High Quality Chainsaw Bars Husqvarna Toys

Not sold on square ground yet

isaaccarlson

Super OPE Member
Local time
10:02 AM
User ID
1185
Joined
Apr 22, 2016
Messages
361
Reaction score
794
Location
Colfax, WI
Country flag
I just tried a brand new 28” loop of square ground Stihl RS on my ported ms390. I filed the rakers to about .027. The right side needed a lot more filing than the left. It looks/feels pretty sharp, but I can’t tell any difference between it and my own round ground chain as far as cutting speed. It took a bit of power to pull it compared to my round chain. The saw sounded like it was loaded pretty good, but it didn’t seem to cut any faster than it used to.
 

Sawyer94

Super OPE Member
Local time
11:02 AM
User ID
4758
Joined
Dec 8, 2017
Messages
157
Reaction score
237
Location
California
Country flag
I've noticed out of the box the square runs about the same maybe a hair faster than round. But a couple filings in it really shines over the round filed chain.

Cheers

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk
 

cus_deluxe

terms of service violator
Local time
11:02 AM
User ID
393
Joined
Jan 3, 2016
Messages
5,195
Reaction score
24,216
Location
Michigan
Country flag
28” on a ms390, ported or not, is too much. 20” bar on that saw is a lot more realistic. Factory square chains arent gonna be any faster/marginally faster than round. As said above, with a little work they cut smooth and fast. Theres a reason saw racing is done with square chain.
 

Skeans1

Here For The Long Haul!
Local time
8:02 AM
User ID
6510
Joined
Jun 24, 2018
Messages
1,711
Reaction score
9,310
Location
Oregon
Country flag
To me square chain is for racing, not working, unless you can adequately sharpen a square chain in the field, for me, just a firewood guy, I still prefer round, that's why I sold my simington.

I call bs square is about the only thing used out here for production falling. A little trade secret not many of us file we all carry enough chains for the day when you get paid by what you get down during the day the last thing you want to do is spend time filing on a chain.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

isaaccarlson

Super OPE Member
Local time
10:02 AM
User ID
1185
Joined
Apr 22, 2016
Messages
361
Reaction score
794
Location
Colfax, WI
Country flag
I never even heard of square chain until I got on here. I figured it was some new fangled thing like oregon speed cut. I grew up with round and have always used it. The first time I ever laid eyes on square was when I picked up these two loops. Something new to me, and I’ve been cutting for 20 years.

@cus_deluxe
This saw is 10 years old.
I’ve been running a 28” bar on this saw for years, and it works great. I even used it full time when I worked for a local tree service because their equipment was lacking. I put new bearings and seals in it when I ported it, Just because it was open. Everything went back in.
I use my ported 350 for most of my cutting now, unless it’s big wood, then the ms390 comes out. I wouldn’t mind having a bigger ported saw, but this is what I’ve got. I haven’t found a tree too big to cut, and I’ve cut trees close to 70” in diameter.
 

mdavlee

Hillbilly grinder
Local time
11:02 AM
User ID
279
Joined
Dec 28, 2015
Messages
14,194
Reaction score
64,602
Location
TN
Country flag
To me square chain is for racing, not working, unless you can adequately sharpen a square chain in the field, for me, just a firewood guy, I still prefer round, that's why I sold my simington.

I used square or semi chisel for my firewood stuff. Milling was square and I sharpen with the saw clamped in the mill. It doesn’t take much longer for me to sharpen from wood dull than round.
 

00wyk

Here For The Long Haul!
Local time
3:02 PM
User ID
4606
Joined
Nov 16, 2017
Messages
1,613
Reaction score
9,215
Location
Ireland
Country flag
I feel you are in the minority, most loggers around here have never even heard of a square ground chain.

He most definitely isn't. He is in the PNW. When I was in Oregon and Washington State, many of the small local saw shops that catered towards logging had nothing but square skip chain. Not even full comp. Out west it is clean conifers that are mainly cut in logging. I used square for years. You are also paid for production, not for sharpening. No one sharpens their chain in the field. Right off the roll square in clean conifers is pretty darn fast, and it only gets faster.

Now here in Ireland, I work on an estate that has wood of all sorts - mostly hardwoods, and often with nails and dirt and bullets and lord knows. I use semi chisel almost exclusively. I also often bring multiple chains and multiple saws with me.

We also have an MS390. I am surprised yours can even oil a 28" bar unless you rarely have it buried. Ours runs a 20" bar with 325 semi chisel most of the time. But the main work horses here are an 044 and a 288xp.
 

dustinwilt68

Wilt Built Work Saws
Local time
11:02 AM
User ID
1007
Joined
Mar 8, 2016
Messages
5,931
Reaction score
26,225
Location
Southwest PA
My dad cut in all 48 continental states, he had never heard of square ground when I asked him, here locally in PA I deal with about 6 different shops, none of them stock a square chain, all special order here. Like I said if you can file it in the field I can understand it, in my area it's just not popular and most don't know it exists.
 

CR888

Here For The Long Haul!
Local time
2:02 AM
User ID
452
Joined
Jan 9, 2016
Messages
2,622
Reaction score
10,578
Location
Australia
Country flag
To me square chain is for racing, not working, unless you can adequately sharpen a square chain in the field, for me, just a firewood guy, I still prefer round, that's why I sold my Simmington.
Any more statements like this and your man-card will be revoked.
 

00wyk

Here For The Long Haul!
Local time
3:02 PM
User ID
4606
Joined
Nov 16, 2017
Messages
1,613
Reaction score
9,215
Location
Ireland
Country flag
My dad cut in all 48 continental states, he had never heard of square ground when I asked him, here locally in PA I deal with about 6 different shops, none of them stock a square chain, all special order here. Like I said if you can file it in the field I can understand it, in my area it's just not popular and most don't know it exists.

Gezuz christmas folks. Just use the chain that works in your situation.

If you can't figure out square chain, just relax and stick with whatever works.

This isn't some sort of a contest.
 

Johnmn

Here For The Long Haul!
Local time
10:02 AM
User ID
908
Joined
Feb 18, 2016
Messages
3,390
Reaction score
12,155
Location
Minnesota
Country flag
I live in logger country, no one around here stocks square much less heard of it.
That said imo it cuts nice, smoother for sure. In my experience round can be made to cut pretty good though too.
 
Top