7 vs 8 pin skip vs full

[huskihl]

Id like to see it fit, lol

It fits. Almost the same diameter as the drum

 

[sawfun]

I generally run 7 pin 28" bars on my 70cc & 76cc saws with skip chain. I tried 8 pin and it just lost torque and was hard on the saws. 8 pin on an 066 with 24" bar sure, but it is heavy.

 

[president]

Skip is always slower on shorter bars. It’s easier to sharpen by 2/3, but the chain also goes dull exactly that much quicker. Unless you’re attracted to hitting rocks, in which that case skip would be better.

If you’re just bucking/down cutting, an 8 is faster on bigger saws or shorter bars. If you need torque and forgiveness to get through pinch/compression situations, a 7 is better

well put.

 

[davidwyby]

Id like to see it fit, lol

I have a 10 and 12. Tail of the bar is cut off to match the height. Common in competition.

 

[Wilhelm]

It comes down to the wood species You are processing and how You are cutting, bucking or noodling.

90% of what I cut is bucking Turkey oak logs, that stuff is dense and won't compress.
As such I see gains utilizing:
- 1.) a 7 pin instead of 8-9 pin, the chain just bites better and hold a more steady bite throughout the bucking cut
- 2.) full skip on 24"+ , less bog down due to chip clearance issues

Softer wood species like beech, hornbeam, cherry, walnut - go crazy, 8 pin full comp!
That stuff is "speedwood" in my book.

 

[IffykidMn]

It comes down to the wood species You are processing and how You are cutting, bucking or noodling.

90% of what I cut is bucking Turkey oak logs, that stuff is dense and won't compress.
As such I see gains utilizing:
- 1.) a 7 pin instead of 8-9 pin, the chain just bites better and gold a more steady bite throughout the bucking cut
- 2.) full skip on 24"+ , less bog down due to chip clearance issues

Softer wood species like beech, hornbeam, cherry, walnut - go crazy, 8 pin full comp!
That stuff is "speedwood" in my book.

another part of the equation could be if using a 28" b&c cutting 28"+ wood or cutting 10-20" wood but wanting to stand up and buck

 

[Wilhelm]

another part of the equation could be if using a 28" b&c cutting 28"+ wood or cutting 10-20" wood but wanting to stand up and buck

Yeah, I don't understand the latter.
Like, at all !!!

I can't and won't utilize a B&C setup longer than the wood OD requires just for the sake of "not having to bend down"!
No chance.

I'd rather over buck with a shorter bar than do that!

But, hey - whatever works best for each individual.
I ain't gonna judge.

 

[HumBurner]

Yeah, I don't understand the latter.
Like, at all !!!

I can't and won't utilize a B&C setup longer than the wood OD requires just for the sake of "not having to bend down"!
No chance.

I'd rather over buck with a shorter bar than do that!

But, hey - whatever works best for each individual.
I ain't gonna judge.

I get it. I have a friend my age with a really bad back and is already on his second hips. He just can't bend over easily or comfortably or get work done over a few days if he's bending to cut/buck. He always runs a 28".

But he doesn't cut for a living.

 

[Wilhelm]

I get it. I have a friend my age with a really bad back and is already on his second hips. He just can't bend over easily or comfortably or get work done over a few days if he's bending to cut/buck. He always runs a 28".

But he doesn't cut for a living.

From a reasonable aspect, with his health issues he shouldn't be doing it at all!
But, I know how it goes - I am feeling it myself.

 

[Firewood Hoarder]

Yeah, I don't understand the latter.
Like, at all !!!

I can't and won't utilize a B&C setup longer than the wood OD requires just for the sake of "not having to bend down"!
No chance.

I'd rather over buck with a shorter bar than do that!

But, hey - whatever works best for each individual.
I ain't gonna judge.

I bought into the "stand up and buck" mentality for a little while. My back was giving me major issues until I found a decent chiropractor.

I've found 20" to be the sweet spot for most of my bucking needs. Rarely need anything longer than 32" for the bigger stuff I get to cut, and have only "needed" my 42 for one willow project in a buddies front yard. I get to prep logs going onto the family's bandsaw mill on request, and I've never needed the 42, yet, for that

 

[jcf86mod]

Now if you put a 12 pin on a 3120…

Your bar might cry enough is enough....

 

[Wilhelm]

Your bar might cry enough is enough....

Something people don't seem to consider going berserk on drive sprocket size!

 

[Catfishclark89]

I would definitely go 7 full
Here is a video from Julian:

Thanks for posting this! I was thinking of doing the same test and I figured someone else already had I just hadn’t seen it!

 

[Catfishclark89]

I have no experience with skip chain, does it bore cut well? I always thought it’d be jumpy
But in 28”+ wood I run a 7pin full
if you’re using a 28” bar to work up some small wood then 8 pin

Of course skip isn’t as smooth as full especially when boring but if you put a little twist pressure on the handlebar it pretty much eliminates the jumping.

 

[Catfishclark89]

Thanks for all the input! Believe I’ve decided on 7-pin for the forgiveness and better for the saw standpoint. And also the fact that the chain will be running on the bar at a faster speed and the oil pump still pumping the same rate with the 8-pin.

 

[HumBurner]

Thanks for all the input! Believe I’ve decided on 7-pin for the forgiveness and better for the saw standpoint. And also the fact that the chain will be running on the bar at a faster speed and the oil pump still pumping the same rate with the 8-pin.

I haven't experimented with swapping sprocket sizes yet but I've always been interested in the outcomes. It all comes down to intention, like many things in saws and life. Small saws generally have higher chain speed as is and aren't really designed for firewood duty. Big saws are slower with greater torque.

It seems like a fine, blurred line of gains and losses, unless you are focusing on gains in one aspect (like running a 6-pin on a 346/028 to gain torque, or running a 9/10-pin for racing, and so on)

 

[brushwacker]

I noticed on at least a few saws 8 pin used significantly less fuel then 7. Therefore I cut more firewood per tank and seemed to make better time getting a pickup truck load of wood . If it is dogging your saw to much for what you are doing
then I would go 7.
I don't buy into skip necessarily dulling 1/3 faster. If you keep it in perfectly clean wood neither seems to dull. You run into some dirt or abrasive matter in a cut or over a period of time they seem to dull very near the same all the way around full comp or skip. Overall i feel i save significant time sharpening skip. I still prefer full comp 3/8 on 20in and shorter. Either or on 24 or 28, skip on longer bars but not usually very particular .

 

[Catfishclark89]

I guess I should mention that what I use a saw for is felling and topping and limbing. Not a firewood feller. Cutting oak, hickory, poplar, maple, walnut, ash, etc. (Logging) so all the stump activities (face cuts, boring, back barring, sectional cutting, etc). And I guess doing all those different cuts requires a good dose of forgiveness to really make for a good worksaw. Something that you don’t have to fight for several hours at a time.

 

[davidwyby]

Yeah eastern cutting I’d say 80cc and 7pin

 

[Junk Meister]

Better try it again to be sure.

DON'T Let the TRUTH get in the way of a GOOD STORY...
My wise crack was meant for post #9 and #10