Pre-made or make oyur own chains?

[cvcook]

Never have done this before, but I was gonna order a spool of chain for my chain saws ( Stihl top handle and pole pruner)from Baileys and start making my own, but the tech guy said it's much cheaper to get the pre made ones. is that true, and if not from there where should I get them from?

 

[squad143]

It may depend on how much chain you go through.

I purchase my chain (3/8) in a 100' spool and make my own loops.

Works out to approx. 1/2 price for me to make them compared to buying a premade loop. (Not counting my time or the purchase of a spinner/breaker).

FYI: I use Sthil chain.

 

[Rickytree]

CVCook if you are buying a roll I would recommend buying the chain for your ground saws. You will barely hit anything up in the tree. I buy rolls but only for the ground saws. Switched everything over to 3/8 and it's great. Also buy 2 stroke mix by the 5 gallon jug. They don't care for me much at the saw shops. p.s. also buy round and flat files in bulk. Hope this helps...

 

[mattfr12]

How long does a flat file last u I ground my rakers down pretty good today and I don't think the file has any life left in it. Was new when I started

Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk

 

[Bomber]

If you are flush cutting stumps or doing residential work, Lot of unseen nails and lags, buy spools. It takes 5 min to make a new chain.

How long does a flat file last u I ground my rakers down pretty good today and I don't think the file has any life left in it. Was new when I started

Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk

What brand of flat file? Mine last several chains.

 

[Rickytree]

How long does a flat file last u I ground my rakers down pretty good today and I don't think the file has any life left in it. Was new when I started

Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk

Try doing one side of the chain then the other side. Should have lots of life left in that file

 

[cvcook]

so what kind of chain do you guys use for above ground work?

 

[jefflovstrom]

Never have done this before, but I was gonna order a spool of chain for my chain saws ( Stihl top handle and pole pruner)from Baileys and start making my own, but the tech guy said it's much cheaper to get the pre made ones. is that true, and if not from there where should I get them from?

Why don't you start with the search function and then come back and ask again.
Jeff

 

[squad143]

so what kind of chain do you guys use for above ground work?

Sorry, completely missed the part about "Sthil top handle and pole pruner".

I only purchase about 4 to 6 loops for my 200's in a year. I won't use them on the ground (well very rarely) so the chains last quite a long time.

Still has to be cheaper buying in bulk if you figure you'll go through it.

For ground work: Sthil 3/8 .050 Full Chisel. (Cuts real fast, high chrome content holds its edge).

If you're cutting "dirty wood" (wood with dirt in the bark), the semi-chisel will last longer.

 

[Rickytree]

so what kind of chain do you guys use for above ground work?

I use 3/8 full chisel .058 .. Oregon chain

 

[Iustinian]

full chisel chain: "saves you seconds; costs you minutes" -- Slamm. a full chisel chain will cut only slightly faster than a semi chisel chain, but a semi chisel chain will stay sharper much much longer. Saves you seconds in a cut, but costs you minutes in maintenance.

buying by the roll is cheaper for medium and bigger saws in the longrun, but for your climbing saw and power pole saw its better to buy the pre-made ones.

anyone else use skip chain?

 

[Rickytree]

Isn't skip chain for long bars like 36" and bigger? full chisel only costs you time if you keep on putting it in the dirt. Last time I looked seconds add up to minutes. Once or twice a week I will sharpen the saws but that all depends how much I am cuttin and what and where. If you have to block everything up then expect to sharpen more often. A

 

[mattfr12]

full chisel chain: "saves you seconds; costs you minutes" -- Slamm. a full chisel chain will cut only slightly faster than a semi chisel chain, but a semi chisel chain will stay sharper much much longer. Saves you seconds in a cut, but costs you minutes in maintenance.

buying by the roll is cheaper for medium and bigger saws in the longrun, but for your climbing saw and power pole saw its better to buy the pre-made ones.

anyone else use skip chain?

ya i use a skip chain on 30 plus inch bars. saw doesn't have to work as hard and you can take down the rakers pretty good. i couldn't see putting one on a 200t their not super fast.

 

[Iustinian]

ya i use a skip chain on 30 plus inch bars. saw doesn't have to work as hard and you can take down the rakers pretty good. i couldn't see putting one on a 200t their not super fast.

I agree no point in putting skip on a climb saw. Ya saw doesn't have to work as hard, and it also takes half the time to sharpen as well. add in semi chisel to that skip and you're sharpening that chain even less.

 

[cvcook]

Since you're recommending a semi chisel, would this be a good choice for my top handle saw and pole pruner?

Bailey's - 91VXL044G

 

[MarquisTree]

http://www.arboristsite.com/commercial-tree-care-climbing/185455-2.htm

The tech was telling u the truth, I don't understand why anyone would want to make their own.

 

[Rickytree]

Ahh 30 to 40 doller's a chain. hell low. Guys that know make their chains. Maybe not for their polesaws and climbing saws but at least their ground saws...

 

[imagineero]

I buy chains for my climbing saws premade and used once. I get them from a guy who runs a hire service, he uses them on the pole saws and puts a new chain on each hire. They've never been sharpened, and some have only been used for a couple of cuts and are still sharp. I get a box of 30 chains for $80 invluding shipping. They're carlton chains, last me about a year.

All my other saws run 3/88 .063. Thay saves some trouble right there. I get 20" carlton chains with the same used once deal, a milk crate full for $50. Works out to be about $1 a chain or something. I sit down at the sharpener with a 6 pack and go through them all at the same time. I dont bother much with sharpening at site any more, just swap over. THe only saws I sharpen at site are the bigger bars.

I do have a roll of stihl 3/8 .063 that I make up chains for the other bar lengths with. If I was more motivated I guess I could break and join the used carltons and save money; a 100' roll of stihl chain is $525 in aus, or around 32c/drive link, bought from shop is around 75c/DL (again, for stihl). For a 20" chain thats $23 made/$54bought. For a 36" thats $36.50made, or $85.50 bought. My $1 chains sure seem like pretty good value. Ask at your local hire shop.

Shaun

 

[tree md]

That sounds like one heck of a deal! Shaun, what exactly is a "hire shop". Must be the language barrier. I'm not sure what you're talking about but would love to find any shop that would sell me slightly used chains for a dollar a pop.

I am going to buy a reel of Carlton chain from my small engine mechanic eventually. I've got everything to make my own chains except for the chain. I have been using Carlton chain lately and have been very happy with it. Buying the reel is just something on the back burner for now as I am good on chains for now.

+1 on sitting down at the grinder with a 6 pack. I do the same.

 

[MarquisTree]

That sounds like one heck of a deal! Shaun, what exactly is a "hire shop". Must be the language barrier. I'm not sure what you're talking about but would love to find any shop that would sell me slightly used chains for a dollar a pop.

I am going to buy a reel of Carlton chain from my small engine mechanic eventually. I've got everything to make my own chains except for the chain. I have been using Carlton chain lately and have been very happy with it. Buying the reel is just something on the back burner for now as I am good on chains for now.

+1 on sitting down at the grinder with a 6 pack. I do the same.

How much does the reel cost? How many chains do u think you will get out of it?