Showing my ignorance...

[Hillbilly01]

So I'll put forth the dumb chain question of the day and show my ignorance. Please be kind to me. This has only been my hobby a little over a year lol. So to my knowledge my echo cs-590 with the stock 20 inch bar required a 70 drive link chain. We'll when I bought the saw I bought 2 extra chains with it and have been rotating all 3 chains for the better part of the year, only to notice the other day that the drivers have 72 stamped on them. Which again, to my knowledge denotes the number of drive links on said chain. So what gives? Can you run a chain with a different number of drivers as long as it's close? Or was there some type of typo on the sticker on my saw and it should be 72? Any guidance in to understanding drive links would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance.

Andrew

 

[Wonkydonkey]

Hi, everyone has to learn something new, we were all there at some point in time.

the number on the drive link denotes the chain, if you look at the chart that I brought up (I had to look at it myself as I didn’t know the type of chain it was, all I knew it was an Oregon ).
Stihl has its own way, as does Carlton, then there’s those other chains, that I don’t know about how they identify them

 

[Wonkydonkey]

There is a lot more to chains than meets the eye. From the number on the drive link [72] your chain is a 3/8 pitch (this is measured by the distance between 3 rivets divided by two). 0.50 is the thickness of the drive link.

this pdf maybe of some help, there’s stuff that’s very informative, and once you know the basics, you with soon realise it’s very simple.

https://www.oregonproducts.eu/fileadmin/user_upload/PDF/MM_EN.pdf


btw. I,m sure Philbert will be along soon, he has a wealth of knowledge

 

[huskihl]

A bit confusing chain nomenclature. As mentioned,
the 72 on the drivers means 3/8 x .050
73 is 3/8 x .058
75 is .063

 

[Hillbilly01]

Thanks a lot for all the knowledge imparted already fellas. Heres my next stupid question, and I think I already know the answer to this, but dont different manufacturers use different drive link counts for the same length bars? For example, my 20 inch bar on my echo may use 70dl but a stihl 20 inch bar may use 72dl? Or am I wrong and all 20 inch bars, regardless of manufacturer, use 70dl?

 

[Canadian farm boy]

Thanks a lot for all the knowledge imparted already fellas. Heres my next stupid question, and I think I already know the answer to this, but dont different manufacturers use different drive link counts for the same length bars? For example, my 20 inch bar on my echo may use 70dl but a stihl 20 inch bar may use 72dl? Or am I wrong and all 20 inch bars, regardless of manufacturer, use 70dl?

You’re right.

 

[Nutball]

Some brands use the same, some don't. It all depends on the design of the bar. Husqvarna has pro saws that use 72dl 20", and farm grade saws that use 70dl 20". They are not compatible, but the same brand. Aftermarket bars can make it even more difficult. Oregon recommends 56dl for 16" on Echos, but they really are supposed to take 57dl, 56dl is hard to put on. I saw an Archer 20" bar for a 590 that was 72dl, but the Echo brand bar needs 70dl.

Confusing for sure. Many bars don't quite reach their advertised length into wood, they can be off as much as 2". Just stick with the original brand bar and whatever drive link count it says on it.

 

[Hillbilly01]

Thanks for all the help guys. That pdf and chart really help make some sense of it

 

[Seachaser]

Still don’t understand why vendors don’t put 32” instead of 105. Putting the actual size in inches would clarify things for a lot of folks.

 

[Wolverine]

Thanks a lot for all the knowledge imparted already fellas. Heres my next stupid question, and I think I already know the answer to this, but dont different manufacturers use different drive link counts for the same length bars? For example, my 20 inch bar on my echo may use 70dl but a stihl 20 inch bar may use 72dl? Or am I wrong and all 20 inch bars, regardless of manufacturer, use 70dl?

The number stamped into the drive link does not determine the number of drive links on the chain you have.

 

[~WBF]

Still don’t understand why vendors don’t put 32” instead of 105. Putting the actual size in inches would clarify things for a lot of folks.

Some do and it's not helpful these days. I just bought 2 Stihl chains for a 261 and the bar had 45 stamped at end of code (45 cm). Just counted the drivers (74 dl) looking at Stihl chains on line I could only see a 68 dl and a 72 for .325 In 45 cm. Looked up from number on drivers to confirm it comes in 1.6 mm (.063) .325, 74 dl.

Anyway, got non safety chain in chisel.

Old days was easy. All Husqvarna bars for small & midrange saws came standard with .058 and Stihl with .050. In BC. Just had to give them bar length or driver count and ask for full comp chisel for Husqvarna saw. If it had a #73 in Oregon chain or #5, I believe in Stihl chain then you were good to go. Mainly used Oregon bars back in the day but have ran some Windsor, Laser and a few others and believe they all stuck to the standard Husqvarna DL count on bar lengths.

 

[AlexStromberg]

Still don’t understand why vendors don’t put 32” instead of 105. Putting the actual size in inches would clarify things for a lot of folks.

Because most countries use the metric systemet. Also manufacturers make the same length bars with different DL counts.

 

[BLACKOUT]

Thanks a lot for all the knowledge imparted already fellas. Heres my next stupid question, and I think I already know the answer to this, but dont different manufacturers use different drive link counts for the same length bars? For example, my 20 inch bar on my echo may use 70dl but a stihl 20 inch bar may use 72dl? Or am I wrong and all 20 inch bars, regardless of manufacturer, use 70dl?

As a general rule, yes you’re correct. If you ever deviate from OEM bars always double check. Some of my Tsumura’s call for an extra link. I wound up buying a chain breaker/spinner after buying $150.00+ in chains from my hardware store that were a link short, which would be the correct count for a Stihl bar.