How much does Safety Chain (bumpers) slow a chain down?
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Not much, but I have never seen data collected on the comparison with standard chain. It doesn't really rob power from the engine but it will increase the cutting time which is to be expected. It's also heavier in weight.
I'm just going by feel but I estimate 18.87%.
It varies some depending on barometric pressure.
It varies some depending on barometric pressure.
It's only an extra raker, file them down.025 to start.
I was told by the Stihl dealer that I'm one of the few that when buying a new saw, the safety chain doesn't get discarded.
Green Yellow? don't feel much difference in a 50cc saw.
I was told by the Stihl dealer that I'm one of the few that when buying a new saw, the safety chain doesn't get discarded.
Green Yellow? don't feel much difference in a 50cc saw.
I was gifted a funky older 15" bar Craftsman electric chainsaw... power is actually pretty good if you're near an outlet and don't mind occasionally cutting the cord. The original chain had an amazing confection of antikickback stuff on it.. there was so much junk on the chain it amounted to a full skip cutter-wise; lots of stuff to file down besides the teeth. I used it for a while but it stretched like mad, so replaced with a proper full comp. That did quite well even boring right into the stump I was cutting, low vibration and light- easy to sculpt with.
I heated my house for several years with Stihl green chain before I learned that safety chain would not cut wood. Had I known that earlier we might have been frozen...
Originally chain manufacturers were trying to reduce vibration and started adding some features to the chain that did indeed make them run smoother...after a while people also noticed those chains were less likely to produce a kick back.
Some designs will hinder bore cutting, but most folks using the "safety" chains or low vibration chains are probably not doing a lot of technical sawing anyway.
For some saws, like my Echo 2511T I prefer a "safety chain" design since most of the time when I am using that saw I'm working from a basket or bucket and like all the protection I can get.
As noted, you can always take the extra bumpers down a bit if you feel they are interfering with your cutting.
Mark
Originally chain manufacturers were trying to reduce vibration and started adding some features to the chain that did indeed make them run smoother...after a while people also noticed those chains were less likely to produce a kick back.
Some designs will hinder bore cutting, but most folks using the "safety" chains or low vibration chains are probably not doing a lot of technical sawing anyway.
For some saws, like my Echo 2511T I prefer a "safety chain" design since most of the time when I am using that saw I'm working from a basket or bucket and like all the protection I can get.
As noted, you can always take the extra bumpers down a bit if you feel they are interfering with your cutting.
Mark
Most safety chains bumpers only come proud sticking up on the radius tip of the bar. Should cut like any other chain on the flats.
"0"
That is interesting, thanks for sharing that.
The ones I have i filed on the bumps and save them for dirty work.
I think reduced kickback and perhaps low vibration are better terms than "safety" Like mentioned above the bumper is below the depth gauge on the flat part of the bar. As the cutter is sharpened back and the depth gauge is lowered then the higher risk chain's performance deviates more. There are plenty of no bumper chains in 3/8. Pretty simple to experiment.
On a 50cc saw .325 is less dangerous and generally recommended by the manufacturer. If you want speed the narrower kerf .325 if your situation doesn't need the wider kerf would seem sensible at least to me,
There is also out of the box grind vs round file sharpened which will be independent of reduced kickback features.
On a 50cc saw .325 is less dangerous and generally recommended by the manufacturer. If you want speed the narrower kerf .325 if your situation doesn't need the wider kerf would seem sensible at least to me,
There is also out of the box grind vs round file sharpened which will be independent of reduced kickback features.
They will not bore unless those safety rakers are taken down. The are there to prevent kickback at the nose area of the bar.
And what do we use to bore cut?
And what do we use to bore cut?
thenne1713
ArboristSite Guru
The main purpose in design is to reduce kickback risk if bar tip is encountered, which wud normally bypass depth gages and throw the spinning chain back at the user.
Half my chains are the cheap older Oregon one with the ramped bumper link.
I got bored and ground the ramped part down but I dont think it made much difference and the chains I have without it dont seam any faster.
I got bored and ground the ramped part down but I dont think it made much difference and the chains I have without it dont seam any faster.
They will bore, just a bit slower, at least the ones I've used.
I grind them off my x-cut chains right out of the box. I wouldn't say they cut faster, but it makes filing the rakers a helluva lot faster.
Not much, in a practical sense.
Especially, in wood smaller than 20” diameter.
In larger wood, the older style ‘bumper tie straps’ can slow down chip removal.
You can still bore / plunge cut with them, but it’s slow.
I have seen guys win cutting races at GTGs with bumper drive link style chains, against ’super secret racing’ chains, because they had better skills, rather than a magic chain.
Some guys don’t know how to sharpen, so they blame it on ‘*#%^¥!! SAFETY CHAIN’.
I actually prefer the bumper tie strap style on my pole saws, cutting smaller diameter branches at the end of a 12’ pole: bounces less.
For general firewood or clean up cutting, an average sawyer won’t notice much difference, if properly sharpened.
Philbert
Especially, in wood smaller than 20” diameter.
In larger wood, the older style ‘bumper tie straps’ can slow down chip removal.
You can still bore / plunge cut with them, but it’s slow.
I have seen guys win cutting races at GTGs with bumper drive link style chains, against ’super secret racing’ chains, because they had better skills, rather than a magic chain.
Some guys don’t know how to sharpen, so they blame it on ‘*#%^¥!! SAFETY CHAIN’.
I actually prefer the bumper tie strap style on my pole saws, cutting smaller diameter branches at the end of a 12’ pole: bounces less.
For general firewood or clean up cutting, an average sawyer won’t notice much difference, if properly sharpened.
Philbert
