Chainsaw chain ?

[Richard Jones]

I'm running a 55 Rancher with 20" bar, 3/8" x .050, full chisel, full comp chain. Plan to do a muffler mod soon, but am wondering if switching to .325 will give me any benefit. I don't really want to go the rip chain route. I'm a good sharpener, and the saw performs well with this combo, just curious if anyone has tried this with a <60cc machine. Most chain saw guys don't realize that us turners also have to rip.............

Thanks.

Rich

[Michelle Rich]

I don't rip with a chainsaw..I split it instead. Quicker & quieter.

[Richard Jones]

Michelle,

What's your method for this? Do you have any issues when bandsawing since the base might not be quite as flat?

Thanks.

[Jack Mincey]

Richard,
I've spit a bit of wood using a stihl O26, not sure what CC this saw is but it works well even if slower than my bigger saws. If one lays the block of wood down on it's side and rip it from side to side makes for very easy cutting with a normal chain. I never split blocks down the end grain using a chain saw. This is what ripping chains are made for when the saw is to be used to cut lumber from logs. As far as splitting wood with a wedge or go devil one can put small cracks into the blank doing this and it makes for a uneven surface to sit on the band saw table for cutting blanks. I even split large rounds that are to be used for firewood with my bigger two saws by lying them down on their side. It is faster than using a go devil when splitting the larger rounds in half of say oak. I can cut a 30" round in half in less than a minute and than it is much easier to split with a go devil.
Jack

[Michelle Rich]

richard..from years of chairbuilding, I've come to understand that wood is strongest being split down the way the grain runs. When one turns legs & spokeshaves spindles one learns a lot. I'm so used to mauls & axes & hatchets that I rarely worry about getting it flat enuf for a bandsaw. just takes a couple whacks & she's flat enough to get on a bandsaw. I only use a bandsaw to make lumber from a log..never really to make turning blanks

EDIT: I forgot to say I made a primitive sled for my bandsaw & I put unruly logs on it, and send thru a bandsaw. Just get one side flatish and then you can fly...

[Richard Jones]

Was just wondering about the difference in .325 and 3/8", if any.

Thanks.

[Bill Bulloch]

i rip with my 455 Rancher using a Chain Saw Mill and a .325 Ripping Chain. The Rancher will do the job, but could use a little more power than the 56 cc. I have never tried a 3/8" chain.

[Ryan Baker]

No, .325 won't make much difference. 50-60cc is plenty enough to pull 3/8 chain, unless you've got a really long bar on there. A 20" bar is about max for that setup.

Cutting with the grain, or noodling, is the easiest cut you can make. You shouldn't have any problem at all making cuts like that with regular chain, except maybe for the curls packing up in the clutch cover. Skip-tooth chain won't help either, and actually cuts slower, but it does provide a little better clearing of the long curls.

Ripping across the end grain, as in milling, is what ripping chains are for. That is extremely hard on the saw, requires a lot of power, and is often done with small chain to reduce the kerf size. That isn't the type of cutting you should be doing for cutting blanks.

Depending an the chain type, you might also be having trouble with the safety bumpers.

What specific issues are you trying to improve?

[Nathan Hawkes]

No, .325 won't make much difference. 50-60cc is plenty enough to pull 3/8 chain, unless you've got a really long bar on there. A 20" bar is about max for that setup.

Cutting with the grain, or noodling, is the easiest cut you can make. You shouldn't have any problem at all making cuts like that with regular chain, except maybe for the curls packing up in the clutch cover. Skip-tooth chain won't help either, and actually cuts slower, but it does provide a little better clearing of the long curls.

Ripping across the end grain, as in milling, is what ripping chains are for. That is extremely hard on the saw, requires a lot of power, and is often done with small chain to reduce the kerf size. That isn't the type of cutting you should be doing for cutting blanks.

Depending an the chain type, you might also be having trouble with the safety bumpers.

What specific issues are you trying to improve?

Ryan is right on, but I have a couple things to add here. .325 chain IS narrower than 3/8" chain. Not by much, but it is narrower. On another forum, specific to chainsaw milling, there have been various experiments done on the kerf size, and .325 is the narrowest "regular" size chain; meaning, not a micro or narrow pitch chain. It also cuts the fastest due to the smaller kerf size. The 3/8" low profile is excluded here, as it is meant for smaller saws, and is pretty wimpy in my experience. Ripping chain isn't meant for crosscutting, and really is meant for end-grain cuts, NOT what most people consider ripping--to cut a log in half with the grain, "noodling". It doesn't make a difference at all in my experience to use ripping chain for noodling.
I disagree with Ryan a on one point. While on your setup, and on any saw using bar less than about 30", it may be slower. I have never tried this. However, on large saws, like my big Stihl, using skip chain on a 42" bar while cross-cutting hardwood is WAY faster than full comp. I'm talking a modded 084AV that had 8.6 HP stock, cutting a 36" diameter very wet log of red oak. It has plenty of power, but chip clearing is a major factor in speed of cuts with long bars. The skip tooth chain on the 36" diameter log was nearly as quick as when using a 25" bar with full comp chain.


Sorry to get off topic. Short answer; .325 chain might be a little easier for your saw to run, but so little different that it wouldn't be worth the money you would spend on a new bar and new drive sprocket, not to mention chain. Just don't expect your saw to make quick cuts if you bury the full length of the bar. You are already taking care of the saw by being a good sharpener--that's the most important thing you can do to keep your saw at peak performance.

[Michael Menzli]

Hey Richard cant really add much to what already has been said. I too own a 455 Rancher and have to say the best thing I did was upgrade to a bigger saw. I found a used 372xp and havnt looked back. These saws are worlds apart. As far as chain I use Carlton ripping chain and cut endgrain..typically getting 2 + bowls on the outer edges and leave a nice portion of quartersawn each side of the pith. Ive never tried jumping down to a smaller size but also own a smaller limbing saw with a 325 and it cant get out of its own way..

[Cody Colston]

I don't think you will see much benefit from going to a .325 chain and certainly not a rip chain. Rip chains will give a smoother cut but a full chisel chain will actually cut faster...even on rip cuts.

I went from a 55 Rancher (56cc) w/ 20" bar to a Stihl MS390 (64cc) w/ 24" bar and the little bit of extra power makes a world of difference. I'm running a full comp, chisel chain too.

[Richard Jones]

Thanks, guys. That pretty much confirms what I was guessing. I'll stick with the 3/8" full comp. Bigger saw? Hmmmmmmm, this is starting to sound like ANOTHER vortex.............

This one's doing what I want for now, but if it does go south, slightly bigger would be in the cards. Maybe a muffler mod and tweak will keep me satisfied for a while longer.

Again, appreciate all the help. Have a great week.

[Michael Menzli]

Richard indeed a new vortex however these saws seem to run and run so once you find one that works they should outlast many of us. I will say that a bigger saw does bring on more weight as well as fuel consumption..something to consider. Also muffler mods are good but have read that the carb has to be adjusted as well so another thing to think about.