One of the most important elements of a chainsaw is the chain, which is the working part of the tool, and takes on all the loads. She quickly dulls, and also wears out. The duration of its operation is affected not only by the frequency of operation of the chainsaw, but also by the quality of the product itself. It is the chain that affects the efficiency of the chainsaw, therefore, special attention should be paid to this element when choosing it.
What are chains for chainsaws
When choosing a chain for a chainsaw, it is important to know what they are. They differ among themselves in a number of technical parameters that you need to pay attention to when buying. Many craftsmen buy products without relying on technical parameters, which ultimately leads to the fact that the saw begins to work even worse than with the previous chain.
It’s important to know! If, after acquiring a new chain for a chainsaw, you notice that the tool has become even worse, then this may indicate a wrong choice of cutting product.
Not many people know how to choose a chain for a chainsaw, since most home masters look only at such an indicator as the cost of the product. When choosing, you need to pay attention to the technical characteristics, and especially for what type of tool the product is purchased. After all, under the saw, there are certain types of chains that differ from products intended for gasoline files. Special attention is required to the following factors, which we consider below.
When choosing a chain for a chainsaw, you need to know what distance should be between the centers of two adjacent rivets. This distance is called the chain pitch, which is one of the most important parameters of the product. To measure the step, it is necessary to measure with a ruler the distance between the first and third rivets, which are arranged in a row, that is, not on the bend, and divide it into two. By means of the step, it is possible to determine the size of the link, so the larger it is, the higher the value of the length and width of the link will be. The larger the step, the higher the productivity of the product. But at the same time, it is also important to consider that a large step requires the application of significant efforts required to perform sawing work.
It’s important to know! The chain pitch is closely related to the power of the tool.
For chainsaws, products are produced with five types of steps. Step parameters are measured in inches, and direct values are indicated on the side of any device. On devices, you can see the following steps:
Saws with a chain pitch of 0.25 and 0.75 inches are produced in small quantities. In household chainsaws, devices with a pitch of 0.325 and 0.375 inches are used, which depends in particular on the power of the tool. In tools with power from 5 hp 0.404 inch increments are applied. Such products are intended primarily for use in professional saws. One of the most running steps are 0.375 and 0.404 inches.
Shank Thickness
Another important criterion for the product in question is the thickness of the tail. Shank thickness refers to the width of the drive link. Most masters do not even realize that the grooves on the bus can have different widths. When choosing a new device for your chainsaw, you need to measure whether its shank fits into the groove of the tire.
Video: How to Measure a Chainsaw Tire Length
The thickness of the shank allows you to characterize the device for its strength, quality and reliability. Production produces devices that have five types of shank sizes:
The thinner the tail, the smaller they are designed for power saws. One of the most popular products are from 1.3 to 1.6 mm thick. Products with a thickness of 1.3 mm are intended for household tools, and above. for professional ones.
Chain length
The length of the device depends on the tool itself. For each tool, the chain length can be found directly in the instruction manual. This indicator largely depends on the length of the tire, as well as the power of the tool and the size of the sprockets.
Length affects such a parameter as the number of links. In turn, the number of links depends on their pitch. When choosing a chain for a chainsaw, you should know the length and pitch of the links. The longer the structure, the correspondingly more power should have a chainsaw.
Cutting depth
Chainsaw chain performance is influenced by factors such as sawing or cutting depth. This criterion depends on the parameters of the cutting tool or, in other words, the height of the tooth profile. The higher the tooth size, the greater the cutting depth in one pass of the chain. This affects the sawing speed, which is directly proportional to the height of the tooth.
It’s important to know! The greater the height of the teeth, the less durable the product. In addition, the larger this parameter, the greater the effort required to cut wood.
In chains of different manufacturers, this parameter is set without compliance with any standards. Standard options for chainsaws have two types of tooth profiles in height: 0.635 and 0.762 mm. The first option is called low profile, and the second high profile.
Link Type
By type of links are divided into three types:
- Chipper, shaped like a sickle, and also characterized by increased performance parameters. This type of links is easy to sharpen, but its main drawback is the deterioration of cutting parameters.
- Chisel, having a working tooth in the form of the number "seven", and they are used mainly in chains whose pitch is 0.404 inches or 0.325 inches. They have a high sensitivity to the effects of dirt, and also have the disadvantage of a more difficult sharpening.
- Carbide tipped.
Link Sequence
The sequence of links is diverse. The following main types of sequences are distinguished:
- Standard. All links are cutting, and connected by leading (this is standard).
- With half-pass. The cutting links alternately alternate with one connecting link, then with two.
- With a pass. In this case, the cutting links are separated from each other by two connectors.
To ensure good cuts, standard type of link arrangement sequences are used. The fewer cutting links, the lower the chain performance, and the sooner it will wear out.
Type of sawing
Mostly chainsaws are used for sawing wood in the transverse form. In rare cases, it may be necessary to use a tool to perform longitudinal sawing. Depending on the type of sawing, it is advisable to use a cutting tool of the appropriate shape. By type of sawing, the chains are divided into longitudinal and transverse.
This parameter is affected by the sharpening angle of the cutting link. For longitudinal sawing, the sharpening angle should be greater than for the transverse, and is mainly 5-15 degrees. For a transverse cut, the angle is 25-35 degrees. These values are usually indicated on the surface of the cutting links.
Production material
In most cases, a cutting tooth is made directly from high alloy chromium-nickel steel. The teeth are not subjected to heat treatment, as they are intended for sharpening. When processing very hard or frozen wood materials, it is advisable to carry out hardening of the teeth or to purchase products with special soldering on the teeth.
How to buy a new chain
In order to choose the right chain for your chainsaw, you must consider all of the above criteria, as well as pay attention to the manufacturer and the cost of the product. A good product will never have a low cost, which may indicate the production of a nozzle from low-quality materials.
You can watch the video on how to choose the right product for your chainsaw:
The video shows the most popular chainsaw chains. Chains are consumables. Therefore, it is better to experiment on personal experience to determine for yourself the most effective product.
In conclusion, it is important to emphasize that it is important to know what type of tool your chainsaw belongs to. If this is a household file, then do not install attachments designed for professional tools on it.