Is 3 Chains Per Bar Really the Rule of Thumb?

[treesmith]

I'll give greasing bar tips a try, how do I go about it with this bar?
It doesn't have a greasing hole.

View attachment 132531

Put it in the oil tank and use it instead of bar oil

 

[Wilhelm]

Put it in the oil tank and use it instead of bar oil

No need for that, industrial heavy duty gearbox oil 420 viscosity to the rescue!
It's thick as honey.

 

[redoakneck]

I don't grease the bar tip sprockets, but I do blow them out with compressed air so they spin really fast and makes a cartoonish, up, up, and away noise!!!

Stumping and cutting with the bar buried gets the tip packed up sometimes, so I try to pizz rev when doing that to prevent the bind!!!

 

[OldJack]

No need for that, industrial heavy duty gearbox oil 420 viscosity to the rescue!
It's thick as honey.

Now you've done it. Somebody will mix it with their gas at 32:1!

Seriously, for a change, clean out the tiny sprocket grease hole with a blast of compressed air across it, not into it. It will suck the old grease and dirt right out. Venturi action at your service.

 

[Wilhelm]

Now you've done it. Somebody will mix it with their gas at 32:1!

Seriously, for a change, clean out the tiny sprocket grease hole with a blast of compressed air across it, not into it. It will suck the old grease and dirt right out. Venturi action at your service.

At that ratio the fuel would be so thick that the carbs diaphragm wouldn't be able to pump it!
Ya gotta go 150:1, or if You really want Your saw to "go" fast 200:1.
Guaranteed little to no smoke too - for a while.

DISCLAIMER:
Guys, DO NOT TRY THE FUEL MIX RATIOS MENTIONED ABOVE!
But if You happen to do so make a video and upload it to YouTube.

I don't own a compressor, been looking into getting one but the affordable ones are really low on specs.
Getting an expensive one wouldn't make sense as I rarely ever have the need for one.

 

[OldJack]

Around here a 1 horsepower compressor is cheaper than a Stihl MS170. You'll wonder how you lived without it once you get one.
https://www.princessauto.com/en/detail/7-gallon-portable-air-compressor/A-p8474975e

 

[Philbert]

Just ran across this in a STIHL sharpening guide. Similar advice as Oregon's.

Philbert

 

[Lightning Performance]

View attachment 137573

Just ran across this in a STIHL sharpening guide. Similar advice as Oregon's.

Philbert

It works. I've used five to six chains.
Lets be clear on this. The bar wears better and requires less dressings. The chains and rims do not last any longer.

 

[Deets066]

View attachment 137573

Just ran across this in a STIHL sharpening guide. Similar advice as Oregon's.

Philbert

Coming from someone who wants to sell you overpriced parts

 

[Fish]

It will suck the old grease and dirt right out. Venturi action at your service.

I googled Miss Venturi.......

 

[OldJack]

I could say something, but I won't.

 

[Wilhelm]

Distorted perception of beauty!

 

[Al Smith]

I never counted chains per bar .However I have the original 14" hard nose bar that came on the first saw I ever bought .1974 or so vintage Poulan S-25 that I used when I sold fire wood for about 8 or 9 years so it's cut a lot of wood .I've lost track of how many times I've dressed that bar on a bench mounted belt sander . The saw,with that bar still cuts as good today if not better than the day it was brand new .
Another example is a Mac PM 610 I also used in the firewood cutting that I know I wore out about a 5 gallon bucket full of chains before the sprocket nose on that 20" bar failed .I never greased the tip BTW .I might also add I ran the oilers on both those saws wide open as I do on all my saws .

 

[fearofpavement]

Since I get almost all my saws used plus many used bars and chains, I have no idea of the chain per bar ratio. I change all mechanical parts based on serviceability, not hours. (including airplanes unless required otherwise).
ie, I rarely change plugs (they rarely fail), I change sprockets when they have excessive wear. I change bars when the tip goes bad, they become delaminated or they've been serviced so many times the groove isn't deep enough for the drivers anymore.
I don't change sprocket tips unless the bar is longer than 20" as it's not economically viable.

 

[cus_deluxe]

I have a friend that farms and cuts firewood on the side. He goes to the local grocery/hardware and buys 1 or 2 oregon 16 inch “pro-am” (laminate) bar and chain combos per year, whenever he wears the chain out. he was baffled that a replaceable nose bar existed. I told him id find him a tsumura bar for only a few $ more than hes been paying and he could cut firewood for 5 years. Then change the tip, and then cut another five years and so on...probly cuts/splits 100 face cord per year.

 

[huskyboy]

I learned quickly pinching a bar tip and revving it for too long to try and get it out is a good way to weaken or break the sprocket tip.

 

[cus_deluxe]

Well youre not supposed to pinch the blade dude.

 

[huskyboy]

Well youre not supposed to pinch the blade dude.

Eh it happens to the best, especially limbing . You do learn a few tricks to pull out of the hat after a while though.

 

[cus_deluxe]

I had to get a hatchet out the other day to free my saw lol.

 

[cus_deluxe]

Broke the cardinal rule, only had one saw w me. A big red maple snapped off halfway up at a customers house and had my friend with a bucket truck come get the top out of it, ended up a twisted pile of stuff under tension and pinched the saw with no possibility of moving the pile to free it. Had to hack through a good size brnach, glad no one saw me lol.