 today for $275
The 3/8 will stay sharper longer for me. I'm sure it cuts faster but never did timed them side by side before. For a MS361, I'm sure everyone will say 3/8 is the way to go anyway.
I have tried .325 9 pin and 16" B&C before and notice it'll stop cutting in cut to discharge the chip every now and then.
.404 pitch would be the step up
The MS361 comes with 3/8" and believe it or not, Stihl knows what they are doing. If anything, they are very conservative! NES runs .325 on the MS290 that puts out more HP than the 455, running 3/8".
Aw jeez, no reason to turn this into a Stihl vs. Husky thread. I'm sure depending on sprocket size a 290/455 could easily handle 3/8 or .325 with negligible difference...
Wasn't trying to do that at all. Just pointing out that the Stihl products I buy come from North East Stihl, and they know the trees in my area and feel the 290 will cut faster with .325.
FYI, I run a 3/8" on my MS260 BUT I run a 16" bar with a sharp sharp chain and I'm not a bucking spike wrencher!!
I had a 361 and to put a .325 on it would be an insult to the saw for most applications. Not saying that some 9 or 10 pin .325 sprocket with the right chain couldn't cut cookies faster, but for real world cutting, give it a 3/8"!
The MS361 comes with 3/8" and believe it or not, Stihl knows what they are doing. If anything, they are very conservative! NES runs .325 on the MS290 that puts out more HP than the 455, running 3/8".
Wasn't trying to do that at all. Just pointing out that the Stihl products I buy come from North East Stihl, and they know the trees in my area and feel the 290 will cut faster with .325.
FYI, I run a 3/8" on my MS260 BUT I run a 16" bar with a sharp sharp chain and I'm not a bucking spike wrencher!!
I had a 361 and to put a .325 on it would be an insult to the saw for most applications. Not saying that some 9 or 10 pin .325 sprocket with the right chain couldn't cut cookies faster, but for real world cutting, give it a 3/8"!
The MS290 is a dog with the 3/8 at least the ones I've run. I believe Stihl has the HP numbers inflated quite a bit on the 290. MS290 = 3.8 MS260 = 3.2 yet they cut almost the same as it should be with a 55cc home owner saw vs a 50cc Pro saw . Steve
9 or 10 tooth on a stock saw??????? Steve
.325 9-pin is one of the recommended sizes for the MS361 (in the user manual etc), and probably the fastest one with short bars and small wood.
The others are 7- and 8-pin 3/8".
Outer diameter/gearing is very close to the same as 8-pin 3/8".
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