Chain cutting speed

[Poundcake]

I stopped by my local Stihl dealer and discussed the chain speed. He made mention if I wanted to cut faster I need to put an "7 pin" sprocket on my 026 and change it over to 3/8ths 33rs from the .325 Stihl RAPID Micro 2 I have on there now. Has anyone ever changed there 026 to 3/8th chain. I am starting to enjoy cutting with my chainsaw for firewood and also want to move up in power also. I like that MS650 are they nice handling saws.

 

[TimberPig]

Some use 3/8" chain on there 026's, but others report slower cutting times. If you are still running RM2 chain, try running a RM or RS chain in .325 before you make the switch, the RM2 is safety chain, and really slows cutting.

As to the 650, it is the same saw as the 066/660 with a different cylinder and piston, except the 066/660 has more displacement and power for the same weight. The only real advantage of the 650 is price, and to Stihl the EPA credits and having an 85cc saw to compete with the 385. Jumping from an 026 to a 650 or 660 is a pretty big jump in displacement power and weight. Are you sure you need that big of a saw, or is this a case of thinking you need more power, but you aren't aware of the downsides of a bigger saw? There are other saws between an 026 and a 650 that would likely be better choices if you want a larger saw, but don't really need it that large.

 

[sedanman]

I had an 026 and tried 3/8ths on it, my particular 026 did not like 3/8ths at all.

 

[Lakeside53]

3/8 .050 RS full skip on a 20 inch works real well out here!

 

[onefarmer]

I'm just a firewood cutter but I do heat nearly 100% with wood so I cut alot.

I have an 026 with a 20" 325 bar. Had it this way since it was new in 1990 Tried a 20" 3/8 this year and didn't like it. went back to the 325. I did get a 8t sprocket for limbing speed and go back to the 7t for heavier work. I always use stihl rs26 chain. It seems to cut the fastest and last the longest between sharpenings. Just got a 044 for bigger stuff. I havent used it much yet but so far really like it.

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

The 026 does best with a 325, the 3/8s is too big and bogs it down. The 325 cut a much thinner kerf, which translates to faster cutting.

 

[THALL10326]

3/8 chain on a 026, thats no no no. Them big tall teeth on that 3/8 RS chain pulls that 026 down to nothing. The fastest 026 is the one with the shortest bar and a .325 chain and the motor puttering around 12,500rpms. I know, the new MS260's run 14,000. Spare me

 

[onefarmer]

3/8 chain on a 026, thats no no no. Them big tall teeth on that 3/8 RS chain pulls that 026 down to nothing.

That's what I found. But I do like the 20" bar as my back hurts from bending over with a 16"bar

 

[THALL10326]

That's what I found. But I do like the 20" bar as my back hurts from bending over with a 16"bar

Good point , that 20 incher does stop some bending over. I got 16 Stihl's out in the shed, all like new, big to small and the 026 is my personal favorite. No tree is safe..

 

[Big Woody]

I picked up a really nice 026 Pro this fall cheap ($100, 140 psi compression). I put on a new 20" ES bar and the 33rs chain. I think it does OK. Of course you can't lean on it real heavy. Keep a lighter touch and let it do the work.

With sharp chain, the weight of the saw and bar pulls it through nicely. This is Hackberry 14-18". I like having the bar stick out the other side a few inches. I wouldn't try burying the tip with this setup. I can see how some might find this setup unsatisfactory. The .325 might be better/faster but I wanted a 20" ES bar. The laminated/welded hollow bar is a few ounces lighter of course . I weighed them but forgot the amount different.

I did bog it down a few times while flush cutting a 20 inch stump.

I'm not too concerned about cutting a forest down with it. A bigger saw is always a few feet away.

 

[Lakeside53]

That's what I found. But I do like the 20" bar as my back hurts from bending over with a 16"bar

I don't find a huge difference in cutting speed between a 16 inch or 20 inch in the same wood. Most 026 I see are 20 inch, but personally I favor short bars on any saw (less weight, less teeth to sharpen). AS a "back saver" 20 is popular for ground limbing.

It's interesting to see the responses about "not 3/8" on 026. Out here in the land of "softwoods" we have a devil of a job getting anyone to take .325 anything. Except for a few oddball trade-ins (or someone ordering the wrong stuff!), the last .325 equipped saw we sold though the store was on 028's (long time ago and 'cos that was how they came from Stihl). We don't even stock replacement bars in 0.325...

 

[SawTroll]

..... I stopped by my local Stihl dealer and discussed the chain speed. He made mention if I wanted to cut faster I need to put an "7 pin" sprocket on my 026 and change it over to 3/8ths 33rs from the .325 ...

Your saw probably has a 7-pin sprocket, but a .325 one of course.

The first thing you ought to do is get rid of the RM2, and swich to RS (or RM/RMC if your wood is dirty).

7-pins in 3/8 is pretty close in size to the 8-pin in .325, and they will produce pretty much the same chain speed.
As sprockets are cheaper than bar and chain, I suggest that you try a .325x8 sprocket before messing with 3/8".
If the .325x8 cut faster than .325x7 on your saw, chances are that 3/8"x7 also will, but unless chip clearance or bogging becomes a problem it will probably not be faster than .325x8 (fewer teeth at about same speed in the wood).

Both the larger sprocket options will make your chain speed about 14% faster, but it will reduce the torque working for you with the same amount, so the chance of bogging down, or pulling the saw down out of its power band, will increase.

 

[West Texas]

Well I'm an old man and I use the 026 with an 18" bar w .325x.058 chain for limbing; and, use my modified 361 with a .325x9T drive sprocket on a 16" bar for the serious cutting as most of our Oak that we cut for fire wood is 12" and under -- it flys through the big stuff.

 

[Crofter]

A modified 026 has the power to pull 3/8 but even so the factory raker clearance is a bit much and it cuts better after a few sharpenings without taking down the rakers. Stihl .325 RS is probably faster on a stock 026. Fellows that are using square ground will likely go to 3/8 because .325 is very difficult to square qrind or file.

 

[Stihl Crazy]

Saying that 3/8 is faster or .325 is faster is not a fair answer. Many variables enter the picture. Some can file one chain better than others, how a saw responds to the air conditions it works in, or a persons ability to tune a saw. Where I live the only saw under 50 cc that can pull a 3/8 is the 026/260. Where others live the 346 can. I have made a living with saw for 20 years and sadly only around 5% of the "pro's" that I have met can file a chain. For me the 3/8's is fastest, but I can put a .325 close enough that only a stopwatch would show a difference. Sprockets are cheap so try different things, but remember you are the only one your chain and saw have to please.

 

[THALL10326]

Some use 3/8" chain on there 026's, but others report slower cutting times. If you are still running RM2 chain, try running a RM or RS chain in .325 before you make the switch, the RM2 is safety chain, and really slows cutting.

As to the 650, it is the same saw as the 066/660 with a different cylinder and piston, except the 066/660 has more displacement and power for the same weight. The only real advantage of the 650 is price, and to Stihl the EPA credits and having an 85cc saw to compete with the 385. Jumping from an 026 to a 650 or 660 is a pretty big jump in displacement power and weight. Are you sure you need that big of a saw, or is this a case of thinking you need more power, but you aren't aware of the downsides of a bigger saw? There are other saws between an 026 and a 650 that would likely be better choices if you want a larger saw, but don't really need it that large.

Hey Timber ole pal. Was looking at ya post there about the rs verses the rm2 chain. Interesting you bring that up for that was a big issue, so big that the boys down at Stihl at Va Beach put it to the test with one of their feild guys and a stop watch. Ya aint gonna believe this but the result was less than 2 seconds differance. I'm with you Timber, I think the rs is way faster but they say the stop watch proved the differance isn't nearly as much as we thought it would be. They also took the saw and drove it directly into the ground with both chains to see which one would still cut. The rs was dead on arrival but the rm2 was able to still cut alittle thanks to those round sided cutters. Makes ya wonder don't it. I don't own a rm2 chain and even after all that testing they did I'm with you Timber, give me the rs....

 

[Crofter]

Stihl Crazy:

Are you square filing / grinding. Is there any other chain in.325 that has as large a tooth as the Stihl RS. Some .325 is pretty dinky and no match for a 3/8 on a strong running 260. What do you set raker clearance at on 3/8 for a 260. I find on hardwood i don't want much more than 20-22 thou.

 

[TimberPig]

Hey Timber ole pal. Was looking at ya post there about the rs verses the rm2 chain. Interesting you bring that up for that was a big issue, so big that the boys down at Stihl at Va Beach put it to the test with one of their feild guys and a stop watch. Ya aint gonna believe this but the result was less than 2 seconds differance. I'm with you Timber, I think the rs is way faster but they say the stop watch proved the differance isn't nearly as much as we thought it would be. They also took the saw and drove it directly into the ground with both chains to see which one would still cut. The rs was dead on arrival but the rm2 was able to still cut alittle thanks to those round sided cutters. Makes ya wonder don't it. I don't own a rm2 chain and even after all that testing they did I'm with you Timber, give me the rs....

Guess it goes to show that what feels fast sometimes isn't. I think I too will still be sticking with the RS, maybe RM if I need to cut some dirty wood. I wonder what size wood they were cutting? I would think in bigger wood the chip clearance issue could do some damage to the cut time of the RM2 as the safety bumpers take up some space that would otherwise be used for chip clearance.

Some people who can't keep an edge on a chisel chain probably would get better performance out of semi-chisel due to its greater forgiveness for less than perfect filing.

 

[THALL10326]

I didn't catch what kind of wood they did the test on but it was suppose to be a 18inch round log up on saw horses. Makes no nevermind to me though for if what they say is the facts then its a fact as well those 2 seconds faster with the rs sure do feel alot faster than 2 seconds. As for sticking the chains in the ground like they did to see which one would still cut I say whatcha doing sticking ya chain in the ground anyway I'm with you, RS for me.

 

[Stihl Crazy]

Hi Frank, I tried square filing and square ground, but haven't got them up to my round filed yet. If I had 20 years of square filing I'm sure it would be the fastest. The raker height on any of my chains varies with what I am cutting on the day and how much hook I want in the chain. Different for fir, hardwood, pine, mixed cutting or limbing. For a 260 in hard maple I would use less hook, raker approx 25 thou. and angles that I find cut better than factory. No one here uses Stihl chain, most contractors that tried it were not happy with performance. I have a few 95 vp chains that will outcut some 3/8's chains.