Narrow-kerf bar/chain

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DiscoInferno

Minister of Fire
I noticed Bailey's has some 16-20" narrow-kerf .325 pitch bars on clearance for cheap, so I was thinking I would pick one up (with a matching sprocket) with some ripping chain and see if it made much of a difference in milling. But the only ripping chain I can find of that size (Oregon 95R) doesn't seem to be available any more, and the Bailey's rep seemed to suggest that .325 pitch itself was going away. I can always regrind regular crosscut chain for ripping, but is it worth my time? Is narrow-kerf chain going to be noticeably faster? Can the thinner bar hold up in milling, especially since my small-log mill only clamps at the base of the bar?
 
Yes it will be....Dont know its worth the effort though milling is slow and running more good chains on a give day will out way the narrow kerf imo. :cheese:

So bring it in the pits before you blow the tire up...lol I seem to push it as well!
 
The "cheap" part might be overstated, also. The 20" bar is only $15, but the new sprocket is $17 and the chain is $18 and the shipping is $15. It starts to add up for a half-hearted experiment.
 
DiscoInferno said:
The "cheap" part might be overstated, also. The 20" bar is only $15, but the new sprocket is $17 and the chain is $18 and the shipping is $15. It starts to add up for a half-hearted experiment.

Yea thats what I was getting at.....lol Be better to just get more chains on your current set up. Your really only going to get a few pass any quicker. Now if you where dropping to a picoo .043 I all in.. ;-)
 
lol if I could get away with using 24"or 36" .043 gauge I'd do it.Wouldnt hold up to the stress or heat I'm sure though.
 
Thistle said:
lol if I could get away with using 24"or 36" .043 gauge I'd do it.Wouldnt hold up to the stress or heat I'm sure though.

lol no nor would I want to stand behind it. Few guys have work really hard at the .325 but my money still on good chains and keep them there. (thats enough work) ;-)
 
DiscoInferno said:
the Bailey's rep seemed to suggest that .325 pitch itself was going away.

Oh, I wouldn't count on that to happen any time soon. .325 is the perfect chain for saws from 40-50cc, and there are many newly designed saws that are running it stock. Narrow kerf .325, however, just doesn't seem to be catching on.
 
He might have just meant the narrow kerf. It sounds like both the bar and chain for NK are a little too fragile.
 
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