I take five or six saws and three loops for each. Only one guy. Extra 28 and 20 bars with 14lp also. A 200T always lives with me.
How Many Chains
- Thread starter KsForester
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Tecomec (and Oregon) used to sell clamp on chain grinders, that mounted on the guide bar, and used 4” grinding wheels.
I thought those would be ideal for chain saw milling. No need to remove / replace the chain. Uniform cutters. Etc.
Have not seen them shown in catalogs for several years, and can’t even find a good photo on Google.
A while back, one was posted on CL, but sold before I could get it (just for my ‘collection’).
But must be many others lying around.
Philbert
Same here.
Consider looking deep into it. They will sell. Malloff had one.
pro94lt
Addicted to ArboristSite
A dozen saws in service, half a dozen new chains for each one in the service truck, probably 20 per saw in the saw I have not sharpened yet. 100 I have hit metal with and will never fix but I'll never throw out... my guess is 200 chains...
You can never go wrong with bringing extra loops.. Worst case scenario is that you bring them home unused, ready to go out again. I had to cut the base of a 24 inch Ash stump.. Brought the Echo CS 800P, with a 27 inch bar. Just out of an abundance of caution, I brought the 3 extra loops.
Darn!! 1st loop ( on the saw) .. not even 1/4 through the stump, and I see sparks coming out of the cut.. Followed immediately by dust, not chips.. Crap.. with the crew standing around, by the hour, there's no way I'm gonna sharpen.. Toss on a spare loop and back at it..
Cut another 1/8th into the stump.. Same thing. Sparks and dull again.. It took all 4 loops to get through the stump. When we popped the top of the stump off, we found that I'd hit bullets, and nails and screws from mounting kids toys.
If I wouldn't have had the spare loops, the time for paying the crew, or having to come back the next day, would have eaten into the profitability of the job..
Still, after having got into metal, after getting home, it was a couple of hours with the bench grinder to return the loops to usable condition.
Bring extra loops, and a spare bar.. What's the worst that could happen?
Darn!! 1st loop ( on the saw) .. not even 1/4 through the stump, and I see sparks coming out of the cut.. Followed immediately by dust, not chips.. Crap.. with the crew standing around, by the hour, there's no way I'm gonna sharpen.. Toss on a spare loop and back at it..
Cut another 1/8th into the stump.. Same thing. Sparks and dull again.. It took all 4 loops to get through the stump. When we popped the top of the stump off, we found that I'd hit bullets, and nails and screws from mounting kids toys.
If I wouldn't have had the spare loops, the time for paying the crew, or having to come back the next day, would have eaten into the profitability of the job..
Still, after having got into metal, after getting home, it was a couple of hours with the bench grinder to return the loops to usable condition.
Bring extra loops, and a spare bar.. What's the worst that could happen?
Yup, BTDT. Hit something on the first cut of the day on a big job you had planned. Not worth the time to sharpen a chain that has been badly damaged like that. Put on another chain and get back to work.
jackdaripper
ArboristSite Lurker
How do you guys store your chains?
Good point on the bar.
Not only can a bar nose sprocket blow out. But, if using an outboard sprocket saw (most STIHLs), you can leave a stuck bar in the pinch, pull the powerhead, and cut yourself out with the spare bar.
On some saws, I run different length bars. By keeping all my stuff for each saw in a separate case, I am able to sometimes use my ‘other length’ bar and chains for additional back up.
Sorted chains are hanging on nails or dowels at home.
Tried a lot of things, but settled on heavy duty, zip-lock bags in the saw cases, or take-along boxes
(Have some others awaiting sortation.)
Philbert .
When carrying chains in the woods, the paper boxes loops are sold in quickly get crushed, wet, torn and fall apart.
I go to the dollar store and get the cheap plastic food containers with snap on lids. Try to find ones that will just fit your chains, one loop per box. Two or more per box tend to get tangled.
If we're just talking about how many loops to take with at least 3 or 4 spares, per saw depending on what I'm getting into. Did a bunch of fence row clearing a few years back and killed all my spares for the 36" bar. Ended up running for the volvo and shoving most of them over. Bottom 6-8 feet full of metal from old fences. Mostly locust. Should have known better.
If we're talking how many loops on hand... thats a rabbit hole imo. I don't keep track. I have bars from 10" up to 42" all have many spares in various pitches/gauges. Only saw I don't have any sapres for is my recently acquired mcculloch. Never been much for .404, but thats what's on it so I'll end up getting a few more loops for it and if I'm lucky a larger bar for it+ 3 or 4 loops.
If we're talking how many loops on hand... thats a rabbit hole imo. I don't keep track. I have bars from 10" up to 42" all have many spares in various pitches/gauges. Only saw I don't have any sapres for is my recently acquired mcculloch. Never been much for .404, but thats what's on it so I'll end up getting a few more loops for it and if I'm lucky a larger bar for it+ 3 or 4 loops.
Fence rows are always full of metal. I hate cutting them. But then there is the fact I have ran into metal out in the middle of nowhere. Usually barb wire or fence staples, but occasionally old school sugar maple taps.
Thankfully we're I live now this is much less of an issue.
Husky77
ArboristSite Operative
Sadly its become a throw away world and chain price is added into the job cost and it seems customers are happy to pay an over prices job when if given a cheap price they query it and try to get it cheaper. Yes it sounds crazy but sadly true.
That reply belongs in the "You Suck" threadLucky for us I know a tree service that throws away their dull once used chains so we're set on free chains
So the 1 chain method might change.
I have 4 saws that all run the same size 18" chain. I am in the camp of sharpen the chain until it's about used up, and then swap. I normally have at least 1 new chain in my tool box, and at least 2 chains that only have 2 or 3 sharpenings left on them. The used up chains get used for stumps, or if there might be wire in the tree, or if something happens and I just need a chain. For my big saw, I normally have 1 new chain (28") in the tool box, plus the chain that I'm using. For its 41" bar, I only have the one chain. Too expensive, and too little use to keep an extra one on hand. I don't go to the woods with a saw unless I have at least 2 saws and at least 2 extra chains. I've learned that ol' Murphy is a real jerk and the best insurance against him showing up is having spare parts readily available.
Some of the better advice is definatly having a spare/back up saw. Can't remember the last time I left with less then two saws. Two is one, one is none kinda thing.That reply belongs in the "You Suck" thread
I have 4 saws that all run the same size 18" chain. I am in the camp of sharpen the chain until it's about used up, and then swap. I normally have at least 1 new chain in my tool box, and at least 2 chains that only have 2 or 3 sharpenings left on them. The used up chains get used for stumps, or if there might be wire in the tree, or if something happens and I just need a chain. For my big saw, I normally have 1 new chain (28") in the tool box, plus the chain that I'm using. For its 41" bar, I only have the one chain. Too expensive, and too little use to keep an extra one on hand. I don't go to the woods with a saw unless I have at least 2 saws and at least 2 extra chains. I've learned that ol' Murphy is a real jerk and the best insurance against him showing up is having spare parts readily available.
I know a guy like that, he must have close to 80 of them. Sure gets expensive.Lucky for us I know a tree service that throws away their dull once used chains so we're set on free chains
So the 1 chain method might change.
I have least 3
Cheaper for me
I'm sure it is. Don't be cheap when you find the right one.Cheaper for me
For each model? Top handle ,limbing and bucking saw?I have least 3
3 saws
