Oregon chain compared to others

[woodworkingboy]

Correct, Willard, 'Husq' is stamped on it. I'm on my first loop now, and it seems pretty good.

 

[pigwot]

I like Stihl so I try to buy the same model saws so one bar wrench works on all saws and if one saw dies, I can use parts from it to keep others going. Consistency

My bar wrenches have both sizes on the end of them so they fit the nuts on either my Stihls or Huskys.

That said, I seem to find saws I like in both lines and am not opposed to either manufacturer.
Just get to know them before you buy them so you can avoid those that aren't up to the job.
BTW, I just bought a second 346xp.

 

[squisher]

QUOTE=squisher;413554]Thats funny . I was the complete opposite, when I was younger I was loyal to Stihl [27yrs] even worked for them in 1989 when the 044 first came out. Then just a few yrs ago I switched to Husky. 372, 346 ,395, 576AT [X3] and a 338xpt to keep the MS200 company. Looking forward to the new 562 XP AutoTune.
The 272 replaced the 268 in 1991-92, which was the competition for the 044 at the time. The 046 didn't come out till 1995. The 371 replaced the 272 in 1996 with inboard clutch and air-injection. BUT I heard from some PNW fallers that the 272 with 72cc and outboard clutch handled better then the 371 and 046 in limbing big softwood. Still today the 272 fulled modded is the fastest in its class. Those saws are in Quebec.
Here is a photo of a 272 XP I took last summer, this saw is 18 yrs old and has never cut a stick of wood ,the owner showed me the bill of sale dated Jan. 1993.

Willard.

It was probably the 272 compared to the 044 I was remembering about. The 272 never lacked for power imo. But it was light years behind the 44 in user serviceability and reliability imo. They were good saws, just not as good as the comparable Stihl imo.

Your pics take me back aways, mine looked like that for atleast an hour or two once I got themto the bush!

 

[sawinredneck]

This thread is interesting for sure!
I'm loyal to saws, not manufactures! I always heard the 346xp was the cats ass, I hated the damn thing! Even ported, hated the damn thing! Had no torque at all!
I prefer the Stihl chain as well, I also prefer the Stihl ES bars, but GB has really impressed me! I'm running nothing but that chain on my 350 Husky, and the 32" bar on my 046. The GB "Pro top" bar I have on the 350, that I have bitched about in the past, lost all it's paint, but the rails are true, it's not showing signs of burning, and just keeps going! The GB "Titanium" bars are second only to the ES bars IMO!
Oregon files SUCK!
I'm not a fan of Oregon chain, tighten it up, make three cuts, tighten it up, make ten cuts, tighten it up, then you can run a tank of gas through it. No thanks!

 

[woodworkingboy]

I wonder if you could reharden a file? I have almost a full box of Woodsman Pro that are terrible. A couple sharpenings from one and that's it, even on Oregon chain.

 

[Al Smith]

Now there you go again .The ones I got from Baileys seem to do a better job on Stihl chains than Pferds .Go figure .

 

[HolmenTree]

It was probably the 272 compared to the 044 I was remembering about. The 272 never lacked for power imo. But it was light years behind the 44 in user serviceability and reliability imo. They were good saws, just not as good as the comparable Stihl imo.

Your pics take me back aways, mine looked like that for atleast an hour or two once I got themto the bush!

Yes the 044 was a fine saw. Mine is 21 years old and only on its 2nd overhaul. Never changed the crank bearings. When I worked for Stihl 21 yrs ago my job was to plant the seeds for that saw in NE B.C., Alberta and Saskatchewan. When winter came the saw had a rough time though, lots of carb. icing up problems. The competition [Husky 268XP] ran in winter with no problems. It wasn't until 3 yrs later the 044 and 066 Artic with heated carb was introduced. I went back logging in Jan 1990 and that following winter Stihl sent me a 044 with a heat tube off the muffler to heat the carb, it didn't work very good. The year after they installed a electronically controlled heating element on the saw.
Here is my 1992 066 Mag Artic with heated carb.
Willard.

 

[Old Monkey]

One of the catalogues had a tip about getting more life out of you files. They recommended soaking them in acid(which I cannot remember) overnight. Wait, I seem to think it was muriatic acid. Any which way, I am fresh out of acid so I've never tried it out.

 

[woodworkingboy]

I recall that vinegar soak was one way to get more life from a file.

 

[sawinredneck]

Yes Jay, it's vinegar.

 

[HolmenTree]

Sorry about the derail with the Stihl saws.
To get more life out of a file is 2 major things.[1].Don't touch the file with your bare hands, the salts from your skin will soften the steel on the files teeth.[2] while filing only put pressure on the file on the forward stroke, pressure on the backstroke dulls the files teeth quickly.
I heard all kind of snake oil ways to soak a file, the best was my barber soaking his straight razor in vodka.

Willard

 

[Old Monkey]

The thing that works best for me for extending the life of a file is to be really good about rotating it through its forward stroke. If you keep filing the same side it heats up and dulls quicker. Rotating it allows it to cool down.

Don't worry about the derail. That's a cool old saw. The 044 was my favorite saw we used them almost exclusively fighting fires. Just a great all around saw that was easy to work on in the field.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

I also store my round files separated in plastic straws in PVC tubes. Keeps them from dulling each other in storage in the truck ...
I think some one here posted about keeping them in straws once

+1 on the rotating Darin

 

[Cobleskill]

Any acid should work. I read about it years ago. Don't know why I have never tried it. It isn't for the lack of dull files of all sorts. Must be someone here has tried it - I bet Al.

 

[woodworkingboy]

About grinding the safety ramps off the top of the drive links, I wouldn't do it unless your running a 32" or longer b/c. Shorter bars the kickback energy in increased greatly and its gonna bite you when you least expect it.
Willard.

Willard, are you saying that you wouldn't advise not using a low kickback chain on any bar shorter than 32"? With that Husq chain we were talking about, after grinding down the safety ramps, you still have the depth gauge raker profile with the rounded end, like on a standard chain with no safety additives. It is a small amount narrower in it's side profile, but not much difference. I haven't noticed any greater tendency to kickback, and regularly do plunge cuts with it on there, etc. I don't understand why there would be any difference compared to a chain without ramps right out of the box?

 

[HolmenTree]

Willard, are you saying that you wouldn't advise not using a low kickback chain on any bar shorter than 32"? With that Husq chain we were talking about, after grinding down the safety ramps, you still have the depth gauge raker profile with the rounded end, like on a standard chain with no safety additives. It is a small amount narrower in it's side profile, but not much difference. I haven't noticed any greater tendency to kickback, and regularly do plunge cuts with it on there, etc. I don't understand why there would be any difference compared to a chain without ramps right out of the box?

I'm leaving for a week long trip with my family in a hr and won't have internet access but I'll quickly give some good advice.
The Oregon rebadged "Husqv" chain is LPX from what we have here in Canada anyways. The safety ramp is on top of the drive link, the LGX OR RS from Stihl only has the profile on the raker. LPX has no profile on the raker [depth gauge].
Since the early 1970s millions of $ have been spent on research and development on kickback and Oregon- Omark was the 1st to do it. They came up with the LP now called LPX.
A 32" bar gives the operator greater leverage to control kickback energy, a 16" has little and very dangerous with a poorly filed or straight no ramp chain.
The ramps deflect the cutters from the wood when contact is made at the upper quaderent pie on the bar nose.
I don't have to explain this to you Jay I'm sure. But there will be some unexperienced cutter here who will have his depth gauges filed down to .040" on a modded chain and get a serious kickback cut to his face.
See you in a week.
Willard,

 

[woodworkingboy]

Thanks, have a good trip. Maybe we can rehash this a bit more when you return.

 

[Magnus]

I tested and run/filed most chains and brands. Each manufacturer has different chains for different wood.
I think it comes down to personal preferences. Location, wood, access, skills, prices all vary too much to really say anything substantial.
I can't say this or that chain is bad just by manufacturer (with exception of the really cheep no name stuff).
A good filed chain out cut a not so good filed chain regardless of brand.

Each manufacturer have soft and hard chains and all pitches and tooth types.

 

[Magnus]

Since the early 1970s millions of $ have been spent on research and development on kickback and Oregon- Omark was the 1st to do it.

This is a statement that is pretty strong and wrong. I think you refer to the Super 70 and Super 20 chain that is still going today.
There were others before that had same types like Sandvik, Mall/Remington to name a few....
The X series have the (blue) anti rust on it now that Stihl had for years and some had in 50's!

The raker as it is today has not changed much. Sandvik and McCulloch had the long safety raker in late 50's early 60's.
3 raker chain....
Partner chains sold in 60's and 70´s had a raker bigger than the one used on LG today.

Most who know a bit of filing know that low rakers cause only trouble.
Trick is to get the tooth to cut very thin, roll it up nicely and fill the hole space with wood instead of just one splinter and lots of space unused.

 

[Magnus]

Here is some examples:

There are tons of chains made thru history so far and coming up with something new is hard.
New twists on old stuff is very common.
I just wait for straddle and ripping chains to reappear.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Willard, the Husqv chain I have does have a profile on the raker, just a slightly narrower one than is usual. I ground off the ramps to leave that and make it like the other chains I use with no safety feature. It performs in the same fashion.

 

[Cut4fun]

Oregon 76 3/8 chain

Anyone still using the oregon 76 drivers and maybe the older lg cutters for race chains etc? Got 264 drive links worth for someone else to break down and hand build them a goooood chain maybe .

 

[Cut4fun]

Oregon sawchain

Willard.

Willard or other chain builder, you guys might know the answer to the cutter question. I know you used to use 76 chain so figuring you may know about the cutters.

I dont ( I'm not sure) think the older LG cutters on these are the same as the older LG cutters the chain builders are wanting. Maybe they are shorter height. Are the LG cutters on the 76 chain shorter height then the LG cutters on the 72?

I do know the 76 drivers are what the builders are after for chassis though.

I got enough of the oregon 76 drivers for someone to make 2 72dl and 2 60dl thinned chains. The fastest chains I have seen had 76 drivers, if you compare them to the oregon 72 drivers I think you would see the diifference.
Whether the cutters are the same people are looking for I dont have a clue yet.

 

[Al Smith]

I'm pretty sure I have some 76 but it doesn't have the guard link like that chain .

 

[Cut4fun]

I'm pretty sure I have some 76 but it doesn't have the guard link like that chain .

They break then down for the thinned chains, so the guards are not going to be there when they put the drivers on the new chain build.

Race chain builders will give you top $$$ for that 76 driver stuff Al. My 264 drive links is spoken for already.
I sold mine for .26 a dl and with shipping came out to .30 once delivered.