Question about Chainsaw blades

[daschluck]

I own a Stihl Pro 036. Is has been a great saw. However, at the end of the season last year I noticed all of sudden the blade is just smoking bad. So I stop it and find the chain oil is gone. Shouldn't have been as I had just filled it. Turns out the oil tube got cut/broken not sure (a buddy fixed it for me). So I put it back on the bar and all 3 of my working chains are too big. I thought maybe my buddy put something back together wrong. There was nothing wrong. At this point I decided the bar must have worn so badly that it got smaller as I can't come close to tightening it up. The bar is pretty old anyway and a little bent, so I replaced it and also bought a new chain. Now all is good, however before I put them on I compared to the old bar and chain. The old bar had some wear, but not that much. The chains however were quit noticably longer. I know they stretch, but man I have used for awhile and even had them sharpened 2 or 3 times. My question is (sorrry this took so long) are these chains junk now? Is there an easy way to take a link out? or not worth the trouble? Appreciate any opinions.

 

[s219]

A good dealer will stock chain in bulk rolls, and have all the tools to make them in custom lengths. That kind of shop should be able to take a link out of an old chain and put the chain back together for you. Though the chains may not be worth the trouble if they are very old. I'd see how much life is left in the cutters and links/pins, and go from there. For a chain to stretch that much, I'd suspect the pins are close to shot.

Stihl pre-stretches their chain, so if a Stihl chain gets noticeably longer, it's probably due to wear in the pins and links.

 

[Treemonkey1000]

A good dealer will stock chain in bulk rolls, and have all the tools to make them in custom lengths. That kind of shop should be able to take a link out of an old chain and put the chain back together for you. Though the chains may not be worth the trouble if they are very old. I'd see how much life is left in the cutters and links/pins, and go from there. For a chain to stretch that much, I'd suspect the pins are close to shot.

Stihl pre-stretches their chain, so if a Stihl chain gets noticeably longer, it's probably due to wear in the pins and links.

Yep he nailed it. You can get links taken out. While you are fiddling with your saw when you are taking off chains use a small screwdriver or something to clean out the groove in the bar. Clean out the small oil holes in the bar. If you have a sprocket nose on the bar make sure it is turning freely.. Makes sure the rails that the chain is riding on are flat and smooth not curled over. A word of warning on the rails those can be sharp so use gloves. Also I try to make sure my oiler is working when I fire up the saw by aiming it at a log or something and revving it up several times to see if there is oil being slung out..
That's a great saw. Over working it having the oiler not giving you oil will not be a good thing for the engine.. PS: Keep that airfilter clean.. I am sure you aware of it.. It surprises me how often those things get left for "another day".

 

[daschluck]

Thanks for the advice. Again, I learned something today.

 

[Egon]

If the chains were run hot might as well junk them. The temper is gone and keeping them sharp is a lot of work.:thumbsup:

 

[Treemonkey1000]

Those kind of chains I use as my dirt chains for cutting logs up that have dirt or metal in them or even down around the roots of trees if I need to get the root ball out of the way.. They would have to get pretty hot to stretch that much but it sounds like what has happened.

 

[arrow]

I own a Stihl Pro 036. Is has been a great saw. However, at the end of the season last year I noticed all of sudden the blade is just smoking bad. So I stop it and find the chain oil is gone. Shouldn't have been as I had just filled it. Turns out the oil tube got cut/broken not sure (a buddy fixed it for me). So I put it back on the bar and all 3 of my working chains are too big. I thought maybe my buddy put something back together wrong. There was nothing wrong. At this point I decided the bar must have worn so badly that it got smaller as I can't come close to tightening it up. The bar is pretty old anyway and a little bent, so I replaced it and also bought a new chain. Now all is good, however before I put them on I compared to the old bar and chain. The old bar had some wear, but not that much. The chains however were quit noticably longer. I know they stretch, but man I have used for awhile and even had them sharpened 2 or 3 times. My question is (sorrry this took so long) are these chains junk now? Is there an easy way to take a link out? or not worth the trouble? Appreciate any opinions.

I'll assume you checked for full travel of your adjustment screw where no area of the screw was stripped.

 

[Treemonkey1000]

Arrow I had thought about that but then he said he found the oil tube was cut or broken. Doesn't mean the adjuster isn't hosed up either. I've had to repair a few of those adjusters especially after Joe Homeowner cranks the sideplate down on the bar without makings sure the adjuster finger is locked into the hole on the bar.

 

[LD1]

I'd pitch the chains. As mentioned, if they are stretched SOO much they wont even tighten, pins are worn. And the last thing you want is a broke chain with sharp cutters flying back at you Besides, a new chain is what...$18. And to have someone take links out and shorten will probabally cost you $10 or so. Just aint worth the money or risk IMO

 

[cqaigy2]

I'd pitch the chains. As mentioned, if they are stretched SOO much they wont even tighten, pins are worn. And the last thing you want is a broke chain with sharp cutters flying back at you Besides, a new chain is what...$18. And to have someone take links out and shorten will probabally cost you $10 or so. Just aint worth the money or risk IMO

Not to mention wear and tear on sprockets.

 

[daschluck]

Thanks for all the advice. End of story is I bought new bar and chain and all is working well. So I will pitch the chains, and keep the old bar for a backup if I ever need it. Thanks again.

 

[turnkey4099]

Not to mention wear and tear on sprockets.

$18???!!! That price hasn't been seen in at least 10 years. Even watching sales youw ill be lucky at $20+.My lasst purchase was this spring at $22 ea, 2 loops.

Chains stretch from use. Standard wear will require removing one drive link at little over half the tooth life and it does no harm to the saw. Been 2 years since I had a link removed (I do 10 plus cords years, run three saws) but I don't recall it costing anywhere near $10.

As to his chains. The one that was on the saw "smoking hot" should be thrown away, the others will be ok with one link removed.

Harry K

 

[LD1]

Prices I guess depend on where you go. There are two stihl dealers around me. For 3/8 stihl full-chisel chain, the one dealer charges $1 per inch of bar. IE: 18" bar...$18 20" bar...$20

The other one is a tad less because it was always ~$21 for a 24" loop.

And baileys online also sells loops for well under $1 per inch of bar. Their woodland pro stuff aint too bad, but it is no stihl chain. Husqvarna Chainsaws, Outdoor Power Equipment and Tree Care Supplies from Bailey's 30rc&catID=11810

 

[jonyyuma]

If i read this right, the bottom of the bar is sharp,TRUE.. But I dress it down with a file???Then i turn the bar over with each chain that i replace or sharpen..SO, None of you will turn your roller-tipped round end bars over to use ..? I have Both a homelite trim saw and a Stihl 028 woodboss..Curious to answers..

 

[LD1]

Sometimes I turn mine over, but most of the time not. Maybe its the bars I run, or the oil I use, but I find that my bars dont wear much at all. I just keep the rails dressed and flat with a file like you mention, only what I normakky do is clamp the file in the vice down low in the jaws, and drag the bar across it keeping it tight to one of the jaws to keep everything square.

A pedistal mount belt sander does well also. About the only time though I seem to have to file a bar is off of saws I have bought used or on ebay. Not sure why.

 

[Car Doc]

I am with the guys that say junk the chains and the bar and watch the oil splatter occasionally between cuts stop and rev it a time or 2 before making the cut to see shes oiling.

The hub or clutch drum if hub is attached to it permanently will wear something terrible with a stretched chain is my main reasoning. I use Baileys full chisel 3/8 on all my saws and it is just fine and affordable I run all Husky's w/.050. fwtw

 

[jonyyuma]

Well ,My stihl still has the OEM powerbar, but I have a Oregon bar to use on it too..I did not use Bar-oil all the time, so maybe there is some extra wear..My self i blame some of it on auto oiller.. I like the pump on the side of old saws so I could give it an extra pump when in a hot cut.. Alass, they took them off and only automatic on these saws. I don't burn wood for heat now,, so. The saws are only used little..

 

[Car Doc]

Well ,My stihl still has the OEM powerbar, but I have a Oregon bar to use on it too..I did not use Bar-oil all the time, so maybe there is some extra wear..My self i blame some of it on auto oiller.. I like the pump on the side of old saws so I could give it an extra pump when in a hot cut.. Alass, they took them off and only automatic on these saws. I don't burn wood for heat now,, so. The saws are only used little..

This isn't my thread just butt'n in sorry but I remember the old Mac's and Homey's etc with the oiler button also. I liked them the best wish we still had them on them but my Husky's have never once gave me fits even the few home owner saws I have owned so knock on wood been a good thing so far?!

I am one of those guys that can run a bar forever also some cant but I get away with it somehow I like lots of oil that may be how and I grease the nose roller a lot fwtw. I also flip mine every time and run sharp chains always I never leave home w/o at least 3 sharp chains for each saw.

 

[jonyyuma]

This isn't my thread just butt'n in sorry but I remember the old Mac's and Homey's etc with the oiler button also. I liked them the best wish we still had them on them but my Husky's have never once gave me fits even the few home owner saws I have owned so knock on wood been a good thing so far?!

I am one of those guys that can run a bar forever also some cant but I get away with it somehow I like lots of oil that may be how and I grease the nose roller a lot fwtw. I also flip mine every time and run sharp chains always I never leave home w/o at least 3 sharp chains for each saw.

Sounds good, Likewise on spare chains and i do dress the chains with a file...If you don't pinch a bar , why not use it?

 

[Car Doc]

Sounds good, Likewise on spare chains and i do dress the chains with a file...If you don't pinch a bar , why not use it?

As far as what the other guy was saying or what? If so if it was heated too much it will soften it and wear so much adjusting chains will be an every hour thing or sooner and then at some point out of bar adjustment is what I have found him too apparently. That's an extreme example and I spose not a rule but I guess it would be one of those things I might mark the bar as questionable and use hard to say...bars are $50 and up and so on I dont like running a chain at the end of my adjustment all the time.