Hello all, I am looking for some new chains for my saw. Where are you finding the best price and product?
KC
KC
Your source for new chains
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You might try these guys, my buddy buys our chains in multiples from them.
www.amickssuperstore.com
Shipper
www.amickssuperstore.com
Shipper
he might try to sell me a Stihl
Hey- I wouldn't let the cat outta the bag either. But doesn't he try and shake you down as to what model of saw it's going on and yadda yadda yadda so as to find out if it's in fact going on a Stihl saw...................
iskiatomic said:
I go through 1 or 2 chains per year. I'd have to go through dozens per year before I even remotely thought of cutting out a good local dealer. JMHO.
Cripes, you're hard on chains. I get one or two years on one chain and wouldn't cut the local dealer out despite how much I dislike him. If I get the wrong length, the dealer will spin off a couple of links for me. Can't see doing that with mail order.Bigg_Redd said:
ECHO - my local dealer in New Fairfield is owned by friends. They provide great local service and i am happy to pay more for a chain than I would via internet.
I get mine at the dealers...if you buy 'em 10 at a time I'm pretty sure they're 10.50 for 20" chains.
mayhem said:
Yes, but only a limited selection far as I know. All "safety-chain" and in sizes targeted at consumer grade saws...
If you want pro-grade chain, you need to go to either a local saw shop, or online to places like Amick's, Baileys, and so forth... If you want Oregon, I can say from personal experience that Amick's will cut you a good deal, especially on multiple loops - the USPS has this nice priority mail flat rate envelope and they will stuff as many loops in one as will fit (I think it's 5 or 6) and ship for one charge. Last I heard they are getting $10-15 / loop depending on size, plus the postage on the flat rate envelope, which isn't bad if you are getting a bunch of loops, but isn't that great of a deal for one or two... Amick's is also really stellar for customer service, I've seldom encountered better, even at the expensive places.
Aside from the "support your dealer" debate, which I won't get into, my take is that if you get one or two chains at a time, the local shop is probably about the same as mail order with shipping... If you are getting a bunch of chains, you may be able to do better mail ordering.
Gooserider
I get mine from a dealer just down the road. I take in my old chain in and he costum makes a new one. He charges by the link. I think the last chain I got was for the "18 bar on my crapy poulan and cost me $16.50. Hard to beat that.
I also bought a chain from Lowes when I hit a big nail inside a log and knocked a couple teeth off. Local shop was closed and I wantd to get done. Paid more and they don't seem to be the same quality even though it was an oregon chain.
I also bought a chain from Lowes when I hit a big nail inside a log and knocked a couple teeth off. Local shop was closed and I wantd to get done. Paid more and they don't seem to be the same quality even though it was an oregon chain.
GKG-MO said:
The big difference is that the chain you are getting at sLowes (or any other consumer focussed big box store) is going to be "Reduced kickback safety chain" - what you are getting at the dealer is probably going to be a pro-grade chain... This can make a big difference in saw performance, as the design choices on the two chains will be different. A pro-grade chain will be designed to cut quickly and agressively, with only those safety features added which won't significantly interfere with the cutting ability. A consumer grade "safety chain" gets maximum priority on safety features that reduce the chances for a kickback, with cutting performance a secondary concern...
I feel that if possible, a pre-made loop is probably a slightly better / safer choice for most people if you can get one to fit your saw / bar combo, which most people can. With a factory loop, you know that all the rivets have been properly made, with the proper parts, and assembled to the optimum tolerances for that chain, w/ properly spun rivets, and so forth... With custom made chains, that is less certain as the equipment used to make them is far less precise and repeatable, let alone the question of parts used, and so forth. IMHO custom loops should be mostly saved for those cases where you can't readily get a factory loop in the size you want...
As I mentioned earlier, you can get factory made loops (or custom ones) online for $10 or less, plus shipping last time I checked (when I got my Dolmar, the extra loops were $10 for the 20" and $12 for the 28") If you are doing one loop at a time, that's probably about the same as your dealer within a dollar or two, but if you get a bunch, then $16.50 for an 18" chain seems sort of high.....
Gooserider
I'm not saying its the deal of the century but its not bad either. Between three saws I only buy one chain a year if that so the local guy is the easiest choice. He also doesn't stock premade chains because he clams its easier for him to just make them to fit. Haven't had one break yet.
I know the chains at Lowe's are safety chains. I only brought that up to prove the point others were trying to make. I guess I should have clarified that I meant there is a big difference between a safety chain and a pro grade chain when it comes to cutting.
I know the chains at Lowe's are safety chains. I only brought that up to prove the point others were trying to make. I guess I should have clarified that I meant there is a big difference between a safety chain and a pro grade chain when it comes to cutting.
My local lawn mower shop sells new chains for a dollar per bar inch. 20 inch bar 20 dollars for a chain. I like to support the little home town shops.
FWIW - I just got an order from Baileys, and I am pleased with their service. I ordered a new 20" Oregon (solid) bar, a file gauge, a box of files and two 72DP semi-chisel chains. The whole shebang was around $90 including shipping. When I got the box, they left out one of the chains. I called the next day, got a pleasant and apologetic response, and had the second chain in my mail box within 2 days. Tough to beat that service, unless you have a good dealer nearby.
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