Stihl RM3 hens teeth in Canada?

[Hammy]

I am doing some clearing of some smaller trees through our forest for some trails so we can find our property markers and eventually run some fencing for our goats/cattle. Did some reading on the interweb and figured RM3 fit the job well since our trees and relatively small and some dirty wood. Bought a new 261 that came with an RS chain but had to special order the RM3 as the distributor had to make it up from a roll. It seems like a very common chain in the US. Wondering if that's the case and is it just my part of Canada (Maritimes) or all of Canada? PM3 is on the shelves but only RS available any bigger.

 

[DSS]

I'm just across the water from you, and the only thing the stihl dealer has here is pre made loops of RS and pm3. They can't spin a loop or fix a chain.

 

[Hammy]

I'm just across the water from you, and the only thing the stihl dealer has here is pre made loops of RS and pm3. They can't spin a loop or fix a chain.

I will ask next time I am in if they fix/make chain. I assumed they couldn't make it because they didn't stock the rolls of RM3. Seems odd for a saw shop to not be able to fix a chain. Thanks for the response neighbour.

 

[CR888]

I'm just across the water from you, and the only thing the stihl dealer has here is pre made loops of RS and pm3. They can't spin a loop or fix a chain.

That's so true with many dealers, sad but true. If they cannot repair or adjust a chain's length I would be a little tiny bit concerned about giving them a $1k piece of pro grade ope to re-build. I have been told many funny facts from a local stihl dealer about saws. I liked it though when he thought double bevel chisel files were raker files and sold me what he had for a dicounted price. I agreed with him and said these files are silly and must be some sort of a mistake but was happy to buy the lot of them at a hugely dicounted price.

 

[Fish]

Can't or won't? When I worked for a big dealer in Louisville, they used to pull me out of the shop to make
up an odd loop when needed, because I could do it better/faster than anyone else, of course they would also biatch at me if I didn't keep my "earning dollars" as a tech high enough either, which is why other shops likely don't.
As far as repairing, they would charge so much, that the customer would just buy a new loop.

 

[DSS]

Can't. They have no bulk chain or anything to put it together with. They sell new loops. Period.

 

[Fish]

Well, won't. They can't because they won't order roll chain and tie straps, and be willing to pay someone to
make loops and repair chain. In their mind, they are saving money, since fooling with used chains is a money loser.

 

[Windthrown]

You do not say if you are running 3/8 std or .325 B&C on your 261. Odd that they do not carry any semi-chisel loops where you live though. It is pretty common around here. Maybe demand is low there? In 3/8 std, in the crud I run Stihl RM (semi-chisel non-safety) and not RM3 (semi-chisel safety). I love that stuff. There is a dealer in Cottage Grove, OR that has a large roll of 3/8 RM and I have them make me up some loops whenever I am down that way. Short of finding any good Stihl semi chisel loops in Canada, you can order rebranded Carlton, which is called Woodland Pro 30SC non-safety semi-chisel chain in any length or by the reel at Baileys online.

I have one 026 saw here set up to run 0,050 Picco PS (non-safety full chisel) and that thing screams. I never found any Stihl PM semi-chisel loops in non-safety (I do not think that they make it), so I use Woodland Pro 30LP low profile semi-chisel for thinning, and running in the crud. Baileys also sells that. Carlton chain is still made near me in Milwaukie, OR. They were bought out by Oregon some years ago, but they still make Carlton chain here. It is harder than Oregon chain and is almost as good as Stihl. I only run Stihl and Carlton loops.

 

[DSS]

I was told at the stihl dealer that neither stihl nor anyone else makes semi chisel chain anymore. This was 4-5 years ago. There's not a large enough market in these parts for a real good dealer to survive, so we end up with a guy who is more interested in lawn mowers and snowmobiles. We do have a decent husky dealer, but he's over an hour away.

If he buys chain from Bailey's, he'll have to pay $10 shipping on every $20 loop. And wait 3-6 weeks for it.

 

[Hammy]

You do not say if you are running 3/8 std or .325 B&C on your 261. Odd that they do not carry any semi-chisel loops where you live though. It is pretty common around here. Maybe demand is low there? In 3/8 std, in the crud I run Stihl RM (semi-chisel non-safety) and not RM3 (semi-chisel safety). I love that stuff. There is a dealer in Cottage Grove, OR that has a large roll of 3/8 RM and I have them make me up some loops whenever I am down that way. Short of finding any good Stihl semi chisel loops in Canada, you can order rebranded Carlton, which is called Woodland Pro 30SC non-safety semi-chisel chain in any length or by the reel at Baileys online.

I have one 026 saw here set up to run 0,050 Picco PS (non-safety full chisel) and that thing screams. I never found any Stihl PM semi-chisel loops in non-safety (I do not think that they make it), so I use Woodland Pro 30LP low profile semi-chisel for thinning, and running in the crud. Baileys also sells that. Carlton chain is still made near me in Milwaukie, OR. They were bought out by Oregon some years ago, but they still make Carlton chain here. It is harder than Oregon chain and is almost as good as Stihl. I only run Stihl and Carlton loops.

From what the dealer told me they only stock RS and PM3. i have a .325 .050 16" bar that came with the saw so that's what I run. Could have gotten the 18" bar running the same but my trees are small so no need for the longer bar.

Being in Canada and ordering from the states can get pretty expensive as our dollar is almost worthless and shipping usually ridiculous. A loop of RS is $30 and to special order the RM3 was about $32. I 3 chains with the RS so I should be good for a while. Between day to day farm work, off farm work and house renovations I am kept pretty busy so I don't get out to the woods much.

 

[sunfish]

Plenty of Stihl Rm around here, but I like Oregon Semi Chisel better.

 

[Hammy]

@DSS are you in NS or the Island) Wife and I were in Amherst today for about an hour.

 

[DSS]

@DSS are you in NS or the Island) Wife and I were in Amherst today for about an hour.

PEI. Little west of summerside

 

[Gypo Logger]

Well, won't. They can't because they won't order roll chain and tie straps, and be willing to pay someone to
make loops and repair chain. In their mind, they are saving money, since fooling with used chains is a money loser.

John, is it ok to use used tie straps when shortening a used chain? Lol

 

[Fish]

pop rivets, or baling wire......

 

[Hammy]

PEI. Little west of summerside

Love the Island. Hoping to get over there this summer. Probably won't happen with all irons we have in the fire on the farm but it's nice to think of a non work related vacation

 

[darkimpulse]

I was told at the stihl dealer that neither stihl nor anyone else makes semi chisel chain anymore. This was 4-5 years ago. There's not a large enough market in these parts for a real good dealer to survive, so we end up with a guy who is more interested in lawn mowers and snowmobiles. We do have a decent husky dealer, but he's over an hour away.

If he buys chain from Bailey's, he'll have to pay $10 shipping on every $20 loop. And wait 3-6 weeks for it.

I feel your pain, went to order some chainsaw parts from a dealer, listed on the manufactur's website........who doesn't stock any chainsaws lol. I asked why they said they only deal in ppe. Your right though, I have not found a good shop anywhere near me.

 

[Windthrown]

From what the dealer told me they only stock RS and PM3. i have a .325 .050 16" bar that came with the saw so that's what I run. Could have gotten the 18" bar running the same but my trees are small so no need for the longer bar.

Being in Canada and ordering from the states can get pretty expensive as our dollar is almost worthless and shipping usually ridiculous. A loop of RS is $30 and to special order the RM3 was about $32. I 3 chains with the RS so I should be good for a while. Between day to day farm work, off farm work and house renovations I am kept pretty busy so I don't get out to the woods much.

Weird. Most Stihl dealers here -there are a dozen or so in the greater (or lesser) Portland area- stock all the loops that Stihl makes. I use Carlton/WP for the rest. Sad that CDN postage is so spendy. To compensate, US post just went up A LOT! the first of this year though.

.325 on a 261 saw will run just fine. Run the RS in clean wood, RM/RM3 in crud. RS will dull really fast in any kind of crud. RM/RM3 is not as fast, but it will hold an edge longer, especially in crud.

 

[Hammy]

Weird. Most Stihl dealers here -there are a dozen or so in the greater (or lesser) Portland area- stock all the loops that Stihl makes. I use Carlton/WP for the rest. Sad that CDN postage is so spendy. To compensate, US post just went up A LOT! the first of this year though.

.325 on a 261 saw will run just fine. Run the RS in clean wood, RM/RM3 in crud. RS will dull really fast in any kind of crud. RM/RM3 is not as fast, but it will hold an edge longer, especially in crud.

Yeah I find it strange to say the least. I am cutting some dirty stuff to clear trails in the woods so RM3 it is for now.