Any downside to running a chain with 3 teeth missing?

[jl4c]

'Been cutting some logs/stumps into smaller pieces for burning in a neighbor's wood stove. The logs contain assorted nails, staples and other metallic tramp material and my chains seems to find them all. [I'm running 20LPX chain on the Husky 346XP.] On one chain I've had three teeth so damaged that I just ground them off. The missing teeth are in random locations on the chain, not sequential. Saw seems to cut fine anyway. Any downsides to this I should be aware of? This chain probably only has one more sharpening left in it anyway, so it won't be an issue much longer either way. What do the experts say?

 

[s sidewall]

No different than a skip tooth

Steve

 

[Huskybill]

It shouldn’t hurt. But onetime they offered chain repair kits. I changed the broken tooth then ground the new teeth even with the rest of the chain.

I save my old wornout chains for this purpose. I either cut pallets to burn one fire at night to take the chill out of the house. Or cut trees where the wire fences were nailed to the trunks. I remove the worn chains that have one or two sharpening left in them.
Plus save the worn bars too.

 

[Colt Marlington]

Wouldn't want to use a new one to cut nails with.

 

[catbuster]

If it cuts okay it cuts. If it’s sharp it’s better than a dull chain with all it’s teeth anyway.

 

[Jethro 2t sniffer]

Just use it but a bag of presets and another bit of old chain you can replace the cutters. It's a resent thing I've been getting into but had a few chains with a few sharpenings left but had missing teeth from nasty dry gum so just for the hell of it I knocked the rivets out of some ok cutters off some junk chain and peened them on the keeper chain. It's a little tricky using a hammer right on the cutter rather than on a regular strap but can be done.

I also thought bugger it and made up some chains from bits n pieces lying about with my big bag of links.

Seems silly but old nearly toast chain cuts really well so a couple of bucks and you're time. I can now peen them over rather quickly after getting the hang of it too no need for a spinner

 

[jltrent]

Around here teeth are overrated. You can get by with a lot less...

 

[rd35]

Any downside to running a chain with 3 teeth missing?
I run my mouth that way and, other than a slight speech impairment, it works fine!

 

[rd35]

Seriously though, I always take a good look at the riveted area of a broken tooth just be sure the rivet holes are not cracked. I just don't want the chain to break while in a cut. That can cause injuries. But so long as the rivet holes are good, the missing cutter shouldn't be an issue!

 

[Franny K]

225 views and 13 votes.

Of course there are downsides. Generally after a gap the first tooth will take excessive abuse. Certainly true with carbide tipped cutters. The second choice is the obvious one but the second half is silly.

HuskyBill is on the right track, splicing parts work for cutters. You will need three preset tie straps (new) and three similar cutters off something else.

 

[jl4c]

I knocked the rivets out of some ok cutters off some junk chain and peened them on the keeper chain. It's a little tricky using a hammer right on the cutter rather than on a regular strap but can be done.

Seems silly but old nearly toast chain cuts really well so a couple of bucks and you're time. I can now peen them over rather quickly after getting the hang of it too no need for a spinner

Seriously though, I always take a good look at the riveted area of a broken tooth just be sure the rivet holes are not cracked. I just don't want the chain to break while in a cut. That can cause injuries. But so long as the rivet holes are good, the missing cutter shouldn't be an issue!

Gentlemen, I'm sure this is good advice but it's deeper down the rabbit hole than I'm interested in going. I don't cut but a half dozen cords a year and I don't save any worn or broken chains. I simply wanted to know if a few broken teeth were going to be a problem that I didn't foresee. Thanks for the responses.

 

[jl4c]

Of course there are downsides. Generally after a gap the first tooth will take excessive abuse.

I'm using full-complement chain. As Steve pointed out above, is a missing tooth going to be any different than using skip or semi-skip? If you feel it is, please elaborate.

 

[jl4c]

Around here teeth are overrated. You can get by without them.

One of the customers I call on swears he can gum a steak better/faster than he can chew it with his dentures.

 

[jl4c]

225 views and 13 votes.

Franny, the poll was meant to be humorous, not legit. I didn't really expect many votes.

 

[Big Red Oaks 4 me]

I've had at least 3 teeth pulled over the years, and it hasn't affected my wood cutting yet.

 

[Huskybill]

I hit a 2” galvanized pipe inside a tree. She took out three teeth on a brand new 24” bar and a new .404” chisel chain. Like I said free favors can get costly. I ordered the chain repair kits and fixed it.