full comp 325 versus 375 test results

[superfire]

well i have been running 375 full skip chain for years. well lately i have been bitten by the 325 chain bug. got my 026 back from the shop a few weeks back and it had a 16" bar and 325 comp yellow label Stihl chain i aint one to mess with a odd pitch chain like 325. well i needed to cut up a pile of really limby juniper for a friend. well i decided to try this saw as it was already sharp. well i was :jawdrop: in the first log. well i decided to spend some extra saw chips and get a bigger bar i talked to my dealer and asked about a 20" bar for my 026 they said that the 026 with 325 was a good match for the power of the saw. well i went to split all the rounds i had cut earlier last month. well the :censored::censored: maul just bounced off the rounds, i was madder then a wet hen. i had my 026 and the new 20" bar and non safety 325 chain. well i decided to to quarter the 4 dozen firewood blocks with the chainsaw. i was cuttin for about 10 minutes and looked down and i was need deep in noodles :jawdrop: now my really big question is will 325 work on a 36" bar ???????????????????? i think am figuring out why right coaster like the 325 and comp chains. the 325 seems faster then full skip:greenchainsaw:

 

[flashpuppy]

What are you running a 36" bar on? That 026?

I think the problem you're going to have is that any saw powerful enough to pull a 36" bar won't have a .325 sprocket available.

Maybe it feels faster because there are more actual cutters in the wood at a time.....

 

[West Texas]

I've run both chains on my 026/260 saws; and, these saws will take a 20" bar. However, they like an 18" bar better if you have not modified the muffler. More than a 20" bar, even with a modified muffler, I would not recommend for these 026/260 saws. As a rule around here, the ones who run he 20" bar do so to keep from bending over so far when they are limbing a downed tree. I run 3/8 x 50, square chisel, semi skip chain, 18" bars, on both of mine and they perform like champs.

 

[parrisw]

You'll probably have to get a 36" 3/8 bar, and change the tip to .325, and have a chain made for it. It'll work fine, some guys do this for milling. You should be able to get a sprocket as well.

 

[husq2100]

to be honest, it seems like there is to many variables in your mix.

as a web sawer, and from what i understand, full comp, semi skip and full skip are all for different uses and the skips manly on longer bars in soft wood.

havent seen anyone running any skip over here because most of our wood is very hard and not so big.....

so youd be better comparing 18-20inch bars with full comp .325 and 3/8 and even then sproket size will play a roll. youll have to try a few in each to find the best for that picth, then check your times on both.

seems that stihl chain has a very good rep. so try the same brand out of the box.

but youll have to try round ground to be fair as i dont think you can get square in .325

then the different saw power will come into play... seems like .325 is good for upto 50cc then the more powerfull saws get better results in 3/8....but again wood type and bar lenght will impact result...

so do the test in the woods you cut most with the bar lenght you cut most, but make sure your comparing the same chains: ie both full comp, brand, tooth shape...just different pitch and best suited sproket.

Serg

 

[superfire]

i have the bar

i have a spare 36" bar for my jd cs 81 .my thinking is since these Efcos are limited to 12500 rpms if i put comp 325 full chisel chain that it will be easier on the saw in bigger softwood timber cutting. i seem to find that saw with bars over 16" vibrate a lot more with non comp chains. i just wondering if it is logical to go to a 325 36" bar on a 80cc saw for bigg wood cutting

 

[parrisw]

i have a spare 36" bar for my jd cs 81 .my thinking is since these Efcos are limited to 12500 rpms if i put comp 325 full chisel chain that it will be easier on the saw in bigger softwood timber cutting. i seem to find that saw with bars over 16" vibrate a lot more with non comp chains. i just wondering if it is logical to go to a 325 36" bar on a 80cc saw for bigg wood cutting

Why not try it. Guys do it all the time for milling, since its less of a strain on the saw, because milling is very taxing on a saw, + it gives less wood waste.

 

[Brmorgan]

I have a .325 full-comp 33" B/C setup for my 395XP and have milled a bit with it. The problem I have is that a 9-pin sprocket is much too fast and bogs the saw down too much, but a 7-pin is too slow to the point that I'd be better off with 3/8. I can't find an 8-pin .325 sprocket anywhere, except in a Mini Spline format to fit the little saws. Anyone know where I can get one? On the other hand, that same B/C setup cuts firewood like MAD with the 9-pin sprocket. I left the chain is at its original 25° cutting angle so I can use it for either/or. The only thing that really sucks about the setup is the number of cutters that have to be sharpened. It takes forever compared to the 33" .404 setup I have.

 

[SawTroll]

to be honest, it seems like there is to many variables in your mix.

as a web sawer, and from what i understand, full comp, semi skip and full skip are all for different uses and the skips manly on longer bars in soft wood.

havent seen anyone running any skip over here because most of our wood is very hard and not so big.....

so youd be better comparing 18-20inch bars with full comp .325 and 3/8 and even then sproket size will play a roll. youll have to try a few in each to find the best for that picth, then check your times on both.

seems that stihl chain has a very good rep. so try the same brand out of the box.

but youll have to try round ground to be fair as i dont think you can get square in .325

then the different saw power will come into play... seems like .325 is good for upto 50cc then the more powerfull saws get better results in 3/8....but again wood type and bar lenght will impact result...

so do the test in the woods you cut most with the bar lenght you cut most, but make sure your comparing the same chains: ie both full comp, brand, tooth shape...just different pitch and best suited sproket.

Serg

:agree2:

 

[superfire]

what variables

i base all my info on years of running saw. i run the small sawz with the most effient chain i can get fore th sub 60CC sawz. all of the sub 60cc sawz i run need to be fast and have the least vibration possible. the Stihl 325 comp non safety chain flat out rulez in all of my needz

:agree2:

 

[SawTroll]

I have a .325 full-comp 33" B/C setup for my 395XP and have milled a bit with it. The problem I have is that a 9-pin sprocket is much too fast and bogs the saw down too much, but a 7-pin is too slow to the point that I'd be better off with 3/8. I can't find an 8-pin .325 sprocket anywhere, except in a Mini Spline format to fit the little saws. Anyone know where I can get one? On the other hand, that same B/C setup cuts firewood like MAD with the 9-pin sprocket. I left the chain is at its original 25° cutting angle so I can use it for either/or. The only thing that really sucks about the setup is the number of cutters that have to be sharpened. It takes forever compared to the 33" .404 setup I have.

It is impossible to make a 7 or 8-pin .325 rim to fit the regular/large 7-spline drum that the larger saws use.

For some saws (mainly in the 60cc class I believe) drums with both small (mini if it is a Stihl) and large 7-splines are availiable, but I doubt it is for the 395xp.

 

[husq2100]

well i have been running 375 full skip chain for years. well lately i have been bitten by the 325 chain bug. got my 026 back from the shop a few weeks back and it had a 16" bar and 325 comp yellow label Stihl chain

so youve run full skip 3/8 for years but your saw comes back with .325 pitch on it. this would require a different bar and sprocket for a start so theres something missing there? did it go to the shop with a bar or did you ask him to set it up differently ...????

i aint one to mess with a odd pitch chain like 325. well i needed to cut up a pile of really limby juniper for a friend. well i decided to try this saw as it was already sharp. well i was :jawdrop: in the first log.

so on a stihl 026 you get good results with a new bar and new full comp .325...makes sense, but what are you comparing it to?

well i decided to spend some extra saw chips and get a bigger bar i talked to my dealer and asked about a 20" bar for my 026 they said that the 026 with 325 was a good match for the power of the saw. well i went to split all the rounds i had cut earlier last month. well the :censored::censored: maul just bounced off the rounds, i was madder then a wet hen. i had my 026 and the new 20" bar and non safety 325 chain. well i decided to to quarter the 4 dozen firewood blocks with the chainsaw. i was cuttin for about 10 minutes and looked down and i was need deep in noodles :jawdrop: now my really big question is will 325 work on a 36" bar ???????????????????? i think am figuring out why right coaster like the 325 and comp chains. the 325 seems faster then full skip:greenchainsaw:

nice to hear the saw worked well with that combo, but im lost here to the question about the 36 inch bar??? what saw are you running it on? as i think any saw that will comfortably run a 36 inch bar(70cc min+) will get best results with 3/8....

so the variables i stated are the fact that you are comparing full skip 3/8 to full comp .325, but what we dont know is are you comparing both on the same lenght bar and same saw...with the optimum sprocket for each...

so i say again i think you may get best results from .325 up to 20 inch on the smaller saws <60cc and then if you have >70cc and 20inches you should see good results from 3/8...

also remember you can get sqaure ground in 3/8th and not .325......

cheers, Serg