chain saw chains.......

[budroe69moni]

what's the best way to store chainsaw chains between jobs????
between my 14,16 and 18" echo's i've got about 18-20 chains.
also, what's the best way to bring extra chains to the jobsite?
any tricks of the trade???? right now i'm throwing'em in the bottom of my toolbox that i bring to my jobs.
budroe

 

[Newfie]

I keep 'em at the bottom of my handheld toolbox, but i protect them with some shop cloths laid out flat in between the layers of chain. It seems to have worked out Ok and they tend to stay put. I've been thinking of devising some sort of system to store them under the lid of my homemade "job box" that I use to carry my stuff around(got tired of listening to $3K of equipment bouncing around the bed of the truck)

 

[Acer]

I generally buy a few at a time, and store them in a tub full of chain oil. After a good soaking, the spares I take out to jobs are kept in a resealable plastic bag, like a freezer bag, which stops the oil from spreading everywhere. These bagged chains go back in the box in which they were supplied, and I take these out to jobs in an old ammo box, along with all the other c/saw spares.

I think it's worth soaking new chains in oil, rather than putting them on dry. I believe some components of the oil will bond to the surface of the chain given enough time, and this must help cut down wear.

 

[Kevin]

You can buy the boxes, the same ones the dealer sells you the chain in or use a real heavy plastic bag.

 

[DDM]

I store mine in Ziplock bags on the bag i write What saw 020/021,026,036,046 ect it works out well after i sharpen the chains. I swap from truck to truck so often since i have 6 i keep the chains wrench ect in a carboard box so all i need to do is grab the one box and go. One day when i get Rich i'll buy a fancy plastic box.

 

[kf_tree]

i used to buy oregon chain in 100 foot spools and make my own loops. in each box with the spool you recieved a bunch of small chain box's. so we would lable the box's by the # of dl and throw them in the tool bow. i always hide a few. when ordering loops they usually come in a bag or bow so we just throw them in the tool box. we go through alot of chains cutting in brooklyn. some of the tree's have more hardwear in them than home depot. if you wack up a chain real bad on a 32in bar is it worth the time to sharpen it ? so we just slap a new chain on. but i also will sharpen chains down past the line(oregon chain) and still have them cut great.

 

[treeclimber165]

With 8 saws on the truck, and both myself and my boss very adept and quick with a file, we rarely take a chain off a saw while on the job. I don't like getting all the crud in between the bar and saw case, clogging up the oil inlet. So the only chains on the job are new, still in the package. If a chain is bad enough to require removal from the saw, it gets thrown away. Can't remember the last time I put a used chain back on a saw on the job.
I do remove chains while at the air compressor, cleaning the saws. Again, if it needs to be replaced, it goes in the trash.
My boss has a ton of old chains in the bottom of his toolbox, I throw away a couple every chance I get. Never seen him take one out and put it on a saw, he just goes for a new one.

 

[TheTreeSpyder]

Virtually same, only sorted and marked by bar size; don't carry 16" picco, nor any .325. so that simlifies things somewhat by eliminating confusion. i like baby ziplox (3 x 6's) for the chains and misc., have all Stihls. Having all one manufacturer and non intersecting chain lengths, limits confusion while allowing maximum flexibility with less pieces that ya have to cover yourself on per 'emergency'.

i keep'em in an ammo box (approx. 6x6x12) enogh room for: spark plug and fuel filter in hollow/ capped file handles, files, 6pack Stihl 2.5g 2/cycle earl, 3/8nutdriver for local fone boxes

also extra of: scwrench, carb screwdriver, cleaning brush for gas/ oil refilling etc., T-27 for Stihl screwheads, linoleum knife w/point for cleaning bar rail/bar's oil port (used anytime mating between bar and saw is diturbed), popular oil/gas plugs and recoil rotor/pulley for my Stihls, lil-baggie of pull cord and drive sprockets, inside that an evidence bag of :Stihl screws, recoil pawls and hairpins.

And then the chains! Though we try to keep the biggest chains out of the ammo box, and with their bars mostly to save space, but usually keep 1 just in case. That kit there has taken us far through many a challenge, and temptation to just get by. Sometimes, just as in rigging, to get things to go write at more severe tests you have to command and also allow them to.

We only try to freshen up chains, allowing a friendly proffessional to clean, lube, set depths, and sharpen chains beyond manufacturer or anyone i've seen. Diffrent long term local-pros may dial-in diffrent angles to higher tolerances sometimes. From there they get put into marked, baggies. Anytime u are down to 2 of anything we try to take note, then 1, then out; that gives 3 chances to keep stuff stocked.

The ammo boxes have proved very sturdy, flexible, compact, fairly dry storage componets that neatly sit in a line, try to paint em diffrent and also can't lose me colors. Have one for jumpercables, Large pulley blox, 5x1 jig and ..........a double tall that nicely fits 200' throwline w/2 balls that we clove hitch the line with top ball to a SherrIll Big Shot's 'yoke' that we then lay fork of down into the ammo box on top of the throw line(s)very nicely. We always have a ball on each end and between lines. We also used a double tall for original Porta Wrap and slings. Hard to go wrong with Ammo boxes, esp. if ya bargain hunt.