Making sense of 65 assorted bars and chains?

[softdown]

Bought an auction lot that must have weighed 70 pounds. Many of the chains do not tell the data that I need. Many just indicate what saws they fit. It is clear they deliberately make it difficult to ascertain exactly what is in the box. Then I have about 15 chains without a box. They are soaking in diesel oil right now due to stiffness and/or a few rust spots. Mostly because they don't have a box.
The bars run from 12" to 22". The chains run from 10" to, I am guessing here, 22".
Just what I needed. A lot of stuff with obvious value but don't know how to organize it. Trying to make sense of it now.
For example, I have a couple chains in a bag that say "Schwartz". Any Schwartz's here? j/k
Guessing these are older since they are mostly made in Canada, Germany, Switzerland or USA. Have not seen the China word yet.

 

[cookies]

start measuring link lengths and driver thickness to segregate by chain sizes, after that start counting drivers

 

[softdown]

For the record, I think the confusion was deliberate. After I read many of the claims I didn't know anything.

 

[softdown]

Realistically I have wondered what would happen if a .058 gauge chain was run in a .063 bar. Five thousandths of an inch is not a gigantic number. It would certainly run.

 

[Bob Hedgecutter]

Realistically I have wondered what would happen if a .058 gauge chain was run in a .063 bar. Five thousandths of an inch is not a gigantic number. It would certainly run.

The same that would happen if you were to run 0.063 chain in a flogged out 0.063 bar- you loose efficiency and stability.
Enough for a weekend wood gatherer to notice- maybe not, but if you are spikes deep in some big tough wood with the typical weekend wood getters dull chain, it does detract from the oil carrying ability of the chain a bit.

 

[softdown]

Most posters here work, at times, with oak, elm or walnut. I am strictly pine and spruce here but sometimes I have to cut a big one. .063 gauge has a ridiculous price difference from .058. Thanks for the advice.

 

[Bob Hedgecutter]

Most posters here work, at times, with oak, elm or walnut. I am strictly pine and spruce here but sometimes I have to cut a big one. .063 gauge has a ridiculous price difference from .058. Thanks for the advice.

I am surprised in the States you even mention 0.058, thought you guys were mostly 0.050 or 0.063 types.
As for sorting, get a known 3/8 sprocket tooth bar, clamp it nose up in a vice and fit each chain over the nose, if they fit they are 3/8, if they don't they are likely .325- but you might have some .404 in the mix, who knows.
Small ones are likely 3/8LP.
Sort them into pitches and lengths, hang them on nails. If you want to sort chisel from semi chisel- go for it, but I would be happy enough with length and pitch groups for secondhand chains.

 

[Brufab]

Sweet package if your selling I'm interested in some .404 .058 72DL or .404 .058/.063 in 64DL

 

[softdown]

Sweet package if your selling I'm interested in some .404 .058 72DL or .404 .058/.063 in 64DL

Off the top of my head those sizes seem less common than others. I'll try to check into it.

 

[softdown]

I am surprised in the States you even mention 0.058, thought you guys were mostly 0.050 or 0.063 types.
As for sorting, get a known 3/8 sprocket tooth bar, clamp it nose up in a vice and fit each chain over the nose, if they fit they are 3/8, if they don't they are likely .325- but you might have some .404 in the mix, who knows.
Small ones are likely 3/8LP.
Sort them into pitches and lengths, hang them on nails. If you want to sort chisel from semi chisel- go for it, but I would be happy enough with length and pitch groups for secondhand chains.

The rarity of .058 may be the reason the price was favorable. Or maybe I got confused?
I used to kind of know this stuff - or so I thought. Ordered some Oregon guides to help sort the chains.

The bars are easier but similar bars being a 1/2" different in length bugs my sense of order.

 

[Brufab]

No worries. I'm in no hurry. I just need to buy a 25' roll and the parts and get it over with. Its for remington saws. Luckily I came across 2 stihl 46RM72 chains at my local shop that I use to sharpen chains. 40+$ a loop. But the time to buy it is when ya see it. It's just to have a spare chain with each bar. I like to have 2 chains per bar on my old saws just in case

 

[Brufab]

@Maintenance supervisor gave me a chart let me see if I can find it

 

[Brufab]

From @Maintenance supervisor not sure if its of any help.

 

[Captain Bruce]

Bought an auction lot that must have weighed 70 pounds. Many of the chains do not tell the data that I need. Many just indicate what saws they fit. It is clear they deliberately make it difficult to ascertain exactly what is in the box. Then I have about 15 chains without a box. They are soaking in diesel oil right now due to stiffness and/or a few rust spots. Mostly because they don't have a box.
The bars run from 12" to 22". The chains run from 10" to, I am guessing here, 22".
Just what I needed. A lot of stuff with obvious value but don't know how to organize it. Trying to make sense of it now.
For example, I have a couple chains in a bag that say "Schwartz". Any Schwartz's here? j/k
Guessing these are older since they are mostly made in Canada, Germany, Switzerland or USA. Have not seen the China word yet.

eBay or your local mower shop, will sell an Oregon plastic red tool for 5 bucks. It will easily tell you what each chain is (pitch , gauge, and you simply count the drive links. Same tool will measure the gauge of each bar. As to the bars pitch, just mount a chain and feel for binding. The diff. between 3/8" (.375) and .325 is obvious. 5 bucks later, you ID your first bar/chain combo/set-up. Good Luck!

 

[Del_]

eBay or your local mower shop, will sell an Oregon plastic red tool for 5 bucks. It will easily tell you what each chain is (pitch , gauge, and you simply count the drive links. Same tool will measure the gauge of each bar. As to the bars pitch, just mount a chain and feel for binding. The diff. between 3/8" (.375) and .325 is obvious. 5 bucks later, you ID your first bar/chain combo/set-up. Good Luck!

https://www.google.com/search?q=ore...rome..69i57.9122j0j9&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

 

[softdown]

I did order the red tool and the 8' long sticker that goes on a 2x4. The sticker seemed high at $16 but the reviews are very good. Just saving one chain will pay for the sticker and I now have so many chains.