# Chain Gauge: .050 vs. .063



## teacherman (Jun 3, 2008)

I have been wondering why so many of hte bars and chains on eBray are 050 instead of 063. Is there really any difference other than you need to match the bar and chain? Almost everything I have is 063, but almost all the chains I see are 050.

Any comments? I try to keep my bars all 063 in case I run across a large spool of 3/8 RM chain and could then reloop most of my saws.....

IS one any better than the other?


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## Lakeside53 (Jun 3, 2008)

It's a mess.. regional sales preferences... 

Around here it's almost all 050, except with 325, then it's 063, unless you're talking "not stihl" low end brands and then it's 325/050. 

Neither is better than the other. I like the hole in the 063 tang (stihl) - carries a little more oil, but...

You forgot 058.. and then there's 043...


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## computeruser (Jun 3, 2008)

Not really, save for the fact that Stihl 063 has holes in the drive links that may help carry more oil along on longer bars...

Your plan to stick to .063 is a wise one. Hindsight being what it is, I wish I had done that from the start.


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## oldsaw (Jun 3, 2008)

Yeah, my first bars were 063, so I got on that bandwagon too. On most chains, it's just the driver tang that has been made skinnier. I've got a bit of a mix going. My 25" bar on the 066 is 050 as is the 20" on the 372 and the 16 on the Homies. However, the 16 for the 066 is 063.

Clear as mud. 050 is the most popular, especially in "homeowner" saws, so it has the most inventory out there. Long bar guys tend to go 063.

Mark


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## SawTroll (Jun 3, 2008)

teacherman said:


> ....
> 
> IS one any better than the other?



Not today, more often than not, the only difference is the driver tang thickness, nothing else.


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## Former Saw Builder (Jun 3, 2008)

I like the .063 on my saws 70cc and up for the extra strength....

Now I wish my eyesight was good enough to run some of them again....


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## Darkness77 (Jun 3, 2008)

Best bit about .050 is when the bar gets worn you can step up to .058 and keep running that bar.


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## SawTroll (Jun 3, 2008)

Darkness77 said:


> Best bit about .050 is when the bar gets worn you can step up to .058 and keep running that bar.



LOL - maybe for streight-down cuts, but they more often than not will have a v-shaped notch, and will tend to cut crooked for any other application.....


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## Darkness77 (Jun 3, 2008)

Seemed to work Ok on the 116. Standard bar and my Stihl dealer put .058 on without my knowing.


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## SawTroll (Jun 3, 2008)

EdRitchey said:


> I like the .063 on my saws 70cc and up for the extra strength....



Ol' wives tales - outdated info, the only difference is the drive tang.

There may be exceptions though......


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## Toyjunkie (Jun 3, 2008)

SawTroll said:


> LOL - maybe for streight-down cuts, but they more often than not will have a v-shaped notch, and will tend to cut crooked for any other application.....



So then you can tell your friends that it is a race chain and bar  
:monkey: I can only cut cookies, sorry can't help clean up that mess. :greenchainsaw:


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## teacherman (Jun 3, 2008)

Thanks all, I will stick with 063 in hopes of finding a chain breaker at a reasonable price, and then a roll of chain...............is that true CAD?

I do heat with wood.............


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## Brushwacker (Jun 4, 2008)

Darkness77 said:


> Seemed to work Ok on the 116. Standard bar and my Stihl dealer put .058 on without my knowing.



Works for me. I'm running .o58 on my 044 20" with no problems cutting straight. Got a great deal on several 20" rm loops on ebay. About $11 ea. w/ shipping. I put a 25" in semi retirement because the hard nose wore completely through to the softer metal. Don't remember how many 058 chains I had on it. Mabe 2 and I still keep it in my toolbox to use on wood with a high risk of damaging a chain and bar. Have a couple more ready for the conversion.


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## harrygrey382 (Jun 4, 2008)

we (uk) pretty much only have 063... It must suck for you guys  

why can't they all be one gauge? Oh that's right, your saws are so cheap you must be punished in other ways...


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## Darkness77 (Jun 4, 2008)

Is there an echo in here?


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## harrygrey382 (Jun 4, 2008)

Darkness77 said:


> Is there an echo in here?


not any more...


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## romeo (Jun 4, 2008)

ECHO IN HERE ECHO IN HERE ECHO IN HERE ECHO IN HERE 


Multiple gauge widths are nothing more than a pain in the arse. The driver is the toughest part of the chain so wider isn't really making anything stronger.


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## timbrjackrussel (Jun 4, 2008)

romeo said:


> ECHO IN HERE ECHO IN HERE ECHO IN HERE ECHO IN HERE
> 
> 
> Multiple gauge widths are nothing more than a pain in the arse. The driver is the toughest part of the chain so wider isn't really making anything stronger.



A wider drive tang gives less pressure per square inch (or fractions thereof) on the sprocket or rim drive. I can't see any reason to go wider than .050".
The chain may be a little heavier but the bar a little lighter.


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## SawTroll (Jun 4, 2008)

timbrjackrussel said:


> ....
> The chain may be a little heavier but the bar a little lighter.



Other way around with laminated bars......:greenchainsaw:


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## Griner Bros. (Jun 4, 2008)

teacherman said:


> I have been wondering why so many of hte bars and chains on eBray are 050 instead of 063. Is there really any difference other than you need to match the bar and chain? Almost everything I have is 063, but almost all the chains I see are 050.
> 
> Any comments? I try to keep my bars all 063 in case I run across a large spool of 3/8 RM chain and could then reloop most of my saws.....
> 
> IS one any better than the other?



T man,
I always saw the .063 having aprox. 25% more bearing surface than .050 guage drivers. The 'bearing surface' being the rivet & driving link.
I see no strength differance as the rivets are the same dia.
Also I considered new chain stretch as being added to by a small amount of wear at the DL to rivet point(bearing). Remember 2 rivets per DL. Thats a lot of bearings to wear and add length to a chain ...... 
I could be wrong about the strength difference .... but I dont see alot of bars available in .050 above 30"......
All, IMO......


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## Lakeside53 (Jun 4, 2008)

On Stihl chains the rivet/link is the same on 063 and 050... Stihl makes all bars up to 36 inches in both 050 and 063. Whether they are available in your areas depends on the local market.


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## dancan (Jun 4, 2008)

In my limited experience i see mainly 050 or 058 around here , all mine are 050 .


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## Former Saw Builder (Jun 4, 2008)

SawTroll said:


> Ol' wives tales - outdated info, the only difference is the drive tang.
> 
> There may be exceptions though......



I disagree on this one my friend... The chain is stronger in .063 then .050


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## BloodOnTheIce (Jun 4, 2008)

Here all Stihls run .325-.063 chain and the same level Huskys run .325-.050 so we have to keep a roll of chain just for the Husky guys. And on the 3/8" saws they all run .050 regardless of brand. Then we have the couple guys running 07's and 08's, Stihl 050's and my 084 all running .404 gauge.


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## Lakeside53 (Jun 4, 2008)

EdRitchey said:


> I disagree on this one my friend... The chain is stronger in .063 then .050



Not with Stihl chain... only the lower portion of the tang is reduced in width to make the 050 - the rest is the same 050 or 063


EDITED!!!! teacherman is LUCID tonight!


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## abohac (Jun 4, 2008)

*Michigan*



teacherman said:


> I have been wondering why so many of hte bars and chains on eBray are 050 instead of 063. Is there really any difference other than you need to match the bar and chain? Almost everything I have is 063, but almost all the chains I see are 050.
> 
> Any comments? I try to keep my bars all 063 in case I run across a large spool of 3/8 RM chain and could then reloop most of my saws.....
> 
> IS one any better than the other?



Around here it is mostly .050 or .058 Don't really know why.


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## teacherman (Jun 4, 2008)

Lakeside53 said:


> Not with Stihl chain... only the lower portion of the tang is reduced in width to make the 063 - the rest is the same.



Did you mean the 050 has a narrower tang?:greenchainsaw:


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## Lakeside53 (Jun 4, 2008)

Hey.. Give me a break. My mother-in-law is staying with us so I'm doubling up on my Mirrorpond sedatives.:greenchainsaw:

Yes.... the tang is reduced in thickness on the lower portion to make the 050.


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## 046 (Jun 5, 2008)

don't think it makes a spit difference.... go with one and make it your standard. 

all mine is .50...


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## SawTroll (Jun 5, 2008)

EdRitchey said:


> I disagree on this one my friend... The chain is stronger in .063 then .050



Not a problem, it would be no fun if everyone agreed on everything.......


....and it looks like Lakeside agree with me........


On the flip side - I believe there still are some .063 chain that is stronger out there - it just isn't the general rule any more.


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## harrygrey382 (Jun 5, 2008)

how much faster would a sprocket wear with 050 cf 063? Would it be noticeable? That'd be the only realistic factor I can think of


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## SawTroll (Jun 5, 2008)

harrygrey382 said:


> how much faster would a sprocket wear with 050 cf 063? Would it be noticeable? That'd be the only realistic factor I can think of



I agree, but I don't think the differense is worth worrying about.....


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## Stovepipe (Feb 24, 2016)

Thanks for the thread gents

Good info


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## Wood Doctor (Feb 24, 2016)

I recall reading that 063 will work better on longer bars because it will pull more oil through the groove. So 32" and 36" bars might give you better lubrication if 063 gauge. A logger who buck cuts big logs all day might appreciate that.

On the other hand, OP has already said that 050 supply seems greater and I think that it is. The price of 050 bulk chain tends to be about 20% less. Economics 101 was a good course.


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