Bars and chains for racing saws

[Brewz]

Howdy folks

I have been looking into getting started doing a bit of saw racing and am wondering what bar and chain people would recommend
First saw build will be an under 77cc 044 or 046, or a combo of both.

Narrow kerf chain and .050 chain in general is not easy to find in Australia.

What's best to use?

 

[cobey]

Howdy folks

I have been looking into getting started doing a bit of saw racing and am wondering what bar and chain people would recommend
First saw build will be an under 77cc 044 or 046, or a combo of both.

Narrow kerf chain and .050 chain in general is not easy to find in Australia.

What's best to use?

What size cants?
Most use 16" bars, and square filed
Race chains

 

[cobey]

Ushally 3/8

 

[Brewz]

Yeah foot rounds
Was planning on a 16" bar

Was wondering about people's opinions between standard and narrow kerf chains, 325 vs 3/8

Full chisel square file is the plan

 

[mdavlee]

Full 3/8".

 

[Terry Syd]

I know an Australian champion Neil Onley and he uses the NK chain, but replaces the NK cutters with the cutters from a standard .325 square ground chain. The chain is just as strong as standard .325 (the drive links are the same and that's where the chain will fail). By going to the NK chain he doesn't have to 'dog bone' the links to lighten the chain, nor does he have to thin the rivets.

He's never had any problems using the NK chain and the only chains he has seen fail in competition were chains that had been 'dog boned'.

 

[Brewz]

So he is using narrow kerf links with regular width cutters?

 

[Terry Syd]

Yep, I remember him using a NK sideplate with the regular square cutter. He trims the rivet length (.25mm) on the side with the NK sideplate.

I've looked at his chains and they are a work of art. He has several different square grinds for different wood.