Chainsaws - Is bigger better?

[SidecarFlip]

Interesting comments. I have 3, a tiny Makita gas saw I use all the time because it's light and I'm old, an ancient Stihl 028 WB I bought new 30 years ago when I ran a tree trimming business. It's ported and the head shaved and it's an RPM saw and no plastic except the top cover, loud as hell and pulls 325 chipper on a 20" bar no issue and my also 30 year old Stihl 075 with a 48" bar and skip tooth square cut chain. It's heavy as hell and only good for big tree bucking, but what a beast. Sounds like a motocross bike and you'd better use the comp release or you will stretch your fingers starting it. Don't burn wood (except in a bon fire) but I get a lot of downed timber, own a but of forested land here in Michigan. Use the little Makita most of the time actually. It's a one hand saw with a top handle. I tried the Stihl professional arborist saw and took it back. Was gutless compared to the Makita. Being a farmer, burning corn is much easier and basically no cost other than harvesting and a few cents per bushel drying it.

Never have an issue with e-gas either. When I put them up (I don't use them everyday, sometimes months pass between uses), I run them dry before they get put away. Just use mid grade e-gas with Stihl oil in the little bottles than make a gallon of mix at a time. Stihl or Husky or whichever is on sale bar oil and I hand file my chains and I prefer greaseable / replaceable roller nose bars, not the current no grease fixed nose bars that Stihl and Husky like to call good. Brush cutter gets the same treatment.

Always wanted an 090G but never got one. Probably could not lift it now anyway.....

 

[Woodfarmer1]

IMHO the 346 is a better saw than the 362, I have a bunch of saws, each have their spot

 

[Isaac Carlson]

Not out of line at all. A bigger saw is bigger so it can run a bigger bar, and it will only really show when in that situation.

i have a 65cc saw and a 50cc saw, both are ported. The 50cc saw will turn 15k+ while the 65cc turns maybe 13.5k.
I have to put an 8 pin rim on the 65cc to keep up in smaller stuff, just because of the extra chain speed on the smaller saw.
That smaller saw will hold its own up to bar length wood (18"). After that the big saw comes out and it's a lot more to carry around.

 

[Deets]

My favorite saw was my 044 hybrid. Light enough to use all day, but could run a 36” bar no problem. High strung for limbing but had torque to buck. I likely will never port another one like it.

It sure was fun with a 20” bar and 9 pin.

 

[Highbeam]

When you speed up a chain by using a big sprocket like that, does the oiler still have enough flow to keep it lubed? I like a big saw and a small bar. Never being short on power. Though the dang thing can get heavy when farting around with little 4" tops.

 

[Deets]

When you speed up a chain by using a big sprocket like that, does the oiler still have enough flow to keep it lubed? I like a big saw and a small bar. Never being short on power. Though the dang thing can get heavy when farting around with little 4" tops.

If you mod the Oiler you can get more flow out of em. Only really needed on stihls. Husky’s flow just fine.

But there is no doubt that running bigger sprockets is harder on bars and chains. But is fun if you have the power to pull it.

Here is my hybrid with a 20” bar and 9 pin.

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[Nealm66]

That is so awesome! I used to compete in logging shows when I was a young buck. One of the events is where you race out on a pole and take a slice off. That saw reminds me of it

 

[Deets]

That is so awesome! I used to compete in logging shows when I was a young buck. One of the events is where you race out on a pole and take a slice off. That saw reminds me of it

Here it is with a better chain, still the 9 pin.

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[JimBear]

My favorite saw was my 044 hybrid. Light enough to use all day, but could run a 36” bar no problem. High strung for limbing but had torque to buck. I likely will never port another one like it.

It sure was fun with a 20” bar and 9 pin.

Has Carl put that saw to work yet or did he just shine it up & put it on a shelf? I forgot to ask him last time I talked to him.

 

[Nealm66]

Here it is with a better chain, still the 9 pin.

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That’s really awesome. You should compete! Not sure where you are but around here there a ton of logging competitions and it’s no big deal to enter. You can learn a huge amount of weird impractical things you can do to chains, axes, crosscut saws. Axe throwing is the easiest. I did the speed climbing and the guy I’d go to events with was a world champion quite a few times . Ed Smith is his real name, we called him mooch. I remember doing a demo at a state park and watched a two man “M” tooth crosscut saw beat a big husky through a 36” fit cut by about 8”. Crazy! Anyways thanks for showing that. Looks like fun

 

[Deets]

Has Carl put that saw to work yet or did he just shine it up & put it on a shelf? I forgot to ask him last time I talked to him.

I believe she’s just a shelf queen now.

 

[Deets]

That’s really awesome. You should compete! Not sure where you are but around here there a ton of logging competitions and it’s no big deal to enter. You can learn a huge amount of weird impractical things you can do to chains, axes, crosscut saws. Axe throwing is the easiest. I did the speed climbing and the guy I’d go to events with was a world champion quite a few times . Ed Smith is his real name, we called him mooch. I remember doing a demo at a state park and watched a two man “M” tooth crosscut saw beat a big husky through a 36” fit cut by about 8”. Crazy! Anyways thanks for showing that. Looks like fun

I haven’t been to any sanctioned events, but I have raced a fair amount at gtg’s and such. It’s a good time, have about 6 or 7 dedicated race saws

 

[Nealm66]

It’s been a long time ago but back then they would grind the whole inside of the tooth out making it very narrow and just a small corner( chisel bit) and grind the back of the tooth off quite a bit. About 3-4 grids in away from new. I remember a short time grinding some of the back of the teeth of for cutting timber. It did help smooth it up a bit but not really worth the hassle for production cutting. Plus I liked having rag chains around for a tree service I had on the weekends. There was a go cart racer back then that would build a pretty good hot saw. Sorry, rambling. Anyways, thanks again for posting the videos. Looks like a good little screamer

 

[Deets]

It’s been a long time ago but back then they would grind the whole inside of the tooth out making it very narrow and just a small corner( chisel bit) and grind the back of the tooth off quite a bit. About 3-4 grids in away from new. I remember a short time grinding some of the back of the teeth of for cutting timber. It did help smooth it up a bit but not really worth the hassle for production cutting. Plus I liked having rag chains around for a tree service I had on the weekends. There was a go cart racer back then that would build a pretty good hot saw. Sorry, rambling. Anyways, thanks again for posting the videos. Looks like a good little screamer

Here is one I did a few years back

 

[SpaceBus]

Is a bigger nose sprocket the equivalent of higher numerical final drive gears in a differential or something?

 

[JimBear]

A

Is a bigger nose sprocket the equivalent of higher numerical final drive gears in a differential or something?

A bigger drive sprocket will increase your chain speed, decrease your torque unless you have a real big saw on a short bar or a really hopped up saw. I believe that when a person starts getting into 9 & 10 pin sprockets you will have to add/subtract links to get them to fit properly & make some mods to the tail of the saw. You will also not want rakers/depth gauges set as deep either for the 9-10pin. @Deets will be able to give you a better handle on it.

I run an 8 pin on my 440/460 & 462 when using a 20” bar but usually run a 7 pin on them when using 25” & 28” since I usually run my rakers about .028”.

 

[Nealm66]

View attachment 265269

Here is one I did a few years back

Nice! I see the little bit of hook, I might come down slightly into my inside corner a bit even if it tickled my side strap and touch the riders with a gauge. But don’t get me wrong, if you gave me a new grinder it would take me forever to get it tweaked just right. Stresses me out thinking about it ha ha

 

[JimBear]

On those race chains I believe .008” - .012” is about all the farther down they run the depth gauges. If I remember correctly I read that one fella ran his @ .015” but most are shallower. Some of the gents even stone the sides so the cutters are all perfectly aligned; no extra side cutting. @Deets may or may not want to confirm and/or correct any of my ramblings.

 

[Nealm66]

Ya, I haven’t been to a show since I last competed in 86 so it’s very old news. Those guys are pretty tight lipped when it comes to sharpening chain or crosscut

 

[Nealm66]

I competed a couple times in the stock saw events at smaller shows, using someone else’s stuff just for wats points. It’s really fun to compete but it takes some dedication and time and$ to make it to all the little shows to build up points and I felt kinda bad showing up at a small show and taking prize money away from the locals. Buckley is probably my favorite show and no pro’s allowed unless it’s changed. They really put on a fun show to watch

 

[Deets]

Is a bigger nose sprocket the equivalent of higher numerical final drive gears in a differential or something?

Nose sprocket is an idler only, doesn’t affect gearing in any way.

 

[Deets]

Nice! I see the little bit of hook, I might come down slightly into my inside corner a bit even if it tickled my side strap and touch the riders with a gauge. But don’t get me wrong, if you gave me a new grinder it would take me forever to get it tweaked just right. Stresses me out thinking about it ha ha

That’s with a file...

 

[Deets]

On those race chains I believe .008” - .012” is about all the farther down they run the depth gauges. If I remember correctly I read that one fella ran his @ .015” but most are shallower. Some of the gents even stone the sides so the cutters are all perfectly aligned; no extra side cutting. @Deets may or may not want to confirm and/or correct any of my ramblings.

All of that will get you in the ballpark. Still have to tune the chain to the saw.

 

[Nealm66]

My hats off to you being able to sharpen with a chisel file. I’ve tried a few times to touch up on tree jobs, I suck at it. I can’t even round file worth a crap. My little topping saw has that dam micro chain and I have a buddy that pre commercial thinned for many years touch it up for me when it needs it. It’s amazing how good someone with the magic touch of the file can get a chain.

 

[salecker]

My hats off to you being able to sharpen with a chisel file. I’ve tried a few times to touch up on tree jobs, I suck at it. I can’t even round file worth a crap. My little topping saw has that dam micro chain and I have a buddy that pre commercial thinned for many years touch it up for me when it needs it. It’s amazing how good someone with the magic touch of the file can get a chain.

The best modification to a saw is a sharp chain...