Fastest cutting 3/8 chain on stihl 026

[HARRY BARKER]

260 here with 18" 3/8 chain sharp....cuts great.

 

[sachsmo]

.375 for me

My 5100 likes the 3/8, Heck the junk bumper chain I got with it from the dealer works fine with some astute grinding of the bumpers.

A good running 50cc saw should have no problem with .375, many more choices too.

Can you even get square ground in .325?

 

[davidjohnson]

260s cut fine with a 3/8 chain. When I wear out my .325 rig I too will probably switch to 3/8 for the same reasons (consistent equipment). No offense, but for practical sawing, you can't tell the speed difference. You guys that time cuts are funny. How much time do you save cutting a load of wood with your speed saws? 10 minutes?

I have cut a lot of firewood and in my opinion keeping a sharp chain, and not cutting into anything but wood, trumps the speed thing any day.

 

[Stihl here]

I have used both .325 and 3/8 and I like 3/8 better. 16'' 3/8 RSC works well on my 026!!!

 

[teatersroad]

Dremel time. It doesn't take a lot to make one happy with 3/8's, we just don't know the experience level of the guy wanting to do it. I've got a Homie 150, 41ccs that pulls 3/8 16" with some authority. If I was unsure of your skills, I'd say the same thing. Best possible solution for the given situation.
If I knew you were experienced and had been around here for a while, like you have, my answer would be different.

The guy was concerned about speed, said that the saw was "modified" to use 3/8 chain, when we know that to do so just takes a new bar and sprocket which is not "modified". And thinking that a Jonsered "turbo" actually has a turbo. Best to set him up with the .325 and let him roll with it for the best speed.

I have a 346 mm running full comp. 3/8" on 18", tears it up limbing. My regret is I did not run .325 first. Now likely to switch to 8 pin .325 on 24" bar & 21lpx for bigger stuff.

That said, and in defense of the OP. Being new here is no accounting of knowledge, not a knock on this great resource, just a reminder. He did not say it was actually turbo-charged, and changing up to 3/8" is enough of a 'mod' to void your warranty. My guess for his observed difference is full comp vs semi-skip or the like. The few cutter difference of 3/8 to .325 would not be that apparent.

 

[teatersroad]

Jonsered Turbo ! Oops! Made the mistake of believing the writing on the side of the saw. Well I live and learn

k, so he did think it was. And being wrong about s:censored:t goes hand in hand with breating.

 

[sachsmo]

Jonsered Turbo ! Oops! Made the mistake of believing the writing on the side of the saw. Well I live and learn

k, so he did think it was. And being wrong about s:censored:t goes hand in hand with breating.

You got that right,

There are some on here who fancy themselves as "Saw Gods". They think they know everything,(no one does)

I go by the old saying, "you learn something new everyday".

If you aren't learning, you must know it all, hence, they're only fooling themselves.




rep to ya!

 

[SawTroll]

I have a 346 mm running full comp. 3/8" on 18", tears it up limbing. My regret is I did not run .325 first. Now likely to switch to 8 pin .325 on 24" bar & 21lpx for bigger stuff. ......

That sounds like way too much! :jawdrop:

 

[teatersroad]

That sounds like way too much! :jawdrop:

Not going to bury it. In thinning Juniper, the reach for the (lots of)small stuff (<3") is way easier with the longer bar. Upright, average a 10"-16" dia., occasional 20". Not entirely sure, feedback is welcome.

 

[SawTroll]

Not going to bury it. In thinning Juniper, the reach for the (lots of)small stuff (<3") is way easier with the longer bar. Upright, average a 10"-16" dia., occasional 20". Not entirely sure, feedback is welcome.

It least use a 7-pin .325 rim, and use a shorter bar as often as you can!

 

[teatersroad]

It least use a 7-pin .325 rim, and use a shorter bar as often as you can!

k thanks, easy enough to try the seven pin first. One worry with the longer bar is the oiler keeping up. As dirty as conditions are, it was a problem with the 18" bar. I opened up the bar jounal a little on it, as a complete and unadvised hack. I do clean the rails and sharpen frequently, and really like the saw. We'll see.

 

[teatersroad]

..not racing here. working the saw all day, and find all the speed I need is gained in working comfortably and working smart. Saw just needs to do its job the same. Just saying, too easy for me to be the gear head and lose track of what really works.

 

[dmmoorhouse]

Good point about the extra reach. I could manage with a 14" bar for most cutting, but find it less srenuous with the longer bar. So its not buried very often

 

[wigglesworth]

It least use a 7-pin .325 rim, and use a shorter bar as often as you can!

silly Norwegian.....

 

[northcountry]

i too must admit i like my 260 with 3/8" chain..granted it only runs a 16" bar but i like it better than the 026 with .325 on it on the 18" bar. to each there own. What's the D.O.T. say? Speed Kills? lol

 

[dmmoorhouse]

Had another look at my mates jonsored, its a 2050. I now realise he has a .325 chain on it as well. Seems to go really well for him!

 

[Jtheo]

Usually a 50cc saw won't be very happy with 3/8" chain.

There are ways of changing that involving Dremel time. Muffler mods can help, porting will get you even farther down that road if done right. Otherwise, SawTroll is right, run .325 and don't look back.

I found that to be the case. I put 3/8 on my first 026 and it was slow compared to the other saws I has been running.

Dolmar 112 is about 50cc and it will run 3/8 all day long and not slow down, but that is a different animal. All the Dolmars that I have run just dig in and keep on going, but they are a little heavier, well a lot heavier for the 112, and they do not handle as well as the 026 for light work.

I have just got another nice 026 and I will run 325 on it. Might even run some narrow kerf.

I put narrow kerf 325 on a 109 with an 8 pin and it zips through the small stuff.

 

[046]

welcome to AS...

to answer your question... fastest 3/8 chain on 026 without getting into racing chains is square cut full comp. that's what I'm running on my low hours 026. unless you have a square chain grinder... Don't... it's a PITA to hand file square chain

listen to what most are saying... you are better off running a sharp .325 chain.

most folks that run 3/8 chain on an O26/260 are gaining compatibility with other chainsaws like MS460/660 etc. when one buys bulk chain by 100ft rolls... having to support one less size makes a big difference.

Hi,

I have a lightly modified 026 that has been altered to take a 3/8 chain. I was cutting today with my friend who has a jonsored turbo and noticed his cutting teeth seemed much closer together, so on a similar 18" bar he had about a 1/3 more teeth.

His saw is quite old, but cuts really quick when the turbo is spinning fully. Am I getting the best from my saw with stock Stihl chain or is their something better out there? More teeth must be an advantage.

Also, this is my first post so HI! to everyone. Have been lurking for ages, what a great read on here.