I usually run the appropiate Stihl RSC chisel chain, but needed a chain quick after hours and bought a Oregon chain (L74 22bpx). Didn't notice before or was in a rush that this chain is .063 guage instead of the proper .050g. It rolls good and sparked at the tip a few times when I first put it on. This is a semi-chisel chain and the difference was like night and day to the Stihl. I'm assuming since it was able to fit that I am in need of a new bar. Would it hurt to keep running both chain guages until they need to be replaced? I would rather wait and replace the bar with a .063g.
chain guage
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Sawmillman
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Buy a chainsaw bar rail closer; $20 @ baileys and keep running the bar you have .Lose the heavy guage chain.But this will true up your bar and keep your cuts true...... 
Another question. It came with the .050 bar which Stihl recommends for the 290. What would be the diference if I went to the .063, if any???
Sawmillman
New Member
The heavier the gauge :the heavier the over all weight of the saw chain which means lower rpm or less chain speed,;run the lowest guage that stays together( doesnt break) for your saw to keep performance at its best.....
yeah I was thinking that, thanks. I thought the thicker guage might of explained the better performance. I mean, comparing two brand new chains out of the box. The Stihl full chisel and the Oregon semi chisel. The Oregon cut with much better chips and more rpm's through the cut deep in a 36+" sugar maple trunk section. Not even the occasional bog like with the Stihl. This is the first time cutting with a semi chisel chain or Oregon brand for that matter. So what gave me the better performance? Going to a .063g, semi chisel, Oregon chain, or all of the above. I've been going on wha the dealer has been telling me, but thru trial and error and advice from you guys, I'm looking to get the most out of the 290 without buying a bigger saw... I get by pretty good with the saw now. Keep coming with the advice and answers guys and gals. Thanks.
If your 290 bogs down allot, you may try a skip chain. less cutters & it helps keeps the RPM up.
The 72JGX60 Oregon chisel , skip chain. 60 teeth instead of 72.
http://www.baileysonline.com/itemdetail.asp?item=ORF+72JGX060G&catID;=
Oregon has bars, may be time for replacement, if the .063 chain fits well. Keep the old one for when you have to cut out a stump & nose into the dirt
The Stihl RSF is a chisel full skip also.
My local Stihl guy said the RSC is for 60 cc & up saws. Lower cc saw just go to a skip, same cutter, just fewer so the RPM stays up.
May help.
Also make sure your rakers are not filed down to short, that can cause it to bog down.
The 72JGX60 Oregon chisel , skip chain. 60 teeth instead of 72.
http://www.baileysonline.com/itemdetail.asp?item=ORF+72JGX060G&catID;=
Oregon has bars, may be time for replacement, if the .063 chain fits well. Keep the old one for when you have to cut out a stump & nose into the dirt
The Stihl RSF is a chisel full skip also.
My local Stihl guy said the RSC is for 60 cc & up saws. Lower cc saw just go to a skip, same cutter, just fewer so the RPM stays up.
May help.
Also make sure your rakers are not filed down to short, that can cause it to bog down.
BogyDave
I looked on Bailey's and it looks like I can only get a Oregon 18" Chainsaw Chain Loop (72JGX-66 Drive Links), but this is .375 pitch. This won't work will it? Looks like the Stihl RSF 3/8 could work. I know for both would require a new bar. Opinions??? Which chains would the saw pull?
I looked on Bailey's and it looks like I can only get a Oregon 18" Chainsaw Chain Loop (72JGX-66 Drive Links), but this is .375 pitch. This won't work will it? Looks like the Stihl RSF 3/8 could work. I know for both would require a new bar. Opinions??? Which chains would the saw pull?
yes a sharp chain of course! But I like to have the best combinations of tools when I am working. I have much to learn about different bar and chain combinations. That is why im here asking some of these hypothetical questions from the more experienced. Thanks
FireNewbie said:
In that case .50 :cheese: I like to keep as many saws running the same chain as possible and that will be .50 Your bar should be fine what I would be checking is the sprocket!
SmokingJay
Ok, so it seems that I want to stay with the .050 guage chain. But what about a 18" skip tooth chain if I can find one. Looks like I would have to go to a 3/8 or .375 bar to do this. I do plan on doing the muffler mod if that will help any. Or should I just stick with the .325 and run the style chain of my liking? Why the sprocket, from running the .063 chain on a .050 bar? What should I be looking for?
Ok, so it seems that I want to stay with the .050 guage chain. But what about a 18" skip tooth chain if I can find one. Looks like I would have to go to a 3/8 or .375 bar to do this. I do plan on doing the muffler mod if that will help any. Or should I just stick with the .325 and run the style chain of my liking? Why the sprocket, from running the .063 chain on a .050 bar? What should I be looking for?
FireNewbie said:
This thread will probally blow up after this statement: But if I was running a 029/290 it would be running the .325!
FireNewbie said:
063 chain is a bit longer where it hits the sprocket. Check for weard wear patterns on your sprocket.
Anyone have experience switching to a 3/8 pitch chain from .325 with a 290? What was thedifference, did ithe rpms slow down significantly? Did it bog in big wood? Just lookin for more answers before I might switch chain pitch size. Seems to be the recommended size is .325 .050 guage with a 18" or smaller bar. Right now I am using that with a 18" full chisel chain and looks like I might be stickin with it. Experienced users, please more advice ... Thanks!
Some of us tinker with different set up to get just a whisker more performance, which in the big scheme don't matter allot, just the fun of it.
.050 3/8 (.375) bars give you lots of different, easy to find chain options.
Keep what you have sharp & rakers at the right height & check the drive sprocket now & then, & you'll cut lots of wood.
If you chain was worn out, the drive sprocket (rim) should be replaced with a new chain. (Kind of a "rule of thumb")
The wear your bar shows, is a sign the sprocket has lots of wear too.
It's a PIA for the sprocket to give out 1/2 way thru a load when out cutting, (Happened to me on my old saw so now I know to check it).
The smaller kerf on many of the .050 - .325 chain would help keep RPM up. (a little lighter bar weight to , I think)
So if you buy a new bar & sprocket, you have a few options, swing buy an Oregon or Stihl dealer, have them set you up. They love this stuff too
You'll get get some good "info" from them to help decide which way would be the best for your saw & cutting.
.050 3/8 (.375) bars give you lots of different, easy to find chain options.
Keep what you have sharp & rakers at the right height & check the drive sprocket now & then, & you'll cut lots of wood.
If you chain was worn out, the drive sprocket (rim) should be replaced with a new chain. (Kind of a "rule of thumb")
The wear your bar shows, is a sign the sprocket has lots of wear too.
It's a PIA for the sprocket to give out 1/2 way thru a load when out cutting, (Happened to me on my old saw so now I know to check it).
The smaller kerf on many of the .050 - .325 chain would help keep RPM up. (a little lighter bar weight to , I think)
So if you buy a new bar & sprocket, you have a few options, swing buy an Oregon or Stihl dealer, have them set you up. They love this stuff too
You'll get get some good "info" from them to help decide which way would be the best for your saw & cutting.
bogydave said:Some of us tinker with different set up to get just a whisker more performance, which in the big scheme don't matter allot, just the fun of it.
.050 3/8 (.375) bars give you lots of different, easy to find chain options.
Keep what you have sharp & rakers at the right height & check the drive sprocket now & then, & you'll cut lots of wood.
If you chain was worn out, the drive sprocket (rim) should be replaced with a new chain. (Kind of a "rule of thumb")
The wear your bar shows, is a sign the sprocket has lots of wear too.
It's a PIA for the sprocket to give out 1/2 way thru a load when out cutting, (Happened to me on my old saw so now I know to check it).
The smaller kerf on many of the .050 - .325 chain would help keep RPM up. (a little lighter bar weight to , I think)
So if you buy a new bar & sprocket, you have a few options, swing buy an Oregon or Stihl dealer, have them set you up. They love this stuff too
You'll get get some good "info" from them to help decide which way would be the best for your saw & cutting.
+1.....GOOD ADVICE!
yeah i hear you guys but tinkerin cost money for little results if any... That's what im trying to avoid. Spending money to switch bars, sprocket, and chains to run a different size. I have 3 chisel, 1 semi chisel, and two near worn safety chains for junk cutting. Maybee be best to keep cutting and wear these out first. Just tinkerin in my head for now and seeking advice before going forward.
I have owned and modified many 290s & 310s and one 029 Stihl. I like the 310 the best of the 1127 line of saws. The 029 was too underpowered, even with a muffler mod. The 390 is prone to high vibration. The 290 and the 029 super have the same and larger displacement than the 029 and they run better (though many think the 290 is a boat anchor with the power to weight ratio). The 310 with a Euro muffler mod will keep pace with a 390, and almost keep up with a 361 in my trials running them together. I have also run a lot of different bars and chains on these guys.
As for 0.063 vs. 0.050, the 0.063 just has a wider groove in the bar and the drive links are wider to run in the wider groove. Otherwise they run exactly the same for me. I have used both gauges in 3/8 standard B&C on the 361, 290/310 and 044. The rims are the same. It seems that in olden times they used various gauges to allow for bar wear over time; start with an 050 and then go to 058 and then 063. Now it seems to be a more regional thing and depends on the chain type. In Australia, Europe and the eastern US, 0.063 seems to be more common, and on 0.325 chain 0.63 is the only gauge in Stihl. In the US west 0.050 seems to be more popular in 3/8 standard chain. Go figure...
As for the chains themselves, the cutters make a difference in cuttiing speeds and the rate at which they dull. Semi chisel is slower cutting, but stays sharp longer. It is good for cutting in crappy conditions with dirt and mud and sand. Full chisel round filed is about 10% faster than semi chisel, but it will dull faster and really dull fast in cruddy conditions. It is best suited to cutting clean wood. Full chisel square filed is about 10% faster still, but it is really sensitive to any grit or crud and the pointed edges are really thin, so they dull the fastest. This stuff is good for racing and faster cutting clean wood. In some types of chain, some only come in semi-chisel (like Stihl 3/8 Picco) and some only come in full chisel (like Stihl .325). Stihl .325 only comes in 0.063 as well. As for teeth, semi and full skip chains are good for softer wood and longer bars, and lots of pros run them here to keep the revs up in the cuts. I find that full skip can cut faster, but it also dulls faster. There are fewer teeth so they are faster to sharpen though. You can run different rims to get higher chain speed as well. For example, put an 8 pin rim on insted of a 7 and the chain will spin faster with less torque. I run higher pin count rims with shroter bars to get better results. Like using a 18 or 16 inch bar on a 361; wasted torque there, so an 8 pin rim speeds up the cuts without bogging it down any.
I have done many tests comparing .325 to 3/8 standard on the large format Stihl saws (290, 310 and 260) as well as comparing .325 to 3/8 picco with the small format 250. The results for the 250 were pretty dramatic; the 3/8 picco has a lot narrower kerf so the picco chain cut faster. Lots of chainsaw mill people run picco chain on larger format saws for this reason. Comparing .328 to 3/8 standard for me on large format Stihl saws was a toss up. Some people swear that .325 is better, but I have not seen that. Comparing the cuts, they have the same kerf, or width of wood removed. Comparing the chains, the .325 has more cutters per length than 3/8 std. I have run full chisel .325 on my 260 and 310 and compared the times to full chisel 3/8 and they cut the same. I flipped to all 3/8 standard chain on my large format Stihl saws a while ago as a result, even on the 290 that I had. 3/8 std chain has far more options available than .325 and I now have one type of chain, rims and bars on my large format Stihls, simpler: they are all 0.050 3/8 standard and they all interchange. The 290 will run a 20 inch bar just fine as well, even with semi-chisel full comp. I use a lot of Stihl RM semi-chisel chain (not to be confused with RM2 safety chain that they no longer make) to cut in crappy conditions and out in the woods a lot. On a 290, either .325 or 3/8 std. should do fine, and I see not real advantage of either, unless you have other larger saws or you want more types of cutters on your chains then I would say go with 3/8. An 18 inch 3/8 B&C is probably the sweet spot for a mild modified (original design) 290, but I had no problems running it with a 20 inch 3/8 setup. I am west coast long bar biased though.
Another thing to consider on the 290 or any of the 1127 Stihl saws is to put a rim drive on. They will allow you to swap rims sizes and they are easier on chains than spur sprockets are. They are also cheaper to run and when a rim wears out just get another rim (not the whole assembly). The brake/clutch bell pretty much last forever. The rim drive clutch/brake to get on any 1127 saw is the one they make for the 036/MS360 (not the 361, that is different).
As for 0.063 vs. 0.050, the 0.063 just has a wider groove in the bar and the drive links are wider to run in the wider groove. Otherwise they run exactly the same for me. I have used both gauges in 3/8 standard B&C on the 361, 290/310 and 044. The rims are the same. It seems that in olden times they used various gauges to allow for bar wear over time; start with an 050 and then go to 058 and then 063. Now it seems to be a more regional thing and depends on the chain type. In Australia, Europe and the eastern US, 0.063 seems to be more common, and on 0.325 chain 0.63 is the only gauge in Stihl. In the US west 0.050 seems to be more popular in 3/8 standard chain. Go figure...
As for the chains themselves, the cutters make a difference in cuttiing speeds and the rate at which they dull. Semi chisel is slower cutting, but stays sharp longer. It is good for cutting in crappy conditions with dirt and mud and sand. Full chisel round filed is about 10% faster than semi chisel, but it will dull faster and really dull fast in cruddy conditions. It is best suited to cutting clean wood. Full chisel square filed is about 10% faster still, but it is really sensitive to any grit or crud and the pointed edges are really thin, so they dull the fastest. This stuff is good for racing and faster cutting clean wood. In some types of chain, some only come in semi-chisel (like Stihl 3/8 Picco) and some only come in full chisel (like Stihl .325). Stihl .325 only comes in 0.063 as well. As for teeth, semi and full skip chains are good for softer wood and longer bars, and lots of pros run them here to keep the revs up in the cuts. I find that full skip can cut faster, but it also dulls faster. There are fewer teeth so they are faster to sharpen though. You can run different rims to get higher chain speed as well. For example, put an 8 pin rim on insted of a 7 and the chain will spin faster with less torque. I run higher pin count rims with shroter bars to get better results. Like using a 18 or 16 inch bar on a 361; wasted torque there, so an 8 pin rim speeds up the cuts without bogging it down any.
I have done many tests comparing .325 to 3/8 standard on the large format Stihl saws (290, 310 and 260) as well as comparing .325 to 3/8 picco with the small format 250. The results for the 250 were pretty dramatic; the 3/8 picco has a lot narrower kerf so the picco chain cut faster. Lots of chainsaw mill people run picco chain on larger format saws for this reason. Comparing .328 to 3/8 standard for me on large format Stihl saws was a toss up. Some people swear that .325 is better, but I have not seen that. Comparing the cuts, they have the same kerf, or width of wood removed. Comparing the chains, the .325 has more cutters per length than 3/8 std. I have run full chisel .325 on my 260 and 310 and compared the times to full chisel 3/8 and they cut the same. I flipped to all 3/8 standard chain on my large format Stihl saws a while ago as a result, even on the 290 that I had. 3/8 std chain has far more options available than .325 and I now have one type of chain, rims and bars on my large format Stihls, simpler: they are all 0.050 3/8 standard and they all interchange. The 290 will run a 20 inch bar just fine as well, even with semi-chisel full comp. I use a lot of Stihl RM semi-chisel chain (not to be confused with RM2 safety chain that they no longer make) to cut in crappy conditions and out in the woods a lot. On a 290, either .325 or 3/8 std. should do fine, and I see not real advantage of either, unless you have other larger saws or you want more types of cutters on your chains then I would say go with 3/8. An 18 inch 3/8 B&C is probably the sweet spot for a mild modified (original design) 290, but I had no problems running it with a 20 inch 3/8 setup. I am west coast long bar biased though.
Another thing to consider on the 290 or any of the 1127 Stihl saws is to put a rim drive on. They will allow you to swap rims sizes and they are easier on chains than spur sprockets are. They are also cheaper to run and when a rim wears out just get another rim (not the whole assembly). The brake/clutch bell pretty much last forever. The rim drive clutch/brake to get on any 1127 saw is the one they make for the 036/MS360 (not the 361, that is different).
FireNewbie said:
Slight muffler mod might allow the 290 to do better with 3/8 than it does stock. I personally think the MS290 is better off with .325. It does sound like you've run this set of cutting gear to the end of the road. I'd be picking up a rim sprocket kit, bar, and chains to get back to business. I like to keep it Stihl with these saws but Oregon makes some pretty nice bars too.
I will post info on a 1127 saw muffler mods on a separate thread. Basically you drill two small holes that restore the muffler to its original US design and the one that they still use in Europe, and tune the carb to run richer. You can also buy an early US 1127 model/European Stihl muffler that is pre-drilled on Ebay. With those simple mods you get a 10% increase in power with little increase in noise, and you are restoring the saw to its original design parameters so you are not stressing it. Actually these changes allow the saw to run cooler and richer, and these will likely extend the life of teh saw.
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