sly22guy
ArboristSite Lurker
Still not sure what a full skip chain is, im assuming it is a chain with alot less blades on it so it wont work the saw as hard. anyone have a link to a site that sells them or has pics of them?
MS 290 25" bar?
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ShoerFast
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Go to the Stihl USA site,,,,, search under 'chain' Oregon Chain may have some info also?
Skip chain has 1/3 fewer cutters than regular "full complement" chain. Two times to use it. One is on long bars in big wood, it gives more clearance between cutters for chips to build up before they start pushing the cutters out of the wood. The second instance for using skip is when you're pushing the limits of bar length with your power head. Fewer cutters require less power to pull.
Ian
Ian
Ray Bennett
ArboristSite Guru
Blakesmaster
Addicted to ArboristSite
Maybe I need to figure out how to muffler mod. I ran a 28" bar on my 361 twice and immediately sought out an 066. Would never go more than 20" on my 361 again.
windthrown
361 Junkie
Skip chain
There are several types of skip chain. Full skip has two links between each of the cutting links, instead of one. So it has 1/3 less cutters than a full complement chain. There is also half skip chain, where half the cutter links have two links between them, and half have one link between them. So in terms of higher to lower numbers of cutters on the chain loop, there is full comp, half skip and full skip.
Clear as mud?
There are several types of skip chain. Full skip has two links between each of the cutting links, instead of one. So it has 1/3 less cutters than a full complement chain. There is also half skip chain, where half the cutter links have two links between them, and half have one link between them. So in terms of higher to lower numbers of cutters on the chain loop, there is full comp, half skip and full skip.
Clear as mud?
windthrown
361 Junkie
Unless you are cutting fir or pine or other softer wood, a 28" is a bit long for a 361. The factory recommends up to a 24" on it. On the other hand a muffler mod is easy enough to do, and you can get about 1/2 HP more out of an aggressive one with a properly tuned carb to go with it, and maybe tweek it up to 5 HP.
And on that note, the 290 is even easier to modify the muffler on. Pull the top cover plate off the muflfer and open up the ports there with a grinding stone or add some more holes with a drill. Then pop the limiter cap tab off the H screw on the carb and richen it up 1/4 to 1/2 a turn. Then let her rip!
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windthrown
361 Junkie
Stihl site with skip chains shown... (as well as other chains they make):
http://www.stihlusa.com/chainsaws/types.html
sly22guy
ArboristSite Lurker
Thanks again for all the info! I see that the ms290 can run either the 3/8 or the next smaller. I would assume that the 3/8th would be the way to go since most of the chains come in that size. Is that what you would recommend?
Ray Bennett
ArboristSite Guru
3/8 is the way to go, it throws much bigger chips and Cuts faster. The only down side is it takes a little more HP to pull it. That is why smaller saws use 325.
Stoneman84
New Member
I have to say I use a 290 with a 25in bar all the time with no issues. it was set up taht way from the dealer when i bought it new 13 years ago. I have cut various type of wood with not and zero issues so far. I love the feedback I'm seeing from everyone though.
