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blades

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I run into that all the time depending on the bar configuration and the unit its going on. A lot of the newer bars seem to be less wide( top to bottom) hence at the spec drive link count seems about a link too long, but two out is too tight( or almost) to get a new chain on . Course the chains all will stretch a bit after some use so then I just take out the second link at that point. .050 drive link 3/8 chains seem to be the most affected . Set up a 20" ( 72 drive link) .063 x 3/8 Thursday and ran it some in oak and rock maple, worked out nice. I had opened up the bar oil port and I pre-oiled the chain prior to use. My Dolmars have always seemed to be stingy with bar oil, even wide open, with .050 dl's. Inspecting things after a tank of fuel showed a nicely oiled maybe even a bit excessive amount of oil on the .063 chassis. very little stretch at this point. In comparison to a .050 unit, it would always be dry a require the tehsion to be reset. Next up will be some .058 chassis chains and bar because I have a full reel of that. The heavier .063 chassis seem to retain and carry oil better . Hoping the same for .058 chassis. All this on Dolmar 79xx and 64xx heads.
 

Junk Meister

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"Philbert" showed a Chart on Stihl Chain and pointed out that the DLs' were swaged to the .050 and .058 thickness and the .063 were uniform thickness throughout. Rivet wear would be the same for all 3 gauges same saw kerf (Hypothetically) same stretch. Thinner Drivers carrying oil in the bar groove would have less oil carrying capacity. (My interpretation and open to other opinions). I have a Stihl 3003mount Rotary 32" .058" bar and a .404 tip. My solution was a .058" .375" 48PV48 (NLA) 6 rivet nose. I could run a skip chain but I have a full comp Stihl chain for it. Time will tell how the thinner DL carries oil vs chain stretch and rim sprocket wear.
I "ASSUME" Stihl is the only chain designed this way.
 

blades

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swagging a drive link fro .063 to .050 would induce a lot of distortion, .013 shrink thats a lot. from 058 maybe but still that is a lot of material to be moved and retain shape. even if was just the lower part that is still a fair amount move some where else. If one looks at the whole plate I do not see evidence of that. In Mfg that is an extra step, time engineers hate that.
 

Philbert

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It ‘used’ to be simpler:
STIHL .063, .058, and .050 cutters were all .063 at the top, and used the same presets for same pitch chains.

Oregon .063 was .063. But .058 and .050 were .058 at the top.

Except, narrow kerf .050, which was .050 at the top, and used different presets.

And then 3/8 low profile, and 1/4”, and ‘Nano’ chain, and . . .

I might have gotten 1 or 2 of those things wrong (?), but, bottom line is making sure that you get the right presets for your specific chain.

I ended up with many different types!

IMG_3794.jpeg

IMG_7014.png


Back to the original question: I have seen many guide bar tails closer to the drive sprocket, but, sometimes, that causes the chain to rub on the corners, depending on the profile.

Only way to know is to try one, or test fit, with a length of chain.

Philbert
 

Squish9

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It ‘used’ to be simpler:
STIHL .063, .058, and .050 cutters were all .063 at the top, and used the same presets for same pitch chains.

Oregon .063 was .063. But .058 and .050 were .058 at the top.

Except, narrow kerf .050, which was .050 at the top, and used different presets.

And then 3/8 low profile, and 1/4”, and ‘Nano’ chain, and . . .

I might have gotten 1 or 2 of those things wrong (?), but, bottom line is making sure that you get the right presets for your specific chain.

I ended up with many different types!

View attachment 455202

View attachment 455203


Back to the original question: I have seen many guide bar tails closer to the drive sprocket, but, sometimes, that causes the chain to rub on the corners, depending on the profile.

Only way to know is to try one, or test fit, with a length of chain.

Philbert
Just to add to this with the strangest one I know of

Husqvarna SP33G (NK) has narrower ties straps but retains the 1.5mm (058) upper sections of the drive links. It's thinned below the bottom of the straps.

Why the f.... Did they go to the effort of reducing the width of the tie straps but not the upper drive link
 

Philbert

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Why the f.... Did they go to the effort of reducing the width of the tie straps but not the upper drive link
I can’t answer everything.

But keeping the top of the drive links the same, lets a company use the same rivets and presets, and the same width guide bars, with lots of chains.

Philbert
 

blades

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Interesting Philbert. when i get back home, if i remember, i will have to compare .058-.050 same brand to see. dont have anything new enough in those sizes to make a good comparison here in shop. did look at a oregon 91 chain , drive link totally smooth no indication of swagging or grinding to reduce top half vs bottom half. at home have some rolls of .050/.058 of the same make I can compare ,3/8 full size. Just to edumakate this poor old noggin.
 

lehman live edge slab

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swagging a drive link fro .063 to .050 would induce a lot of distortion, .013 shrink thats a lot. from 058 maybe but still that is a lot of material to be moved and retain shape. even if was just the lower part that is still a fair amount move some where else. If one looks at the whole plate I do not see evidence of that. In Mfg that is an extra step, time engineers hate that.
Stihl chain is indeed all the same rivets and tie straps ect, the only difference is the drivers being thinned below the chain chassis to fit different bar groves.
 

Philbert

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Stihl chain is indeed all the same rivets and tie straps ect, the only difference is the drivers being thinned below the chain chassis to fit different bar groves.
* untill you get into low profile (‘Picco’), and some of the newer chains.

If you normally work with 1 or 2 types / brands of chain (most people?), it’s not hard to keep the right ones on hand.

Geeks who work in all types of chain . . .

Philbert
 
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el33t

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I can’t answer everything.

But keeping the top of the drive links the same, lets a company use the same rivets and presets, and the same width guide bars, with lots of chains.

Philbert

I think that in this case, what @Squish9 meant was precisely that you would have to use different presets/tie-straps to be compatible with the factory SP33G, even though the drive links are the same as in the .058 chain (with coined tangs).
 
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