Identify a chain - chain nomenclature and types

[ballisticdoughnut]

https://arlingtonpower.com/products...Amw8uvOaZfprBT8eXHKcuHO_HDznXp36M4zcSpQyEaABl
Not cheap stuff, mine was almost 200.00 less ,

Ouch. I do know a few people here in WA that may have some old stock. I’ll explore that avenue first. If it turns out to be a bust I’ll figure something out. Either way I will get my hands on some of that.

 

[ballisticdoughnut]

Somebody got their money's worth out of that chain.

Time to let it go, though.​

But it’s got sentimental value…

 

[pdqdl]

It looks like it is over sharp, at any rate. Consider a bar-less application that needs no drivers.



This might even be the ultimate rescue saw. It always "starts", runs even better in the rain, and gets into the tightest corners. Never a risk of kickback, either.

 

[ballisticdoughnut]

It looks like it is over sharp, at any rate. Consider a bar-less application that needs no drivers.

View attachment 1201869

This might even be the ultimate rescue saw. It always "starts", runs even better in the rain, and gets into the tightest corners. Never a risk of kickback, either.

At least I would get a good workout. I’m a glass half full kind of guy lol.

 

[thenne1713]

Below are two pictures of an Oregon chain that is on my MS311 that I bought as a loop from Bailey's. The drive links have 72 stamped on them, and the depth gage is stamped 25, indicating it should be filed so it is .025 below the cutting edge.

What is this chain? I know the difference between chisel and semi-chisel but looking in Bailey's old print catalog (2016) I don't understand the difference between a chisel and square chisel cutter. Yes they explain in text the difference, but visually I see little or no difference. The 72 chains come with a variety of letter suffixes. What do the letters mean?

I understand that a semi-skip chain will have more widely spaced cutters than a standard chain, and a skip tooth has even fewer cutters on the loop. These increase cutting speed, I'm guessing, because the saw can spin the chain faster? There must be a point of diminishing returns, or we would see chains with only two cutters on them. Is a skip tooth chain the fastest cutting?

I would guess that different species of trees call for different chains. Are there any general rules of thumb for cutting hardwoods (oak, maple) vs softer pine, spruce trees? What would softer deciduous wood like cottonwood require in a chain?

The pro's I've watched seem to just pull their saws off the truck and go to work. Either the chain does not matter so much or they had a heads up on the kind of tree before coming to the job site.

Pics of my chain:
View attachment 1201315

View attachment 1201316

Your chain is CHISEL, the corner between cutter/ sideplate is square 90-degree vs rounded. Look there at semi-chisel chain picture and you will see it is rounded over. Your cutters look filed 1/3 gone? Your Depth gages look like never flat filed? File depth to restore chips vs dust. Good Luck.