Dealing With Stihl Chains: Part 1

When it comes to sharpening, identifying Oregon chains to get the requisite filing information is a relatively simple affair - look up the model number on the drive link, check the profile and consult the filing table.

Stihl, on the other hand, isn't quite as easy... or is it? Stihl have 'relatively recently' changed how they mark their chains, so I'm thinking it might be worth spending a few posts looking at how we can identify the various Stihl chains; starting with the most complex way and arriving at the simplest in a post or two (or more!) time.

The initial problem is that Stihl do not mark their chains with a model number, although the Stihl boxes that you buy a chain in do display model number. So first off, how can we correlate the model numbers on the box, with the markings on the chain? Well, I could just tell you the quick way, but as this is designed to be an educational site, we'll consider Stihl chains in a slightly wider context first of all, and then bring all the information together to identify our chain.

Pitch. There are a number of commonly available, industry standard pitch sizes - 1/4", 0.325", 3/8", 0.404" and 1/2" (unlikely to see that last though). On Stihl chains the pitch is stamped into the depth gauge, and you'll see "1/4", "325", "3/8", "404" or "1/2" (or at least you would have done before Stihl changed their markings!). You might also see the letter "P" stamped into the depth gauge too, and that denotes a Picco™ chain.

However, this has changed and now you'll see a number from 1 to 7 instead. So, "1" relates to a 1/4"; "2" relates to 0.325"; "3" is a 3/8" chain, "4" is a 0.404" pitch chain, "5" is a 1/2", "6" is the 3/8" (Picco™) and "7" is a 1/4" (Picco™) chain.

Remember those numbers, as the first character of the model number for the Stihl chain relates to the pitch; so a model 26 chain is a 0.325" pitch chain (as the "2" denotes a 0.325" pitch).

Let's leave that sink in first, and in the next post we'll get to grips with how the second character of the model number is derived.

Sharpening The Chain (HD Video)

The latest in a line of DriveLink videos brings you sharpening an Oregon chain. The video is really designed to be for those undertaking the chainsaw maintenance and crosscutting assessment, as a reminder of the stages to go through when sharpening the chain on your chainsaw.

And... if you're about to take your CS30, or the new CS0960 (which is CS30!), then the very best of luck to you!

Chipper Maintenance

Although I want to keep the site mainly about chainsaw usage, every now and then I'd like to post something that is industry related, but not chainsaws... you can have too much of a good thing you know.

Find out more after the jump...

And so, in a fit of pique I decided to create a short video about basic maintenance tasks for a woodchipper...

Up & Coming

Just to let let you know that I've started shooting a new video, about chain sharpening. Why chain sharpening? Because it's still the thing that I see poorly executed time and again - incorrect sharpening angles, rounded cutters, damaged cutting edges, different cutter lengths, and so on. Many students also find it hard to get to grips with filing tables - something that I have tackled before in these pages - and I want to help those that do have troubles getting sharpening sorted. Find out more after the jump...

I know many people will take their chains to the garden machinery centre and have them professionally sharpened, and yet others just don't bother to sharpen them at all. There is still a place for getting back to basics and using a file though, especially when you're out in the woods and the chain gets dulled... and quick sharpen and you're off cutting efficiently again.

The two images that are on this page are frame grabs taken from the video that I've just started - and I want to go through the whole process of identifying the chain, filing tables and sharpening. In this video we'll be using Oregon chain, but if it proves popular perhaps I could make one dealing with Stihl... who just do it differently!

Is it worth it?

I got asked a great question when I posted the above video on YouTube (which is a more complete version of the earlier version)... "For home use is there a cost or performance benefit?". So, for Michael, and anyone else that is wondering whether it is worthwhile making your own chains, find out more after the jump...

I'd have to say that for home use, I doubt whether it's worth the cost in purchasing the equipment needed, when you might just be an infrequent user of a chainsaw, or only have one saw to keep running. However, as usual things aren't always that clear... what if you live in a very rural area where you can't just pop down the raod to your nearest chain stockist, what if you cut lots of firewood, what if you run multiple saws that all use the same type of chain? For professional users, it's almost certainly going to work out cheaper in the long run to invest in the equipment, but let's take a look at how the figures stack up. All costs are worked out in GBP, using prices correct at the time of writing and take no account of any discounts that you might be able to get.

First off, you're going to need to purchase two tools - a chain breaker and a rivet spinner. A standard chain breaker will cost you £66, as will the rivet spinner (http://www.theoregonshop.com/userimages/Chain-Making(1664821).htm) and a reel of chain comes in at either £99 for a 25' length, or £319 for 100' (30m).

Let's assume you need a 1.6mm gauge chain, 0.325" pitch, suitable for something like a Stihl MS261; that's going to be an Oregon 22 chain and a 14" bar needs a 56 drive link chain. That's going to cost you £18.50 from the link given above.

That same chain is roughly 3' (90cm) long, so armed with that knowledge we can deduce that we'll get roughly 33 chains from that 100'. If the 100' reel costs £319, and we can get 33 chains from it, that makes each chain £9.67. That's half price.

What's more, with a difference of £9 per chain, it's going to take 15 chains for you to recoup that investment in tools - after that, it's money in your pocket. So, I guess the question is... how quickly would you get through 15 chains?

The other thing is where you are running multiple saws, that each require the same chain (or different bar lengths on the same saw). In this case, the ability to make the required chain quickly might be worth it instead of holding a stock of several chains for each bar length.

I hope that helps answer your question about whether it's worth it. For some it will be, for some it won't.

Making A Chain

After investing in some new camera gear, I'm going to be posting up more videos related to forestry and arboriculture. Although I'm still getting used to the new equipment, here's a quick trailer of one new video that I've shot. There's more to come, and I've got plenty of ideas for short programmes to help you to work safely with a chainsaw.

I hope you like the trailer, and the much improved quality!

New Video... At Last!

How long has it been since I last posted? I don't even want to think about it! However, all that waiting hasn't been for nothing... I've just finished shooting and editing a new video for the forestry and arboriculture team at Sparsholt College. Find out more after the jump...

Firstly, a huge thanks go to Neil (you know who are) for letting us dismantle and fell one of the Beech trees on the estate. Thanks to Rich for sorting out the equipment and acting as Phil's groundsman - and thanks to Phil for getting up the tree to do the arb-y stuff (we had trouble trying to slow him down enough to get the shots we needed!). Final thanks to James for doing the forestry stuff - nice one!

Anyway, here's the results... a 3-minute video called "Arborestry"- put it full screen too!

Arborestry from D Vickers on Vimeo.