2 links off

[SolarAndWood]

My little saw came with a 20" .325" .050 80DL bar that is now done. Took it to a local shop and they sold me a pro-lite plus 20" .325" .050 78DL bar. Didn't put it on for a couple weeks to find the mistake, don't have the receipt and they won't exchange it.

I have 4 new 80DL chains and 4 currently in rotation. I assume the cheapest thing for me to do is remove 2 links from them and use the bar I can't return? Is shortening my chains something I can/should try myself? I have an Oregon chain breaker and rivet spinner but have neither used nor seen them used before.

 

[smokinj]

[youtube]http://youtu.be/DnX5sC_1NbA[/youtube]


This should help.

 

[SolarAndWood]

Thanks for the link Jay.


Ok, Einstein question of the day after removing 2 cutters and having too short a chain...anyone need an 18" or shorter chain?


2 DL per cutter right? So, when I do this I am going to have either two lefts or two rights in a row? I assume it doesn't make a difference which way I go?

 

[JustWood]

Doesn't effect performance at all. All the 20" I put together are like that.Keep the 18 and use it for repair links.

 

[smokinj]

Thanks for the link Jay.


Ok, Einstein question of the day after removing 2 cutters and having too short a chain...anyone need an 18" or shorter chain?


2 DL per cutter right? So, when I do this I am going to have either two lefts or two rights in a row? I assume it doesn't make a difference which way I go?

No it will not. Lots of stock chains are just like that!

 

[smokinj]

Doesn't effect performance at all. All the 20" I put together are like that.Keep the 18 and use it for repair links.

Read your post wrong at first +1 would have done ;-)

 

[jeff_t]

I'd find a new shop if they wouldn't exchange an unused bar. That's not very nice.

I bought a 28" Windsor bar and a couple of chains from Bailey's. The catalog said 93 drive links, the bar said 92. They worked for a while, but now they're stretched too far and won't tighten up. I have a friend with a breaker and spinner, and he conveniently stopped in yesterday. I sent the chains with him. I'll get them back Monday. I suppose I should pick up a 12 pack

 

[RNLA]

I'd find a new shop if they wouldn't exchange an unused bar. That's not very nice.

I had a good local shop I enjoyed going into. One time I broke a throttle trigger on my 084 STIHL, I called and was told it was out of stock but they would have it there on the following stock order. I asked if they would call as soon as it came in as I needed my 084 for a big job, he said sure. When I get there the next week I run into the owner and he started giving me crap about special orders. I told him it was not a special order and he continued with his rant. I looked at the guy I usually talked to and he just looked at me, no help! I did get my parts but I will never go back and tell everyone I know do not do business with them. I also have heard the same from other people. >:-(

 

[SolarAndWood]

That's on me not the shop. I have only been there the one time as it is on the other side of town and it was weeks before I found the mistake. The bar they gave me showed up on Bailey's look up tool so not unreasonable.

Does every chain have a master? I think I only found one on one of the chains. The rest of them appeared to be normal links with different labels on them than the rest of the chain? The spinner didn't seem to have any problem getting them back together.

 

[RNLA]

The chain I have seen does not have a "master" link like a bike chain. Sometimes stihl has a yellow color tie plate. I think they do that so you can see it, I am not sure. I spin up a fair bit of chain Husky, Oregon, Stihl, and the tie plates are the same as the rest, just with new rivets ready to go. The thought also occured to me that you may be looking at a "stock" or "safety chain" with the anit kick back plates and stuff, those may have some sort of "master" link. I am only familiar with the more agressive skip tooth, pro type chain

 

[SolarAndWood]

It's Oregon LP.

 

[RNLA]

Hmm, I'm not up on that part number. As I said before all the saws I use are pro saws. You did say in the OP that it was a 325 pitch, all of my stuff is micro for the MS200T or 3/8 skip for all the others. I don't know what it looks like.

 

[MasterMech]

Solar,

You mentioned removing 2 cutters in the first chain and it wound up short. Chains are usually measured in drive links. To go from 80 to 78, just remove 2 DL's and rivet in a new tie strap.

 

[Danno77]

I'm confused. If you have a 20" chain that has 80 links in it and then you take out 2DLs you don't have a 20" chain anymore. DL frequency is important because of nose sprocket and drive. If you have an 80DL chain then the DLs are gonna be shorter than a chain with 78.

Imagine a guy with big feet vs a guy with little feet. You say how many of your feet (not 12") is this room wide? Guy with big feet say 15, guy with little feet says 19. DL size is like shoe size, it changes for each chain.

Maybe I didn't drink enough coffee today, but something doesn't seem right here.

 

[SolarAndWood]

I was/largely still am confused by the same thing Danno. The original Jonsered bar was 80DL and the Oregon Pro Lite Plus is 78DL. All other specs are the same and both claim to be 20" bars. Brand new 80DL chain fits perfect on saw/Jonsered bar. Take 2 DL out and the the same new chain fits perfect on the saw/Oregon bar.

 

[SolarAndWood]

Solar,

You mentioned removing 2 cutters in the first chain and it wound up short. Chains are usually measured in drive links. To go from 80 to 78, just remove 2 DL's and rivet in a new tie strap.

Yeah that was my Einstein move that created too short a chain. I thought the cutters always alternated right and left.

 

[jeff_t]

I'm confused. If you have a 20" chain that has 80 links in it and then you take out 2DLs you don't have a 20" chain anymore. DL frequency is important because of nose sprocket and drive. If you have an 80DL chain then the DLs are gonna be shorter than a chain with 78.

Imagine a guy with big feet vs a guy with little feet. You say how many of your feet (not 12") is this room wide? Guy with big feet say 15, guy with little feet says 19. DL size is like shoe size, it changes for each chain.

Maybe I didn't drink enough coffee today, but something doesn't seem right here.

Not all bars are created equal(ly). As long as the drive sprocket and bar sprocket are appropriate, it doesn't matter how many drive links are in the chain. As long as it fits and tensions up right. Like I said above, apparently the Windsor bar is different from the OEM bar, which I assume is Oregon.

 

[Danno77]

We are on the same page, I'm just saying that a 20" chain with 80DL shouldn't fit on a bar that takes 20"+78DL just because you take out 2 DL.

Case in point: Hold up my 20" Stihl 72DL chain against his 20" 80DL chain and they should be almost exactly the same length. Pull out 8 DL and I bet the thing is only about right for a 18" bar.

Pulling out DLs shouldn't work because the gear teeth only work with the right size. If the bar calls for one and the drive calls for another, you have a problem.

 

[jeff_t]

His is. 325, yours is ....3/8"?

 

[Danno77]

His is. 325, yours is ....3/8"?

Yeah, which is, I guess, the # that matters most for the sprockets.

 

[SolarAndWood]

The effective cutting length of the original bar was about an inch and a quarter longer than the new one.

 

[Danno77]

The effective cutting length of the original bar was about an inch and a quarter longer than the new one.

Which would be good for about 4+ DLs, except the new bar is wider than the old. Gotcha. Sorry to be so confused about something so simple. As long as the pitch is the same, then I guess you should be ok.

 

[SolarAndWood]

Yep, new bar is about 1/2" wider (taller if you will) than the old one. 2 DL out is perfect on it.

 

[jeff_t]

Actually, one of my 93 link chains has 4-5 drive links damaged way beyond filing (don't ask :red. I'm taking 21 links out to put on a 20" bar. Don't matter, it's all 3/8", .050 chain.

 

[Ash_403]

I'm confused. If you have a 20" chain that has 80 links in it and then you take out 2DLs you don't have a 20" chain anymore.

Sure you can. It can be due to the guide bar nose radius or overall bar height, powerhead drive sprocket diameter or number of drives, or a combination of both.

DL frequency is important because of nose sprocket and drive. If you have an 80DL chain then the DLs are gonna be shorter than a chain with 78.

I'm not following you here. Do you mean to say that a chain with 78 drive links is 2 drive links shorter than a chain with 80 drive links? Of course it is. The frequency is important in such that all drive links are spaced evenly to run correctly in your powerhead drive. (Technically, the drive and guide bar sprocket could care less about cutters.)

Cheers.