Need chain help, please.

[rustyb]

I just got an Oregon 1/4" chain in the mail for my carving saw & realized it wasn't long enough. So, I went down to a store I knew carried 1/4" Oregon and asked to have a link put in. There's a "50k" stamped on my driver links. I noticed the driver link the salesman took off the store reel to install on my chain was marked "25". I asked twice if it was the same chain & the guy ignored me and proceeded to install the link. Didn't think much of this till I got home.

Well, not only did the screwball bend some of the parts kinking that part of the chain (it won't pivot around the rivets. It's stuck), the pieces that holds the links together are bigger.

So, my questions are: are there two types of 1/4" pitch chain made by Oregon? What does the stamps on the links "50k" & "25" mean?

Even if the chain wasn't kinked, I'm afraid having the bigger peices I mentioned above will cause undue vibration. Any thoughts?

 

[TonyM]

50K is Windsor 1/4" pitch 50 gage chain. 25 is Oregon 1/4" chain. It probably will be okay, after you fix the kinks. I just shortened some 1/4" chain for a carver. That stuff is hard to work with! It is hard to break apart because it's hard to hold, and there is not much clearance to spin it back together.

 

[ccs]

When he broke the chain apart he probably bent the drive links.You can bend the chain by hand and straighten it so it will turn.I grind the rivets down to the side straps before pushing them out so it doesn't bend the drive links.It should work with the different drive link switching brands should be the same size.Some times the bearing holes are different sizes and they won't work.

 

[rustyb]

Ah haw! No wonder I couldn't find 50K on the Oregon site! Thanks Tony & CCS. I thought the seller of the chain told me Oregon. Doesn't matter now though. There are Oregon parts on it which are not the same as the Windsor. I have taken a closer look since posting the first time. They look the same at a casual glance but upon looking carefully, they are definately different. Most notably is the piece of the drive link which sets down in the sprocket. Something will wear if I use it as is. And I don't want to put undue wear on the non-factory sprocket I had to get from Germany. That thing was $42!

I'm going to locate some Windsor links and someone who knows what they are doing to put them in (don't have the tools myself).

Thanks again for the help.

 

[ontario026]

I am new to having loops made up from bulk spools, but my neighbour just gave me a loop of stihl chain that he has in bulk, 3/8 RS 50ga.., is there anything to pay attention to regarding the safety of the loop? He is not a dealer or anything, I'm not sure how many loops he as ever assembled? Just want to make sure the loop is safe before using, any thing to check here??

thanks

 

[Lawn Masters]

Make sure the tie strap and preset are not too loosely or tightly spun together. I've had this on a chain before, but fixed it before I used it.

 

[begleytree]

I always check to be sure they ran the rivits in far enough, but not so much they cut into the tie strap. Just compare the slop of the factory and his, should be close, or his a little tighter.
-Ralph

 

[begleytree]

OS-A, we posted at the same time!