Ripping chains

[Forest2Furniture]

Do stihl make ripping chains or will it have to be an oregon ripping chain?

I've used oregon chains in the past on my 660 but have just bought a brand new 880 and was wondering if stihl did them.

 

Anyone got any ideas?

 

Ta

[morten]

Do stihl make ripping chains or will it have to be an oregon ripping chain?

I've used oregon chains in the past on my 660 but have just bought a brand new 880 and was wondering if stihl did them.

 

Anyone got any ideas?

 

Ta

 

Stihl have a 63PMX, 3/8" low profile, 0.050"/1.3mm gauge "Picco" chain, ground at a 10 degree angle for ripping. It can be difficult to get hold of, though, but is frequently sold with the Logosol mill. Stihl P/N (25", 84 drive links) 3999 000 0084.

 

Note that it fits a narrow kerf bar made specially for the Picco chain. I have a 25" Duromatic E, 1.3mm/0.05" bar with Stihl P/N 3003 000 5531.

 

Although you can operate using the standard 3/8" sprocket, you ought to use a "low profile" sprocket for the Picco chain.

 

I guess the reasoning behind using a Low Profile chain for ripping is a narrower kerf (less removal/waste).

Edited June 21, 2011 by morten
spelling

[Charlieh]

why not try some of the granberg ripping chain, i have just had some from Rob D on here and its a world better than the orgeon stuff

[Rob D]

Stihl have a 63PMX, 3/8" low profile, 0.050"/1.3mm gauge "Picco" chain, ground at a 10 degree angle for ripping. It can be difficult to get hold of, though, but is frequently sold with the Logosol mill. Stihl P/N (25", 84 drive links) 3999 000 0084.

 

Note that it fits a narrow kerf bar made specially for the Picco chain. I have a 25" Duromatic E, 1.3mm/0.05" bar with Stihl P/N 3003 000 5531.

 

Although you can operate using the standard 3/8" sprocket, you ought to use a "low profile" sprocket for the Picco chain.

 

I guess the reasoning behind using a Low Profile chain for ripping is a narrower kerf (less removal/waste).

 

 

I'd not advise using 3/8 lo pro with the MS880 as all the lo pro chain have only ever been designed for use on smaller chainsaws.

 

The 660 (90cc) is the max really and even then some argue should not be used on this.

 

Also although it will work with a standard 3/8" sprocket or rim. I've tried and it peens/damages the drive links which in turn will widen the bar groove.

 

Also you can't get a long bar with an .050 guage for the 880. For the 660 you can get the logosol 36" bar (the only one in existence as far as I have found).

[Rob D]

Ripping chain wise you can get (in .404):

 

Stihl 46RCX

 

Oregon 27R

 

Oregon 27RA (skip link version of above)

 

Granberg (adapted Carlton chain) Granberg Ripping Chain | Granberg International

 

What's the best? They all work pretty well if sharpened correctly.

[slack ma girdle]

why not try some of the granberg ripping chain, i have just had some from Rob D on here and its a world better than the orgeon stuff

 

How much better do you recon it is, as it is nearly twice the price of the orgeon chain ?

[agg221]

How much better do you recon it is, as it is nearly twice the price of the orgeon chain ?

 

I think it's horses for courses. It definitely cuts faster when sharp, but the combination cutters are more fiddly to field sharpen. If you bring trees home to mill, and have a couple of loops to switch between, it's probably a good option in time saved - if you regard time as money, or have limited time for it as a hobby and want to get the most possible done in short bursts. If however you don't have your own extraction gear and everything you mill involves going out for the day, lugging the lot half a mile in a wheelbarrow then I prefer the simplicity of 10deg each side and a quick touch-up as I go along.

 

Alec

[Forest2Furniture]

Thanks for the info.

Before I got the new saw I was concerned that anything other than a stihl wouldn't have the oil grooves on the side of the drive links to carry the oil along a large bar but I see the new 880's have a switch to increase oil flow.

 

I've also noticed the tip of the 48" bar is not removable where as the end of the older 36" bar on my 660 is.

 

Any thoughts?

[tommer9]

I always use the RCX stihl. Good stuff. But then again i havent tried anything else lol........

[Rob D]

How much better do you recon it is, as it is nearly twice the price of the orgeon chain ?

 

Not on my site it's not!

 

But the reason it's more expensive is that the cutters have to be adapted by unrolling the reel and re grinding....

 

Whether it's worth the extra money varies on depending on who you ask.

 

Personally I think it's more down to how well you sharpen than the type of chain you're using.