@@GuiltyofTreeson I really enjoyed the World's Best tree felling video and I've rewatched that a few times. It would be awesome to watch another version of that to highlight the more nuanced decisions that are made when felling complex/hazardous trees. Whatever you end up doing, moreover I appreciate all the work you put into this channel, the dynamic/energy you all have and the informative content. Thanks!
@@GuiltyofTreeson I would enjoy a video including some of the old Eastside crew doing a tree removal together perhaps as a side hustle, I can kind of relate to Inbred as I think he is more old school.
I would like to add something about tree felling techniques especially with taller or larger diameter trees. I learned from an old school timber faller and I was taught to always stay level with your face cut as far as power head and bar. We’ve had lots of “experienced cutters” and I rarely see people consider it…not calling anyone out here or in particular! Just my two cents and hope it can help some people!
@@GuiltyofTreeson would be nice to have a video about choosing powerheads as you have mentioned in the video. Some of your viewers may be here just for the content and your nice voice (I have been such viewer for many months) but be to scared by the variety of different brands, variants or accessory (dogs, full-wrap handles, bars, springs,..). Information regarding various specs would for sure be welcome not only by the new guys (difference between power and cylinder capacity, recommended application, weight, weight distribution with different bars, some safety features, summer/winter switch and m-tronic carbs on the new Stihl models etc.). Looking forward to see all the new videos (as I have already seen every single one).
This video is EXACTLY what I needed. Clear, precise explanation of EVERYTHING!!!. I took note, drew diagrams, and now feel much more confident in my ability to buy and sharpen my chains. Thanks a bunch!
Best teacher I've ever had. I've learned more from your videos than I have from working hands on in the tree service industry with a bunch of rude guys who expect you to already know everything and shun you for asking questions
It’s just part of the game man.. don’t puss out and take it the wrong way. Every industry is the same. The FNG is gonna get shit on and talked about or maybe even cussed daily but if you keep come n back they get the hint they can’t run ya off and let up or actually let you ask questions without throwing something at ya. But if you cry n bitch about being treated badly you may as well quit now…. It won’t work out. Not being mean or trying to hurt your soft hands just telling you truth. It’s better to watch and learn than ask when your the FNG. I never treated my FNG’s the way I was treated but it takes twice as long to find a good employee the nicer you are out of the gate. Just the way things are working with all dudes.
I've found that a lot of guys that are dicks about "sharing information" don't actually know the reasons behind why they do what they do. They just do what they were taught without bothering to find out the "why". Master carpenter, master HVAC Journeyman, iron worker, oil and gas feilds... Every trade, same thing. There is some gate keeping that goes on but once they know you're there for more than just a paycheck, doing just enough not to get fired, the guys who know the why are generally more than happy to impart their knowledge because they understand doing so makes their life easier.
@@taylorc2542How very N.American! Consistency might be a lot safer! Remember the embarrassing Hubble telescope fiasco, contact lens to be taken up into space because somebody ground the main lens incorrectly due to measurement misunderstanding?
Thanks for doing this video. It is the best and most comprehensive explanation of chainsaw chain dimensions and characteristics I have found. Many people selling chainsaws or working with them expect everyone to already know this information, and do not seem really patient in explaining it. It is great you took the time to do that.
"How to pick out a chainsaw" would be cool. "Everything you can find at Madsens and how to use it" would be even way cooler. (and free advertisement for them) I really, really want to go to Madsens some day. I wish there was something like it down in California.
These tech videos save us folks that don't have loggers and arborists to hang out with a tremendous amount of time and dollars learning expensive lessons. I doubt I'll be going full Jed with the square files any time soon but I thoroughly enjoy seeing a dense stream of large chips flowing out of the saw rather than the dust I had been making 😅. The saw likes it a lot better too, so much so that in spite of my safety 3rd motto I wear my chaps religiously. Big thanks man!
I was just thinking today that I hadn't seen a video from you in a bit. Good video for the newbies, I will note that 0.058 gauge is more of a husky thing in the 20-30" bar range. Also, 0.325 pitch is a thing that I did not see talked about as an intermediate between 1/4 and 3/8, plenty of saws in that 14-18" range than run this in between size. I would like to see a how to pick a saw video as well
I have a Zenoah GZ4500 that runs .325. It was an almost brand new saw when I bought it at a local pawn shop but the owner said it was screwed up so he gave it to me for $20. I took it home and checked the sprocket because it ‘cluncked’ when the chain was moved. Further investigation revealed that it had a 3/8 bar. Bought a .325 bar and chain that it called for and it runs like a champ
Excellent video. One of the best and most comprehensive I've seen on this subject. I now feel like the mystery surrounding chainsaw chains has been removed. The take away for me is that in order to improve cutting performance - on any given saw that you have in your hand which already has a predefined sprocket, bar tip wheel and gauged bar - the only real chain choice (aside from brand) for a user is full house or skip tooth, round or square chisel and low profile or full size cutters. THANKS A BUNCH !!!
I went there last week while driving back to Sacramento from Vancouver. My wife was sick so I just stopped in for a second to buy a hat. It must be the biggest saw shop in the world.
Thank You for making this video with all the chain & bar examples. Now I know why I was confused before! Your video greatly greatly helps me in searching for a replacement chainsaw bar and chain!
Good job! I was always told that one of the reasons a semi- and full-skip chain works so well on large diameter wood is there is more room in the cut for chips on the way out. Works that way with machining metal, anyway!
thanks, very interesting representation about chains, very useful information for those who cut different types of wood, especially the round sharpening holds up better in dirty woods. many experienced people know that no matter how sharp the chain, if you cut a single piece of log soiled with dirt you immediately feel the difference in the next cuts.
Chainsaw chains and bars was the first thing I jumped into before I got into building power-heads. Interesting how many people I've met in tree work who don't know about the various types, profiles, and terminology for chains.
Like this video. As a home owner thisbis supper helpful. I learned more in this video than i did as a puke butt for 13years about chainsaw chains. Thanks for the class!
Used a cordless makita chainsaw for some time now doing a bunch of brush cleaning and some around the house tree cutting. It came with oregon safety chain. Got stihl chain without saftey rakers after i messed the oregon chain up hitting a piece of rebar inside the tree and noticed it cuts way faster and my batteries last logner with it too
I have really appreciated this video! Thank you very much! Those of us that are bitten by the tree cutting bug will always enjoy learning more and more. So, thank you!
Great video! Im definitely more on the ProHo side of things and have begun wanting more knowledge. I’d read things like “skip tooth” and “go with a chisel cutter” and had no idea what they were talking about. This year I got into hand filing my chains and felt pretty accomplished but this opens up a whole new line of information.
Thank you Jake. I will watch several times to get it down. Deeply appreciate all your educational Videos. You don't see much on this subject. You have saved me alot of time on having to beat my Brains out digging for information.
Knowledge is power. Thank you for sharing. I use a 251, cause I'm a property owner, and just need something to clear my property. But, I love the hotrodded saws, because I'm a hotrodder, and power is cool. Thank for the info, helps me make my decision on my next saw.
Tell Madsen’s thanks for the store usage! Amazing shop! Next time I’m in the area I’m stopping by to spend some cabbage! Looks like a saw man’s paradise!
I needed to see this a couple days ago. I just took the old chain to the hardware store and told them give me another one. I'm determined to learn more, so I don't have to depend on someone else.
Great explanatory video, I do like narrow chain - just cuts faster. The shape of the raker / depth gauge makes a huge difference to boring. So I usually swap chains between felling & cutting if I am doing a lot of either. I like a low profile safety chain for felling, because I use a lot of bore cuts (lots of heavily leaning trees around here & anyway I feel it gives me more control). I really like your demo of how the two parts to the safety chain raker works around the tip. But if I have a huge stack of logs to process into firewood, I'll swap to a more aggressive square ground, higher profile, simple raker to cut faster. That chain is a sod for boring especially on smaller trees, but great for cutting.
Great video… dabbled with cutting along time but you explained the parameters of the chain very nicely for me! The more chainsaws you end up with the more you need to know about chain crap!
@4:42 some people and manufacturers use mm. for example, 0.050 inch = 1.27 mm, rounded to 1.3 at @5:12 but pitch refers to the distance between sequential first rivets/2 = "a/2". @6:48 pole saws/pruners generally have small engines and small chains. a third number relevant for chain specification is for drive links, the number of points on the interior of the chain that fit into the bar (at a particular gauge). in general, great review!
Pitch is the distance between 3 revits divided in half... first this is america! We use fractional inch not metric milliliters. Thats why i buy flotation tires as mesured in inches not regular tires that mesure in mm n percentages like the rest of the communists!
BTW, I would like to see ALL of the inventory that is NOT in the catalog or online. A saw inventory would be great, especially what bars that they have, especially ones that they would ship, because I live in Arkansas. I do business with them when I can and have probably spent close to $1K with them but I don’t have a “reasonable” close connection to them. I just like how knowledgeable and personable that they are. Good job Josh & Madsens
Know my way around chain, but enjoyed your video, I would like to see a saw selection video. One on safety and climbing gear would be nice too, On that note I liked your 'inventory' video, but wanted to know more about some of your gear. Madsens is ok in my book, even more so since they let you film there. Gotta get them over the camera shy thing though.
Thanks a ton, very helpful 👍 I heard skip tooth chain is for clearing shavings out of the cut on big timber. Rather than being used to help small engines run a longer bar. When cutting through really big timber, less cutting teeth means more room for shavings to travel out of the cut, this helps keep the chain speed because its not jamming up with sawdust.
I do a fair amount of tree cutting, mostly for people that I know or helping out after a storm. I've been using the big store brands and not pro saws for 40 years because I heat my house with wood. When I go into a pro saw store I think, I could buy two or three for this price. I know how to keep my saw chain sharp and have actually out cut some guys with pro-saw right next to them. I'm interested in one or two, but I need that push. I want you to do a video on different saws like you suggested that will push me two to three, or five hundred dollars more to get the optimum saw for my needs. I have all the liming saws I need. I need midsize bucking and felling saws that will pull 20- 32 inch bars, stock. The couple of seconds advantage of a hot saw doesn't matter to me, so I want one out of the box that will fill my needs. I cut eastern hard wood, Oak, Cherry, Gum, Maple etc., and there usually 18" to 40"in diameter. I'm sure you've got an idea of what I run into, where am I at De., Md., Pa.. Enlighten me with what's out there and why I should not be such a tightwad, when it comes to buying a power saw. Loved your video's for a few years now, so I'll be looking for more great ones to come. I thought the above might give you a perspective of your average follower as myself.
@@tristanconnolly5675 I finally bit the bullet and bought a couple of Echo saws. A590 Timberwolf, and an 1173. I also got a Stehl 291 from a widow for taking down a couple of troubled trees. It was a mess and didn't run, but after about 6 hours of TLC, it runs and looks like new. I run full chisel chains on them and all three of them are beasts in the wood. It's not fair to compare a 42cc. saw against any of them because it's not apples to apples. No matter what you've got, keep it clean and keep it sharp and you can get done what you need to get done, it just takes a little longer.
Thanks for the informative video. Would like future Madsen video on selecting a proper saw for various skills\experience levels and requirements of the purchaser. Also, one on their Simmington square grind bench grinders would be cool.
.325 pitch is very common as well on homeowner saws. Then there are semi-chisel cutters as well. They have a rounded outer cutting face compared to the square point of the full-chisel cutter. FYI only. Good job!
Excellent video very enjoyable and educational… great to see the various samples side by side to understand the gauge, pitch and sequencing info. Well done, keep up the good work.
Thanks for vid. Homeowner diy person. Got a battery saw. Was angry to find how fast chain got dull. No, did not bury it while cutting guys. Anyways, funny. The quiet voice made you seem like a spy. Nice to learn the terms thanks so much. Wow what a cool channel name. I knew it was targeted and not some stupid review channel when I saw it.
I’m learning about chains since I retired diesel mechanic I enjoy cutting wood for daughter in flat land and trees We have tons of misquite trees for free
THIS is VERY helpful! Much of what l learned in the last 40 plus years about chains and cutter teeth l could have learned by watching this video! Thanks l have watched other videos by you l got something from each of those too! Guys are on U tube (knowledgeable guys) Using the term full house, (Does that mean a cutter every 2 rivets?) I think they mean standard! (Is that a cutter every 4 rivets?) Popular brand advertising uses their own terminology! What's more they don't even aknowledge the existence of cutter every 2 rivets chain!
This video is incredibly informative! I really appreciated the breakdown of chainsaw chain specifications, especially the differences between pitch and gauge. It’s fascinating how much thought goes into choosing the right chain for different jobs. What’s your favorite chain type for general use? I’d love to hear your recommendations!
Sooooo...great video, really important for people to understand the differences especially if they have more than one saw or start running different bars. Think this is a huge topic but could have been useful to mention (not trolling); ▪Some chain manufactures (i.e. Oregon) code stamp the drive link to id the gauge (gage US spellling?) and pitch the chain is ▪A chainsaw chain gauge card is really handy way to possitively id/measure a chain and bar specs (Oregon makes a really good one) ▪Safety chain definetly reduces 'kickback', but effects the cutting performance, increases chainsaw maintenance time and hinders advanced cutting techniques (like bore cuts).....advisable for untrained/inexperienced operators = 90% of TH-camr content ▪ chain and bar maiintenance is really important (could be whole separate video)......at least mention how to run in a new chain, storage and cleaning ▪length of chain can be dependent on bar type so not every 20" bar will run the same length chain.....count chain length by the drive links and it is stamped on bar.....so three important numbers to know gauge/pitch/number of drive links ▪some aditional general reasons why you might you use different types of chain i.e. - full house = cross cut, carving, small medium bars - semi skip tooth = medium - larger bars (squeezing a larger bar on smaller power head) and minimise chain maintenance time (less teeth to sharpen) - skip tooth = milling/ripping, or very large bars, again minimises chain maintenance time (less teeth to sharpen) - ripping chain (full skip) sharpened at a flatter angle =10° to reduce rougher cuts not advised to use for cross cuts, chisel tooth can lead to rougher cuts so round or semi round better choice...... and some manufacturers even design ripping chain the drag link to hold onto lube better.
Agreed, chain and bar maintenance would be a great, simple video! Combine it with a different bars video maybe. What's a Rollomatic E vs ES and why does it matter? Light bars vs standard. Sugi, vs Tsumura vs Oregon vs Stihl/Husky and why. Hell, why does my tension always seem to be off once I tighten the lugs if I'm not holding the tip of the bar up. That kind of stuff would be great. Oh, and end-of-day maintenance and cleaning + inspection. Like why is it important to get behind the clutch sprocket cover and clear out all that gunk. Thanks for a phenomenal channel!
Nice vid! Very good explained. I requested this subject for about one or two months ago, so very nice to see this one! Buckin Billy Ray always talks about “full house chain” and that was the reason I would like to know more about it. I didn’t have a clou what he talked about 😂. Thnx for this episode. Looking already forward to your next one 👍
Thank you I greatly appreciate all the Intel, I never knew there was that much to chainsaw chains. When you were talking about the teeth of the Chainsaw, mentioning they come in carbide would be good for some people that are beating the Daylights out of their chains by cutting super low into the dirt like myself I know about the sharpest teeth you can buy but other than that I was clueless
Pitch is half of the distance you pointed out in the video. You can pause the video at 5:12 and see the distance in the stihl book you pointed out was labeled 'a' and the pitch is defined as 'a/2'. So a pitch of 3/8" has 3/4" between the two rivets you pointed to.
Perfect. It's good to get an visual and number breakdown of the types and sizes of chains, their applications and their limitations. Yes please to powerhead walkthrough at Madsens, it'll dovetail into this post about chains.
Went bought chains last week - place I know - they made up a couple from an Oregon roll (who knows what flavour) - seems it a new design - point being, it cuts close to twice as fast as the Oregon chains I was using the last few years - you could mod a saw to within an inch of its life & not gain as much of a speed increase. It also holds an edge insanely well - I have yet to sharpen it & it's still razor sharp after felling & bucking 50, maybe 60 ton of fairly light thinnings - 6" to 10" trees - which involves the chain running in the dirt a lot, just due to the nature of the job. I've run the first chain about 6- 8 hours a day for the last 4 days straight - or close to 30 hours total & it's still as sharp as new, with zero "babying" which I find baffling but impressive. It's also well able to stall the saw out if you don't hold high revs - just due to the sheer bite it has. Which I also like - you want a chain to have proper bite. I'm gonna go buy more tomorrow just as it's so impressive at "working" - and I'm gonna find out exactly what sort of chain they gave me - because that's the chain I want in future, always. More impressive is it's on an absolute screamer of a ported/muffler modded saw wearing a tiny 14" bar - which means very few teeth are hammering around hitting wood a lot - which should murder a chain fast - but not this chain. Very impressed. Kudos to Oregon.
Keep your chain out of the ground! I dont care if your cutting a 1inch round twig your chain touches the dirt you dont know how to use it! You wear your stuff out in the ground but if i saw that with 1 of mg saws youd never touch1 again! Before i had my own work i useto work for a privet tree company n if the saw hit the dirt you were either dropped to dragging brush or fired! No excuse for a chain to touch the ground! I guess your jusy a piss poor user!
wow I never knew that there was so many variations with saw blades. good education on the differences, I knew about the different thickness but not the pitches in cutters.
Thanks that was very informative. I have chainsaws, learning how to get good cuts with them is the trick. I have "twin" pines that have grown together and those get tricky if they're very big. Keep up the good work. Thanks for the content.
Fantastic video, I learned so many things. Their store looks like a super overwhelming place to visit. A how to pic a chainsaw to fit your needs would be an amazing video for you to do. Keep up the great work
That's really great info. And yes sharp matters most. I use a 170 and 270 for work. I mostly do my adjusting with file work. I make the cutter tooth face a little steeper but leave a hair extra on the rakes. So I get a quick clean cut without bogging down. Still I hand file every tooth. Little saw is skip and bigger saw full comp. No safety chain crap. Not even on my pole saw. Too damn heavy to cut slow. I just keep guage and pitch factory with the more aggressive cutters
I've heard from an old retiree of logger/arborist that the .63 gauge transfers bar oil more frequently and faster than a .50 gauge. I've always run the 0.63 gauge chain skip And it is more robust let's chances of flexing the chain bending it and pinching it I also run the low profile .43 on my top handled saw
I think when you were talking about 53g and 63g the reason they make both sizes is because if you start with the 53g as the chain wears out your bar it will inevitably get bigger so the thinking is when you wear out your bar running 53 instead of buying a new bar you can then just switch over to 63 and because your bar is “worn out” the 63 should fit perfectly in bar instead of having to buy a new bar and chain you only need a new chain
Typical bar rail sizes for Md-Lg Husky would be .050 and .058 and Stihl .050 and .063. Might be some confusion on tooth shape rounded semi chisel vs square full chisel and the way they are sharpened square vs round which are two different components of the same cutter. Round cutter the transition from the side of the cutter to the top is rounded and square cutter the transition from the side of the cutter and the top is a 90-degree square. Least wise that was the way I remembered it was explained to me 45 odd years ago could be my addled old brain doesnt remember as well anymore.
You'll laugh at this! Decades ago (90's) a guy bought a saw in the shop. It was in the case & the guy had a pissed-off attitude. He open the case, a mid-sized saw was in it dirty as if it had been dropped in a mud hole. The story was & I quote, he had the saw as a Xmas present the year before & he had never used it. His son was going to install an electronic dog fence & used his dad's saw w/o permission. Dad sees the saw had been moved & discovers the saw in it's glory. He's pissed! Dad didn't care what it cost as sonny-boy was paying for it. Besides cleaning it up it took a new bar/chain/sprocket to make it right. Never saw the man before or after but I would've loved to have heard that conversation with his son, lol!
When my saw needed a new chain, I was dumbfounded as to what chain it needed. Thankfully, I managed to research my model of the saw and found the chain that is required. Luckily, after checking every store in my area, I managed to finally find one store that carried that specific chain. Without knowing the spec of the chain, I would have been lost.
Remember that “full-house” is a specialty carving chain, not full comp. And you’re right, a sharp chain is more of the saw than what power head that you have! THX!!! 👍
Good information. I think the only thing you didn't really touch on...2 things. Different cutter options on the specialty side such as carbide. Also, when I first got into cutting, file size was confusing.
Started a bit awkward, but the mid section with all the numbers crunched in pretty plain and understandable language. Great video. Took some remarks. The only one think I miss is probably bar length versus number of chain links marked there, as that's another number you need to know (besides pitch and gauge) IMHO. But still great video. Thank you.
You can also keep your saw sharp by doing all your dirt cutting with someone else's saw….
😂 good advice
Amen!
I'll have to remember that.
Dirty butt brilliant!
This is why I NEVER lend out my saws!
Really appreciate these comprehensive guides like this, square filing, tree felling techniques...keep up the good work!
any recommendations of videos you’d like to see?
@@GuiltyofTreeson I really enjoyed the World's Best tree felling video and I've rewatched that a few times. It would be awesome to watch another version of that to highlight the more nuanced decisions that are made when felling complex/hazardous trees.
Whatever you end up doing, moreover I appreciate all the work you put into this channel, the dynamic/energy you all have and the informative content. Thanks!
@@GuiltyofTreeson I would enjoy a video including some of the old Eastside crew doing a tree removal together perhaps as a side hustle, I can kind of relate to Inbred as I think he is more old school.
I would like to add something about tree felling techniques especially with taller or larger diameter trees. I learned from an old school timber faller and I was taught to always stay level with your face cut as far as power head and bar. We’ve had lots of “experienced cutters” and I rarely see people consider it…not calling anyone out here or in particular! Just my two cents and hope it can help some people!
@@GuiltyofTreeson would be nice to have a video about choosing powerheads as you have mentioned in the video.
Some of your viewers may be here just for the content and your nice voice (I have been such viewer for many months) but be to scared by the variety of different brands, variants or accessory (dogs, full-wrap handles, bars, springs,..).
Information regarding various specs would for sure be welcome not only by the new guys (difference between power and cylinder capacity, recommended application, weight, weight distribution with different bars, some safety features, summer/winter switch and m-tronic carbs on the new Stihl models etc.). Looking forward to see all the new videos (as I have already seen every single one).
This video is EXACTLY what I needed. Clear, precise explanation of EVERYTHING!!!. I took note, drew diagrams, and now feel much more confident in my ability to buy and sharpen my chains. Thanks a bunch!
Best teacher I've ever had. I've learned more from your videos than I have from working hands on in the tree service industry with a bunch of rude guys who expect you to already know everything and shun you for asking questions
It’s just part of the game man.. don’t puss out and take it the wrong way. Every industry is the same. The FNG is gonna get shit on and talked about or maybe even cussed daily but if you keep come n back they get the hint they can’t run ya off and let up or actually let you ask questions without throwing something at ya. But if you cry n bitch about being treated badly you may as well quit now…. It won’t work out. Not being mean or trying to hurt your soft hands just telling you truth. It’s better to watch and learn than ask when your the FNG. I never treated my FNG’s the way I was treated but it takes twice as long to find a good employee the nicer you are out of the gate. Just the way things are working with all dudes.
I've found that a lot of guys that are dicks about "sharing information" don't actually know the reasons behind why they do what they do. They just do what they were taught without bothering to find out the "why".
Master carpenter, master HVAC Journeyman, iron worker, oil and gas feilds... Every trade, same thing. There is some gate keeping that goes on but once they know you're there for more than just a paycheck, doing just enough not to get fired, the guys who know the why are generally more than happy to impart their knowledge because they understand doing so makes their life easier.
@@jeremyfortune7274 SPOT ON !!!
He didn't mention it, but pitch is half the distance between three rivets. It's confusing because it goes from fractions to decimal inch.
@@taylorc2542How very N.American! Consistency might be a lot safer! Remember the embarrassing Hubble telescope fiasco, contact lens to be taken up into space because somebody ground the main lens incorrectly due to measurement misunderstanding?
Thanks for doing this video. It is the best and most comprehensive explanation of chainsaw chain dimensions and characteristics I have found. Many people selling chainsaws or working with them expect everyone to already know this information, and do not seem really patient in explaining it. It is great you took the time to do that.
"How to pick out a chainsaw" would be cool. "Everything you can find at Madsens and how to use it" would be even way cooler. (and free advertisement for them) I really, really want to go to Madsens some day. I wish there was something like it down in California.
By far the best video I have ever seen explaining different chain.
These tech videos save us folks that don't have loggers and arborists to hang out with a tremendous amount of time and dollars learning expensive lessons.
I doubt I'll be going full Jed with the square files any time soon but I thoroughly enjoy seeing a dense stream of large chips flowing out of the saw rather than the dust I had been making 😅. The saw likes it a lot better too, so much so that in spite of my safety 3rd motto I wear my chaps religiously.
Big thanks man!
I was just thinking today that I hadn't seen a video from you in a bit. Good video for the newbies, I will note that 0.058 gauge is more of a husky thing in the 20-30" bar range. Also, 0.325 pitch is a thing that I did not see talked about as an intermediate between 1/4 and 3/8, plenty of saws in that 14-18" range than run this in between size. I would like to see a how to pick a saw video as well
I have a Zenoah GZ4500 that runs .325. It was an almost brand new saw when I bought it at a local pawn shop but the owner said it was screwed up so he gave it to me for $20. I took it home and checked the sprocket because it ‘cluncked’ when the chain was moved. Further investigation revealed that it had a 3/8 bar. Bought a .325 bar and chain that it called for and it runs like a champ
261’s in my area come with .325 pitch .063 gauge on them. Cutters are slightly smaller than .375
Great explanation!
Excellent video. One of the best and most comprehensive I've seen on this subject. I now feel like the mystery surrounding chainsaw chains has been removed.
The take away for me is that in order to improve cutting performance - on any given saw that you have in your hand which already has a predefined sprocket, bar tip wheel and gauged bar - the only real chain choice (aside from brand) for a user is full house or skip tooth, round or square chisel and low profile or full size cutters. THANKS A BUNCH !!!
I went there last week while driving back to Sacramento from Vancouver. My wife was sick so I just stopped in for a second to buy a hat. It must be the biggest saw shop in the world.
The "whisper mode" was funny! Madsens is great! It's the only place my wife can get me to go shopping!
Great video and explanation on the chains! Love Madsens, lots of great and knowledgeable guys there.
Thank You for making this video with all the chain & bar examples. Now I know why I was confused before! Your video greatly greatly helps me in searching for a replacement chainsaw bar and chain!
Good job!
I was always told that one of the reasons a semi- and full-skip chain works so well on large diameter wood is there is more room in the cut for chips on the way out.
Works that way with machining metal, anyway!
I have nothing to say really, but I appreciate your content, and wish to help with the yt-algorithms.
Great video, lots if great info for a homeowner/firewood guy like me. I’m always confused about chain I need. Great job explaining.
thanks, very interesting representation about chains, very useful information for those who cut different types of wood, especially the round sharpening holds up better in dirty woods. many experienced people know that no matter how sharp the chain, if you cut a single piece of log soiled with dirt you immediately feel the difference in the next cuts.
Chainsaw chains and bars was the first thing I jumped into before I got into building power-heads. Interesting how many people I've met in tree work who don't know about the various types, profiles, and terminology for chains.
Amazing how little educated some people are in different professions.
Like this video. As a home owner thisbis supper helpful. I learned more in this video than i did as a puke butt for 13years about chainsaw chains. Thanks for the class!
Used a cordless makita chainsaw for some time now doing a bunch of brush cleaning and some around the house tree cutting. It came with oregon safety chain. Got stihl chain without saftey rakers after i messed the oregon chain up hitting a piece of rebar inside the tree and noticed it cuts way faster and my batteries last logner with it too
I have really appreciated this video! Thank you very much! Those of us that are bitten by the tree cutting bug will always enjoy learning more and more. So, thank you!
Great video! Im definitely more on the ProHo side of things and have begun wanting more knowledge. I’d read things like “skip tooth” and “go with a chisel cutter” and had no idea what they were talking about. This year I got into hand filing my chains and felt pretty accomplished but this opens up a whole new line of information.
One of the best videos I’ve seen on TH-cam. Thank you!
Thank you Jake. I will watch several times to get it down. Deeply appreciate all your educational Videos. You don't see much on this subject. You have saved me alot of time on having to beat my Brains out digging for information.
Well done. This is the best chain video I've seen!
Knowledge is power. Thank you for sharing. I use a 251, cause I'm a property owner, and just need something to clear my property. But, I love the hotrodded saws, because I'm a hotrodder, and power is cool. Thank for the info, helps me make my decision on my next saw.
Very informative! I've never seen a chain explanation as quick and complete. Thank you! And Yes to "How-to pick out a chainsaw" video.
Great Video Jake!
My Stihl 090G came in 404, so I’ve had it converted to 3/8 making it easier to get bars and chain
Tell Madsen’s thanks for the store usage! Amazing shop! Next time I’m in the area I’m stopping by to spend some cabbage! Looks like a saw man’s paradise!
I needed to see this a couple days ago. I just took the old chain to the hardware store and told them give me another one. I'm determined to learn more, so I don't have to depend on someone else.
Great explanatory video, I do like narrow chain - just cuts faster.
The shape of the raker / depth gauge makes a huge difference to boring. So I usually swap chains between felling & cutting if I am doing a lot of either. I like a low profile safety chain for felling, because I use a lot of bore cuts (lots of heavily leaning trees around here & anyway I feel it gives me more control). I really like your demo of how the two parts to the safety chain raker works around the tip.
But if I have a huge stack of logs to process into firewood, I'll swap to a more aggressive square ground, higher profile, simple raker to cut faster. That chain is a sod for boring especially on smaller trees, but great for cutting.
Great video… dabbled with cutting along time but you explained the parameters of the chain very nicely for me! The more chainsaws you end up with the more you need to know about chain crap!
@4:42 some people and manufacturers use mm. for example, 0.050 inch = 1.27 mm, rounded to 1.3 at @5:12 but pitch refers to the distance between sequential first rivets/2 = "a/2".
@6:48 pole saws/pruners generally have small engines and small chains.
a third number relevant for chain specification is for drive links, the number of points on the interior of the chain that fit into the bar (at a particular gauge).
in general, great review!
Pitch is the distance between 3 revits divided in half... first this is america! We use fractional inch not metric milliliters. Thats why i buy flotation tires as mesured in inches not regular tires that mesure in mm n percentages like the rest of the communists!
Great video and super informative. Thanks for coming in.
BTW, I would like to see ALL of the inventory that is NOT in the catalog or online.
A saw inventory would be great, especially what bars that they have, especially ones that they would ship, because I live in Arkansas. I do business with them when I can and have probably spent close to $1K with them but I don’t have a “reasonable” close connection to them. I just like how knowledgeable and personable that they are. Good job Josh & Madsens
I’d love a chainsaw selection video.
Would love more videos at Madsen's.
Yes please... come back for the selection video. That would be a great topic. Thanks for all the hard work you're putting into the channel!
Thanks for all the wonderful information and time you took to make this episode, this is my second time watching as I’m but a hobbyist,
Know my way around chain, but enjoyed your video, I would like to see a saw selection video. One on safety and climbing gear would be nice too, On that note I liked your 'inventory' video, but wanted to know more about some of your gear.
Madsens is ok in my book, even more so since they let you film there. Gotta get them over the camera shy thing though.
Thanks a ton, very helpful 👍 I heard skip tooth chain is for clearing shavings out of the cut on big timber. Rather than being used to help small engines run a longer bar. When cutting through really big timber, less cutting teeth means more room for shavings to travel out of the cut, this helps keep the chain speed because its not jamming up with sawdust.
I love your new channel, Jake. Keep it up.
I do a fair amount of tree cutting, mostly for people that I know or helping out after a storm. I've been using the big store brands and not pro saws for 40 years because I heat my house with wood. When I go into a pro saw store I think, I could buy two or three for this price. I know how to keep my saw chain sharp and have actually out cut some guys with pro-saw right next to them. I'm interested in one or two, but I need that push. I want you to do a video on different saws like you suggested that will push me two to three, or five hundred dollars more to get the optimum saw for my needs. I have all the liming saws I need. I need midsize bucking and felling saws that will pull 20- 32 inch bars, stock. The couple of seconds advantage of a hot saw doesn't matter to me, so I want one out of the box that will fill my needs. I cut eastern hard wood, Oak, Cherry, Gum, Maple etc., and there usually 18" to 40"in diameter. I'm sure you've got an idea of what I run into, where am I at De., Md., Pa.. Enlighten me with what's out there and why I should not be such a tightwad, when it comes to buying a power saw.
Loved your video's for a few years now, so I'll be looking for more great ones to come. I thought the above might give you a perspective of your average follower as myself.
Nice to know a fellow shopper!
@@tristanconnolly5675 I finally bit the bullet and bought a couple of Echo saws. A590 Timberwolf, and an 1173. I also got a Stehl 291 from a widow for taking down a couple of troubled trees. It was a mess and didn't run, but after about 6 hours of TLC, it runs and looks like new. I run full chisel chains on them and all three of them are beasts in the wood. It's not fair to compare a 42cc. saw against any of them because it's not apples to apples. No matter what you've got, keep it clean and keep it sharp and you can get done what you need to get done, it just takes a little longer.
Love this dudes attitude, so laid back, great video stay safe bro....
Not boring. Good information. Thanks.
Thanks for the informative video. Would like future Madsen video on selecting a proper saw for various skills\experience levels and requirements of the purchaser. Also, one on their Simmington square grind bench grinders would be cool.
.325 pitch is very common as well on homeowner saws. Then there are semi-chisel cutters as well. They have a rounded outer cutting face compared to the square point of the full-chisel cutter. FYI only. Good job!
Semi chisel is round also
Yes on the saw selection video!
You should talk about the sprockets (changing from a 7 to a 6 or to an 8)
Excellent video very enjoyable and educational… great to see the various samples side by side to understand the gauge, pitch and sequencing info. Well done, keep up the good work.
Really good video showing basic info that I needed to understand
Thanks for vid. Homeowner diy person. Got a battery saw. Was angry to find how fast chain got dull. No, did not bury it while cutting guys. Anyways, funny. The quiet voice made you seem like a spy. Nice to learn the terms thanks so much. Wow what a cool channel name. I knew it was targeted and not some stupid review channel when I saw it.
I’m learning about chains since I retired diesel mechanic
I enjoy cutting wood for daughter in flat land and trees
We have tons of misquite trees for free
I like running the husky 3/8 with the bent raker on my Stihl. I think it is a H27. It's a bit quieter in the cut and I think it sharpens easier.
THIS is VERY helpful! Much of what l learned in the last 40 plus years about chains and cutter teeth l could have learned by watching this video! Thanks l have watched other videos by you l got something from each of those too!
Guys are on U tube (knowledgeable guys)
Using the term full house, (Does that mean a cutter every 2 rivets?) I think they mean standard! (Is that a cutter every 4 rivets?)
Popular brand advertising uses their own terminology! What's more they don't even aknowledge the existence of cutter every 2 rivets chain!
This video is incredibly informative! I really appreciated the breakdown of chainsaw chain specifications, especially the differences between pitch and gauge. It’s fascinating how much thought goes into choosing the right chain for different jobs. What’s your favorite chain type for general use? I’d love to hear your recommendations!
Man. Thanks for explaining this. Chains and bars have been confusing me for years.
Yes do a chainsaw how to video!!! Great stuff!
Sooooo...great video, really important for people to understand the differences especially if they have more than one saw or start running different bars.
Think this is a huge topic but could have been useful to mention (not trolling);
▪Some chain manufactures (i.e. Oregon) code stamp the drive link to id the gauge (gage US spellling?) and pitch the chain is
▪A chainsaw chain gauge card is really handy way to possitively id/measure a chain and bar specs (Oregon makes a really good one)
▪Safety chain definetly reduces 'kickback', but effects the cutting performance, increases chainsaw maintenance time and hinders advanced cutting techniques (like bore cuts).....advisable for untrained/inexperienced operators = 90% of TH-camr content
▪ chain and bar maiintenance is really important (could be whole separate video)......at least mention how to run in a new chain, storage and cleaning
▪length of chain can be dependent on bar type so not every 20" bar will run the same length chain.....count chain length by the drive links and it is stamped on bar.....so three important numbers to know gauge/pitch/number of drive links
▪some aditional general reasons why you might you use different types of chain i.e.
- full house = cross cut, carving, small medium bars
- semi skip tooth = medium - larger bars (squeezing a larger bar on smaller power head) and minimise chain maintenance time (less teeth to sharpen)
- skip tooth = milling/ripping, or very large bars, again minimises chain maintenance time (less teeth to sharpen)
- ripping chain (full skip) sharpened at a flatter angle =10° to reduce rougher cuts not advised to use for cross cuts, chisel tooth can lead to rougher cuts so round or semi round better choice...... and some manufacturers even design ripping chain the drag link to hold onto lube better.
Agreed, chain and bar maintenance would be a great, simple video! Combine it with a different bars video maybe. What's a Rollomatic E vs ES and why does it matter? Light bars vs standard. Sugi, vs Tsumura vs Oregon vs Stihl/Husky and why. Hell, why does my tension always seem to be off once I tighten the lugs if I'm not holding the tip of the bar up. That kind of stuff would be great.
Oh, and end-of-day maintenance and cleaning + inspection. Like why is it important to get behind the clutch sprocket cover and clear out all that gunk.
Thanks for a phenomenal channel!
Gotta love Madsens. I have bought several saws from them. I really love my 661 that they ported for me.
Nice vid! Very good explained. I requested this subject for about one or two months ago, so very nice to see this one! Buckin Billy Ray always talks about “full house chain” and that was the reason I would like to know more about it. I didn’t have a clou what he talked about 😂. Thnx for this episode. Looking already forward to your next one 👍
Thank you I greatly appreciate all the Intel, I never knew there was that much to chainsaw chains. When you were talking about the teeth of the Chainsaw, mentioning they come in carbide would be good for some people that are beating the Daylights out of their chains by cutting super low into the dirt like myself I know about the sharpest teeth you can buy but other than that I was clueless
Ohhhhh.... We need a Madsens here in Vermont!!!!😳😯
Lucky you!!!
Just for clarification, pitch is the distance between drive links divided by 2. Thanks for this enlightening video!
I think these videos are great! Very informative and I think doing a chainsaw selecting video would be cool too see. Thanks Jacob.
Pitch is half of the distance you pointed out in the video. You can pause the video at 5:12 and see the distance in the stihl book you pointed out was labeled 'a' and the pitch is defined as 'a/2'.
So a pitch of 3/8" has 3/4" between the two rivets you pointed to.
Great video too
Madsen’s is the coolest store ever, I go there at least once a month. Couldn’t believe the place first time I walked in there.
Looks like an awesome store. Yes please do more videos at Madsen's
Yes saw videos and file sizes for different teeth and sizes of grinding stones for different teeth sizes. Great video thank you
Perfect. It's good to get an visual and number breakdown of the types and sizes of chains, their applications and their limitations. Yes please to powerhead walkthrough at Madsens, it'll dovetail into this post about chains.
Yes go back and show their stuff please
Brilliant, informative and well explained. Start at Madsen's front door and work your way through to the back. Would be good set of vids. THANKS 🤗👏👍☘
Went bought chains last week - place I know - they made up a couple from an Oregon roll (who knows what flavour) - seems it a new design - point being, it cuts close to twice as fast as the Oregon chains I was using the last few years - you could mod a saw to within an inch of its life & not gain as much of a speed increase. It also holds an edge insanely well - I have yet to sharpen it & it's still razor sharp after felling & bucking 50, maybe 60 ton of fairly light thinnings - 6" to 10" trees - which involves the chain running in the dirt a lot, just due to the nature of the job.
I've run the first chain about 6- 8 hours a day for the last 4 days straight - or close to 30 hours total & it's still as sharp as new, with zero "babying" which I find baffling but impressive. It's also well able to stall the saw out if you don't hold high revs - just due to the sheer bite it has. Which I also like - you want a chain to have proper bite. I'm gonna go buy more tomorrow just as it's so impressive at "working" - and I'm gonna find out exactly what sort of chain they gave me - because that's the chain I want in future, always. More impressive is it's on an absolute screamer of a ported/muffler modded saw wearing a tiny 14" bar - which means very few teeth are hammering around hitting wood a lot - which should murder a chain fast - but not this chain. Very impressed. Kudos to Oregon.
Keep your chain out of the ground! I dont care if your cutting a 1inch round twig your chain touches the dirt you dont know how to use it! You wear your stuff out in the ground but if i saw that with 1 of mg saws youd never touch1 again! Before i had my own work i useto work for a privet tree company n if the saw hit the dirt you were either dropped to dragging brush or fired! No excuse for a chain to touch the ground! I guess your jusy a piss poor user!
wow I never knew that there was so many variations with saw blades. good education
on the differences, I knew about the different thickness but not the pitches in cutters.
Nice informative video. Straight and to the point. Good job.
This is always a pain. thanks for all this information! I need to get this cleared up with all my saws. Thank you!
You're a good teacher!
I like your other videos too!
Thank you!
Keep it up.
Thanks that was very informative. I have chainsaws, learning how to get good cuts with them is the trick. I have "twin" pines that have grown together and those get tricky if they're very big. Keep up the good work. Thanks for the content.
I'd like to see the saw selection video. I know nothing about Husky. I'd like to learn more about them. Just have stihl.
Fantastic video, I learned so many things. Their store looks like a super overwhelming place to visit. A how to pic a chainsaw to fit your needs would be an amazing video for you to do. Keep up the great work
That's really great info. And yes sharp matters most. I use a 170 and 270 for work. I mostly do my adjusting with file work. I make the cutter tooth face a little steeper but leave a hair extra on the rakes. So I get a quick clean cut without bogging down. Still I hand file every tooth. Little saw is skip and bigger saw full comp. No safety chain crap. Not even on my pole saw. Too damn heavy to cut slow. I just keep guage and pitch factory with the more aggressive cutters
I've heard from an old retiree of logger/arborist that the .63 gauge transfers bar oil more frequently and faster than a .50 gauge.
I've always run the 0.63 gauge chain skip And it is more robust let's chances of flexing the chain bending it and pinching it I also run the low profile .43 on my top handled saw
I think when you were talking about 53g and 63g the reason they make both sizes is because if you start with the 53g as the chain wears out your bar it will inevitably get bigger so the thinking is when you wear out your bar running 53 instead of buying a new bar you can then just switch over to 63 and because your bar is “worn out” the 63 should fit perfectly in bar instead of having to buy a new bar and chain you only need a new chain
Typical bar rail sizes for Md-Lg Husky would be .050 and .058 and Stihl .050 and .063. Might be some confusion on tooth shape rounded semi chisel vs square full chisel and the way they are sharpened square vs round which are two different components of the same cutter. Round cutter the transition from the side of the cutter to the top is rounded and square cutter the transition from the side of the cutter and the top is a 90-degree square. Least wise that was the way I remembered it was explained to me 45 odd years ago could be my addled old brain doesnt remember as well anymore.
You'll laugh at this! Decades ago (90's) a guy bought a saw in the shop. It was in the case & the guy had a pissed-off attitude. He open the case, a mid-sized saw was in it dirty as if it had been dropped in a mud hole. The story was & I quote, he had the saw as a Xmas present the year before & he had never used it. His son was going to install an electronic dog fence & used his dad's saw w/o permission. Dad sees the saw had been moved & discovers the saw in it's glory. He's pissed! Dad didn't care what it cost as sonny-boy was paying for it. Besides cleaning it up it took a new bar/chain/sprocket to make it right. Never saw the man before or after but I would've loved to have heard that conversation with his son, lol!
Thanks for the explanations. Good topic!
When my saw needed a new chain, I was dumbfounded as to what chain it needed. Thankfully, I managed to research my model of the saw and found the chain that is required. Luckily, after checking every store in my area, I managed to finally find one store that carried that specific chain. Without knowing the spec of the chain, I would have been lost.
You should talk with a carver about his thoughts on saws and chains. I think we all would love this.
Remember that “full-house” is a specialty carving chain, not full comp.
And you’re right, a sharp chain is more of the saw than what power head that you have!
THX!!! 👍
Thanks for helping to demystify chainsaw numbers.
I knew nothing about chainsaws before this video!
Good information. I think the only thing you didn't really touch on...2 things. Different cutter options on the specialty side such as carbide. Also, when I first got into cutting, file size was confusing.
Started a bit awkward, but the mid section with all the numbers crunched in pretty plain and understandable language. Great video. Took some remarks.
The only one think I miss is probably bar length versus number of chain links marked there, as that's another number you need to know (besides pitch and gauge) IMHO. But still great video.
Thank you.
Yes, pick a saw video would be great.
58 gauge was pretty common on a lot of old American made saws but is really only used by Husky now
Well done, Jake! Good information!
There is also 0.122" guage chain for some harvesters. On some old chainsaws they'll take 0.500" pitch chain.
You had me at "chainsaw" and "crash course" :)
A chainsaw selection guide would be great!