Skip tooth nonsense

[Saw Dr.]

Had a long time customer come in several weeks ago looking for .325 skip chain for his 550xp. I explained to him that no such thing exists. He is CONVINCED that skip tooth anything is better. Yesterday he comes in and tells me to order everything to convert his 550 to 3/8. I told him it could be done, but that it would cut slower with 3/8 skip, and he didn't care. I do not understand these guys swearing by skip on short bars. Does he really think that Husky would have put .325 on there if JGX would cut faster???? The 3/8 chain is cheaper to manufacture anyway!?!?!?

So I dug around and we actually already had all of what he needed. Oregon doesn't even make a 3/8 sprocket for the 550, but the factory rim can be swapped for 3/8, so I am good for when he comes back. I just don't get it. We have started carrying 20" loops of skip, and I have stopped telling guys that it cuts slower. I even spoke with my Oregon rep, and told him they should start selling .325 skip. There is absolutely no practical purpose, but we could sure sell a bunch of it.

 

[mdavlee]

I've always heard it cuts so much faster with skip. It keeps the rpms up and sounds faster is all. I've tested it up to 36" bars and if the saw has the power full comp has always been faster. Semi skip will be right with full comp with a few less cutters to sharpen. I've got a loop of skip on the 357 since it's all I could find for a 20" bar.

 

[z71mike]

Agree. Unless I'm running a 32+ bar, I don't see the benefit. But if the demand is there, by all means, make some good money off of it!

 

[zogger]

skip is so 2010! People need to run MEGASKIP, cutter every..ohh...ten or so drive links...

..well, someone would buy it...

 

[redoakneck]

.325 skip LOL, just tell him to grind the dern cutters off regular .325, end up with 4 cutters per loop of chain???

 

[redoakneck]

I make my own skip chain when I cut fence rows, just happens to be 5-6 cutters skipped in a row followed by full comp, until I hit another wire, soon it is all skip!!!!

 

[HuskStihl]

I started running full skip narrow kerf 325 on my HT131 pole saw. Kicks ass! Full skip on everything baby!

 

[Homelite410]

I make my own skip chain when I cut fence rows, just happens to be 5-6 cutters skipped in a row followed by full comp, until I hit another wire, soon it is all skip!!!!

Ain't that the truth!

 

[pro94lt]

I would love 3/8 lp skip for my pole saw and cs271t... they actually need it

 

[Saw Dr.]

I would love 3/8 lp skip for my pole saw and cs271t... they actually need it

Go get a chain from the "Homelites" or such at the big box. YEAH MAN! I GOTS ME A 20" CHAINSAW!!!! Nevermind the 40cc wonder has about 15 total cutters on the chain. They're double skip or something. No wonder they can run a 20" aluminum bar on them....

 

[HuskStihl]

Actually tho, I can't see any reason not to run skip chain. I run it on everything over 20

 

[Franny K]

I do have a loop with 81 drivers of .325 skip. I put it as an alternate choice for the narrow kerf stuff. It is full (as opposed to semi chisel comes as if sharpened with a round file) chisel. To me it seems there is oregon 20jpx which has bumper drive links (two thirds of them anyway with a lube assist hole) or woodland pro 20 rcs which does not. Maybe the Oregon is discontinued as jpx in their search box only brings up sharpening stuff.

http://www.baileysonline.com/Saw-Ch...uge/OREGON-100-REEL-325-X-050-CHISEL-SKIP.axd
http://www.baileysonline.com/Saw-Ch...dPro-20RCS-Chainsaw-Chain-100-Reel.axd?catID=
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-Oregon-20...649?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1e84375511

 

[VI sawguy]

Carlton offers .325 skip or at least they use to. We have a roll in stock for the customers who have to have skip. We're on the westcoast though and most of the chain we do sell is skip.

 

[Swamp Yankee]

Without a doubt, much faster,

To sharpen that is. Fewer cutters means it's a whole lot faster to sharpen skip chain, especially on a long bar out in the woods. Less down time with a file, is a bump up in production, especially if cutting wood that has been skidded.

From what I've observed there may be a slight advantage in cutting speed but it's most likely negligible. Question you have to ask yourself, if skip tooth chain is perceived as necessary because of the bar length needed to cut the wood diameter in question, maybe a bigger saw is in order? Cutting large diameter wood requires torque (hp) and the bottom ends in a lot of the 50 - 60 cc displacement saws aren't designed handle a steady dose of high loading.

Take Care

 

[bcaarms]

Im not an expert, however some on here would listen to Art Martin if he was still around. His ramblings on how to sharpen chains have led many to better results. He used skip chains on some of his race saws with results that beat the competition. Its kinda like everything else in the world. Its takes a balanced matching of HP. chain width, chain angles, RPM, chain speed, wood hardness, da da da da If all it took was to buy skip chain then I think the secret would be out by now. I put 3/8 LGX on all my saws because they are all modded and can pull it, but mainly I don't want to set up 3 grinders and have to buy multiple size files. If you saw cuts faster than mine that's OK. But if you are optimizing you chain on a stock saw, I don't think so.

Have a nice Christmas
Peace

 

[GrassGuerilla]

I'd be willing to bet an inordinate number of your requests for 20" .325 skip comes from ms290 owners. Anyone who's ever run one as such would probably be hoping a loop of skip will save them from hating that saw, and wishing they had bought something else. Where as with a 16", that saw cuts quite well. I'd say Stihl shouldn't sell them that way, but ya give the guys with the money what they want. Thus, ya might as well get em some skip. (It actually does help keep from bogging it in the cut, making it easier on saw and operator).

 

[a. palmer jr.]

...Or we could just take our time..I mostly cut firewood and don't see why the rush. If you were a full time logger it would be different, I guess..I have a 290 and it's fast enough as is.

 

[GrassGuerilla]

...Or we could just take our time..I mostly cut firewood and don't see why the rush. If you were a full time logger it would be different, I guess..

That's crazy talk. Surely there's a way I could throw a handful of dollars at the problem.

 

[Saw Dr.]

I have no problems with skip on longer bars, as that is what it is for. We sent an 044 home yesterday with a new 32" bar and skip chain. The owner was worried about it pulling that bar, but had some big wood to cut and no coin for a 461, so I suggested the skip chain. I actually intentionally put a 20" loop of skip on a used saw the other day. We got a Husky 40 in used without a bar, and all I had was a used 20" bar from a 55 Rancher. With the skip chain, the little 40 did pretty well. I'm sure it would have cut with full comp chain, but the skip pulled much nicer on the lower power saw.

GrassGuerilla, the 290 hater thread is a couple of doors down..... They do OK with a 7 pin and 20" .325. I often see 8 pins and 20" which makes no sense at all. I suppose an 8 pin with skip chain would do fair on a 20" bar? Who knows. The physics are probably about the same. Skip chain moving faster equals the same number of cutters passing the same point over a given time interval.

I just think it is silly to try and out-think the manufacturer on the 550xp. If the thing would cut better with 3/8, it would have come that way. Maybe on a modded saw, which this is not.

 

[GrassGuerilla]

Guess that did come off as a 290 bashing? Not intended. A lot of those saws have been sold. Very reliable, decent power in its price range. My point was more that many if not most saws in its range are all wearing too much bar. Thus creating the perceived need for a way to "cheat it some".

I actually just sold my 290. It did everything I ever asked of it. Made a bunch of money with it, sold it for most of what I paid. No hate for 290's at all.