# Info. from Stihl for newbies



## Horse (Mar 5, 2010)

How can I just order the ms200 carving package in the UK?
OR
How do I change and convert the sprocket, bar, and chain to 1/4" .050" for
carving?

I sent Stihl a load of questions that I have compiled from answers from different users on this thread. This is what I found out.

Where can I find a carving package?
For a carving setup I would like to have a 50ccm saw with standard bar
and chain 15/16" and a 40ccm saw with 12/14" quarter or dimetip bar and
Stihl 1/4" "Rapid Micro Special" chain (those chains are made especially
for carving).

Here is another example of one of your packages
http://uk.catalog.stihl.com/katalog/produkt/INT83/MS_200__Carving.htm

Another option would be 16" carving bar, it has a radius of about 12mm
(quarter tip).
The 12" bar has a radius of about 8mm (dime tip). These bars are made in
North America and are very well engineered. They are made from one piece
of steel (rather than being laminated), the rails are triple induction
hardened and the tip has a sizable section of stellite welded into it.
They are solid nose bars and the gauge of the bar groove is 0.050".

The choice of chain is also important with these carving bars. A friend
of mine
reckons that a 3/8" pitch chain works fine on the Quarter tip bar as
long as it isn't one of these consumer chains with the bumper tie
straps.
I originally tried my bar with the 0.325" pitch chain but found that it
didn't cut very smoothly and didn't bore into the wood very effectively
in the timber I used, which was mostly Beech and Sycamore. I decided to
look into the special 1/4" pitch chain, which is recommended for the
carving bars. It has no anti-kickback features on it as it doesn't
require them for such a narrow nosed bar, which means that it cuts and
bores into the wood relatively well (hardwoods that is).

The "Dime tip"carving bars must be run with 1/4" pitch chain as the nose
of the bar is far too small for the larger pitch chain to get round. The
drive links would probably all bundle up against each other at the
groove tip as well.

I'm just wondering if the ms200 or a bit larger needs to be modified, or
can I just change bars around on it?
Needing some help please, I am looking to purchase by mid-March.
I want a saw for blocking and one for carving, without having to change
gears and sprockets etc.
Thanks Stihl!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Horse, 

We are in receipt of and thank you for your e-mail. The MS200 will come
standard with a 3/8"Picco pitch and .050" bar and chain combination and
you would have to change the sprocket, bar, and chain to 1/4" .050" for
carving. STIHL Inc does not offer a carving package in the US. Part
numbers are listed below to convert a MS200.

1129 007 1002 Sprocket
3856 005 0056 10" 1/4" Chain
3005 003 4203 10" Bar
3856 005 0064 12" 1/4" Chain
3005 003 4205 12" Bar.

Thank you again for your e-mail.

Best regards,
C.M. Peavler
Technical Advisor
STIHL Inc.


----------



## mmstihl038 (Mar 18, 2010)

Change the sprocket for quarter chain and run any of the various makes of carving bars.

I am planning to add a second 200 soon, which I will run a stock pico bar and 3/8 chain. I do have a big saw for the big stuff, but the 200 cuts pretty darn fast stock and will be ideal for between the rough and the detail. I have a 170 and it came with a pico with a narrower tip than the 200, but still 3/8. So I'd use that bar, as it does reduce kickback considerably.

I don't really care much about kickback cutting firewood, but when carving I care a lot, as it'll send the saw cutting into something you didn't want to cut. And you really don't want it when you're holding a saw in some weird way it wasn't intended to be, like upside down at head level.


----------



## Horse (Mar 19, 2010)

*Ms200*

Safety First right!
I would love to get a couple of 200's, but man those things are $679 @ my local supplier, he also offered to take an additional $150 off the price which would put it @ $529.
Thanks for the info. it's all starting to make sense now. :agree2:


----------



## twoclones (Mar 19, 2010)

I'd like to know if we can order the ms200 with screw in caps. 

*Flippy Caps suck* and should not be on any professional grade saw.


----------



## galde (Aug 22, 2011)

When changing drive sprockets, you need to also change the worm gear for the oil pump, since it must match the spur on the drive sprocket. I'm surprised the Stihl guy missed that. The MS200 can be equipped with drive sprockets (with matching worm gears) in 1/4", 0.325", and 3/8" lo-pro.


----------



## k5alive (Aug 27, 2011)

the 200 is a rocker all around, i agree, flippys do suck


----------

